Business
Humor, Seriously
Dr. Jennifer Aaker, Naomi Bagdonas
4.0 (9200) 8 min read 5 key ideas
A behavioral scientist and a comedy writer argue that humor is a serious, learnable leadership and communication skill, not just innate charisma.
Key takeaways
- Humor Is a Genuine Professional Asset, Not Merely a Personal Trait
- Humor Styles Can Be Identified and Developed Like Other Skills
- Appropriate Timing and Context Determine Whether Humor Lands Well
- Humor Builds Psychological Safety and Team Cohesion
- Develop and Apply Appropriate Humor as an Ongoing Professional Practice
Action checklist
- Use one moment of appropriate humor today to build connection at work
- Notice how levity changes the tone of one stressful meeting today
Final takeaway
The authors' closing invitation: develop and consistently apply appropriate humor — informed by your own natural humor style, careful contextual timing judgment, and awareness of its team-cohesion benefits — as an ongoing professional practice deserving the same deliberate attention given to other important professional communication capabilities.
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