The Last Laugh—Your Shot of Fearless Culture #410
Where change agents find their weekly dose of culture insights and exercises, one topic at a time.
When was the last time you laughed at work?
Not a polite chuckle. Real laughter.
Many leaders think humor is unprofessional. They believe that if people are having fun, they’re not working hard enough.
But the opposite is true. A team that laughs together wins together.
Humor signals trust. It makes us feel comfortable enough to be ourselves, take risks, and not treat everything so seriously.
But humor does something even more powerful than connection: it builds resilience. It helps teams handle impossible deadlines, bad news, and difficult bosses.
That was an aha! moment from facilitating a values conversation last week (and what inspired me to write my latest piece). Humor doesn’t just create connection. It’s a vital signal of a healthy culture.
The day you lose humor, you lose everything.
Enjoy my latest article → Humor Is the First Signal Your Culture Is Struggling
Practical insights and tools to turn humor into a superpower
Stay fearless, my friend.
Gustavo
In Case You Missed It
→ Humor at Work: The Superpower of Successful Teams
Ask Your Team This
When was the last time we laughed together?
⚠️ Try This
How Humor Helps (or Hurts) Your Team
Humor helps teams when it has positive intent. Use this exercise to distinguish positive humor from negative humor. Discuss as a team.
When humor helps our team
How do we use humor to support or connect with others?
How do we use humor to navigate tension or uncertainty?
How do we use humor to ease difficult conversations?
When humor hurts our team
How do we use humor to dismiss or attack others?
How do we use humor to avoid difficult topics?
How do we use humor to shut down disagreement?
Reflect on the kind of humor that strengthens your culture—and which harms it.
🍦 Feed Your Curiosity
Why great leaders take humor seriously
The psychological benefits of humor in the workplace
Humor and personality in the workplace
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Gustavo Razzetti
CEO, Fearless Culture
Tired of stuck conversations? Pre-order my new book Forward Talk