The 3 components of successfully using humor in the workplace

The 3 components of successfully using humor in the workplaceThe 3 components of successfully using humor in the workplaceIve enjoyed every job Ive ever had. Thats not to say Ive had inherently fun jobs cart-pusher at a grocery store, buchen fulfiller in a factory, resident advisor, project manager, speaker but I have found ways to enjoy all of them.Thats not the case for many people. Fifty-two percent of Americans are unsatisfied with their jobs and more than three-quarters say they would relocate if it meant better vibes at work. What most people dont realize is that using humor in the workplace is an individual choice you make every single day. You are responsible for your own job satisfaction. And if you choose humor, you will be more productive, less stressed, and happier.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreTo effectively use humor in the workplace, follow these three compone nts of the Humor MAPMediumThe medium of humor is all about the how. How is the humor going to be received by the audience? Will it be in a live presentation, pre-recorded on video, or written on a sheet of paper?Depending on the medium, different schrifts of humor are more effective. One font of humor (e.g. music) may be perfect for one medium (aural) but terrible for others (visual). And some of you may be confused by my classification of music as humor. But humor is anything that is comic, absurd, or incongruous that causes amusement. Music can be all three. Take the chorus from this song by RihannaWork, work, work, work, work, workYou binnensee me I be work, work, work, work, work, workThis song was number one in America for nine weeks it was nominated for two Grammy Awards. It was not because of how the lyrics read on the page. But when you hear Rihanna sing it, thats a different story.When thinking about your medium, think about how the humor will be experienced. In real-time c onversation, you can use jokes or sarcasm because its easy to gauge a reaction and your delivery can help show that youre being facetious. Emails and texts are more easily misconstrued. I hate you seems pretty bad. I hate you seems even worse. I hate you ) seems flirty. Choose a type of humor that works best for the medium you will use.AudienceThe next component of the Humor MAP is the audience, which is all about the who. Who will be the recipient of your humor? What do they know? What do they expect? What do they need? Understanding this is vital for all communication, not only humor. Had the kidnappers in the movie Taken known what Liam Neesons character knew, the movie would have been called Not Taken.You also want to be clear about what your relationship is to the audience. A joke that you make with a coworker youve known for fifteen years may be very different than what you might say to a client youre meeting for the first time. Sometimes the only difference between humor that is successful versus humor that seems aggressive is your relationship with a person. In general, its safest to use humor that is positive and inclusive (think fun activity rather than biting sarcasm).If you want to use humor effectively, you have to know your audience. That is the only way you can choose the right type of humor to fulfill your purpose. Otherwise, you run the risk of boring, confusing, alienating, or upsetting them.PurposeThe final component of the Humor MAP is also the most important because its all about the why. Why are you using humor? Is it to increase productivity, expand learning, or develop creativity? Like a five-year-old, you want to understand why, why, why, why, why.Without knowing why youre using humor, youre likely to miss the mark and turn people off in the process. If you want to use humor to help people better understand a concept, including an analogy they dont get, wont help. The humor you decide to use should be aligned with the outcome you hope to achieve.This is also how you avoid being seen as a jester or clown at work. When people see that your humor is directly connected to getting better results, they see its value. Its not that so-and-so is always cracking jokes, its that so-and-so is great at getting people to pay attention or leads these really great meetings or really likes Star Wars.By understanding your Humor MAP, youll have a clear idea of what kind of humor to use. And when youre intentional about the humor you use, you increase the chance that youll not only delight your audience but also achieve your goals.Andrew Tarvin is the worlds first humor engineer, teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. He is the author of Humor That Works The Missing Skill for Success and Happiness at Work and CEO of Humor That Works, a consultancy for human effectiveness. For more information, please visit, www.drewtarvin.com and connect with him on Twitter.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rit uals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Science says people decide these 11 things within seconds of meeting you

