Flash Fans: The Ultimate Encouragement
Flash mobs are all the rage these days. These spur-of-the-moment, surprise dance numbers in public settings seem to be popping up from just about anybody who has an email list, a group of friends with extraordinary amounts of free time, and a low threshold for embarrassment. Most of the time, they are a publicity stunt. I could easily get cynical about the "joy" you see happen as a result of a clearly staged outburst, but I best not overthink it. I think flash mobs still work because they are unexpected, fun, and usually well executed.
However, my all-time favorite flash mob is a little different from your run-of-the-mill instant dance party. Rather than having the "mob" be the center of attention, this flash mob set out to make players in a typically lightly-attended, low-competition, recreational hockey league the center of the action. Granted, the event is a publicity stunt for Budweiser, but the real gem is seeing how it transforms the hockey players as a mysterious mob of rabid fans suddenly fills the arena to cheer the players on to victory. The teams are utterly stunned and encouraged in ways that clearly make an impact on how well they play.
Check it out. (Be sure to listen for my favorite word - "kerfuffle" - being used in a sentence!)
Here is your moral for the day. Encouragement changes people. It makes them walk taller, play better, smile more, and come together.
I wrote about encouragement yesterday and the video above is a great example of how your words, cheers, and enthusiasm can inspire the performance of others in tremendous ways. Think about what you can do to encourage your team, colleagues, friends, and family.
One piece of advice though... You just might want to skip the "paint your belly" part - otherwise a kerfuffle could ensue...
PS. If you want to see the "Making of" version of the hockey fan flash mob, go here.