Silly Signs and You

I was sitting in a small regional airport waiting for my delayed flight to board. That was when I saw these signs on the door. This made me laugh and wonder…

Did they put both signs up at the same time because research shows that two signs that say the same thing are better than one?

OR

Was there an emergency and someone didn’t get the meaning of the first sign?

IF SO

Who thought that they needed a second sign?
Was there a committee meeting held to discuss the addition?

OR

Did one of the airport leaders make the decision unilaterally and everyone thought it was ridiculous? (Like I did.)

And then I thought, how does this impact the employee’s engagement and view of their leader and workplace? Do they even see the signs anymore? Was the second sign just a total waste of time, energy & money? Is this really a safety enhancer? Are the employees rolling their eyes as this represents the overall vibe of this workplace? (I know some of you are thinking I had too much time on my hands, and you would be correct – haha.)

So, here’s a question to ponder this month…What “signs” are you putting up at work that might leave your teammates or direct reports or customers wondering? Are your signs helpful or do they lead to disengagement or confusion or even ridicule?

Perhaps the “sign” is not your actual work but the way in which you do it. Perhaps as a leader you’re putting up someone else’s signs even when you think they aren’t helpful instead of pushing back.

I challenge you today to take a fresh look at the signs you are putting up in the world and make them the kind that contribute to your own engagement and the engagement of others.