Sense of Humor at Work

Having a sense of humor at our workplace is not only appropriate but also essential.  Most of us spend more than half of our waking hours at work, dealing with many kinds of stress. A little sense of humor goes a long way to look at these stressful situations in a different light, and helps maintain a fun environment at work.

Having a sense of humor isn't necessarily the same as being able to tell jokes. It is the ability to see humor in day-to-day situations and appreciate jokes. Some people have the knack of putting others at ease instantly with their sense of humor, which can be particularly helpful in conflict or icebreaking situations when meeting with new people.

The benefits of humor go beyond helping with stress at work. Humor and laughter can bring people together and develop very strong bonds. Robert Provine, author of 'Laughter: A Scientific Investigation', conducted research that says 90 percent of the things we laugh at aren't even remotely funny, and most laughter is not about jokes, but rather, about relationships between people. Many of you may have experienced this phenomenon, where you and a very close friend may find simple banter very funny and have a laugh whereas others may not think it is funny at all. So, a laughter filled work environment might be a good indication that people are comfortable with each other and that they share a very positive and healthy working relationship.

Given these many benefits of humor and fun at work, how do you promote these in your teams? It starts by having a sense of humor yourself, taking some risks and leading by example. When you are in the middle of a serious discussion, make an offhand remark or a joke that might surprise people and bring on a smile. Stick to simple and generic lines and make sure not to offend any one. As long as you pay attention to people's sentiments and don't overdo it, most people enjoy a good laugh. Think and create situational humor that the whole group can relate to. You will be surprised to see the group really stays connected through that shared situational humor for a long time after. If you know someone on your team that has a particularly good sense of humor, provide them the opportunity to show it off.  It only takes a few people start and create a fun environment, as laughter is very contagious. Before you know it, it will rub off on others.

Is 'sense of humor' inherent or can it be developed? The answer is yes to both. Almost everyone has some sense of humor inherently, but everyone can develop it further, by watching others who are good at it, exploring, and experimenting on their own in different situations.

If you have a serious work environment today, try some of these ideas, and soon you may find yourself where "work" and "fun" become synonymous.

Talent Strategy

Business results depend on talent strategy as much as on business strategy. Products and technology can be commoditized, and it is easy to lose the competitive edge sooner or later. However, talent can truly set a company apart from its competition on a longer term basis. While business strategy may change or evolve, having a well thought out talent strategy will help adapt to these changing business needs and priorities effectively.

While I share a few of my current talent strategies below, this is an area that will continue to evolve through continual experimentation and improvements over time.

Acquiring Talent:

When it comes to acquiring and finding the right talent for the organization, it makes sense to start with the leadership team. Once you have the right leaders in place, it is easier to drive the right talent strategy throughout the organization, and develop the right technical talent. Focus on quality over quantity, with emphasis on having strong leaders that can drive the right culture and behaviors.

• Start with assessing the needs and gaps of talent in the organization. Do we have the right leaders in critical roles? Is some good talent being under utilized and/or in the wrong role?
• Have a plan to fill the gaps - Do you want new, existing, or a combination of talent? Do you want to hire internally or go external?
• Find the right talent. Think about what "right" means to you and your organization. For example, most leaders I talked to and I myself look for some form of the "Three A's" in leaders:
• Ability - Competence, skills, and experience
• Attitude - Positive, open and flexible, team player
• Aspiration - Hunger, aggressiveness, drive to succeed
• Build the organization around the right talent

Understanding talent:

Spend the time and energy to get to know your team deeply, either through direct interaction or indirectly through your leaders

• Gather as many viewpoints as possible, reserve your judgment, and be open to changing your opinion and first impressions about people.
• Hold talent calibration discussions on a regular basis. Create an open and safe environment to bring out both the good and the bad in every employee.
• Establish objective ways of measuring employee performance through very specific and granular success criterion order to minimize subjective biases.
• Use consistent methods that can be trickled down throughout the organization to set the right culture and behaviors.

Developing talent:

Developing and nurturing your talent can work wonders and pay dividends in many ways.  Besides the obvious positive impact on business results, seeing someone grow and do great things gives a lot of personal fulfillment and satisfaction. I find that I also grow as a leader along the way.

• Have frequent discussions with your top talent and provide constructive and actionable feedback in real time.
• Map the right talent to the right roles. There is nothing worse than wasting good talent.
• Understand the goals of your people. Find creative ways to keep them challenged, engaged and excited.
• Open doors for new opportunities and experiences. 

A good talent strategy will help acquire, recognize, and develop talent for sustainable competitive advantage and long term results. Given that, it makes sense for leaders to spend quality time thinking through and developing a talent strategy that works for them and their organizations.