Science says people decide these 11 things within seconds of meeting youScience says people decide these 11 things within seconds of meeting youA lot of first impressions come from things we cant control at all - ur natural scent, how baby-like our faces are, and whether or leid we need to wear glasses or are bald.For instance, men who havefeminine facial features, like thinner eyebrows and a pointier chin, are mora likely to seem trustworthy.There are leid many folks who want to give off a good first impression can do about their facial structure, but they can changetheir body languageby enacting small changes like smiling mora, making more eye contact, and nodding.Keep reading below to find out what other judgments people make about you within seconds of meeting youIf youre high-statusA Dutch studyfound that people wearing name-brand clothes - Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger, to be precise - were seen as higher status than folks wearing non-designer clothes.Perceptions did not differ on any of the other dimensions that might affect the outcome of social interactions, the authors wrote. There were no differences in perceived attractiveness, kindness, and trustworthiness.Just status.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIf youre trustworthyPeople decide on your trustworthiness in a tenth of a second.Princeton researchersfound this outby giving one group of university students 100 milliseconds to rate the attractiveness, competence, likeability, aggressiveness, and trustworthiness of actors faces.Members of another group were able to take as long as they wanted. Their judgments were the same for most of the traits as the folks who had only a tenth of a second.Much of that judgement is based on things you cant really change. For instance, research suggests thatmore feminine,baby-like, andhappyfaces are perceived tobe more trustworthy.You can alter your body language to boost others trust in you. As Business Insiderpreviously reported, try smiling more, leaning forward, looking people in the eye, and mimicking the other persons body language.Your sexual orientationPeople can read a mans sexual orientation ina twentieth of a second- the minimum amount of time it takes to consciously recognize a face.The rapid and accurate perception of male sexual orientation may be just another symptom of a fast and efficient cognitive mechanism for perceiving the characteristics of others, wrote study authors Nicholas O. Rule and Nalini Ambady.If youre smartA2007 studyled by Loyola Marymount University professor Nora A. Murphy found that looking your conversation partner in the eye was huge for your perceived smartness.Looking while speaking was a key behavior,Murphy wrote. It significantly correlated with IQ, was successfully manipulated by impression-managing targets, and contributed to higher perceived intelligence ratings.Wearing thick glassesandspeaking expressivelyhelps, too.If youre promiscuousABritish studyfound that women with visible tattoos were perceived as less attractive, heavier drinkers, and more promiscuous than females without any ink - which owes to stereotypes about women with tattoos.In Britain, at least, tattooing among women is often associated with ladette culture, the female equivalent of lad culture, which typically involves a proclivity for alcoholic beverages, sports, fast cars, and a plethora of mens magazines,the authors wrote.If youre dominantAUniversity of Pennsylvania study foundthat men with shaved heads were rated as more dominant than similar men with full heads of hair, and that men whose hair was digitally removed were perceived as more dominant, taller, and stronger than their authentic selves.If youre successfulIf you want to look successful, get your suit tailored.Ina British-Turkish study, participants looked at photos of men in tailored versus off-the-peg suits for just five seconds. The guys in tailored suits were rated as more successful.On the evidence of this study it appears men may be advised to purchase clothing that is well-tailored, as it can positively enhance the bild they communicate to others,the authors wrote.If youre on your way to a promotionIts not just status - its earnings potential, too.Ina 2011 Canadian study, university students were shown photos of male models dressed in either business or casual attire. They were then asked questions about how that guy would perform in a variety of jobs.The results were stark Not only were the crisply dressed dudes expected to make more money, they were expected to get promoted more rapidly.If youre adventurousPeople dont just read into who you are from your appearance, but also from the way you move.In a Durham University study, students were shown video clips of 26 other students walking - some with looser gaits, some tighter.Just a few steps were needed to give a sense of personality. Students equated looser gaits with extroversion and adventurousness, while the more clipped walkers were seen as neurotic.If youre dateableA recent studyon online dating showed that users of dating sites quickly determine how dateable you are just from your photo.Appearing more extroverted, open to new experiences, emotionally stable, and likeable boosted ones success on the dating website. But seeming more ambitious and competent hurt women on the website, while it helped male users of the website find success.Even after controlling for the text that folks provide in their dating profile, the researchers found that the impressions from the photo held true.These results suggest that photo-based first impressions may influence a decision to contact a potential mate, even after learning other relevant information about the person, the researcherswrote.If you could be a friend or foeIts not just our eyes that help us form a first impression. Research from Italian psychologist Mariella Pazzaglia suggests how o ur sense of smell helps us decide if someone isa friend or foe.According to the research,we determine if someone is in our family or social group by scent. If someone smells familiar, its a sign that theyre like us and could provide social support.But if they smell too different, we think they might not have our best interests in mind.Drake Baer contributed to a previous version of this article, which was originally published on Business Insider.Science says people decide these 11 things within seconds of meeting youA lot of first impressions come from things we cant control at all - our natural scent, how baby-like our faces are, and whether or not we need to wear glasses or are bald.For instance, men who havefeminine facial features, like thinner eyebrows and a pointier chin, are