bdharr3's blog

Humor in the Workplace

“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

I recently read a magazine article contending that tasteful, deft, and non-snarky humor in the workplace is a key to organizational success.  The article cited several book authors on the subject and here is what they had to say:

Laura Vanderkam, author of What the Most Successful People Do at Work, wrote, “Humor, by its nature, tends to have an edge to it, so people typically tone it down at work,”  “It’s hard to do well and easy to do badly.  Plus, we all have a tendency to take ourselves too seriously.”

This month I will start out with a couple of really lame jokes.

*What did one snowman say to another?  Is it just me or do you smell carrots!

**What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?  Frostbite.

***Where do snowmen keep their money?  In a snow bank. 

Do you remember the time before computers?  Me neither.  If you are young enough, computers have been around your whole life.  If you are old enough, your memory is not as good as it used to be.  I fall in the latter category.  The Internet/Web for me is like my car; I use it all the time and expect it to work all the time, but I don’t really have any idea how it actually works.  Which leads me to some questions?  

-How did the Internet get started?  See 1

-Who’s in charge of it?   See 2

-What is the difference between the Web and the Internet? See 3

-Who is the keeper of all URLs (website addresses)? See 2

-How many websites exist?  See 4

-What are the top 10 websites based on traffic? See 5

1. In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee wrote a proposal for a system called the World Wide Web.  He then wrote the first web browser, server, and Web page.  He also wrote the first specifications for URLs, HTTP, and HTML. 

Planes, Trains and Automobiles Thanksgiving

I am going to use this edition to write about a family tradition that I am looking forward to during the Thanksgiving break-watching the film classic from director John Hughes, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1988).  The movie stars John Candy and Steve Martin.  Although, not necessarily “one for the kids” based on some very colorful language (one particular scene between Steve Martin and a car rental agent), the movie has a memorable ending that might just leave you feeling a little contemplative about Thanksgiving.  Some other notables you might recognize with bit parts in the movie include: Kevin Bacon, Dylan Baker, Ben Stein, Edie McClurg, Michael McKean, and Ruth De Sosa. 

We have all been there at some time in our lives: We have started a new job that brings with it a rollercoaster of emotions.  At first you feel like you have zero idea of what you are doing, or even what you should be doing.  You are lost trying to figure where to find information you need, or exactly what the protocol is for using the breakroom microwave and coffee machine.  But soon, you get your feet underneath you and your confidence improves with each new day.   As a result, you start to receive praise from your colleagues on what great job you are doing.  From that point on (weeks or months) maybe the accolades come less often and you begin to wonder when the last time was that you were called a “lifesaver” and was commended for a “job well done.”  Cue the panic and dip in the rollercoaster.  We all experience something similar to this.  Getting comfortable in your job usually results in fewer compliments from your supervisors – which, unfortunately, can make you feel like you’re not as great as you once thought you were, or even worse, actually stagnating in your position.  But, rest assured, that’s likely not the case.  So here are, for what it’s worth – a few signs that you are an excellent employee, even if you don’t hear it on a routine basis.