20,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
Entertaining guide to adopt a more fun and fulfilling approach to work
In the latest, freshly updated edition of Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work, renowned keynote speaker, improv actor, and comedian Joel Zeff delivers a unique, interactive, humorous, and highly entertaining blueprint to create a new approach to work that is inspiring, fun, and infinitely more effective. Filled with self-contained chapters that will make you laugh and nod your head in agreement, this book has everything readers need to increase engagement, communicate more effectively, and create a positive and successful work environment.
You'll find hilarious and insightful observations on everything from “The Six Sprinkles on the Leadership Cupcake” to seven underappreciated—and effective—ways to create a culture of fun and enthusiasm at work.
This book is inspired by Zeff's extensive experience playing improvisational games with thousands of employees, managers, and corporate leaders at companies like Walmart, KPMG, and PepsiCo. In this book, readers will learn how to:
- Make the choice to be fun, passionate, and happy and stay in the game when the going gets tough
- Create magic chemistry to success through positivity and opportunity and communicate in the moment
- Start utilizing the creative mind more effectively and establish a foundation for seamless teamwork
The polar opposite of a boring business book, the revised and expanded edition of Make the Right Choice earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of managers, business leaders, and all individuals seeking a more fun and fulfilling approach to work. By the time you get to the last page, you'll have embraced Zeff's TA DA philosophy and transformed the way you work and lead.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 287
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
Ähnliche
Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Preface
In the Beginning, I Was a Reporter. I Didn’t Even Know People Spoke for a Living
Every Employee and Manager Wants to Have Fun
We Have to Take Responsibility and Make the Right Choice
Notes
Chapter 1: The Secrets of TA DA: Celebrating Moments to Fuel Our Passion
Notes
Chapter 2: The Story of Losing My Job and a Magic Harmonica
Notes
Chapter 3: Fun Is a Choice, Passion Is a Choice, Happiness Is a Choice
Why Would You Choose Anything Other than Fun?
Notes
Chapter 4: Make the Right Choice: Six Sprinkles on the Leadership Cupcake
Notes
Chapter 5: Beware of the Dumb Ass Manager (D.A.M.): Observations on Leadership
The D.A.M.
The Aloha Manager
The Bye‐Bye Manager
The “Yes, I Would Love to Kiss Your Ass” Manager
It’s Not Just About Communication: It Is About Connecting to Your Audience
Create the Opportunity for Ownership and Initiative
Notes
Chapter 6: The Magic Chemistry for Success: Positive Support and Opportunity, Part 1
We All Want Two Things: Opportunity and Positive Support
Notes
Chapter 7: The Magic Chemistry for Success: Positive Support and Opportunity, Part 2
Sometimes You Ask for Opportunity, Sometimes You Take Opportunity, and Sometimes You Demand Opportunity
Chapter 8: The Five TA DA Tenets of Teamwork
Notes
Chapter 9: The Foundation for Teamwork: Making Everyone Else Successful
What We Also Need Is Team Effectiveness
Take Responsibility for Your Role and Do the Best Job Possible
Help Everyone Else Achieve Success
How Do I Help the People around Me Achieve More Success?
My Success Is Dependent on Your Success
Chapter 10: The Secrets to Success During Change and Disruption: Embrace the Chaos; Be Open and Flexible; Be in the Moment; Be Prepared for Change
Change Is Scary. The Idea of Change Is Even Scarier
Change Is Going to Happen—We Might as Well Be Open and Flexible
Ask Two Simple Questions to Manage Change
Notes
Chapter 11: Stay in the Game
To Be Successful, You Have to Stay in the Game
Why Do We Look Up to Our Role Models? The Secret Is They Stayed in the Game
Notes
Chapter 12: Learn to Communicate in the Moment
The Conference Call Is Just One Bad Communication Habit—There Are Many Others
Deliver Detailed Communication
Communicate in the Moment and Define Constant Communication
Make Your Recipient Feel Comfortable, Confident, and in Control
Make Your Communication 50/50
We All Want Positive and Patient Communication
Notes
Chapter 13: Communication Intervention
Improvisation Just Might Show Us the Way
Notes
Chapter 14: The Creative Mind: Thinking without a Script
Do Not Analyze and Create at the Same Time
Expand Your Possibilities
Relax
Reward the Time Spent Creating the Idea
Create a Better Brainstorming Session
Notes
Chapter 15: Life Happens in the Front Row
The Front Row
The Middle Seats
The Back Row
Where Do You Sit?
