Humor is a tool that all leaders should utilize. Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done" (Smith). He was a great American leader who knew how important humor was to ones ability to lead. Scientist, comedians, and leaders alike have all attested to humors abilities. A Robert Half International survey found that 91% of executives believe a sense of humor is important for career advancement. The survey also found that 84% of people with a good sense of humor do a better job (Devaney). If a massive amount of executives believe that humor is important, it stands to say that humor and it’s ability to improve leadership should be examined more closely. …show more content…
He said, “If you can learn the humor of a people and really control it, you know that you are also in control of nearly everything else” (Beard). This is a powerful statement that shows when humor is properly used, people will follow. We can see an example of this with Ronald Reagan, who was known as "The Great Communicator". Ronald Reagan once made a joke by saying, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help" (Reagan). Even the people who greatly opposed his ideas, did not deny his sense of humor (Stevenson). Reagan had charm and his sense of humor made him an irresistible leader. It has been claimed that humor was his most potent ally (Stevenson). Reagan was able to lead the American people with ideas that they were unsure of because of his …show more content…
Some people try to tone down humor in the workplace to be taken more seriously. This generally backfires because people take themselves too seriously and it becomes laughable. Humor tends to be edgy which makes people shy away from it at work. Humor in the workplace must be tasteful and careful not to cross any lines. Leaders must be careful to stay in a “safe zone” of humor. Crossing lines of racial, sexual, and vulgar humor will have a negative effect and will result in a meeting with human