Maintaining your sense of humor is one of our recommended techniques to overcome resistance to change. According to the Forbes article 10 Reasons Why Humor Is A Key To Success At Work, humor is key to a successful career for many of the same reasons we seek humor to lead change:
- People will enjoy working with you.
- Humor is a potent stress buster.
- It is humanizing.... realizing that we all seek common ground.
- It puts others at ease.
- Ha + ha = aha! Humor is a key ingredient of creativity.
- It helps build trust.... relationships are critical to success.
- It boosts morale.
- People who use humor tend to be more approachable.
- Humor can allow your company to stand out.
- It can increase productivity.
In the article the author, Jacquelyn Smith, cited several studies that found a sense of humor to be one of the most desirable traits for career advancement. According to Michael Kerr, an international business speaker, president of Humor at Work, and author of The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses are Laughing all the Way to the Bank (Dec. 2013):
“At an organizational level, some organizations are tapping into what I’d call ‘the humor advantage.' Companies such as Zappos and Southwest Airlines have used humor and a positive fun culture to help brand their business, attract and retain employees and to attract customers.”
Isn't that what all businesses want: to attract and retain employees and customers? And how much more fun will it be if we can laugh while doing it?