Humor - a Lifetime Elixer

"You're a little pill," my hubby exclaimed in exasperation, as he frowned down at our son. Sean, wide-eyed and innocent looked up at his Dad with a smile and quipped "You're an aspirin!"  Sean's quick wit sparks the room any day since it matches the event and rouses a stir.  Do you know people like that?

One of the reasons I enjoy collaborating with Ellen Weber is she draws from natural wit daily.  To see her humorous flashes, check out Dinner Blew Up -- But Not the Deal and you can quickly see how she has ability to laugh at herself, no matter what.  Once when presenting in Puerto Rico, we stayed in a hotel hosting the Miss Universe Pageant.  One morning Ellen was not feeling well so was advised to see the doctor who was on call for contestants.  When Ellen's named was called to see the physician, she tripped on a floodlight wire and fell as she walked to the door. In front of all the contestants waiting there.  She experienced one of the most gregarious belly laughs I have ever witnessed.  Ellen's gifts of wit and banter work well for her as she makes business deals or just engages others as she networks.  If a group we're working with loses steam, Ellen jump-starts the action with a well-timed joke. Ever tried it?

Humor benefits social vitality and personal well-being.  For starters humor:

Enhances workplace culture "More than four decades of study by various researchers confirms some common-sense wisdom: Humor, used skillfully, greases the management wheels. It reduces hostility, deflects criticism, relieves tension, improves morale, and helps communicate difficult messages, Fabio Sala declares in the Harvard Business Review. Sala reminds us that, "the key to the effective use of humor is how it’s deployed. Don’t try to be funny. But do pay closer attention to how you use humor, how others respond to your humor, and the messages you send. It’s all in the telling."

Boosts personal well-being "As you laugh," Ellen Weber shows that "your brain creates enzymes for clear thinking, better learning and adventures brimming over with possibilities in spite of turbulent times."

Bonds people within organizations "Humor can be a cohesive force in organizations--as anyone who's ever traded jokes at the water cooler or laughed over lunch with colleagues understands," Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, concludes. "Instead of disciplining joke-crackers, as Ford did in the last century, organizations should be seeking them out and treating a sense of humor as an asset. It's time to rescue humor from its status as mere entertainment and recognize it for what it is--a sophisticated and peculiarly human form of intelligence that can't be replicated by computers and that is becoming increasingly valuable in a high concept, high-touch world."

Adds snap to presentations Have you noticed how many presenters can bring humor to ice breakers and the beginning of a slideshow only to forget it soon after as all the boring slides drone on? Keep in mind that humor, to be effective must coincide with the barometric pressure of people in the group. If it falls, be ready to bring in the sunshine.

Strengthens family and friendship bonds Just as Sean and Ellen add zip to family occasions, laughing together helps build bonds and strengthen ties. Sharing laughter is powerful since it adds joy, vitality and resilience. Humor is an effective way to heal resentments, disagreements and hurts. It unites people during difficult times. As I spoke about my dear mother at her funeral, I summed up two of her gifts as follows, "Love and laughter overflow."

What's your current humor gauge?

Rate yourself 1 - 4 in the following areas. 1 Low, 2 Fair 3 Average 4 Excellent

____ Ability to laugh at yourself

____ Can tell joke and keep punchline in tact

____ Enjoy a belly laugh daily

____ Refrains from jokes at other's expense

____ Regularly look for humor to share

____ Can turn circumstance into witty statement

____ Easily gets the meaning of a joke


I still have much growth to go... How about you?

Interestingly, the "brain's right hemisphere plays an essential role in understanding and appreciating humor," psychologist Daniel Pink finds from studying neuroscience research. Incongruity often enters into humor. Not too surprisingly, the brain's logical left side does not deal with surprise and incongruity well, Pink adds.

Humor represents one of the highest forms of human intelligence. "Cognitive abilities required for humor comprehension" according to Shammi and Struss's research, "include abstract reasoning, mental flexibility and working memory -- all are complex, higher mental functions believed to be associated with the frontal lobes."

How might you play a bit with humor's sparkle at your Christmas gathering?