andrew tarvin@HumorThatWorks

Humor That Works

The Intersection of Humor and Work

Flickr / Electronic Components / Tambako the Jaguar

Flickr / face down on aisle 4 / Nanny Snowflake

83% of Americans feel stressed out at work.

Flickr / face down on aisle 4 / Nanny Snowflake

55% of Americans are unsatisfied with their jobs.

Flickr / Work sucks / Michael Herve

47% of Americans struggle to stay happy.

Flickr / It’s Coming / Ryan Hyde

And statistically only 1 out of 7 Dwarfs are Happy.

90,000 hours

Flickr / Meet me under the clock / Garry Knight

coworkers > family

Flickr / Untitled / Ashraful Kadir

HOWHUMORHELPS

Flickr / caffeinating, calculating, computerating / Ryan Ritchie

Flickr / Hands in the air / Abe Novy

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory

retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.6. Improves group cohesiveness.7. Reduces status differentials.8. Diffuses conflict.9. Builds trust.10.Brings people closer together.

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.6. Improves group cohesiveness.7. Reduces status differentials.8. Diffuses conflict.9. Builds trust.10. Brings people closer together.11. Boosts overall brainpower.12. Increases objectivity.13. Improves focus.14. Triggers new connections.15. Enhances problem-solving skills.

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.6. Improves group cohesiveness.7. Reduces status differentials.8. Diffuses conflict.9. Builds trust.10. Brings people closer together.11. Boosts overall brainpower.12. Increases objectivity.13. Improves focus.14. Triggers new connections.15. Enhances problem-solving skills.16. Reduces employee absenteeism.17. Increases company loyalty.18. Prevents long-term burnout.19. Provides a boost of energy.20. Improves productivity.

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.6. Improves group cohesiveness.7. Reduces status differentials.8. Diffuses conflict.9. Builds trust.10. Brings people closer together.11. Boosts overall brainpower.12. Increases objectivity.13. Improves focus.14. Triggers new connections.15. Enhances problem-solving skills.16. Reduces employee absenteeism.17. Increases company loyalty.18. Prevents long-term burnout.19. Provides a boost of energy.20. Improves productivity.21. Lowers blood pressure.22. Improves the immune system.23. Reduces the risk of heart disease.24. Burns calories.25. Increases happiness.

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.6. Improves group cohesiveness.7. Reduces status differentials.8. Diffuses conflict.9. Builds trust.10. Brings people closer together.11. Boosts overall brainpower.12. Increases objectivity.13. Improves focus.14. Triggers new connections.15. Enhances problem-solving skills.16. Reduces employee absenteeism.17. Increases company loyalty.18. Prevents long-term burnout.19. Provides a boost of energy.20. Improves productivity.21. Lowers blood pressure.22. Improves the immune system.23. Reduces the risk of heart disease.24. Burns calories.25. Increases happiness.26. Increases perceived leadership skills.27. Creates more opportunities.28. Improves personal ratings.29. Builds confidence in abilities.30. Increases size of paycheck.

Why Humor?1. Gets people to listen.2. Increases long-term memory retention.3. Improves understanding.4. Aids in learning.5. Helps communicate messages.6. Improves group cohesiveness.7. Reduces status differentials.8. Diffuses conflict.9. Builds trust.10. Brings people closer together.11. Boosts overall brainpower.12. Increases objectivity.13. Improves focus.14. Triggers new connections.15. Enhances problem-solving skills.16. Reduces employee absenteeism.17. Increases company loyalty.18. Prevents long-term burnout.19. Provides a boost of energy.20. Improves productivity.21. Lowers blood pressure.22. Improves the immune system.23. Reduces the risk of heart disease.24. Burns calories.25. Increases happiness.26. Increases perceived leadership skills.27. Creates more opportunities.28. Improves personal ratings.29. Builds confidence in abilities.30. Increases size of paycheck.

30Benefits of Humor(Backed by research, case studies, and real-world examples.)

Flickr / Coco is not impressed / Jacob Haas

HUMOR

humor –

a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement.

– Random House Dictionary

Reddit / My local Tire Discounters / thelacepirate

Reddit / Wrong Job? / HughMoore

How the customer explained it.

How the consultant described it.

How the project leader understood it.

How the analyst designed it.

How the programmer wrote it.

How the project was documented.

How the customer was billed.

What the customer really needed.

humor that works –

a way of working that is effective, different, and fun.

– Me, just this second

SENSE ABILITYVS

The 5 Senses1. Sight2. Hearing3. Taste4. Touch5. Smell

6. Humor7. Direction8. Time9. Common10.Ability to see

dead people

10

HAHAHA

LOL LMAO HAROFL

HA

Flickr / Shepherds in Ladakh / Koshy Koshy

Johnson & Johnson Introduces ‘Nothing But Tears’ Shampoo to Toughen up Newborns

CIA Realizes It’s Been Using Black Highlighters All These Years

Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed Once Again

theonion.com

INTJ

INTJ

Flickr / Eve vs R2-D2 / JD Hancock

NonconsciousIncompetence

Conscious Incompetence

Conscious Competence

NonconsciousCompetence

Four Stages of Competence

GETTING STARTED

1. ASSESS

2. DECIDE3.

EXECUTEFlickr / Mixed Messages / Rich Anderson

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

–Aristotle

Flickr / Aristotle / Martin aka Maha

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

–Aristotle

HUMOR

+ME

Flickr / Aristotle / Martin aka Maha

Humor: making work fun. Be more productive, less stressed, and happier.

Sense of Humor: knowing what is humorous and when it’s

appropriate Skill of Humor:

effectively getting someone to laugh or smile 3 Steps:

1. Assess2. Decide3. Execute

HUMOR MINDSET RECAP

QUESTIONS

ACTION ITEMS

START

I don’t think my boss or coworkers would approve.

I don’t know how.

andrew@humorthatworks.comtwitter

website

email

I don’t have time.

168 hours.

168 hours.

49 spent sleeping.

168 hours.

49 spent sleeping.

119 hours awake.

168 hours.

49 spent sleeping.

119 hours awake.

40 spent at work.

168 hours.

49 spent sleeping.

119 hours awake.

40 spent at work.

33.6%

Andrew Tarvin@humorthatworks