Humour can get in under the door while seriousness is fumbling at the handle." — G.K. Chesterton

Leaders are taught to be credible. Consistent. Trustworthy. Nobody ever puts "funnier" on the development plan (possibly with good reason, but we’ll come to that). (Leadership isn’t just about what you do, it’s about how you do it).

And yet humour is still one of the most underused tools in the leadership toolkit. But can you learn how to use it? We could debate that for hours, but you can definitely do things to let the humour in.

1. Regulate first. Laugh second.

You can't access humour when you're  stressed - when cortisol is in the driving seat. When we're under pressure, tight deadlines, difficult conversations, back-to-back meetings, the nervous system can go into protection mode. Playfulness doesn't live there.

Emotional regulation isn't about being calm all the time. It's about noticing when you're feeling the pressure and doing something about it before you walk into the room. Box breathing. A pause. A moment of perspective. Get yourself out of threat mode, and you create the conditions where lightness can actually land.

Stressful environments don’t lock the door to humour - but you’ll have to find a way to open the door to it.

2. Know your flavour of funny.

Here's where we can all hit a road bump when it comes to humour as a leader: we think "using humour" means telling jokes. It doesn't. Humour is subjective, and it's personal. So isn’t it a risk to try and embrace humour as a leader?

In the book Humour, Seriously, Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas identify four distinct humour styles: The Magnet, The Sweetheart, The Sniper, and The Stand Up. The point isn't to become a comedian. It's to figure out which one you already are — and lean into it intentionally.

Some leaders use warmth and self-deprecation to break the ice before a hard conversation. Others land a perfectly-timed, dry one-liner in a tense meeting. Both are humour. Neither requires a punchline.

The question isn't can I be funny? It's what does my version of levity look like and am I actually allowing it at work? If you’re not - how can you let it in?

3. Understand what it's actually doing.

This isn't about being likeable. Alhough, for what it's worth, employees who think their boss is funny are 15% more satisfied and engaged in their jobs (Aaker & Bagdonas, Humour, Seriously 2020).

It's about what humour does neurologically. Shared laughter creates genuine connection, faster than almost any other social mechanism. It strengthens bonds, diffuses stress and tension, boosts resilience, and supports performance when the stakes are high.

In other words: it's not the opposite of serious leadership. It's one of the mechanisms that makes leadership land with impact.

The door's already there. You just have to stop fumbling with the handle.

Want to hear more about bringing levity to your leaders and organisation? We can’t wait to hear from you!