Humor ROI: The C-Suite Edition 2025

In this episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis takes a retrospective look at the year 2025 to extract key lessons about humor's role in leadership. Kate reflects on recurring questions from listeners concerning the effectiveness of humor in building strong workplace cultures and its impact on trust, collaboration, and productivity. With over 50 episodes behind her, Kate is poised to usher in 2026 with a strong emphasis on humor's role in creating synergy between labor, creativity, and human connection in corporate settings.

Key Takeaways:

• Humor Builds Trust: Humor is a fast-track to trust, enhancing collaboration and diminishing hierarchical barriers within the workplace
• Navigating Stress with Humor: By diffusing stress and challenges, humor acts as emotional oxygen that allows for constructive problem-solving without escalating tension
• Humanizing Leadership: Self-aware humor helps leaders connect with their teams, allowing employees to perceive them as approachable and relatable
• Creativity and Innovation: Playfulness fostered by humor encourages divergent thinking, creativity, and exploration of novel ideas
• Importance of Boundaries and Sensitivity: Understanding and respecting boundaries enhances humor's effectiveness, ensuring it is inclusive and respectful to all cultures and contexts

"Humor really is the fastest shortcut to trust. You can have a mission statement on your wall, but one shared laugh in a meeting does more for culture."

Additional Links & Resources:

• Interested in being a guest on Humor in the C-Suite? Reach out to book a call with Kate!
• Learn more about me and my work at katedavis.ca

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Humor in the C-Suite! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with your friends, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps the podcast continue to grow. 

Hosted by Kate Davis
Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios

Transcript

0:00:03 - (Kate Davis): Hello, I'm Kate Davis, and this is Humor in the C Suite, a show about how leaders use humor to create an extraordinary work culture. Hi, everyone, and welcome to this week's episode of Humor in the C Suite. It is the end of 2025, and I just wanted to take an opportunity this week and this episode to really go through a few of the points and quite questions the fans and both guests really questioned and answered.

0:00:30 - (Kate Davis): And I really feel like there's power in these moments to really bring levity and clarity to everything that we're doing both in the workplace and the home. And I feel like it. The tentacles of humor really do reach both because we're all leaders to someone in our lives, whether it's at work, whether it's at home. So I thought I would just go through a few of, like, the key points because we're over 50 episodes in and it is the end of 2025. I want to start 2026 off really strong and we got our first sponsor start in 2026. It's a big surprise. You guys are gonna love it.

0:01:06 - (Kate Davis): Anyway, so I thought I would just go through a few of the points. I got a few questions from fans that have asked over the year, and I thought I would just take the time in this episode to really touch on them with you. So one of the main questions, and you know what, we get this all the time, and it's answered in many of the episodes, but it still keeps coming up, is how does humor help leaders build stronger workplace culture? I mean, that's what this podcast is about.

0:01:33 - (Kate Davis): But humor really is the fastest shortcut to trust. And you can have a mission statement on your wall, but one shared laugh in one of those meetings does more for a laminated values poster ever will, you know, and it really, really. Laughter really does signal safety. And when people laugh together, their nervous system calms down and calm people collaborate, they work better together, they're less stressed. And humor really flattens hierarchy as well, just enough, you know, it reminds us that everyone is here in our workplace exists, titles or not, and that we're still humans and we might forget our passwords and microwave the coffee three times. A lot of times I just leave it in, find it the next morning doesn't matter, you know, and we what we really want to know in the workplace, other than humor creating trust is who stole my lunch under the fridge? Am I right? Anyway, look, humor really does shatter static routines, as Bill G. Williams said in one of the episodes, and encourages more engagement and creative work environment.

0:02:36 - (Kate Davis): Helping teams to connect more authentically. Frank Brown says he uses humor as a secret saucer, a key ingredient to success that deepens engagement, collaboration among employees. And Russell Harvey says humor fosters team cohesion and human connection, making environments feel more supportive rather than merely transactional. And humor really does that. It takes us from transactional to human. And I've said this in so many of the episodes, we find we're looking for, look for, for humor in those moments, you know, it just might be, you know, one of those moments where you spill water on yourself. Or, you know, it could be one of those moments where you thought you'd have a great idea. Or I call it, you know, kitchen ready. And then I get somewhere and I say, and I was like, oh, that's.

