The Serious Business of Humor in the Workplace – Continued

Humor can bring a Positive Perspective     by Norm Barnhart

Humor helps us step back and take a different look at things. It is good to try to see things from another point of view and to gain perspective.  Up close a situation can seem difficult or impossible, but if we step back and take a broader view it is possible find new solutions. A challenge can seem less daunting if we look at the problem from a ways back and then we can see that it is not that big in the broader scheme of things.

The old expression is, “someday, we’ll look back at this, and laugh.” For example if you are at a wedding, and the groom slips and falls into the cake, it is tragic. This is not very funny to the bride now, but years later… Of course the sooner we step back, pick ourselves up from our slips and mistakes and laugh at our foibles the sooner we can move forward and get more done.  If the bride laughs everyone is given permission to laugh and the stressful situation evaporates instantly.

Difficulties happen to everyone, we need to learn from our mistakes, but not kick ourselves in the rear continuously.

We need to forgive ourselves, and hope others will too. We also need to show grace toward others so that they will be positive and productive. An environment of grudge keeping and lack of forgiveness will lower productivity and stir resentment.

As Plato said, “Be kind, everyone is facing a hard battle.