Over the past 30 years I have found that one of the best ways to galvanize team members (especially those who are combative or obstructive) is through the use of humor. In fact, I religiously inject humor into virtually ever interaction where I am involved. To do this successfully three key elements need to be understood:
1. Your audience(s)
2. The culture(s) your are operating in
3. The immediate situation
Knowing your audience is always important where communication is concerned. And knowing what makes them smile or laugh can be as easy as just observing (and remembering) the small informal interactions that happen over the course of a project. Especially the interaction between individuals who have established relationships.
As an example: a running team joke was established based on the fact that the lead architect was often grouchy if she was hungry. This was pointed out by another team member and she fully admitted to the behavior. What''s more, she seemed genuinely pleased when, at unexpected moments - like during a tense and argumentative discussion - some variation on her "hunger theme" was introduced which diffused the tension.
Of course, some cultures are more accepting of humor than others. In long standing playful cultures, good-natured ribbing and shared history help to foster a light and stress-reduced climate. Here there is often no need to introduce humor into the equation because it is already in abundance.
In cultures where rigidity and seriousness are the norm, efforts to lighten tension need to take a more cautious route, lest they be interpreted as frivolous or counter-productive. For these cultures, I have found it useful to find a humorous touchstone from outside the culture. More often than not this is drawn from the behavior of a competitor.
Last, understanding the immediate situation is key to using humor in constructive and supporting ways. Knowing when laughs or smiles could be considered inappropriate is as important as knowing how to produce them. There are few things worse than trying to lighten a mood where the response is dead silence and ice-cold stares. So being situation-selective is a critical component of using humor.
I know I''m not the only one who uses humor to help strengthen team dynamics. What can you share on the topic? Saving Changes...
