Having fun and laughing at work are more than just ways to make time go faster.  According to Goleman and Boyatzis (see earlier posts), “Laughter is serious business.”  When we’re in a good mood we absorb information better and tackle problems in more creative ways.

As a leader, it can be a challenge to balance fun with execution and high performance standards.  Following his work on social intelligence, Goleman has come up with an Emotional and Social Competency Inventory.  This 360-degree evaluation includes every touch point for a leader at work and may even include family members.

The evaluation assesses empathy, attunement, organizational awareness, influence, development of others, inspiration, and team work.  In follow-up posts, look for more on each of these areas.