HumorIs

Note: I generally hate anything about prescriptive humor, especially in the workplace...but what the hell.

Somebody once said to me, long ago, that the shortest distance between person A and person B is humor. It was the sort of math I could relate to, and I've never forgotten the sentiment. When it comes to communication, I use humor when I can.

Last weekend I went to the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, DC. If there are two people in our time who've truly mastered humor in communication, it's Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Their humor makes them tolerable to people of both (all/most) political persuasions, although I'm sure a majority of viewers lean liberal. The point is, humor is a bridge, and sometimes it's the quickest way to get you where you want to go.

I did a little research to see if I could find anything credible on humor in communication, and found someone with a Dr. suffix. That's good enough for me.

The good Dr. had a few basic rules for humor in the workplace, and I've pulled out one section in particular that may be applicable for many of us:

Basic Rules for Using Humor in Talks and Meetings
1) Be sure the humor is relevant to the point you need to make.

We've all seen people in meetings tell jokes or anecdotes that have no bearing on the issue at hand. We're left trying to figure out the point of the joke, which assures we'll miss any important information provided during that time. Irrelevant humor is distracting, and may even be annoying.

2) Remember the sandwich approach.

Make your point, then illustrate it with humor, and then remake the point again. The final reminder of the point is not always necessary, but helps assure that your audience doesn't go away remembering only the joke.

He also had a few facts from scientific studies (though I didn't go so far as to verify methodology):

• Research examining the dynamics of humor in task-oriented meetings suggests that it can play the pivotal role in moving the group toward a consensual solution to a problem.
  

• While the early joking emphasized the differences between people at the meeting (and was sometimes disparaging), this mid-meeting humor drew people together and led to smoother interactions as differences were discussed.
  

I wonder if the new congress will find a way to work together? Not too many people are laughing these days. The country faces serious issues. People are out of work. The U has a tough road, too--we all do. Someone make me laugh, please.

Links:
Humor in communication
Humor in the Workplace