AN INTRODUCTION #1. I am not a comedian. I am an engineer. I mention this because when people hear (or read) “humor in the workplace,” they often think it means being a comedian, clown, or “extrovert-by-nature blessed with the gift of gab.” That’s not true. I’m an introvert—my Myers-Briggs personality is INTJ. I’m not the life of the party or the funniest guy in the room. (Well, depending on the room; when it comes to fellow IT folks, I usually do OK). I’m not incessantly making jokes or cracking up the entire boardroom because I’m not a 1 comedian. I’m an engineer . I find what works, I do it, and then I teach it to other people. As it turns out, humor works in business. It works with your managers, your direct reports, your peers, and certainly with yourself. It improves communication, strengthens relationships, enhances problem-solving, increases productivity, and is, of course, fun. 1 While it’s true that I’m an engineer first, that won’t stop me from coming to your workplace and 2 telling jokes if you want me to. Visit htww.co/joker for more info. 2 Footnote within a footnote! Throughout the book I’ll be including links to additional sources online, be sure to check them out. Just type the shortened URL into your browser: htww.co/example. ii