The phrase “laughter is the best medicine” is a familiar one. Now, a Taiwanese research study by Ho and colleagues (2011) suggests that a leader’s humour may be the tonic to two important organisational outcomes. First, humour can boost one’s ability to innovate. Second, it can enhance leadership effectiveness, as defined by self and team performance. However, before you start hiring a comedian as your next executive coach, the results of the study suggest that the style of humour matters greatly.
For example, which of the following jokes best resembles your style of humour?
A. I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
B. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
If you selected A, we may have good news for you. The study points out that humour can be categorised along two dimensions. The first dimension is where humour conveys either positivity or negativity. The second dimension is where it targets oneself or others.
The research points out that positive humour can act as an emotion regulator, linked with self-esteem, confidence and optimism. Playing the role of a stress moderator, positive humour offsets negative influences brought about by work pressures. This puts the leader in a better frame of mind to deal with challenges on the job, influencing effectiveness of performance in a positive manner. But, what about the relationship between humour and the leader’s innovative behavior? Here, the key lies in redefining our own sense of humour, which can be described as the ability to make links between two seemingly irrelevant things. An example:
“If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.”
Did you laugh? If so, this may indicate a potential to be innovative. The research argues that it is this ability to link incongruous ideas that underlines innovative behaviour. Innovation is, in turn, an effective way of improving self and team performance. Take for example, the late Steve Jobs. His ability to fuse two seemingly incongruous worlds — the counterculture of hippies and the high-tech culture of Silicon Valley — resulted in the innovation and success that is Apple today.
However, what about the darker side of humour? Remember Example B? Example B is the opposite of Example A, conveying negativity and targeting others Indeed, this study suggests that this type of humour, otherwise known as aggressive humour, is negatively correlated with leadership effectiveness.
Positive humour directed at yourself may help with your innovativeness and effectiveness, while aggressive humour is best reined in to avoid aggravating others.
Perhaps this can be attributed to the collectivistic culture in Taiwan or Chinese societies at large. One can imagine that being on the receiving end of a leader’s jibes will be detrimental to team relations, and ultimately effective performance. Indeed, the sombre undertone of humour is no laughing matter. As a leader, it is important to get your humour right. Positive humour directed at yourself may help with your innovativeness and effectiveness, while aggressive humour is best reined in to avoid aggravating others.
Based on the results of the study, leaders will do well to aim for positive humour. At best, your team laughs with you. At worst? They laugh at you.
About the study
Three hundred and eighty-one employees across various Taiwanese corporations were surveyed for their perspectives on their leaders’ humour styles, personal innovative behavior and leadership effectiveness in their organisation. The respondents were subordinates who had spent more than one year working with their leaders or department heads. The demographics were as follows: 44% male, 56% female; approximately half were between the ages of 25 and 34 years; and, three-quarters had a college degree. The leaders and department heads were each in charge of five persons or more, and typically of middle rank in their organisation. Approximately one-quarter had worked for their organisation for between four and nine years, and another quarter between 10 and 15 years. Of the leaders, 72% were male, 28% female; almost three-quarters were 35 to 54 years old; and, half had a college degree.
Source
Ho, L.H., Wang, Y.P., Huang, H.C. and Chen, H.C. (2011). Influence of humourous leadership at workplace on the innovative behavior of leaders and their leadership effectiveness. African Journal of Business Management, 5(16), pp. 6674-6683.
For your information
Ho and colleagues (2011) also elaborated on two other humour styles. Referring to the matrix, “affiliative humour” is where the humour is positive but directed at others. An example of use can be to compliment a person on successful weight loss: "You are our shining example of corporate downsizing!" The polar opposite of affiliative humour is then “self-defeating humour” — negative humour directed at oneself. An example: "I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure."