In their book Primal Leadership (2013), Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee outline that laughter and smiling create an irresistible response from others to share in the laughter and smiling with others. This is a fancy way of saying that smiling is contagious! However, it is not often discussed that laughter and smiling builds trust and rapport and reduces defensiveness and hostility. Further, it increases rates of cooperation, fairness and business performance.
From the Playbook: So, what does this mean for us at work? Creating a space where people can share laughter and smiles is essential for workplace well-being, satisfaction and business outcomes. What can you do to encourage this with your work team? Check out this Forbes article on how to use humor at work. Particularly, consider these ideas:
Celebrate humor – Don’t penalize members of the team for using humor, because this will discourage others and inhibit smiling and laughter.
Offer without expectation – Offer a smile or share a laugh without an expectation of how others will respond or whether they will reciprocate. Treat it as a gift to those around you. Not only will it come across more genuinely, it will respect the needs and boundaries of others.
Share a smile – Remember, smiling is contagious! Especially if you are seen as a leader in the team, your use of humor and smiling will influence the culture around humor.
Important footnotes: We don’t have space here to dive into how personality, intersectional identity and culture influence our approach, receptiveness or response to humor and smiling. However, it is important to recognize we all have a different relationship to this topic. Also, remember that humor needs to be work-appropriate and not at anyone’s expense.
This week, try to find one way to be intentional about sharing a smile or a laugh with someone you work with in a way that is comfortable for you and the people around you!
