HUMOR THAT WORKS Positive and Negative While getting into the nitty-gritty details of the different types of humor is a topic for another book1, it is important to mention that humor can be positive or negative. Positive humor is inclusive; it is uplifting and doesn’t target or attack others. It may make light of a situation or even a behavior, but it doesn’t attack another person’s character. It’s like metaphorically walking on sunshine—positive, light, and inspiring of a song. Negative humor is exclusive; it is destructive and targets an individual or group. It may elicit change but at the cost of attacking a person. It’s like literally walking on sunshine—sometimes feels good but may cause burns. To be fair, negative humor (e.g. sarcasm, satire) has its place2, but that place is not at work. Positive humor is more effective at work as it includes others, builds relationships, and motivates others. For the purpose of this book, assume all references to humor are like 3 protons and are positive. 1 In fact it will be a future book, check out htww.co/futurebook. 2 Negative humor such as satire can be cathartic or provide commentary, such as in The Daily Show. 3 Which reminds me of a classic joke: A neutron walks into a bar and asks the bartender, “How much for a drink?” The bartender replies, “For you, no charge.” 3