0:03:26 - (Kate Davis): That's not a good idea at all. But it was hilarious when I was sleepy. But we're taking the risks. And so really, as I said before, humor really is the fastest shortcut to building trust, to signaling safety. And it really just flattened hierarchy. So everyone feels a part of the team. No one feels more than or less than. Everyone can bring their authentic selves to work. That was a great question. So I got another question here from a fan from Idaho. What?

0:03:56 - (Kate Davis): I know, I. I love that it's like reaching people who don't live near me. Anyway, it says, what role does humor play when navigating challenges or stress as a leader? And I think this is a great question because things do come up. You know, it's how we adapt and cope with the stress that it's causing that counts. So one of the main roles I think that humor plays when navigating challenges or stress as a leader is humor doesn't have to minimize a problem.

0:04:24 - (Kate Davis): It, let's just say, metabolizes it. We're not laughing instead of dealing with stress, we're laughing so that we can actually deal with it without snapping at it. And I can say that because my husband works in IT and he's one of those grumpy IT guys. I admit it, you know, but I think his heart is in the right place. Anyway. We've been together so long, guys, he's no longer my soulmate. He's my cellmate. Doesn't matter. Laughter creates emotional oxygen.

0:04:51 - (Kate Davis): You know, it really is a coping mechanism, especially in those high pressure moments. Humor really gives teams room to breathe and think and remember. Oh, right. We are capable adults most of the time. You heard me. Okay. And number three, it's resilience with a punchline. I like that. Resilience With a punchline. Humor helps. People say, okay, it's hard without saying, I'm done. We don't need to give up. We can, you know, press on. We can build up that resilience by laughing at ourselves and saying, okay, that didn't work. I'm going to try this.

0:05:28 - (Kate Davis): And Steve Harvey, one of the EP in his episodes, says humor is a indesensible in relieving stress and strengthening team dynamic, particularly in high pressure startup or challenging or changing scenarios. You know, we're all doing merges a lot of the time or acquisitions, this and that. So important. And another guest said, Russell Harvey said laughter is a tool to get together, meaning that humor helps leaders and teams stay resilient in the face of uncertainty.

0:06:00 - (Kate Davis): As I said, stuff is always going to happen is how we adapt and cope with the stress of its causing. That counts, you know. And Bill Williams also said maintaining a humorous outlook even during challenges gives clarity and opportunity rather than tension relief. It gives clarity and opportunity and I so believe in that. You know, there was, when I was a kid, I was always, you know, a little much, I guess I was, I was still putting on shows and telling jokes, you know, in the classroom. I was definitely the class clown, as so many of us were.

0:06:34 - (Kate Davis): But I do feel like in those challenging moments where it would always come out in those challenging moments and what it did was when we laughed together, it brings everyone into a shared moment. And a shared moment allows us to bond. It allows us to work together more easily and more cohesively. So really, humor does play a role in challenging circumstances and stressful, you know, moments. But as leaders, we can use humor.

0:07:01 - (Kate Davis): And as the head of Pixar once said, humor doesn't make light of serious things. It helps us move forward in spite of serious things, which I, I feel is so relevant, especially in today's world. I've never felt so tense. I'm sure you guys haven't either, and, and I'm sure our leaders haven't, you know, so having those moments of really using it as that pressure valve, you know, where it really does relieve that tension, allows for that oxygen to come in and allows us to reset and restart the challenges that we're facing.

0:07:35 - (Kate Davis): So I hope that helps. We're getting through it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I put on LinkedIn this week that last year my mother gave me a scale for Christmas and I had some, some very funny answers come in. I'd love to hear from you guys what your funniest Christmas presents were. My mom didn't Mean it merely, she knew I was like tracking my metabolism and all that. So and, and honestly, like, I got, you know, I'm not really, I don't really like working out. I'm more like, you know, jump off my peloton if we're walking up a hill or a walk up anyway, doesn't matter, guys, let's move on. Okay, question number three.

