Eighty-four percent replied that, in their opinion employees with a sense of humor do a better job than those lacking that wonderful human quality. (Whether the remaining 16 percent lacked a sense of humor themselves must remain conjecture).
Note should be made that the "popularity" of certain employees wasn't a factor in this study. The 84 percent made it clear that they felt that those employees with sense of humor did a better job.
It isn't difficult to apply the results of that survey to anyone seeking a better job. Not only is a job candidate with a sense of humor more pleasant to interview (which means more likely to get the job), but humor-and the ability to smile easily-can have a measurable positive effect on every job seeker when going in for an interview. Let's face it; a job interview evokes a level of tension and apprehension in every job candidate, the degree determined by how experienced he or she is at the process. The physical act of smiling relaxes people. I've noticed it myself when about to be interviewed on television. I'll see myself in a monitor and be aware that there is an expression on my face, especially my lips that I don't like. It's a small thing, but there's a quality to it that indicates to the interviewer that I'm nervous. Every time this happens, I think of the word smile. That's all. I don't actually smile. I just think about it. And, without fail, my lips and face fall into a more relaxed, pleasant expression.
Too many people try to be funny on their resumes and in their covering letters. That's a mistake; don't do it. A good sense of humor does not mean being an office clown or always cracking jokes. In fact, telling jokes in today's workplace can be risky. Some court rulings have held that telling off-color jokes in mixed company at the office can be construed as sexual harassment. Jokes that depend upon ethnic stereotypes are patently offensive to most people. No, jokes do not necessarily translate into a sense of humor.
I prefer to define a good sense of humor as appreciating the fact that life and people are never perfect. People with a genuine sense of humor are pleasant and easy to be with. These men and women are able to appreciate the follies of the everyday workplace and can smile when the going gets tough. Tense, unpleasant situations are often defused by such people, and they are a joy to work with.
This doesn't represent a new philosophy. Cicero, who was around long before any of my surveys, said, "Joking and humor are pleasant and often of extreme utility."
A sense of humor-laughter-has other values besides helping you do a better job. The ability to laugh is therapeutic. A study at the University of California Santa Barbara determined that "laughter is indeed a tonic. It stimulates the cardiovascular system and reduces hypertension, depression, heart attacks and strokes."
People with a sense of humor also seem to be sharp people. I recall a former Arizona congressman, Moid Udall, saying once, "Humor keeps my mind sharp." Udall was always considered one of the most genuinely humorous men in Congress.
People with a good sense of humor seem to have greater appreciation of words. They're able to take the incongruous ideas and juxtapose them. They are able look at a mundane situation, one that others are viewing with unnecessary horror or concern, and apply an irrelevant interpretation to it. The end result is that such demanding situations become more manageable, and those charged with managing them find they're able to do better and quicker.
Obviously, possessing a sense of humor in business situations, and not being afraid to exhibit it, doesn’t mean turning serious business problems into laughing matters. But being able to smile when the pressure is on, and being able to see the less serious side of adversity, is a valuable attribute for any man or woman seeing a better job. Just being able to appreciate the humorous side of this crazy world can take you a long way.
Someone once said that business is no laughing matter. The intent of business is undoubtedly serious, but the day-to-day "business" of conducting business leaves plenty of room for humor. Take stock of your humor quotient, and be sure that you're approaching the demands of today's better jobs with a good one. The least you can do is be pleasant. It's easy to hire nice people-it's tough to hire someone you don't like.
If you haven't got a sense of humor in today's business world, the joke could end up being on you.
