programming humans through humor

Humor That Works

Programming Humans Through Humor

andrew tarvin@HumorThatWorks

WHY HUMOR

MATTERS

80% of Europeans are concerned about stress at work.

~50% of Europeans are unsatisfied with their jobs.

41% of Spaniards are unhappy.

Only 1 out of 7 Dwarfs are Happy.

HOWHUMORHELPS

People who use humor are more productive…

Less stressed…

And happier.

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.

All claims backed by studies, research, and case studies.

HUMOR

humor –

a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement.

– Random House Dictionary

http://xkcd.com/612/

SKILL OF HUMOR

1. UnconsciousIncompetence

(Inconsciente Incompetente)

2. Conscious Incompetence

(Consciente Incompetente)

3. Conscious Competence

(Consciente Competente)

4. UnconsciousCompetence

(Inconsciente Competente)

Four Stages of Competence

PROGRAMMING HUMANS

1 To Improve Communication.

PeopleDon’tNeed toSeePaula Abdul

PhysicalDataNetworkingSessionProgramApplication

To Build Relationships.2

What’s something that is true for you that you don’t think is

true for anyone else in the room?

To Enhance Problem Solving.3

To Increase Productivity.4

To Strengthen Leadership.5

GETTING STARTED

Humor Recap

Humor: making work fun.

5 Functions of Humor:1. To improve communication.2. To build relationships.3. To enhance problem solving.4. To increase productivity.5. To strengthen leadership.

Enjoying your work is a choice.

PROGRAMMING HUMANS

3 Flickr / Slinky, Doll, Rubiks / Drew Tarvin4 Flickr / Dictionary / Dave Worley5 ProjectCartoon / How Projects Work / Anonymous6 Reddit / Wrong Job? / HughMoore7 Reddit / My local Tire Discounters does it right / thelacepirate8 Reddit / Googly Money / Anon12 Flickr / A Playful Desk / Drew Tarvin13 Wikimedia / Reloj Depertador / Jorge Barrios14 Flickr / Money / Nick Ares15 Flickr / Electronic components / Tambako the Jaguar16 Flickr / face down on aisle 4 / nanny snowflake17 Flickr / Stressed? / AIM Neutron18 Flickr / It’s Coming / Ryan Hyde22 Flickr / caffeinating, calculating, computerating / Ryan Ritchie23 Flickr / Hands in the air / Abe Novy24 Flickr / A military working dog trains / Official US Navy Page26 OSU / Ohio State University Map27 Flickr / Money / Tax Credits29 Flickr / At The Stand / Drew Tarvin32 Flickr / Hammertime / Kurt Nordstrom33 Flickr / O-H-I-O Family / Drew Tarvin34 Flickr / Crazy hills of San Francisco / Hakan Dahlstrom35 Flickr / Checklist / Stuart Chalmers36 SXC / Hero / Ben Smith37 Flickr / Abraham Lincoln Memorial 1 / Kevin Burkett40 Wikimedia / Old Book Bindings / Tom Murphy VII40 SXC / Archery / Kaliyoda42 Flickr / Questioned Proposal / Ethan Lofton43 Flickr / Everyone needs a getaway / Kenny Louie44 SXC / Law Education Series 2 / Peter Skadberg

Photo Credits

Humor, Analogy, and Metaphor: H.A.M. it up in Teaching by Randy Garner. Radical Pedagogy, 2005

The Elements of Persuasion: Use Storytelling to Pitch Better, Sell Faster & Win More Business by Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman. (New York: Harper Collins Publishers 2007).

Humor in the Workplace: A Communication Challenge. RA Vartabedian.Speech Comm Assoc 11/1993

A Dash of Humor Ups Performance and Creativity at Work by R McMaster PhD. Brain Based Biz, 2008

Positive affect facilitates creative problem solving by Alice M Isen, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1987, 52, 112-131

All Work and No Play Isn’t Even Good for Work by David Abramis. Psychology Today, March, 1989, 34-38.

Humor in the Workplace: Anecdotal Evidence Suggests Connection to Employee Performance by L Breeze. Perspectives in Business, St Edwards University, 2004.

Ha! Laughing is Good for You! A Toffelmire. Canoe.ca, 04/2009.

Laughter is Good for Your Heart. B Crawford. University of Maryland Med Center. 04/2009.

Give Your Body a Boost with Laughter by R Morgan Griffin. WebMD, January 2013.

Getting Serious About Workplace Humor by Martha Craumer. Harvard Business School. C0207D.

Making Sense of Humour in the Workplace by Steve Bannister. sbannister.com

Laughing All the Way to the Bank by Fabio Sala. Harvard Business Review. F0309A.

Sources

QUESTIONS

ACTION ITEMS

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

Source: Hodge-Cronin & Associates

Source: St Edwards University

I don’t know how.

Resources

htww.co/501w

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%

@humorthatworks