What can a sense of humor do for you at the workplace? Great leaders can utilise humor to improve productivity. This is because people become less inhibited and stifled due to fear. Most funny people have lots of enthusiasm and energy.
Work and life can be quite complex with a host of adversities that can leave someone quite disoriented. Humor can be antidote to stressful situations. It can spike ones feel great endorphins. Endorphins can be good fuel for self-esteem and self-faith.
In my observations humor encourages employee engagement. In human resource circles it is known that engagement influences optimal performance. Why do you think organisations have team building activities and dedicated budgets?
Some of the team building activities have lots of hilarious moments. Fun activities can drive away fear and anxieties. The beauty of good humor it helps break down hierarchical barriers.
Humor can also be used to manage pain. There was a sense of comic relief in an otherwise tense and scary moment. Experienced medical practitioners are known to deploy hilarity to lessen pain among patients. Why do you think doctors are very pleasant? Have you interacted with soldiers and their dark humor?
Men and women in uniform use laughter to process tough occasions that could otherwise break ordinary mortals. Laughter is a survival and flourishing mechanism.
Organisations flourish on virtues of creativity and innovative thinking. There is a particular way that being witty empowers and liberates mental plasticity. I know a high performing organisation that has quite hilarious employees.
They are always churning new products and services. I can confidently attribute their excellence to their sense of hilarity. Humor breaks thinking barriers.
Humor can actually help in learning and development. The most boring and mundane trainers, teachers, coaches and mentors are those who haven’t honed their ability to make trainees laugh with a well-aimed joke.
Have you ever wondered why most training sessions start with icebreakers? There is a misconception that being serious is the only way to acquire new aptitudes.
However, there are varieties that ought to be eschewed because they can border on illegallities and callousness. Sexist, racist, jingoistic and tribalistic types can engender resentment, anger and stress.
It can be a double-edged sword that can impair performance and curtail relationships. It is safe to load one’s wit with respect, courtesy, friendship, empathy and humanity. Like any other human dexterity it can be used for good or the bad.