Notes
Chapter 16: We All Have Choices
Choose Your Own Attitude, Not Someone Else’s
Notes
Chapter 17: Stand and Be Recognized: A Few Thoughts on Awards and Recognition
Best Use of Wasted Time: The Photographer
Best Recognition of Everyone in the Room
Best Use of Reading to Inflict Boredom
Best Way to Save the Evening: Hire a Professional
More Ideas for Recognition
Notes
Acknowledgments and a Huge TA DA
Notes
About the Author
Index
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Preface
Begin Reading
Acknowledgments and a Huge TA DA
About the Author
Index
End User License Agreement
Pages
i
ii
iii
iv
v
ix
x
xi
xii
xiii
xiv
xv
xvi
xvii
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
177
178
179
180
181
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
Praise for Make the Right Choice
“Magicians spend years perfecting the art of TA DA. Kids earn a TA DA with each baby step. Make the Right Choice is a “just right” approach to discover your TA DA, in achievable, actionable steps. Zeff’s storytelling style will reach your mind, heart, and funny bone. You’ll laugh your way to making a difference in your leadership, communication, and the choices you make every day. That is the real magic of Joel Zeff.”
—Kelly McCutcheonGroup Director of Training and Development, Whataburger
“Having known Joel Zeff for years and witnessed his electrifying presentations to both nonprofits and clients, I can confidently say that Make the Right Choice has been a cornerstone in understanding how to create a positive and productive work environment. His unique blend of humor and wisdom has always resonated with me, helping to transform my approach to workplace challenges. And now, TA DA! Joel introduces a new and improved edition of his book, enhancing the already invaluable advice with even more insights and practical tips. If you thought the original was a game changer, this updated version will inspire anyone who reads it to make the right choices in their professional life, elevating their work experience to new heights of enjoyment and innovation!”
—Richard HoniballEVP, Global Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer; Adjunct Instructor, George Mason University; Retail Executive with Navy Exchange, JC Penney, Haggar Clothing
“Joel’s book Make the Right Choice shares so many great tools and advice to be successful. I really resonated with this book, and I know it will be a powerful tool for people to utilize in their own lives!”
—Carly PattersonOlympic Gold Medalist; Member, USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame
“Joel Zeff is a multifaceted motivator. He wears many hats: teacher, coach, cheerleader, and comedian. He is funny. Make the Right Choice’s wisdom can prompt you to pause, reflect on life’s priorities, and inspire personal growth.”
—Kelli FinglassDirector, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders; Star and Executive Producer, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team
JOEL ZEFF
FULLY REVISED AND UPDATEDWITH THE SPIRIT OF ‘TA DA!’
MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE
LEAD WITH PASSION, ELEVATE YOUR TEAM, AND UNLEASH THE FUN AT WORK
Copyright © 2025 by Joel Zeff. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.
Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762‐2974, outside the United States at (317) 572‐3993 or fax (317) 572‐4002.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Zeff, Joel, author.
Title: Make the right choice : lead with passion, elevate your team, and unleash the fun at work / Joel Zeff.
Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley, [2025] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2024031221 (print) | LCCN 2024031222 (ebook) | ISBN 9781394278954 (hardback) | ISBN 9781394278978 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781394278961 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Quality of work life. | Choice (Psychology) | Change (Psychology) | Resilience (Personality trait) | Creative ability in business.
Classification: LCC HD6955 .Z44 2025 (print) | LCC HD6955 (ebook) | DDC 306.3—dc23/eng/20240801
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024031221
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024031222
Cover Design: Paul McCarthy
For Isabella and Zander to help them make the right choices in life.
And for Susan, who helps me make the right choices each day.
And for every audience member who listened, laughed, engaged, applauded, and smiled.
