Humor Me
“What I’ve found is that humor is an under-appreciated tool for engaging employees and building resilient cultures, and while many leaders have to work at it, I was born with it. ”
Zoé Francis, PHD | Chief Operations Officer
“Humor, by its nature, tends to have an edge to it, so people typically tone it down at work,” says Laura Vanderkam, author of What the Most Successful People Do at Work.
Humor is hard to do well and easy to do badly. Plus, we all have a tendency to take ourselves way too seriously. But I find that a little humor can significantly improve one’s work life.
Luckily for me, making people laugh is my superpower. You know you’re funny when people greet you in the morning and hang around until the afternoon anticipating a funny story or a wisecrack, or to share a story to test if they can make you laugh, too. My sense of humor has landed me both a promotion, and a pardon! What I’ve found is that humor is an under-appreciated tool for engaging employees and building resilient cultures, and while many leaders have to work at it, I was born with it.
While my sense of humor was inherited, my leadership began with my birth order. I believe that inspiring leadership comes not from just decision-making and strategy, it also comes from risk taking and going against the grain, often when you’re driven by a higher cause, a deep care for others or a complete conviction that you’re acting for the greater good. The role of a leader is to create an environment where each person can reach their full potential, and oftentimes through a smile. I’ve learned that people thrive in an organization that shows it cares and that can make them laugh.
In another organization I worked at, a former clinical director who was not popular for his sense of humor had a standard clothing rotation which included always wearing the same sweater on our casual Fridays. The rest of the outfit was pretty standard; tan slacks, and brown dress shoes. At the time I was a manager with around 25-30 team members, and one day I had an idea. I found a wholesale company that would sell us nearly identical sweaters for $10 each. The next casual Friday there were 30-something physicians, directors and clinicians walking around wearing the exact same outfit. It was a risk, but he thought it was the funniest thing he had ever been a part of. The unexpected admiration warmed his heart and he brought me a gift the following Monday.
Humor is a double-edged sword. It can harm as easily as it can shield. But humor is about more than just a joke: it’s a way to change perspective and offer a new angle from which to view a situation and let off some steam. It’s not often brought up as an attribute of leadership, but it’s the tool most leaders need. It not only reduces stress, but it can also reduce the hormones associated with stress. In fact, laughter releases endorphins that promote an overall sense of well-being. Who doesn’t need a blast of that amid a stressful project? It's also helpful in times of stress because it releases oxytocin, which facilitates social bonding and increases trust. Entertaining leaders can build stronger cultures, unleash more creativity, and even negotiate better deals. That social lubricant also makes it a gateway to broader expressions of authenticity and vulnerability. I’ve heard a handful of young leaders state they felt the incredible pressure of being the face of their organization. Many struggle because they hold onto the false dichotomy between bringing humor to your workplace and taking your work seriously. The right balance of gravity and levity gives power to both. But laughter is dangerous, you say. It can undercut one’s authority. That is a concern, of course, but one I have always taken on because it also helps people perceive leaders as more approachable and supportive. Being comical, honest and authentic has proven successful within organizational performance and helps staff get through the toll taken on them by a taxing project or the stress of meeting a deadline. It also improves morale, productivity and engagement (The Academy of Management Perspectives: The Use of Humor in the Workplace).
Humor gets people more comfortable and connected. Previous places I worked were stressful, high anxiety and overly competitive, and observing those styles helped me learn what not to do and led me to adjust my own leadership style. Utilizing practical and analytical intelligence is an important leadership attribute; however, emotional intelligence, the ability to be more empathetic and understanding of others’ emotional needs, is of equal significance. I often share personal experiences to make myself more relatable which allows employees to see that we have more similarities than differences.
Allow laughter in the workplace: don’t shut down the “office droll,” rather allow us the appropriate space to add a bit of levity to the atmosphere.
“Humor is a double-edged sword. It can harm as easily as it can shield. But humor is about more than just a joke: it’s a way to change perspective and offer a new angle from which to view a situation and let off some steam.”