CEO Humor – Breaking the Ice

CEO humor (including CEO jokes) is pretty easy to come by, considering how uptight and uptight they tend to be. What is it about the nobility and Forbes-worthy citizens that makes them think that in order to appear as Very Important People (and I grant they are, take my word for it, because I don’t use Capitals of Great Importance on just anyone), they have to dominate the art of strutting around as if they had random utensils shoved up their orifices? Really, I understand why the formal, business appearance reflects discipline and sacrifice, but I think lesser workers would much prefer a bright smile that encourages good work than a scowl that hints at hell to come. Heck, some CEOs make people pee by raising an eyebrow, and that’s not a sign of productivity at all.

CEOs are visionaries with the goal of making a difference in the world. The problem is that they tend to focus on that goal first before looking at their respective companies. It’s common sense to think that if you’re going to make a difference, you start with the roots that gave you. Therefore, CEOs would do well to be welcoming to the people who make their companies work, and to inject a bit of humor and lightness into the workplace to encourage people to do the same, since a place of happy work is a productive workplace.

Humor politics are largely categorized by class, race, and gender; some jokes are fine when spoken by a specific sector, but tactless and offensive if spoken by another. There’s a hierarchy, too: with jokes about certain types of people getting progressively narrower in terms of political correctness, the higher up the social food chain. Blacks can make jokes about other blacks, but if whites say the same thing, they are accused of bigotry.

So what does history tell us? People have fewer politically correct jokes at their disposal the higher up the social food chain they are, which should explain why CEOs and those with higher tax brackets are so stingy. When the spotlight is on you, you always have to watch what you say and how you act.

The best humor that CEOs can inflict on themselves is self-indulgence. Beloved CEOs often resort to self-mocking to break the ice, to let people think there’s more to this than a much bigger paycheck. One of the hallmarks of good leadership is modest humor, as it demonstrates an openness to people that is hard to find among people of similar rank.

Some CEOs start their tenures by spending time with their entry-level workers, while others start with a heartfelt pitch that everyone in their company can relate to. Humor can do a lot to break the ice, and when you’re the head of a corporation, having your workers like you is another accomplishment worth investing in.

CEO humor usually involves their personal experiences and the little nuances they find just because they are CEOs. Scott McNealy, for example, the former CEO of Sun Microsystems, had made a humorous list of things he’s glad he’s now not CEO, including not having to apologize for anything he said in the Wall Street Journal. , or having someone else to blame, or being able to play golf because the new CEO can’t.

CEOs aren’t the funniest people, so people appreciate it when they try to be. That’s where the difference begins: when people see you as someone who can do something meaningful for the world without having to be a curmudgeon on your own base. Remember that happy people make better workers, and a CEO who is loved instead of feared is a better place to work.