In the COVID-19 era what can leaders learn from Bill Lumbergh?

If you’re a fan of the movie Office Space it’s hard to forget the memorable leadership style of Initech’s Division Vice President, Bill Lumbergh. Bill’s monotone delivery was certainly memorable but hardly inspirational. He was a micromanager, overly concerned about TPS report cover sheets, and Bill’s idea of employee engagement was hovering over your cubicle and asking, “What’s happening.” 

But even Bill Lumbergh knew that every now and then the team needed a break and to have some fun. It was with that spirit that he initiated Hawaiian shirt Friday, which I have no doubt was a blast for the office. 

Now seems like a good time to remind managers and leaders that we do need to keep it light and aim for some fun at work. In these times when our teams are experiencing stress from so many angles Hawaiian shirt day isn’t going to cut it, but a comprehensive strategy where leaders emphasize the needs for positivity, for lightheartedness and for a few laughs, even when you don’t quite feel like any of those qualities yourself, is critical for engagement and success. 

It’s likely that Bill Lumbergh hadn’t read the research, but there are lots of studies showing that when we create positive environments for our teams there is demonstrated improvement in both well-being and creativity. In addition, a meta-analysis from Mesmer-Magnus and colleagues found that employee humor and lightheartedness is associated with enhanced work performance, satisfaction, health and coping effectiveness, as well as decreased burnout, stress and work withdrawal. 

The reminder for leaders and managers is to be authentic in how we set the positive tone for our teams. We should be mindful that during this crisis some individual challenges may not be known. When we foster that positive culture we increase our team’s engagement and offer a counter to negativity they may be experiencing. Maybe most important of all, recognize that fun can’t be forced. As an example, I have no doubt that if Mr. Lumbergh was running Initech today he would have invited the team to Hawaiian shirt day on Zoom.