more likely to seem trustworthy.Theres not much folks who want to give off a good first impression can do about their facial structure, but they can changetheir body languageby enacting small changes lik e smiling more, making more eye contact, and nodding.Keep reading below to find out what other judgments people make about you within seconds of meeting youIf youre high-statusA Dutch studyfound that people wearing name-brand clothes - Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger, to be precise - were seen as higher status than folks wearing non-designer clothes.Perceptions did not differ on any of the other dimensions that might affect the outcome of social interactions, the authors wrote. There were no differences in perceived attractiveness, kindness, and trustworthiness.Just status.If youre trustworthyPeople decide on your trustworthiness in a tenth of a second.Princeton researchersfound this outby giving one group of university students 100 milliseconds to rate the attractiveness, competence, likeability, aggressiveness, and trustworthiness of actors faces.Members of another group were able to take as long as they wanted. Their judgments were the same for most of the traits as the folks who ha d only a tenth of a second.Much of that judgement is based on things you cant really change. For instance, research suggests thatmore feminine,baby-like, andhappyfaces are perceived tobe more trustworthy.You can alter your body language to boost others trust in you. As Business Insiderpreviously reported, try smiling more, leaning forward, looking people in the eye, and mimicking the other persons body language.Your sexual orientationPeople can read a mans sexual orientation ina twentieth of a second- the minimum amount of time it takes to consciously recognize a face.The rapid and accurate perception of male sexual orientation may be just another symptom of a fast and efficient cognitive mechanism for perceiving the characteristics of others, wrote study authors Nicholas O. Rule and Nalini Ambady.If youre smartA2007 studyled by Loyola Marymount University professor Nora A. Murphy found that looking your conversation partner in the eye was huge for your perceived smartness.Looking while speaking was a key behavior,Murphy wrote. It significantly correlated with IQ, was successfully manipulated by impression-managing targets, and contributed to higher perceived intelligence ratings.Wearing thick glassesandspeaking expressivelyhelps, too.If youre promiscuousABritish studyfound that women with visible tattoos were perceived as less attractive, heavier drinkers, and more promiscuous than females without any ink - which owes to stereotypes about women with tattoos.In Britain, at least, tattooing among women is often associated with ladette culture, the female equivalent of lad culture, which typically involves a proclivity for alcoholic beverages, sports, fast cars, and a plethora of mens magazines,the authors wrote.If youre dominantAUniversity of Pennsylvania study foundthat men with shaved heads were rated as more dominant than similar men with full heads of hair, and that men whose hair was digitally removed were perceived as more dominant, taller, and stronger than their authentic selves.If youre successfulIf you want to look successful, get your suit tailored.Ina British-Turkish study, participants looked at photos of men in tailored versus off-the-peg suits for just five seconds. The guys in tailored suits were rated as more successful.On the evidence of this study it appears men may be advised to purchase clothing that is well-tailored, as it can positively enhance the image they communicate to others,the authors wrote.If youre on your way to a promotionIts not just status - its earnings potential, too.Ina 2011 Canadian study, university students were shown photos of male models dressed in either business or casual attire. They were then asked questions about how that guy would perform in a variety of jobs.The results were stark Not only were the crisply dressed dudes expected to make more money, they were expected to get promoted more rapidly.If youre adventurousPeople dont just read into who you are from your appearance, but also f rom the way you move.In a Durham University study, students were shown video clips of 26 other students walking - some with looser gaits, some tighter.Just a few steps were needed to give a sense of personality. Students equated looser gaits with extroversion and adventurousness, while the more clipped walkers were seen as neurotic.If youre dateableA recent studyon online dating showed that users of dating sites quickly determine how dateable you are just from your photo.Appearing more extroverted, open to new experiences, emotionally stable, and likeable boosted ones success on the dating website. But seeming more ambitious and competent hurt women on the website, while it helped male users of the website find success.Even after controlling for the text that folks provide in their dating profile, the researchers found that the impressions from the photo held true.These results suggest that photo-based first impressions may influence a decision to contact a potential mate, even aft er learning other relevant information about the person, the researcherswrote.If you could be a friend or foeIts not just our eyes that help us form a first impression. Research from Italian psychologist Mariella Pazzaglia suggests how our sense of smell helps us decide if someone isa friend or foe.According to the research,we determine if someone is in our family or social group by scent. If someone smells familiar, its a sign that theyre like us and could provide social support.But if they smell too different, we think they might not have our best interests in mind.Drake Baer contributed to a previous version of this article, which was originally published on Business Insider.

