Enjoy Laughter

I recently had an enlightening conversation with a client who runs a very successful business. We were discussing the power of healthy, positive, uplifting humor vs. the dangers of snarky, cynical, sarcastic jokes.

Knowing that one of Game On’s core values is “Laugh With”, he was very candid with me in sharing his concerns about becoming that guy who tries too hard to be funny, defaults to a flippant comment, or goes for that cheap joke. 

As the leader of his company, we both agreed that would not set a healthy precedent for his business, so I decided the best way to address his concerns is to shift away from trying to be funny and instead, I encouraged him to do his best to create an environment where he and his team could simply and safely… Enjoy Laughter. 

With that said, and given his position to make a difference, I felt we needed to go further than a catch phrase for him to make a serious, lasting impact. I encouraged him to use this concern as an opportunity for practical action. So, with as much depth and reflection one can conjure on a quick call, with a client, on the fly, I challenged him to go on a… “Sarcastic Fast”.

For one week, he was not able to rely on sarcasm, and if he did, as his “sarcasm accountability coach”, he had to let me know. And I’m proud to say, he did it for the week, and he’s greatly reduced his use of sarcasm to this day, and I’m not being sarcastic.

All jokes aside, we can do it too. As leaders, teachers, coaches, presenters, who is that person who can respectfully keep you accountable when your humor’s a bit off and that joke misses the mark? How are you inviting healthy laughter into your company, classroom, team, audience? How are you giving permission, direction, and instruction to yourself and to others to use humor to lift people up and to allow people the opportunity to enjoy laughter in a productive manner? 

As a former comedic actor - and having taught the Game On curriculum for over 27 years - I know from experience that laughter can be powerful and medicinal. And when we experience the pure joy of laughter with others, in a safe and trusting environment, it can create an authentic connection that is difficult to explain and even harder to break. 

Connection… is not built when we shame others, go for that shocking statement, or get a cheap laugh at someone else’s expense. 

Connection… is not sealed when we focus on laughing at other people’s weaknesses and exploiting their mistakes. 

Connection… is developed, those relationships are made, that meaningful and memorable experience is forged, when we honor and uplift others, and laugh with one another.

Let’s trust the power we all have and the impact we can all make when we confidently, collectively, and comfortably starve the snarky, the cynical, and the sarcasm, and feed the healthy, positive, uplifting humor, so we can all simply and safely… enjoy laughter.