There is an appropriate time and place for humor in the workplace. Any given situation needs to be completely understood before using humor. Inappropriate use of humor may offend others and decrease the effectiveness of the message. Knowing when and where to use humor will help create a successful leader that inspires and encourages others. According to Steve Tobak (2012), 7 reasons why humor is one of the most unused leadership traits.
1.) Humor is disarming-It lightens the mood.
2.) It relieves tension during crises- When there's tension in the room, it helps you and your employees to relax, think more clearly, and make better decisions.
3.) It softens the blow of bad news- That said, success is a poor teacher; we learn more from failure.
4.) Humor is great for team building- For some reason, when a team laughs and has fun together it facilitates a sense of community and helps to create a cohesive corporate culture.
5.) It gets people to root for you-People like folks with a sense of humor.
6.) It places emphasis on key points- People remember stories.
7.)Humor is motivating-People learn & accomplish a great deal & have fun doing it.
When Michael Kerr (2006) talks about humor he gets the "You can’t be serious” question. "And they’re absolutely right. You can’t be serious, at least not if you’re interested in improving staff morale or motivating employees to new heights. And if you want to spark creativity, strengthen teamwork, facilitate open communication, minimize stress levels, reduce employee turnover and absenteeism rates, improve trust between management and employees, offer dynamic customer service and improve productivity, then you can’t be serious. You can’t be serious, because humor can help any organization achieve all those goals."
Therefore I think if humor is utilized more often, employee would happier and the companies were do better. If people enjoy going to work they are more likely to stay and help the company grow. I have worked for companies who did not want employees to be friends or have fun at work. At the end of the day it makes going to work SUCK. People are more inclined to read and listen to a leader if humor is used. It lightens the mood and motivates people.
Tips for how to be a leader and use humor
Be sincere
Know when it is and is not appropriate.
Use humor to lift others up-not put them down
Make having fun a priority
Give others permission to have fun
Tobak, S. (2012). Why leaders need a sense of humor. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57360678/why-leaders-need-a-sense-of-humor/
Great Post!! I think that humor is key to a positive work environment when used appropriately. The fact that humor strengthens teamwork, minimizes stress levels, reduces employee turnover and absenteeism rates, I believe this is a very powerful statement. I think that there humor adds desire to want to continue employment for a specific company, to perform with high standards becuase you love to work at hits certain place and helps employees to want to help reach the organizations vision becuase they want to be there!!!.
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