And especially for those awesome audience members who joined me on stage.
Huge TA DA!
Preface
It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry.
—Albert Einstein
Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
—Abigail Adams
This book is not for Dumb Ass Managers (D.A.M.s). They refuse to turn away from their presentations of upside‐down triangles and convoluted mission statements; they certainly do not listen to you; and they are too busy micromanaging to read a book. They only learn from another D.A.M.
Take a moment to watch and study a D.A.M. in their natural habitat. Look down the hall at the cubicle on the right; the D.A.M. is focused on something that doesn’t matter while also trying to convince someone that they had communicated a key detail (they didn’t) about an expense to a vendor that caused confusion and mayhem. There is another D.A.M. in their vice president’s office, taking credit for a success that had nothing to do with them. Or maybe you are attending a conference and you see a D.A.M. near the coffee station. They tend to circle near blueberry muffins. They probably wouldn’t notice you watching them. The D.A.M. stuffs their face with a muffin, staring at their phone and answering emails about fungibles.1
Every so often, the D.A.M. must feed. The D.A.M. feeds on other team members after a larger and stronger D.A.M. requires quarterly performance improvements.
A typical D.A.M. wants success. They want their employees to have passion and creativity. They want their team to produce results. And then the D.A.M. clubs them like baby seals.
Nope, this is not a book for a D.A.M. This is a book for the baby seals. Unlike real baby seals, which are innocent and helpless, you can choose to be something else. You can choose to be a polar bear. You can choose to be anything you want. It is always your choice.
You can choose to be happy, passionate, creative, and energetic. You can choose to be open and flexible to change and to create opportunity and positive support. You can choose to help those around you be successful. You can choose to be in the moment and stay in the game. This is a book for the baby seals and polar bears to make those choices. This is even a book for the people who use words such as “fungible.” I just cannot help a D.A.M. because they refuse to listen, refuse to learn something new, and refuse to support their team. They think they are always right. I just do not have that kind of power.
I have met and worked with plenty of D.A.M.s over the years. Since 1997, I have spoken at more than 2,500 events for almost every industry.2 I invite audience members to come on stage and perform improvisation exercises with me to learn about communication, teamwork, change, leadership, innovation, accountability, and fun. Thousands of volunteers have jumped onstage with me over the years: CEOs, vice presidents, entry‐level employees, interns, students, middle managers, upper managers, lower managers, managers of managers, and their employees who build, manufacture, distribute, sell, market, buy, and generally do all the work.
Every time I speak and perform, I learn something new about how we communicate and work together. By watching thousands of people from all walks of life play these improvisation games, I have noticed the choices that make them successful. I also noticed the choices that lead to disappointing results.
This book is a combination of what improvisation taught me about business and life, and what the thousands of volunteers have taught me over the years. By playing the improvisation exercises with so many different companies, organizations, and corporate cultures, I feel like an anthropologist studying wild animals in their natural habitat.
When I started speaking, I never sat down and wrote out my messages. My early clients would ask for an outline of my presentation, and I would have to tell them there wasn’t one. I played the improvisation games and spoke from the heart. When I delivered a message I liked, I would make a mental note to incorporate that thought into my next presentation. My keynote continually evolved, fueled by experience and observation. It continues to evolve even today.
In the Beginning, I Was a Reporter. I Didn’t Even Know People Spoke for a Living
I started my career as a journalist. I then moved into public relations, advertising, and marketing, primarily for technology and telecommunications companies. In 1994, I started my own consulting business, helping companies with their public relations and marketing. The year before, in 1993, I began performing improvisational comedy professionally at a theater in Dallas, Texas. I performed more than 3,500 shows with the same improvisation comedy troupe. I worked in two different worlds. In one world, I performed improvisational comedy. In the other world, I worked in public relations, advertising, and marketing. I realized the skills that made each successful were quite similar. And I found a way to combine the two worlds.