5 Potentially Disastrous LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid

5 Potentially Disastrous LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid5 Potentially Disastrous LinkedIn Mistakes to AvoidLinkedIn offers its users a chance to make a great first impression Most people use this powerful online resource to learn about people before meeting them for client meetings, interviews, and much more. But most people I talk to feel completely overwhelmed with LinkedIns many capabilities and tools. And that can lead to potentially disastrous LinkedIn mistakes.Hereare five specific LinkedIn mistakes you should avoidI work at LinkedIn as part of the customer success team, and I am also a career success coach with Vertucci Career Academy. I work day in and day out helping clients either hire people or get hired themselves, so Ive landseen people use LinkedIn in a lot of different ways. Here are some of the biggest LinkedIn mistakes I see people making1. Not Having a Photo (Or Having a badeanstalt One)You may have heard that profiles with a photo are 14 times more likely to be viewed, versus profiles without a photo. Why is that? Trust We want to know, like, and trust you if were considering networking with you, working with you, or hiring you Having a profile picture is the first step in creating a great online brand.A strong profile photo includes four basic elements we can see your face clearly, youre making eye contact with the camera, youre smiling, and you have flattering lighting. Every smartphone today has a great camera, so when youre particularly happy with how you look at work one day, or out with friends, take a photo outdoors in the sun or in a well-lit room. Make sure the image is warm, friendly, approachable, andrealistic to how you look in real life.2. Getting TOO PersonalThis never used to be a problem, but according to my recruiting clients, people writing overly personal posts is becoming more rampant. LinkedIn isnt facebook inc or Twitter. Repeat after me LinkedIn isnt Facebook or Twitter. Yes, its a social media site. Yes, youre connected wit h friends and family. But your professional contacts dont care what you had for dinner, where you and your family are vacationing, or what Game of Thrones meme you like best.Its important to engage with your peers and with the content on LinkedIn. Share posts, like them, comment on them. Write your own articles and posts. But keep it professional. Talk about what this weeks episode of Game of Thrones taught you about the business world (something like, Dear Employers, Winter is Coming How to Prepare). Make it something fun that relates back to the workdistribution policy.3. Treating Your Profile Like Your ResumeThe average LinkedIn member copies and pastes their resume into their profile and moves on with their life. They treat it like their online resume. Its not. Dont make this LinkedIn mistake. The two are different and serve different purposes. A resume is meant to be tactical its not written in the first-person voice, its a snapshot of your work history and highlights achieveme nts.Your LinkedIn profile, on the other hand, is your career story Its the place where you showcase your personal brand. For starters, you can speak in the first person on LinkedIn. Instead of listing out bullet points, you can write in paragraphs about what you liked about a project, or discuss the passion you have for your organization or industry. Be personal and tell a story.You can also include visuals on your profile. Do you have videos, microsites, articles, or other materials about your work, your company, or a project? If so, SHOW THEM Sharing your work visually helps engage potential employers and connections.4. A Poor Summary (Or No Summary)Your summary is the first thing people will read. Its your first chance to tell your story and show your personality. What makes a good summary? Write two or three sentences about what you love or enjoy about the work you do. What are you passionate about? What are your key strengths? Why should I care? Why should I keep reading?Then h ave a second paragraph that lists your skills. Think like a recruiter or hiring manager for this section. What keywords might they look for? Theyre interested in technical skills, areas of expertise, and reasons to reach out to you. If youre wondering what types of searches recruiters might run, look to job descriptions. When a recruiter gets that positions description, theyll look at the qualifications and skills needed and try to find people who have those keywords on their profile.5. Focusing on Quantity vs. QualityLinkedIn isnt a numbers game. Youre not competing for some grand prize of who knows the most Internet people. Linking with people you dont actually know can do more harm than good. You want to focus on connecting with folks you actually know in some way.Imagine a scenario a year or two from nowyou find out about a dream company or role, and you log into LinkedIn to see if you know anyone at that company. And you do You click to see your first degree connection who woul d be your potential foot in the door to your dream opportunity and BAM You dont actually know that person at all. Theyre just some random connection you made five years ago.What good will that do you? You need to be first-degree connected to people you feel comfortable enough to reach out to. They dont have to be your best friend, but you have to know who they are. You have to be able to say, Hey remember me? We worked on that project together a few years ago. If you dont actually know a person in some way, avoid connecting with them.Hopefully youre not making any of these LinkedIn mistakes. But if you are, act fast to fix them A few minor tweaks can help you gain traction and start using LinkedIn to its strengths. Focus on having a strong brand, engaging with peers, and building your network. Its an opportunity for you to be found for your skills and to find and connect with others because of their skills. Its a powerful tool for all things professional and career related. Happy ne tworkingRebecca Vertucci is a proven expert on recruiting, hiring, and all things LinkedIn. She vetted and placed hundreds of candidates while working for corporate HR departments and recruiting agencies before joining LinkedIn where she is a senior customer success manager. Now, as a co-founder ofVertucci Career Academy, Rebecca shares her extensive knowledge and unique perspective with job seekers and those in career transitions through her online course offerings, as well as one-on-one and group coaching programs.For more information on working with Rebecca, please email her at RebeccaatVertucciCareerAcademydotcom. She offers free career consultations for all members.Readers, what LinkedIn mistakes have you been making?Tell us in the comment section below