0:08:15 - (Kate Davis): Question number part three. How can leaders use humor to humanize themselves and connect with their teams? I really do love this because I find, you know, when I was growing up as a kid, that authoritative figure was always like in a corner big office with the windows, you know, and wouldn't really talk to anyone. And except for his small team, it was very segregated. And I feel like this, that those cubicle walls have been broken, so to speak, in the last few decades. You know, no longer are leaders really trying to micromanage or be that authoritative person in the room.

0:08:58 - (Kate Davis): Really what they need to be do is be the most relatable in the room. So I think self awareness or self aware humor beats self importance in leadership every time. Like the moment a leader laughs at themsel everyone else exhales and think, okay, we're all allowed to be real here. We can bring ourselves here. And I think that's so important. Number two, humor is vulnerability without the overshare. You don't need to cry in the boardroom. I'm not saying, you know, just admit you don't have all the answers.

0:09:31 - (Kate Davis): Maybe the printer still scares you or oh my gosh, our school secretary used to terrify us because she would make all the kids sign in, reason for being late. But kids that age are way too honest. And one kid would just be like, reason for being late. My mother's hair. And I'd be like, reason for being late. You know, my kid took her an hour to sign in. You know, kids that on are so honest at that age, at that little age. And she just wrote in my cat, reason for us being late is my dad couldn't find his keys again. Mom said they were off his arse.

0:10:03 - (Kate Davis): Like, you spell keys wrong, doesn't matter. Okay, so self awareness beats self importance. Humor is vulnerability without the overshare. And last but not least, people don't follow perfection. They follow relatability, as I said. So humor reminds teams that leaders that the leader is a person, not a LinkedIn headline or, you know, in human form. They really are, you know, there for the right reasons in the right way.

0:10:31 - (Kate Davis): And, and they need to be themselves and bring themselves to that, and I think that's a relief for leaders that they can actually be themselves around their teams. I mean, we are at work for eight hours a day. We spend, you know, a lot of our lives with these people, and we want to be able to bring that and be relatable and all those things. Tarek Morel Munner said humor humanizes leaders, fostering collaboration and reduces stress. It shows vulnerability and approachability.

0:11:02 - (Kate Davis): Frank Brown says leadership isn't just strategy. It's about connecting with people on a human level. The humor accelerates that connection, you know, and it can even be starting with a clip of Ted Lasso or, you know, it doesn't have to be, you know, you telling the best or worst dad jokes. And if you want, you can. And that's okay. People groan as well, but you can also just be yourself. You know, an awkward moment you had over the weekend or, you know, a funny moment in the supermarket of your kid freaking out and you not knowing what to do. You know, you think, I'm in charge here. My toddler's in charge at home. They're terrifying anyway.

0:11:44 - (Kate Davis): Matthew Hill said, also, laughter is a social lubricant. It helps people bond, connect on deeper levels, not just lighten the mood. So I think it's really important. How can leaders use humor to humanize themselves and connect with their teams? I think nowadays it's a must. I think real leadership and really connecting with teams to have a successful organization. Really relate on that human level and bring yourselves as a leader to your workspace.

0:12:14 - (Kate Davis): You know, there's nothing, you know, I. My son actually worked in a kitchen and. Which is very, like, military, I guess. You know, and he was really young. He was still a teenager, and he was trying to get through it, and he found it really hard to be in that environment. And I understand that a lot of restaurants are like that, but we don't. We don't need to be that anymore. You know, need to know what your job is and what you're doing.

0:12:41 - (Kate Davis): But working with everyone else as a team, especially within an organization or a restaurant or, you know, wherever you're working, is so important. It takes every little piece to. To make that puzzle. And, you know, without one of those pieces, the puzzle is not complete. So as leaders, I think we have to, you know, just be a piece of that and know that we've hired great people to do their jobs, and we don't need to be that authoritative person anymore. That was a great question. I really like that. Okay, number four.

0:13:16 - (Kate Davis): Boom, boom, boom. Badoom okay. Are there risks with using humor as a leader and how do you navigate them? You know, people get really, really scared of humor. And very. And it doesn't. There's lots of ways we can show that we have a sense of humor without telling that joke or putting someone down. You know, Steve Carey, who was a great guest of ours, said leaders should use self deprecating very carefully. It can unite teens, but can also alienate if overdone.