I knew that improvisation was originally used as a teaching tool, but I never thought about using the games in a business environment. One day, a client, who knew what I did on the weekend with the improvisation group, invited me to a meeting. The client was having a retreat and asked whether I could play some of the improvisation games with the executives. Another performer and I played a dozen or so games with the group. The small audience was made up of executive vice presidents from a technology firm. They loved the games, and a light bulb started flickering above my head. Pretty soon, more clients were asking me to speak. I put together some very raw, inexpensive, and strange promotional materials, and my career as a speaker began. At the time, I had no idea people even spoke for a living.
My experience with improvisation was my foundation for my presentations. When I started, I was just focused on the entertainment aspect of the games and a few of the messages that I picked up while studying and performing. Very quickly, I realized that improvisation forced the participants to make the right choices for success. I observed how employees and managers played the games and interacted with each other. It was very apparent that the games were a microcosm of how we communicated and functioned as a team. The same choices the volunteers made to achieve success in the improvisation games were the ones required at their jobs.
Every Employee and Manager Wants to Have Fun
I saw countless employees and managers from different levels, backgrounds, nationalities, and industries make the same choices. It was very enlightening. I also discovered how creative, energetic, passionate, and fun we all are, given the right opportunity and the right positive environment. The sad part is that too many companies fail to provide the opportunity and positive support needed. I have walked into too many meetings that had the same energy as the waiting room where you get your tires rotated. There was no energy or passion. Many of my clients would tell me their groups were boring, uninterested in participating, unresponsive, cynical, or “not very creative.” Within seconds of walking on stage, I had those same groups laughing, creating energy, and having fun. They volunteered. They participated. Most importantly, they learned how to unleash their creativity, communicate effectively, and work together more successfully.
The one constant I quickly discovered was that we are all creative. And we all want to have fun. Sometimes, all we need is the right opportunity, the right leader, and the right positive support.
Improvisation is the tool I use to make audiences laugh and think. By creating an entertaining atmosphere, the audiences are more open to the messages. More importantly, they retain the message. My presentations are not about teaching participants the art of improvisation. I use improvisation as my foundation and filter the lessons through my vision and business experience. The games allow the audience to easily see, participate, and understand my messages about teamwork, creativity, and communication. The choices the employees and managers make playing the games are equally part of my presentation’s foundation. The volunteers are just as much a part of this book as the improvisation games.
Improvisation is very special to me. You can learn quite a bit about a person by watching them play the games. Some of the questions I can answer after observing audience members participate in the exercises are:
Who is open and flexible to change?
Who is patient and understanding?
Who is supportive and helpful?
Who is creative?
Who is a leader?
Who helps others achieve success?
Who works successfully in a team environment?
We Have to Take Responsibility and Make the Right Choice
Each chapter in this book will discuss a specific choice that we can each make to achieve more success in our communication, teamwork, and leadership goals. I will also give ideas and tips on becoming a better leader and teammate; learning to be more innovative; communicating more effectively; attaining more success as an employee or manager; and living a more passionate, energized, and happier life.3
This book has the same spirit as my presentations. I include plenty of great messages and ideas. And I promise each chapter will have plenty of quality fun—equal to a generous assortment of cupcake sprinkles, balloons, and balls that light up when they bounce. And there might even be just a small dash of irreverence. My goal is for each chapter to inform and amuse. You might even giggle. I hope you will laugh. You work hard. You deserve to laugh and have fun. We all do.
This book is not a long, boring treatise on the intricacies of business. These are not earth‐shattering revelations. I have seen too many books that break down communication or creativity into one long scientific and sociological thesis that forgets to inspire, educate, motivate, or entertain. These messages are simple, straightforward choices that were taught to us by our parents and grandparents. Sometimes, though, we get so caught up in our conference calls, emails, reports, deadlines, PowerPoint presentations, and to‐do lists that we forget some of these key messages that make us more productive, creative, effective, and happy. We have to relearn. And then we have to relearn again.
We are busy people. We try to do so many things at once that we sometimes forget the little things that allow us to do the big things successfully. This book focuses on the little things: simple choices that we can all make to be more successful and happier.
Improvisation is an art. It is an art that teaches and entertains. I continue to be amazed by the volunteers who come on stage. And I continue to learn something new every time I speak and perform. Thank you for allowing me to share my passion with you. I hope this book will make you think. I also hope I make you smile along the way.
