by Susan McGuire
Work can be terribly stressful. Long hours, constant demands, task juggling, endless meetings, ever-decreasing raises, difficult co-workers, unfulfilling or unappreciated work, physical strains, low morale. It’s no wonder stress abounds. Some people are fortunate enough to be able to leave for something more fulfilling. Others are not. So what to do?
One simple but extremely effective tack for stress relief is laughter and humour. Who doesn’t like to laugh?
It can be challenging to show your sense of humour in a stressful environment, but it can be done. As much as we might want to joke around or tease one another, work has to get done, and we still need to act in a professional manner.
The key is an appropriate combination of professionalism and humour. But what is appropriate? When? Where? How?
What it looks like done well
It’s interesting how certain people who come in and out of our lives can make such an indelible impression. One such person I first met almost 30 years ago. Her name was Karen. It was early in my career, and I was one of the youngest in our office. Karen was only about five years older, if I remember correctly, but she was much more polished in the workplace — probably one of the most professional people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. I even followed her to her next place of employment. Actually, it was her highly respected recommendation that got me the interview.
But she also had a great sense of humour. And she knew how to use it to lighten the mood, make her co-workers feel at ease, diffuse tense situations, and just have a good time while still getting her work completed. It struck me then how important that fine balance was.
And what it looks like done badly
On the other hand, I’ve had the displeasure of working with certain individuals who, though they considered themselves the next great comedian, didn’t know when to exhibit levity or how to do so appropriately.
- The Incessant Teaser. Teases you and never lets up. To keep the peace you laugh it off and hope to move on, but he persists in carrying the “joke” far too far.
- The Inappropriate Jokester. Tells dirty jokes, makes narrow-minded or bigoted comments, or makes fun of colleagues in a mean-spirited way. Always thinks he’s funny, and doesn’t understand why you don’t.
- The Repetitive, Not-So-Clever Wisecracker. “Glad you got to see me.” “It’s nice to meet me.” “Are you leaving work early again today?” — after nine hours. “Are you working hard or hardly working?” “Pull my finger.”
I’ve found the best way of dealing with these types is to acknowledge the attempt at humour and move on as quickly as possible.
Why this is a leadership problem, not a personality one
Here is the part worth noticing if you run the place rather than just work in it.
The second and third types on that list are not humour problems. The Inappropriate Jokester is a conduct problem wearing a joke as protection — bigoted remarks don’t stop being bigoted because they were delivered as a punchline, and “can’t you take a joke” is how the person on the receiving end gets made responsible for their own discomfort.
That matters because humour sets the floor for what is sayable in a room, and the person with the most authority sets it whether or not they intend to. If the owner laughs, it’s permitted. If the owner is the one making the remarks, nobody will tell them.
So the practical question for a leader isn’t whether to allow humour — you should, it does real work. It’s whether anyone in your business could tell you a joke had landed badly, and what would happen to them if they did. That’s a question about how you lead rather than about anyone’s sense of humour.
Some people either don’t have a sense of humour, or don’t know how to share it appropriately. It isn’t necessary to be the witty one at work. Just appreciate your colleagues’ attempts to lighten the mood. And laugh.
About the author: Susan McGuire
Susan McGuire is a Holistic Health Coach and Lifestyle Guide who takes a practical, comprehensive and personalised approach, supporting and empowering her clients to achieve their health and lifestyle goals.
