Humor That Works

2025 Humor Awards Finalists

Andrew Tarvin — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to the 2025 Humor Awards Finalists!!! These nominees go the extra mile to bring humor into the workplace, and very deserving of the Humor That Works award!

Be sure to check out the Corporate Humor Awards full list to learn why each organization and individual was nominated. Tune in to the Awards Show on April 30th to see the final winners!

Best Positive Spin Award (Humor Enthusiast)

Honoring a moment where humor turned a tough situation into something uplifting.

Mike Cundall – For advocating “Ta-Da Lists” to celebrate progress instead of just pushing through endless to-dos.
Pragito Dove – For introducing laughter as a gentle gateway to meditation, making mindfulness more approachable.
Matt’s Mum – For radiating relentless positivity in a viral video that showed the impact of supportive parenting.

Greatest Use of a Meme Award (Humor Curator)

Recognizing a meme moment that went beyond laughs to land a message.

Miglė Miliūtė – For curating a meme list that also taught lessons about humor and communication.
Currys – For creatively using a viral bottle-kicking video to advertise laptops in a hilarious twist.
Mary Beth Somich – For using relatable memes to normalize therapy and open up conversations on mental health.

Most Creative Content Award (Humor Inventor)

Highlighting a single piece of written or visual content that nailed the humor brief.

Dr. Bob (Eric Cremers) – For his dry-witted take on general practice issues and humorous “solutions” like curing phone addiction.
synthet – For turning a niche musical explanation into a funny, fascinating breakdown on YouTube.
Daniel Thrasher – For hilariously dissecting the creative process in a meta-sketch about being original… or not.

Comedic Performance of the Year (Humor Entertainer)

Honoring a performance that stuck in your head and tickled your funny bone.

Darius & Jai Byrd – For reimagining modern arguments with Shakespearean flair and hilarious timing.
Yumbo Dump – For producing belly laughs using, well… bellies, in one of the oddest and funniest sketches out there.
Matthew V – For delivering a dramatic ballad that made ridiculous lyrics strangely moving—and hilarious.

Cleverest Humor Solution Award (Humor Engineer)

For solving a real problem using a clever and humorous approach.

Lisa Dubois – For creating a hilarious “hide and seek” real estate video that made a house tour feel like a game.
Visit Sweden – For responding to a country name mix-up by the U.S. President with a brilliant and funny tourism video.
Tim Reagan – For using drama therapy and humor in classrooms to help teens and adults explore mental health with courage.

Humor Spotlight Award (Humor Advocate)

Celebrating someone who used humor to lift others up in a meaningful way.

Restovit (Pearson VUE) – For building a joyful workplace culture through trophy traditions, meme-laced communication, and “Thwacky Thursdays.”
Patty Posthauer – For bringing corny charm and laughter to her classroom and laughter yoga classes alike.
Mary Morrison – For championing humor education and creating the Legacy of Laughter playbook to guide others.

Keeping Humor Positive Award (Humor Skeptic)

Recognizing a moment when someone gracefully stopped inappropriate humor and promoted better laughter.

Anthony Jeselnik – For explaining the difference between comedy and trolling, and the responsibility humor carries.
Eric Murray – For spotlighting ineffective “life hacks” with a sharp, humorous critique.
Alonzo Clark – For calling out meme ungratefulness with a playful take on “Friendship Etiquette.”

Humorist of the Year (Whole Humorist)

The big one—honoring those who use humor in every aspect of life and work to make a lasting, positive impact.

Roberta Gold – For years of inspiring others through laughter therapy, daily Zoom “Laugh-a-Lattes,” and a seemingly endless well of positivity—even after breaking her leg on her birthday.
Robin Phoenix – For founding HEAL*ARIOUS, a powerful humor-based mental health program for Veterans and First Responders.
Bea Bincze – For bringing humor to leadership across Europe with her Humor Ambassadors program and Humor First Aid Kit workshops.

Congrats again to the 2025 Humor Award Finalists and thank you to everyone who submitted nominations! Very well deserved! And tune in to the Awards Show on April 30th to see the final winners!

2025 Humor Judges

Andrew Tarvin — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 02:28:21 +0000

The Humor Awards are back for another year of recognizing the individuals and organizations that are making work a little more enjoyable—and a lot more human—through the power of humor.

(Know someone deserving? Nominate them today!)

This year, we’re thrilled to have three distinguished judges joining us to help review nominations and choose the winners. They each bring deep expertise, decades of experience, and a shared belief that humor is a vital tool for connection, communication, and creating a positive work culture.