This book is also about whimsy, silliness, and fun. The inventor of improvisation believed in learning during play. She believed in playing improvisation games to understand important acting concepts. My guiding light is always the pursuit of fun and laughter.
I hope you have fun reading this book. I hope you enjoy the stories and humor as I discuss my messages on leadership, teamwork, communication, change, and more.
As you read this book, I want you to think about socks. Yep, socks. Years ago, an attendee at a jeweler’s conference bestowed a gift of socks to me with a board member’s face on them. She gave socks with my face on them to the board member. She wanted to commemorate the fun the board member and I had when we appeared on stage. To me, the socks represent the importance of silliness and whimsy.
The board member became president of the organization. As the emcee, I wore the socks with his face on them on stage as a fun joke. Two years later, a new president led the organization. His wife bought socks with his face and gave them to me. And I wore them on stage. The silliness spread. One pair of socks started something.
You would think the sock story would end here. Nope. Two years later, the organization appointed their first woman president. And they bought socks for me with her face emblazoned on them. And I wore them on stage. Three presidents with face socks. This would be great place for the story to end. Nope.
I am on a Zoom call with a financial client. As we discussed their event, one of the attendees posed a question: “Can we do the sock bit at the event?”
“What sock bit?” I replied.
The client had seen a video from the jeweler’s event. I explained it was an inside joke with this client and how the joke had transpired over the years. Undeterred, they wanted the sock bit. I relented, wondering how this inside joke had now jumped to another client. At the event, the financial audience loved the sock bit as I paraded on stage with their leader’s face on my socks.
Did the sock bit continue? Yep. A new president was sworn in to the jeweler’s organization. This time, I explained to the audience the entire story of the sock bit, showing photos, and explaining how it had jumped to another client. I asked the sound person to play the music from 2001: A Space Odyssey as I unveiled the socks. The crowd loved it.
I have now worn socks with five people’s face on them from two different organizations. It all started with an attendee and a fun idea. You never know where fun and silliness will take you. You have to be open to the idea of fun and sometimes take a chance in creating that fun.
We all crave connection and fun. Those face socks represent that connection. And I hope the stories and messages in this book will inspire you to connect with your team. Who knows, you may even create a face sock tradition.
Take care, and I wish you continued success. I hope to see you at your next meeting. I will be the one on stage wearing socks with someone’s face on them. Also, try to save me a blueberry muffin from the D.A.M.
Quick Ideas
At the end of most of the chapters, I offer some quick ideas to help you in your quest in making the right choices. Since this is the preface, the only idea I have to offer is to read the rest of this book. To help you, here are a few ideas on where and when to read this book:
Read this book on airplanes, while standing in line, waiting for the doctor, or any place in public. Laugh very loud. When someone asks you what you are laughing about, hold the book up and proclaim, “This is one damn good book.” When they ask the author’s name, be sure to spell my name. Otherwise, everyone will end up calling me “Jeff.”
Read this book in the bathroom. I have spent countless hours scientifically researching the length of each chapter, reading speed of an average adult, and the amount of time spent in the bathroom during a normal break, and I can assure you it’s a perfect fit.
Read this book at work. Take a few minutes from scrolling Instagram, Tinder, and Poshmark or playing a game on your phone and read a chapter.
Read this book at a conference during any panel or Q&A session. Seriously, has anyone gained knowledge or inspiration from watching a panel discussion?
Read this book during non‐video conference calls with more than three people on the call. Conference calls with more than three people are slightly less productive than the average panda bear.
Read this book while eating a blueberry muffin.
Notes
1.
Yes, “fungible” is a real word. I heard someone use it during a presentation. The person who used “fungible” in a sentence was very serious. I had to look the word up. I could tell you the definition, but then I would be enabling you.
2.
Here are just a few examples: the Concrete Pipe Association, the Fibre Box Association, the National Association of Pupil Transport. Yep, I think I have hit just about every industry.
3.
