Donna Highfill
  • Home
  • About
    • About Donna
    • What People Are Saying
    • My Other Blogs
      • Dame Nation Blog
      • Huffington Post
  • Services
    • Power Up BUSINESS
    • Coaching
  • Books and Tools
  • Blog
    • Fave Products
  • Contact Me

Four Ways that Laughter Promotes Organizational Change

AndrewBlogNo commentsMay 31, 2013

Rarely would I use the word “humorous” to describe the organizational environments in which I’ve worked. In fact, I have found that most leaders see laughter as the antithesis of productivity.

If you’re yucking it up, you’re not getting serious work done.

I think organizations have incorrectly defined “serious.”

Most people I know love to laugh, so I’m not sure when the rumor got started that seriousness means professionalism. It was probably started by that really boring, bitter guy who sat in the corner office.

Laughter is more than a reaction . . .

Laughter is a decidedly social signal. People are about 30 times more likely to laugh when they are with other people. But the act of laughter is not always directly related to a joke or the sometimes unfortunate attempt of a co-worker to tell a funny story. Sometimes people laugh as an expression of joy, other times they laugh in reaction to someone else laughing. The new approach used in the art of Laughing Yoga shows that not only does laughing make you healthier, it is contagious.

I think that every team should start their day with 5 minutes of laughter. Yes, we would all look insane, but, boy, would we get work done. And we might even have fun doing it.

My mother has always been a great instigator of laughter. Sometimes she would burst out laughing in the middle of our dinner prayers for no reason at all, and before long we would all be laughing hysterically. We didn’t know why we were laughing, we just knew that it felt good.

I’ve spent over 20 years helping organizations through change, and I have found that without laughter change can be a horribly painful process. But when you have someone on your team who laughs easily, then more gets accomplished.

I believe that  . . .

  1. Laughter helps us transcend our suffering. One moment of laughter removes us from our stress and allows us to become a distant observer who can more objectively solve problems.
  2. Hearty laughter strengthens both physical immune systems and organizational immune systems. The more people are allowed to laugh, the more likely they are to withstand the constant onslaught of change in today’s world.
  3. Laughter helps us get on with things. Constant whining or even tears increases our frustration because we don’t feel in control. We become victims of what is happening rather than leaders of change.
  4. Laughter increases productivity by injecting energy into a situation. If you don’t believe in the energy created by laughter, then watch an audience leave a a sad movie. Next, move to the theater where the comedy is playing. Watch people as they come out of that movie and you will be amazed by the increase in energy.  Then leave the theater quickly, because somebody is sure to think you’re a stalker.

There are certainly steps you want to take before just bursting out laughing in a meeting. You want to be sure that people know you, and trust that you are doing what is best for them and the company. And, you don’t laugh as an expression of condescension or mocking.

But when you let yourself laugh outright at the absurdity of organizational life, or the frustration over another roadblock, or the fact that the soda vending machines are being removed from the building, then you’ll feel much better about everything.

Because laughter brings light, and air, and everything we need to say, “Wow, there is a solution out there because we are much bigger than this problem.”

Tags: behavior change, change management, donna highfill, featured, highfill performance group, leadership

Related Articles

How an Opening Statement Can Help You Avoid the Mental Electric Chair

May 11, 2010Andrew

Why Hire a Coach?

September 30, 2011Andrew

Want to Boost Your Spirit? Meet Mrs. Anderson

December 13, 2012Andrew

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn How to Tell a Better Story and Achieve Success!

Sign up below to receive 48 FREE Energizing Messages.

Connect with Me

Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Recent Posts

  • A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere
  • Here’s Some Honesty For You
  • Laughter is My Hero
  • A New Year in Old Clothes
  • Why I Will Face the Fall

CHECK OUT MY BOOK

highfillcover

As a leader, do you implement change only to watch the projects, processes and initiatives stall because you can’t get the people driving them to change? In my new book Real People, Real Change: Stories of a Change Warrior in the Business World I share real stories to illustrate how leaders can move people to action.

Archives

Where Donna Will Be Speaking Next

  • April 22, 2015 - SunTrust Women's Networking Group
  • April 23, 2015 - SunTrust Women's Networking Group
  • May 12, 2015 - LPGA Championship, Kingsmill, Williamsburg VA
  • May 21, 2015 - Education Association of Fundraising Professionals, Eerie, PA

Certified_hi-res

mbti_certified
huffbadge

Learn How to Tell a Better Story and Achieve Success!

Sign up below to receive 48 FREE Energizing Messages.

Recent Posts

  • A Cab Driver Who Appeared as if from Nowhere August 9, 2017
  • Here’s Some Honesty For You March 16, 2017
  • Laughter is My Hero January 10, 2017

Contact Me

804-370-6665
[email protected]
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • About Donna
  • Contact Me
Copyright Donna Highfill 2014