#10 Entry / 20500297

HUMOR in the Workplace! :-)

Laughter can create a productive and healthy work environment,

but be careful that it's not masking inappropriate comments.

No matter what, time goes by. It's my 10th journal, ALREADY! (I'm also taking BS class, so I have uploaded almost 20 entries actually. Whoa!) Writing a journal in English is such a huge work for me. Now it's time to work on our final project... MARKETING COMPETITION! I am half excited about the project since our team members are all willing to do our best, but am half worried because we do not have much time to work on. Anyway, as we begin our new project, which will take a lot of our time, and as we are going to spend most time together 'till the end of this semester, I thought that we need something to make our 'work environment' better and make our relationship closer. Here's the thing. Laughter from HUMOR.

What is this article about?) The author basically says that humor is a significant part of the day-to-day work life. Most people think that use of humor in business is not 'right', but she thinks that it's not the worst thing in the world. What makes you feel comfortable? What makes the atmosphere more cozy? Share of laugh! Humor is the thing that brings you laugh, she says. One thing you need to remember is 'humor at the individual level.' Not everyone can produce and make humor. Those who are intelligent and creative can! It's associated with our 'intuition', therefore humor actually evokes some kind of emotions that make you feel energetic and comfortable. More important, (this is what I want to point out the most.) humor relates to workplace creativity. You may wonder how. So did I. 'The primary theory about humor, which is well accepted, is that it stems from incongruity. In other words, we find jokes or comments funny because they are linking two things together - perhaps through a punch line - that you wouldn't normally link together, or that shouldn't go together.' (quoted) As humor links two things that wouldn't or shouldn't normally be together, people in a workplace that is fun and comfortable due to use of humor can put things together in their UNIQUE and SPECIAL way, which automatically brings CREATIVITY.

My thoughts & feelings) Today, we watched Virgin America's safety video in class. I found that's very smart, creative, different, and humorous. They used different funny characters that shouldn't be in the airplane. (Cow and fish in the airplane? He-llooo!) It may seem like there's something unusual, even wrong sometimes, but we all know that it is innovative because it is differentiated by using cartoon with funny characters and unique stories. I was very impressed and talked to myself, 'I want to make our project something like that. Fun is the key to attract people's interest and make them impressed by our work.' Our team, Malawi, consists of 6 people and we have gotten along together pretty well. Not only do we look different, but also have different characteristics. As we worked on several projects together, I found that the time we feel closer to each other was when we laugh together while working. Projects could be simple, but were never easy. The time all members could be together was always after 11 at night. We were tired, exhasted, and sometimes wanted to give up. However, by someone's joke, laughters, or someone's 'not-making-sense' ideas we always had a fun and enjoyable time and that's what brought more creative and unique solutions. The use of humor doesn't mean that we need such a class clown. As the author says, humor is viral. Laughing is so contagious that once one person starts laughing, it spread sort of positive energy to other people around him/her. I hope to be someone like that to our team members and make our (short-term) workplace fun and energetic!

* Annotaion: Karen E. Klein, Humor in the Workplace, Journal. November 5, 2007.
* URL: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/nov2007/sb2007115_185030.htm?chan=search

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