INTHEBLACK May 2022 - Magazine - Page 48
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48 ITB May 2022
“And be sure to check your distance – how
close are you, personally, to what you are making
light of ? I can make fun of my mother, but not
your mother.”
Cameron-Sweeney advises never using humour
to explain away your failure.
“I think it would come across as disrespectful,”
he says. “If your boss isn’t happy, it’s not the time
to crack a joke.”
Humour can defuse stressful situation, but this
manoeuvre is not for beginners.
If you are still testing out your comedy skills,
avoid high-stake situations, Cameron-Sweeney
advises.
“Learn how to use it in your team, when
bonding with new people and stuff like that –
then, slowly progress to higher stakes. It becomes
a bit more nuanced, then.”
HUMOUR IN CRISIS
The more stressful our environment, the more
important humour becomes.
During the pandemic, there has been a
huge decline in our mental wellbeing, trust
and human connection. Humour can help us
recover, Bagdonas says. “What we know from the
research is that humour can help us rebuild the
connections many of us feel we lost during the
pandemic – the connection from happy hours
with colleagues, coffee breaks during the day, the
passing catch-ups in the elevator. It can diffuse
tension during stressful meetings and projects,
particularly when the stakes are high.”
Instead of gravity and frivolity being at odds,
they give power to each other.
Aaker agrees. “Where humour exists, love is
not far behind.”