I packed each chapter with tips and ideas. I also included a “Quick Ideas” section at the end of most chapters. There are four chapters that do not have a “Quick Ideas” section because those chapters are so packed with ideas that it would just be redundant. My editor expressed her concerns that readers would revolt about the four chapters without the section. Please take a deep breath after reading the four chapters without a section and just write in your own “Quick Ideas.” This is the interactive portion of this book. TA DA!
Chapter 1The Secrets of TA DA: Celebrating Moments to Fuel Our Passion
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
—Albert Schweitzer
Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.
—Maya Angelou
I always start my keynote presentations with a TA DA! The audience stands up. We count to three, stretch our hands high in the air, and yell out, “TA DA!” People laugh. Some audience members applaud. And then we do it again. We all need a TA DA.1
After more than 2,500 events, I have seen accountants, lawyers, IT professionals, salespeople, maintenance supervisors, truck drivers, surgeons, teachers, front‐line workers, and everyone else yell, “TA DA!” We can all agree that everyone likes positive support and appreciation. And that is the secret of TA DA. We all want to “TA DA!” We just don’t admit it.
Before I ask the audience to stand and yell out TA DA, I tell a story. We were all kids (I have no scientific evidence of this; I am just going on assumption). We built block towers and called them spaceships. We rode a bike for the first time. We used the bathroom by ourselves for the first time. We tied our shoes. We drew orange unicorns, purple and red trees, and eight‐legged dogs/cats/whales. And after each glorious achievement, someone yelled, “TA DA!”
The TA DA gave us confidence as children. The positive reinforcement made us want to do the action again. We announced to the world and to ourselves that we accomplished something. As we aged, we stopped giving ourselves a TA DA. We rarely received a TA DA from the people around us. Accomplishments became routine. We limited our celebrations. Sure, once a year we gave out pointy glass awards to a few people in the company. That should make you sad.
The TA DA is about celebrating moments. We all do great things for our customers, team, and partners each day. Moments that deserve celebration.
One of the cool things about my job is that I get a round of applause. How lucky is that? I do my job; I get a round of applause. Every time. Most people do not have a job where they get a round of applause. Wouldn’t it be great if a colleague started the day by giving you a round of applause for managing, distributing, fixing, manufacturing, or (insert job title or what you do)?
If someone is not going to give you a round of applause, give it to yourself when you show up for work. People may look at you strangely. Just look right back, and keep giving yourself applause. You deserve it. We all do. Applause builds confidence. Applause gives us fuel to reach our goals, to be a better leader and teammate, to be a better communicator, and to find success.
We all work hard. And we still need a TA DA because it fulfills our basic needs (after food, water, shelter, clothing, Wi‐Fi, and Netflix). Here is my breakdown of the purpose and reasoning behind the TA DA. To me, there are five secrets of TA DA:
We want to feel appreciated.
Appreciation is our fuel. We desire more than a paycheck to be fulfilled and rewarded. During my presentations, I ask audience volunteers to come to the stage and perform an improvisation game. The more applause and laughter they receive from the audience, the more they do. We all want appreciation from our team, customers, and managers. And we also want appreciation from ourselves. That is the first secret of TA DA. We are announcing to the world that we appreciate ourselves.
We want to be respected.
Giving someone recognition and appreciation means giving respect. We have worked hard, sacrificed, faced challenges, and overcome obstacles. Sure, we want the appreciation. We also want respect. And if standing up, hands in the air, and yelling “TA DA” does not give you respect, I don’t know what will.
We want to be recognized.
Recognition is the third secret of the TA DA. We want someone to notice that we have accomplished something. We want people to pay attention. We want someone to react to our TA DA. We want to stand in the crowd and yell out TA DA so that everyone will notice.
We want to be triumphant.
There is a pomp and circumstance to the TA DA. You stand up, arms raised, and yell it out. We are sounding our horn of success. We have finished a report, project, plan, or PowerPoint presentation with an upside‐down triangle and interlocking circles. We have defeated the dragon. We want to yell from a mountain top. We want to beat our chests and scream to the world. Since decorum is usually in order, the TA DA serves this purpose without someone taking you to jail.
We want a surprise.
