Highly Humorous Leadership

I was genuinely shocked by how much I enjoyed this read! I’ve always been a lover of humor and a strong believer in its power, but I had no idea how vital it can be specifically in the workplace.

David Jacobson, LCSW, C.H.P. has spent his life infusing humor into everything he does, partially out of necessity (due to suffering from arthritis starting in his early 20s) and partially out of just a pure love of the game. He’s used his appropriately-placed humor in many leadership roles, and he essentially provides us with a handbook to do the same.

I am not a leader in any capacity, to my knowledge. However, this book has set me up for success if/when I have the opportunity to lead. Jacobson describes to us in detail the four categories of humor and how they can impact the workplace. I will not list them, as I would rather encourage you to read the book, but know that not all humor is beneficial to a working environment. In fact, some humor can actually damage both the person delivering the humor and the person receiving the humor. (take a shot every time I say humor)

When humor is used in the right way, it can dramatically impact the workplace. Employees feel heard, empowered, appreciated, and motivated to the extent that it impacts their productivity. He provides real-life examples of this phenomenon, with the financial documents to prove it. (again, please read the book)

The book’s purpose is to discuss how important the integration of humor is into leadership, and I believe it does so beautifully. He has a conversational tone throughout the book; It felt more like I was having a conversation with someone rather than reading, which would make sense as the author does do public speaking engagements regarding this specific topic.

As someone not in a leadership position, this gave me a great deal of insight into what truly makes a good leader. On multiple occasions, as he described a scenario of bad leadership or bad humor, or both, I was reminded of current and past bosses. I found myself wanting to highlight portions of this book and hand deliver it to my boss on my last day; I may still do it. This book is as much about being a good leader as it is about the importance of humor as a leader. And for that reason, I believe everyone should read it. Leader or not, it can help us understand the power of a good leader, the symptoms of a bad one, and what to look for in a prospective leader.

This is my first book review, so it is a bit scattered, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book, and I will be sharing it with current and future leaders. I hope we all have the opportunity to experience a good, humorous leader in our lives - or at the very least, a truly good laugh. (the book was also funny, by the way)

***side note: NetGalley says that the book’s publication date is January 1st, but as of January 3rd I have still yet to find it for sale anywhere. Also, the cover given to me says Highly Humorous Leaders, but the title page says Highly Humorous Leadership***

Not considering myself particularly funny I was intrigued to see what this book could offer me above the many leadership books I have read. I found this book a fantastic resource for effective leadership full of self reflection and examples from the author, lots of tools to use for self reflection in practice and to implement with your team. Great insights that I hadn’t read before and a book that I will return to again to continuously improve my leadership skills.

I learned that humor is not my leadership style. The book would be a useful tool for those who do share this style.

A refreshing take on a very important subject for the corporate world, this should be a must for all corporate libraries, absolutely brilliant.