The Untapped Competitive Culture Advantage That’s No Joke…
"Where there is no healthy laughter, there is no trust. Don't just WALK away from those places....RUN!
Humor and laughter are 'cheat' codes for safety, trust, and engagement and, a culture of healthy humor is something we can all contribute to.
Humor isn’t being funny (tho it is fun); rather, it’s making the workplace safe for people to express playful ideas, uncover their own organic fun, and be adaptable. THAT is the future of work and a competitive culture advantage in an age of AI, allowing humans to innovate in environments that lift them up.
The goal of this session is to feel how small acts of humor make a big difference in how people experience trust, to redefine what humor really is and why it’s a strategic human advantage that is accessible even if you think you are not funny! Of course, you are funnier than you think!
Webinar Outline
00:00:00 - Introduction of Ma NBA
Cheryl Cromar introduces our esteemed guest, Kathy Klotz, an accomplished speaker, author, and founder of Keeping It Human. With her rich background in leading successful tech teams accompanied by 25 years of comedy experience, Kathy has made her mission to help individuals and businesses discover and harness the power of humor.
00:05:20 - The Importance of Humor and Laughter
Kathy emphasizes the critical role of humor in creating and sustaining a thriving organizational culture. Drawing from her personal experiences, she discusses the pitfalls of a working environment that lacks trust and psychological safety. She makes a notable point that laughter can be a great indicator of cultural health, and can foster trust and innovation.
00:10:10 - Introducing the Four Styles of Humor
Kathy introduces four primary humor styles: self-enhancing, self-deprecating, affiliative, and aggressive humor. She highlights the need for businesses to incorporate humor in their daily practices to boost employee well-being and catapult future success.
00:15:05 - Effective Use of Humor in the Workplace
In this segment, Klotz-Guest teaches us the dos and don'ts of humor. She underscores staying within the realm of self-enhancing or affiliative humor, and to avoid falling into the trap of aggressive humor or sarcasm. She provides an easy-to-remember acronym "ELEPHANT" to help guide the application of humor in the workplace.
00:24:28 - Building Trust and Positive Culture
Wrapping up the first half of the seminar, Kathy drives home the importance of using laughter and humor to build trust and a positive corporate culture. She warns against the detriments of fear on innovation and productivity, and emphasizes cultivating an environment where mistakes can be celebrated as a chance for growth.