A recent survey of more than 700 CEOs showed that 98% prefer job candidates with a sense of humour and 84% think that funny employees do better work. Psychologist Dr Jennifer Aaker and comedian Naomi Bagdonas' research has shown that humour makes us feel more competent and confident, strengthens relationships and boosts resilience during difficult times. Based on the popular course 'Humour: Serious Business' at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, where Aaker and Bagdonas help some of the world's most hard-driving, blazer-wearing business minds build levity into their organisations and lives, this book will show you how to use humour to: enhance creativity and problem-solving; influence and motivate others; build bonds and defuse tension within teams; create a culture where colleagues feel safe, appreciated and joyful.
Jennifer Aaker Books
Dr. Jennifer Aaker is a leading expert on how purpose and meaning shape individual choices and how technology can positively impact both human well-being and company growth. Her work delves deeply into the psychology of meaning, aiming to help individuals lead more meaningful lives. She also leads research in psychology and well-being, focusing on how technology can positively influence human behavior and lives. Her work explores how meaning can shape not only individual behavior but also organizational outcomes.
Anyone can learn to harness the power of humor in business and life, inspired by a popular class at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. While many intuitively recognize humor's potential, few know how to use it intentionally, leading to its underutilization in workplaces. This lack of humor affects performance, relationships, and health, contributing to what is humorously termed "resting boss face." Research indicates that humor is a powerful tool for achieving serious goals; 98 percent of top executives prefer employees with a sense of humor, believing they perform better. Humor enhances our competence and confidence, strengthens relationships, sparks creativity, and boosts resilience in tough times. Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach the course Humor: Serious Business, helping driven professionals integrate levity into their organizations. In their work, they combine behavioral science findings, insights from comedians, and stories from business leaders to explain how humor functions and how to effectively utilize it. They explore what makes things funny, how to find material from life, and how to craft jokes. They also discuss using humor for strong first impressions, delivering tough feedback, and fostering creative cultures while navigating humor's gray areas. President Eisenhower believed humor was essential for leadership, suggesting its value in achieving goals.
Many people understand humor's power intuitively, but when it comes to using it with intention far fewer know how. As a result, humor is vastly under-leveraged in most workplaces. Research shows that humor is one of the most powerful tools we have for accomplishing serious things. Aaker and Bagdonas draw on findings by behavioral scientists, advice from world-class comedians, and stories from real-life business leaders to reveal how humor works and how you can make greater and better use of it. -- adapted from jacket