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I've always been interested in the role that humor and not taking ourselves too seriously plays in our interaction with other people. We live in a world right now where interacting with other people is becoming optional. And people are pining for leaders and mentors who are relatable and imperfect and God forbid a little silly sometimes. I know some of you like the stories and anecdotes but others are thinking yeah okay man I need to see some like hard data, graphs and charts. So I made one up for you. Every presentation has to have an obligatory chart but in my experience, how seriously other people take us is inversely related to how seriously we take ourselves. I mean if we can't laugh at ourselves, there's always someone there to do it for us. And today, people are turning their backs on impersonal and bureaucratic management and leadership. In fact, sixty percent of Millennials are leaving their jobs within the first three years because they feel like it's just not a good culture fit for them. And when asked to describe the characteristic traits of the best leaders in their organizations, the terms like work ethic and sense of humor are mentioned twice as often as any other trait or characteristic. Now they shouldn't be that big of a surprise because some of the greatest leaders throughout history didn't take themselves too seriously.

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I've always been interested / in the role that humor / and not taking ourselves too seriously / plays / in our interaction with other people. // We live in a world right now / where interacting with other people / is becoming optional. // And people are pining / for leaders / and mentors / who are relatable / and imperfect / and God forbid a little silly sometimes. // I know some of you like the stories / and anecdotes / but others / are thinking / yeah okay man / I need to see some like hard data, / graphs / and charts. // So I made one up for you. // Every presentation has to have an obligatory chart / but in my experience, / how seriously other people take us / is inversely related / to how seriously we take ourselves. // I mean / if we can't laugh at ourselves, / there's always someone there / to do it for us. // And today, / people are turning their backs / on impersonal / and bureaucratic management / and leadership. // In fact, / sixty percent of Millennials / are leaving their jobs within the first three years / because they feel like / it's just not a good culture fit for them. // And when asked to describe / the characteristic traits / of the best leaders / in their organizations, / the terms like work ethic / and sense of humor / are mentioned twice as often as any other trait or characteristic. // Now they shouldn't be that big of a surprise / because some of the greatest leaders / throughout history didn't take themselves too seriously. //

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Abraham Lincoln's a great example. He was up giving a speech and someone interrupted and yelled from the crowd "You're two-faced Abe Lincoln." He could've got mad and yelled something back or just went on pretend he didn't hear him. But when they yelled "You're two-faced Abe Lincoln", he just smiled and said, "If I had two faces, you really think I would choose to wear this one?" It all aim and that's funny. I mean that's funny for obvious reasons. Too soon say I know it's only been 150 years you like take it easy on Abraham Lincoln man but I didn't say it, he did 'cuz he didn't take himself that seriously. The fact is humor reduces social distance between people and it makes leaders see more approachable and less stressful. And it's great for organizations as well. Humor increases morale and productivity and it sparks creativity and trust. But perhaps, one of the best things that humor does for us is that it often leads to laughter. And it turns out that laughter is really good for us. Laughter actually increases blood flow at our body. It reduces muscle tension and laughter actually massages our internal organs. I don't even know what the hell that means but that sounds great. 'Been a while since I've had an internal organ massage. Ha ha ha oh whoa.. I think that was my pancreas. Very nice.. Right.. And you know laughter actually burns calories, you're burning calories right now. One solid minute of laughter, could have a similar effect on your body as 10 minutes on a rowing machine.

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Abraham Lincoln's a great example. // He was up giving a speech / and someone interrupted / and yelled from the crowd / "You're two-face Abe Lincoln." // He could've got mad / and yelled something back / or just went on pretend he didn't hear him. // But when they yelled / "You're two-faced Abe Lincoln",/ he just smiled / and said, / "If I had two faces, / you really think I would choose to wear this one?"// It all aim / and that's funny. // I mean that's funny / for obvious reasons. // Too soon / say I know it's only been 150 years / you like take it easy on Abraham Lincoln man / but I didn't say it, / he did 'cuz he didn't take himself that seriously. // The fact is / humor reduces social distance between people / and it makes leaders see more approachable / and less stressful. // And it's great for organizations / as well. // Humor increases morale / and productivity / and it sparks creativity / and trust. // But perhaps, / one of the best things / that humor does for us / is that it often leads to laughter. // And it turns out / that laughter / is really good for us. // Laughter actually increases / blood flow at our body. // It reduces muscle tension / and laughter actually massages our internal organs. // I don't even know what the hell that means / but that sounds great. // 'Been a while since I've had an internal organ massage. // Ha ha ha oh whoaa.. // I think that was my pancreas. // Very nice.. / Right.. // And you know laughter actually burns calories, / you're burning calories right now. // One solid / minute / of laughter, / could have a similar effect on your body / as 10 minutes on a rowing machine. //