Oliver Widder. Used with permission, CC 2.0 Germany.
I take humor very seriously.
That's not to say I don't use it. I use it all over the place. Too much, maybe. But I try to use it strategically. It's a tool. It's for eradicating stress, nullifying hostility, and breaking logjam. It's for revealing possibilities and inspiring creativity.
It's good for a laugh.
Granted, there are appropriate times to be careful not to use humor. Nobody likes a joker at a funeral. The presence of a charismatic leader who's more serious than you is probably a good indicator that it's time to keep the Tom Swifties in the bag. And humor is hell on translating technical documents.
That being said, if I err (even on technical documents), I err on the side David Pogue recommended. We need more humor. Life is uninteresting and sterile enough. Laugh a little, dammit!
C'mon, seriously. I'm not joking.
Questions
How have you used humor in your office?
Can you share a time it helped? Or one that it didn't?
How have you used humor in your office?
Can you share a time it helped? Or one that it didn't?
See David Pogue's "A Product Manual Actually Worth Reading".
Note comments on "Humor Deficiency Syndrome" near the end. They're funny.
Note comments on "Humor Deficiency Syndrome" near the end. They're funny.
