Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And how anyone can harness it. Even you.)

by Jennifer Lynn Aaker

we don’t need to take ourselves so seriously in order to grapple with serious things.

We don’t need more “professionalism” in our workplaces. Instead, we need more of ourselves, and more human connection—especially as in-person meetings are replaced by video chats and more relationships are sustained entirely by email.

Humor is a powerful leadership strategy to humanize oneself to employees, break down barriers, and balance authority with approachability.

“Fear is the greatest killer of creativity,” Asai explained, “and humor is the most effective tool I’ve found for insulating cultures from fear.”

Well said

In words attributed to Albert Einstein, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.”

workplace stress—fueled by long hours, job insecurity, and work-life imbalance—contributes to at least 120,000 deaths each year and accounts for up to $190 billion in healthcare costs.

PRINCIPLE #1: AT THE HEART OF HUMOR IS TRUTH

instead of asking yourself what is funny, start by asking what is true. We’ll find humor from there.

PRINCIPLE #2: ALL HUMOR CONTAINS SURPRISE AND MISDIRECTION

Crafting a memorable out-of-office reply

Here’s an example of a typical OOO: I am out of the office until Monday, July 10th. If you need immediate assistance, please contact…