HUMOR THAT WORKS In addition to things you should do, here are a few things you shouldn’t do: DON’T... Be Negative. Yes this is just the flip of “DO Be positive, but it’s so important it bears repeating. Avoid using humor that is exclusive or that has a target; be inclusive and positive when using it in the workplace. DON’T... Focus on being funny. Humor doesn’t have to cause laughter— evoking a smile is also success. When in doubt, go for fun instead of funny. DON’T... Overdo it. Humor is great but it can be overused. Don’t overdo it and stay work–appropriate—you don’t want to be seen as immature or 1 clownish. Even while using humor, retain your professionalism. DON’T... Ignore your audience. Humor is subjective, so it’s important to learn what works and doesn’t work with different groups. Not everyone has the same sense of humor so tailor your efforts to your audience. DON’T... Think you have to do it alone. You don’t always have to be the source of humor, you can also share humor created by others (just be sure to give credit). Humor is so prevalent in the world it would be a waste not to leverage the great work already out there. Now if only there were a list of, I don’t know, say 501 ways to use humor that you could pull from... 1 This isn’t a slight on clowns—they do incredible work (just look up Patch Adams). This is in reference to the stereotype of “clowning around like a fool.” 9