Are you able to use humor to be a more effective leader?

Can you make appropriate jokes and laugh at yourself in order to lighten the mood and put others at ease?

According to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, "A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done."

In the book, The Humor Code: A Global Search For What Makes Things Funny by Peter McGraw and Joel Warner (Simon and Schuster 4/1/2014), the authors have some recommendations about how you can use humor to be a better leader:

1. It's not whether or not you're funny, it's what kind of funny you are. Be honest and authentic.

2. If you can't be "ha-ha" funny, at least be "aha!" funny. Cleverness is sometimes good enough.

3. Good comedy is a conspiracy. Create an in-group.

4. Don't be afraid to chuckle at yourself. It signals that everything is okay.

5. Laughter is disarming. Poke fun at the stuff everyone's worried about.  

An office needs humor. Data suggests we laugh much less during the week than we do on the weekends. Every chuckle or laugh has beneficial effects on the workplace and the people working there. Humor relieves stress and boredom, boosts interaction and security, and stimulates creativity and engagement.    

According to anthropologist, Edward Hall, "As a leader, if you can learn to control the humor of people, you are also in control of almost everything else."

Please leave me a comment about your thoughts regarding humor in the workplace. Is it something that you use to lighten the mood in your office?

​Also, please watch the short video below to learn more about the importance of using humor in the workplace and how it can improve your standing as a leader. 

Are you an effective communicator? How do you know?

To be good at delivering the message you are trying to communicate, it must be thoroughly understood and carried out in a timely manner.

When I was a hostage negotiator with the Cincinnati Police Department SWAT Team, we were taught a formula for effective communication. That formula was 7% - 38% - 55%. It stood for: 7% of our communication is done through the words we use. 38% of our communication is relayed through the tone of voice we use with those words, and 55% of our communication is accomplished through our body language and facial expressions.   

According to author, keynote speaker, and Harvard University instructor, Carmine Gallo, some of the most effective communicators are elite fighter pilots in the U.S. military.

Gallo lists four communication skills he learned from observing these exceptional military pilots:

1. Life-Long Learning - These individuals are voracious readers who are constantly looking to expand their knowledge and understanding.

2. Debriefs and Feedback Loops - Through the debriefs after each flight and the feedback from their fellow aviators, these pilots learn what went right and what went wrong. In addition, they understand how they can improve, what they should have learned, and how they can get better as a member of the group or squadron.

3. Clear and Concise Communication - Fighter pilots achieve clarity by putting the most important message up front when communicating during a mission (BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front).

4. Exceptional Presentation Skills - Aviators must constantly brief their colleagues on different missions and objectives. They continually practice these skills with constructive criticism to get better.

What do you think of the abilities listed above that fighter pilots use to be proficient communicators?  

Please leave me a comment below about your thoughts regarding being an effective communicator and what tips or techniques you use to make sure your message gets across to your audience.