Top Ten Ways To Lead More Effectively With Humour. (Part 1)
Humor and laughter provide so many rewards. Studies have shown 20 seconds of laughter yield the same benefits as 3 minutes of hard rowing.
A Robert Half International study reported 84% of executives believe a worker with a good sense of humor does a better job! Incorporating humor more effectively in the workplace allows you to defuse difficult situations, reduce stress, create attention for new ideas, build rapport, and be a more approachable and memorable leader.
With those benefits, it behooves you to hone your workplace comedic skills. So in the tradition of David Letterman, here are the first 5 of the top 10 ways to more effectively lead with humor!
#10. Look for Joy in Life
An important step is continually looking for joy throughout your life. This happens in a variety of ways:
#9. Learn What Makes You Laugh
If you’re trying to laugh 40 times daily, it’s important to know what makes you laugh and have ready access to laugh-provokers. Figure out 107 things which make you laugh. Unrealistic? Hardly! Why 107? Because 107 is funnier than 100! Here’s a recipe for listing what makes you laugh by simply identifying:
#8. Use Your Own Comedic Material
Personal experiences are the most genuine humor sources for effective leadership. Look for humor in situations from your own life:
#7. Adapt Somebody Else’s Material
Beyond your own experiences, there’s a tradition of “borrowing & adapting” (I didn’t say stealing) funny stuff from others. That’s why old-time comedian Milton Berle was called the “Thief of Bad Gags.”
Part of borrowing successfully is using easily accessible humor sources in ways many don’t consider. Beyond simply Googling “funny” in front of quotes, one-liners, definitions, pictures, or videos, here are two other common sources you can adapt:
Using humor in a leadership position requires understanding boundaries on its proper use. It all starts with really understanding your audience by:
to be continued.
A Robert Half International study reported 84% of executives believe a worker with a good sense of humor does a better job! Incorporating humor more effectively in the workplace allows you to defuse difficult situations, reduce stress, create attention for new ideas, build rapport, and be a more approachable and memorable leader.
With those benefits, it behooves you to hone your workplace comedic skills. So in the tradition of David Letterman, here are the first 5 of the top 10 ways to more effectively lead with humor!
#10. Look for Joy in Life
An important step is continually looking for joy throughout your life. This happens in a variety of ways:
- Focus less on yourself and more on helping others. Need help? Read “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” the classic by Dale Carnegie.
- Laugh more – kids reportedly laugh 400 times per day vs. 15 times for adults. Aim for laughing 40 times daily to be at least 10% of your former self!
- Regularly read humorous comic strips and look for quips and funny comments in your reading.
- Even in challenging situations, hunt for something funny or humorous you can take away.
#9. Learn What Makes You Laugh
If you’re trying to laugh 40 times daily, it’s important to know what makes you laugh and have ready access to laugh-provokers. Figure out 107 things which make you laugh. Unrealistic? Hardly! Why 107? Because 107 is funnier than 100! Here’s a recipe for listing what makes you laugh by simply identifying:
- 13 Movies
- 11 TV Shows
- 5 Words or Phrases
- 19 Personal Stories
- 5 Cartoons
- 7 Audio or Video Pieces
- 11 Comedians
- 7 TV Personalities
- 7 Funny Photos
- 7 People You Know
- 15 of Anything Else
- TOTAL = 107 Funny Things
#8. Use Your Own Comedic Material
Personal experiences are the most genuine humor sources for effective leadership. Look for humor in situations from your own life:
- Funny things you have said or others have said to you
- Pratfalls, be they mental, interpersonal, & physical
- Embarrassing moments or unexpected happenings
- Times of change or learning
- Difficult life events (yes, even these can be humor sources)
#7. Adapt Somebody Else’s Material
Beyond your own experiences, there’s a tradition of “borrowing & adapting” (I didn’t say stealing) funny stuff from others. That’s why old-time comedian Milton Berle was called the “Thief of Bad Gags.”
Part of borrowing successfully is using easily accessible humor sources in ways many don’t consider. Beyond simply Googling “funny” in front of quotes, one-liners, definitions, pictures, or videos, here are two other common sources you can adapt:
- Cartoons – You can use cartoons in various ways by showing one in a presentation, telling the cartoon’s story (potentially making yourself a character) without any images, or using its punch line as a starting point for new humor.
- Comedians – Mainstream comedians’ jokes or catch phrases are another source to modify and adapt to your personality or work situation. Watch lots of comedians and learn how professionals do it so well.
Using humor in a leadership position requires understanding boundaries on its proper use. It all starts with really understanding your audience by:
- Paying attention to top management’s attitudes toward humor.
- Knowing the audience’s composition – this directly affects which humor types are appropriate.
- Loving your audience as much or more than you poke fun at them.
- Inviting others into humor since you can’t assume they share your same humor sensibilities.
to be continued.
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Source:Mike Brown, author of 'Take the No out of InNOvation'
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