0:13:50 - (Kate Davis): And I really do agree with that. But you can, you know, but there are lots of ways, you know, to be a little, we just never want to punch down, you know, it's better to be a little self deprecating than, you know, whether it's with the printer or with what you're wearing today or, you know, I'm glad we're all in this meeting. I'm still not wearing matching socks. It's okay to humanize yourself. I think that's what it does.

0:14:17 - (Kate Davis): But you so self deprecating, use sparingly, but use it, you know, it really does make you human. And punchlines should never punch down. As I just said, if the joke makes someone smaller so you can feel bigger, that's not humor. That's insecurity with timing. Just saying, you know, we really, we really don't want to do that. And I think, you know, we can make fun but still be kind. And I think there's, there's a lot of power in that as well. And. Know the room.

0:14:51 - (Kate Davis): Know your room before you try to own the room. That's a cute thing. Where do I come up with them? Know the room before you try to own the room. You know what? I might get a T shirt made. Humor lands best when it's observant, not performative. You're not doing standup, you're just building that connection. And I think it's, it's important when we say know the room. Look, if you've been working with these people for years and they really know you, go ahead, be your sarcastic self. But if they are a new customer and you're just building this relationship, you don't, you don't want to be that person.

0:15:28 - (Kate Davis): So know the room. You know, you can show them you have a sense of humor by your email signature. You can show them that you have a sense of humor by making light of a, you know, situation. But you really don't want to punch down at this point. So knowing your audience, knowing your room is so, so important. And when in doubt, make yourself the joke, you know, self deprecating. Deprecating humor really is the safest playground this. You don't want to turn it into a TEDx talk of on a self esteem issue.

0:16:02 - (Kate Davis): Although I'm sure there's a lot of TED talks on self esteem. Yes, yes. You know, and William Williams in the episode Pass. In the episode Pass. Look, knowing and representing colleagues boundaries is essential to avoid misunderstandings. Boundaries are so important and boundaries for me are so generational as well. Like I grew up really in the 80s where we as, especially as women, we didn't have a lot of boundaries. We were just like, like me, I want to people please, you know, or maybe I just have more of that personality. And a lot of people with ADHD have that as well. That tendency of people pleasing and wanting to make everything right. And I think it's really, you know, boundaries for the younger generation coming in, for the 20 year olds coming into the office.

0:16:57 - (Kate Davis): They are amazing at boundaries, you know, and they will tell you like my daughter moved back home and I haven't lived with her in like 10 years. And she came home with fake plants by the way. Aren't you the generation of authenticity Anyway, but she had to, she came back with boundaries and she's like don't talk to me on Wednesdays. And I'm like what happened? What's, what's happening on Wednesdays? And she's like I, I'm, I'm on a voice fast on Wednesday days. I'm like oh my gosh, you just, it, you guys are amazing at boundaries. Appreciate the boundaries. Learn from young people with their boundaries.

0:17:33 - (Kate Davis): They're not lazy, they're, they're self take, they're taking care of themselves. It's self care, it's self love and I think there's a lot of power in that. So I think boundaries are really, really important when you're knowing your risk as a leader and how to navigate them. People's boundaries and, and your own, you know, are so important. Tarek said cultural sensitivity is critical. What's funny in one context may misfire in another.

0:18:01 - (Kate Davis): And you know what, it's things misfire. We make mistakes as people which is like I hate cancel culture. I, I think oh my God, if I as a teen had all this social media, I can't imagine, you know, the dumb stuff that would be on there when know you lack that empathy switch that isn't quite, you know, matured or whatever. So know that we make mistakes, people make mistakes and it's okay to omit those mistakes and laugh about them and move on apologize, laugh, and move on, I think in that order.

0:18:37 - (Kate Davis): So, yeah, there's lots of risks using humor as a leader, but there are ways to navigate them. Right. So never punch down, you know, know your room and self deprecating humor, I think, are the main things that you can take away from that. That is so important. Number five. Number five. Okay, I love this question. Can humor influence innovation, creativity, or problem solving within an organization? Whoa.

