Edison Turns Up the Fun at Menlo Park

by Tom Terez

When you think of Thomas Edison, you probably picture a serious individual huddling over wires, coils, batteries, and some soon-to-be invention. A person would have to be serious to earn 1,093 patents in a single lifetime.

So what's with the pipe organ? In photographs of his Menlo Park invention factory, you can't miss it -- those towering pipes dominate the far end of the second floor.

It turns out that the world's most prolific inventor loved to have fun. When one of his co-inventors made a major breakthrough, someone would crank up the pipe organ and pound out a noisy tune. Edison would sometimes lead conga lines, weaving between the tables.

After long days of mind-numbing work, the group often gathered for a midnight meal of ham, crackers, cheese, and beer. Someone would jam on the pipe organ and spark a spontaneous sing-along. Edison himself often worked the keyboard.

That very pipe organ had an earlier life at a nearby church. After years of good service, it fell into disrepair, and the church people were happy to give it away. Seeing a treasure in someone else's trash, several people in Edison's crew took it apart, hauled the pieces to the second floor, then put it back together while making the need repairs.

It takes work to have fun, and fun can be messy and noisy. But it has a remarkable way of making us more productive. Just ask the Wizard of Menlo Park.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Terez is a speaker, workshop leader, and author of the book 22 Keys to Creating a Meaningful Workplace. Visit him online at TomTerez.com, BetterWorkplaceNow.com, and InnerBest.com.

Copyright 2007 Tom Terez. All rights reserved.