#1 Symbols are powerful!

Hospital clowns have one strong symbol letting you know who they are, and what to expect from them – a red nose.

Leaders should embrace and recognize symbols in the workplace. These reinforce the desired culture, behaviors, and expectations. Those could include how you dress, routines and rituals, how welcoming your office is, or what the sign on your office door says.

#2 Have a Goal, Be Open About How You Get There:

Hospital clowns show up with a goal to heal the spirit. How- it changes with every interaction. We know the WHAT, but the HOW is open every time.

Leaders should know their WHAT and be able to allow an open HOW. By bringing in colleagues, employees, and other thought partners onto the journey, we can find new and better ways of reaching our goals, and not just forcing our way.   

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#3 Be Aware:

Hospital clowns need to be aware of the situation in the room they enter. They need to be aware of their impact on the person in front of them, their choice of words and reactions.

Leaders should be aware of what they say, how they say it, how it is taken by others and how it impacts the situation and the individuals involved in it (AKA Complex Responsive Processes).

#4 Continuous Learning:

Clowns learn and gain new “tricks” from each interaction around them. They take something that worked and try to implement it again somewhere else, they observe other interactions to draw from.

Great leaders ask themselves what they can learn from each interaction, what they can learn from other leaders, and take time to observe and reflect.

#5 Teach and Share Skills:

Clowns share their skills with other clowns, and with those they interact with.  

True leaders invest in the growth of those they work with. They share their knowledge and skills, teach, coach and mentor.

Knowledge is valuable- Share it!

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#6 Serve a Greater Shared Purpose:

Hospitals clowns’ objective is to bring joy, make people laugh, play, etc., as part of a greater purpose- Healing.   

Remember what your greater purpose is, and act accordingly. Do my actions serve that greater purpose, or just my own objectives?

#7 “And don't underestimate the importance of body language, ha!” (Ursula, “The Little Mermaid”):

Clowns use their bodies as a whole language, sometimes with no words at all.

Leaders should remember to notice what their bodies say, learn how to use their body language effectively, and learn how to understand other people’s body language.

#8 It’s about Empowerment:

Hospital clowns are there to empower the people around them. They let them take the lead in the situation and come out stronger at the end.

Leaders should be able to delegate, give opportunities for others to lead, and empower those around them. Great leaders grow even greater leaders.

#9 Grow Your Tool Kit:

The clowns walk in with a tool kit – a physical one full of tricks and instruments, or one of creativity, jokes, and imagination. They pull out the right tool at the right time and keep growing their tool kit.

Leaders should be able to recognize the tools they have, and how to use them. They should be able to pull out the right tool at the right time, grow their tool kit, and know the limits of their tools.

#10 Authenticity:

Hospital clowns are not covered in makeup- they show the person behind the nose. They sit, talk, share, and listen. They must be authentic in their interaction to make real connections, to have impact.

Authentic leaders build trust, openness, communication, and motivation. Strong leaders show their true selves, their weaknesses as well as their strengths, their needs as well as their successes. 

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Adopt a clown state of mind to get serious business done!