PeopleTek Tip - Humor and Leadership

“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along
with people, of getting things done”.- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Like any leadership behavior, the use of humor requires skill. Properly used it can be a positive influence on those around you and promote a sense of comfort and confidence and reduce tension in individuals and teams.

Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger, authors of FYI – For Your Improvement share the following:

SKILLED LEADERS:
• Have a positive and constructive sense of humor
• Can laugh at him/herself with others
• Use humor appropriately to reduce stress and diffuse tense situations
• Use humor to share their personal blunders; it humanizes you and endears people to you
• Know when and when not to use humor
• Utilize humor to improve productivity and build relationships

They also provide the following areas of caution:
• Inappropriate humor may be disruptive and ill received
• Avoid humor that is sexist, ethic, political or religious (or any type of humor used at another’s expense)
• Don’t confuse cynicism or sarcasm with humor
• Do not use humor when delivering an important message or addressing issues or problems
• Humor is sometimes misinterpreted; read your audience and clarify your intention if you feel you are being misunderstood


For some using humor is a natural talent, for others it’s awkward even when you want to lighten the situation.

Observe others in your organization that are deemed funny. What can you learn from them? Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and give humor a try!


“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people”.
- Victor Borge

Let us know how successul you are at using humor in the workplace!

Jan Mayer-Rodriguez and Michael W. Kublin
www.peopletekcoaching.com
888.565.9555 x711
Leading Learning Succeeding