By Gregory Bell – An international survey revealed that 91% of executives believe that a sense of humour is important to career advancement and 84% believe that it helps them do a better job. For most people working in a traditional environment, the average workday is at least seven hours or more. The last thing that people want is to try and remain productive in a space that has the ambiance of a funeral. Adding leadership humour has been proven to positively influence people’s attitude through the release of pleasure boosting hormones. It breaks through tension and instantly puts workers at ease.
Michael Kerr, an international business speaker wrote in his book, The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses are Laughing all the Way to the Bank, that the lighter a leader’s tone, the more approachable they become. This allows employees to be more open and honest at work. Humour creates an upbeat atmosphere, which encourages brainstorming of new ideas and promotes a “thinking outside the box” work environment.
Humour can be positive and negative. Evidence shows that it is positive leadership humour that benefits people the most in the workplace. Negative forms of humor include “aggressive humour” which is targeted toward others and ridicules them. Self-defeating humour is the individual making themselves the butt of jokes. That also is not a good form of humor to use in the workplace. Rather than building up positive relationships, these negative forms of humor can offend and work against the development of close work relationships.
So, how do we use humour in the workplace to maximize productivity and positivity during the workday. Keep the following points in mind:
You Are Not a Stand-Up Comedian
Maintain a sense of levity when it comes to interactions with people. You want to lighten the mood but you’re not there to have your coworkers rolling around on the floor laughing. However, a leader who can demonstrate humility through self-deprecation builds trust and comradery.
Tell a Joke that You Heard
When the time is appropriate tell people a humourous joke or anecdote you’ve heard or learned. Remember to avoid being hurtful or offensive and to make it relatable.
Though it’s not a panacea or cure-all for the smooth operation of an organization, it is an effective and no cost way to increase morale and alleviate some of the stress we face in an ever-changing global marketplace.