0:19:09 - (Kate Davis): I'm going to say yes. Yes. I'm going to preach yes, yes, yes, of course, of course it can influence innovation, creativity, problem solving. Playfulness unlocks better thinking. You know, rigid environments create rigid ideas. You know, humor loosens mental ties so people can think differently and they can risk and say ideas out loud and know that it's okay to make a mistake and that it's okay to problem solve and it's okay to come up with silly ideas that might, you know, not be the idea you go with, but might be, you know, sort of the thought leader for the next idea. That is amazing.

0:19:56 - (Kate Davis): So, yes, it really unlocks better thinking. Number two, laughter reduces fear of being wrong. Yeah, when we can laugh at ourselves. So important innovation doesn't come from being right all the time. It comes from being willing to be awkward, willing to make those mistakes. You know, the truth is, lightening up allows us to take risks, to think differently, to communicate differently. It makes us more receptive. We're all great ideas are born.

0:20:23 - (Kate Davis): That fire moment, that Oprah moment of, ah, everyone's trying it this way, I'm gonna try it this way. So I think that's so important. And Bill said in his, you know, in his podcast episode, humor encourages teams to break out of routine thinking and be more creative. And I love that routine thinking and be more creative. You know, we really do get stuck in our ways, especially as we get older. We want to keep, you know, adventurous and creative and curious and all those things which is so, so important in. Steve Carey said, humor across cultural differences acts as a universal bridge that fosters creative collaboration.

0:21:06 - (Kate Davis): And I love this cultural differences because so many companies are in different countries. You know, you might have one unit here, one unit in the States, one unit, you know, in Asia or Europe. And really those humor differences there to can be challenging, but they can also be really good in creating that bridge to collaboration, as Steve Carey said. And when leaders balance humor with optimism, it can unlock new perspectives in complex situations. That was Russell Harvey. When leaders balance humor with optimism, what. How lovely is that?

0:21:45 - (Kate Davis): When we balance humor and optimism, you know, it can really Unlock that perspective in complex situations. So thinking positive is so, so affirming to new ideas, you know, and really finding. Because so often we're so hard on ourselves, we do get stressed coming up with new ideas, and that's a creative block. That's the writer's block. That's, you know, the thing that's really where we so often we just get in our own way in those moments.

0:22:15 - (Kate Davis): Humor is the permission slip that let says, let's try this instead of, let's not embarrass ourselves, right? Because, oh, my gosh, I was. I was. I'm always. I'm still always embarrassing myself, and I'm okay with that. But you really want to stay curious and adventurous. So I. I do think humor really does. Let's just try this, see what happens. You know, we really do get stuck in our ways. Try a new flavor of ice cream. Maybe that could be your 2026 resolution. Try a new flavor of ice cream.

0:22:51 - (Kate Davis): So humor can influence innovation, creativity, and problem solving. Unlocks better thinking. Laughter reduces fear of being wrong. And creative teams don't take themselves too seriously, but they take the work seriously. And, you know, I really said that in so many of my keynotes along the year. The French ballet dancer once said is, take your work seriously, but taking yourself seriously is. It's disastrous.

0:23:17 - (Kate Davis): First is imperative. Second, disastrous. So have fun. 2026. Make it your. Your mission wrapped in laminate. Put it on the wall to bring more humor into our lives, to unlock that team cohesion, that team collaboration, to unlock creativity, to know that you're safe doing it as leaders and that your teams will be better off and. And stronger because of it. For you, when we laugh in the hard times, you know, we work better in the good times. It's so, so important.

0:23:51 - (Kate Davis): I have to say, guys, I've had so much fun this last year working on Humor in the Sea Suite, connecting with so many of you. So many of our guests have just been incredible leaders from so many different companies and different industries, which has been so interesting for me and them. Just taking the time to be with us on Humor in the C Suite just has been a gift, and I'm so grateful for all my listeners. I'm so excited for 2026.

0:24:22 - (Kate Davis): Yep. Resolution. New flavor of ice cream. And thanks for listening to Humor in the C Suite. We'll be back in the first couple weeks of January 2026. I look forward to all of you being here. Thanks so much, everyone. Bye.