Meet the Judges

Bea Bincze

Executive Coach, Humor Trainer, and Charismatic Leadership Expert

Bea Bincze brings over 25 years of international leadership experience—and a serious passion for workplace humor. As an executive coach, TEDx speech coach, and soon-to-be Certified Humor Professional (CHP), Bea specializes in helping professionals enhance their communication, charisma, and adaptability by integrating humor and flow science into leadership.

She’s a global speaker, trainer, and the creator of the Humor Ambassadors Train-the-Trainer program, helping more professionals across Europe harness the power of humor. Bea is known for blending research-based strategies with contagious energy, helping individuals laugh more, complain less, and lead with greater joy.

Learn more about Bea’s programs on her website or connect on LinkedIn.

What always makes Bea smile?
A photo she keeps close to her heart—and a video that always cracks her up. Also: “When my son was a teenager, I realized he was doing his job perfectly… making me crazy!”

Roberta Gold

Recreation Therapist, Author, and Founder of Laughter for the Health of It

Roberta Gold has been helping people laugh through life for more than 30 years. As a Certified Humor Professional and Recreation Therapist, Roberta created Laughter for the Health of It, a program that’s helped organizations across industries realize that laughter isn’t just nice to have—it’s a tool for healing, growth, and better communication.

She’s a speaker, consultant, and advisor for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor’s Humor Academy, and her tailored presentations tackle everything from conflict resolution to building self-esteem through humor. She also works with domestic violence survivors to help them laugh again, and she’s an author of two books and a new journal, Laughter Rocks!, launching alongside a new podcast and journal circle in June.

Explore her work at www.laf4u.com, as well as her Facebook page and group. You can also find her on LinkedIn.

What always makes Roberta smile?
Her 8-month-old grandson, Ezra.

Steve Wilson

Psychologist, Consultant, and Pioneer of Workplace Joy

Steve Wilson is a trailblazer in the field of therapeutic humor. A psychologist and professional consultant, Steve has spent decades helping organizations create more enjoyable, productive, and mentally healthy workplaces. With a career rooted in the powerful connection between work and well-being, Steve has championed the idea that a positive environment—fueled by a good sense of humor—can drive both personal and professional success.

He’s the recipient of the AATH Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, the founder of the World Laughter Tour, and the creator of uplifting programs that reduce stress, prevent burnout, and foster fulfillment. Though retired from full-time work, Steve continues to explore the science and spirit of joyful living—and he’s bringing that wisdom to our judging panel.

Want to connect with Steve? Reach him at Steve4joy@gmail.com

Editor’s note: We also have a great podcast interview with Steve coming out Friday, April 25!

What always makes Steve smile?
“Dad jokes! Like this one: Where does a cow go for entertainment? To the moo-vies!”

A Huge Thank You

We’re honored to have Steve, Bea, and Roberta serving as judges for the 2025 Corporate Humor Awards. Their insight, compassion, and commitment to the power of humor make them the perfect trio to help us recognize the individuals and organizations creating real change through laughter.

Get ready—nominations are open, and this year’s awards are shaping up to be our best (and funniest) yet!

What Kind of Funny Are You?

Bianca Damoc — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:51:34 +0000

A few years ago, my brother David and I were co-presenting on the importance of humor in leadership at an event in Morocco.

After our presentation, a woman approached us and commented on how different our humor styles were. She told David, "You have such a warm, conversational style of humor," and then turned to me and said, "And yours is more... cold." Ouch. But I knew what she meant. David's humor is off-the-cuff and performance-based, while mine is more calculated, crafted through writing and workshopping jokes.

This interaction in Morocco sparked a realization: just as our family’s diverse personalities shaped distinct humor styles, individual quirks and characters in a workplace create a wide range of humor, a mosaic of mirth, if you will.

Understanding and harnessing this diversity can transform not just our work environments but our effectiveness and enjoyment in our roles (and lives!).

Why Humor Matters

You already know that humor isn’t just about cracking jokes; it’s a tool that enhances communication, cements relationships, and defuses tense situations. As a member of a community dedicated to exploring these very topics (aka this newsletter), you're well aware of how important humor can be at work and in your day to day life.

But recognizing and refining your unique style of humor is where the real magic begins.

What Does It Take to Effectively Use Humor?

What do you think it takes to effectively use humor? I’m curious to hear your thoughts—feel free to share in the comments.

Based on the responses we’ve heard in the hundreds of workshops we’ve led, you might mention aspects like delivery, timing, reading the room, or knowing your audience. These are fundamental components of your humor skillset.

Notice that these skills aren't inherited; they don't depend on your height, your eye color, or whether someone has called you “funny looking.” Rather, these are skills you can learn and refine through practice.

Not every attempt at humor will land a big laugh, and that’s okay—it's part of the learning process AND it’s not always the goal. While you might not reach the comedic heights of a Richard Pryor or Ali Wong, anyone can learn to be funny–er. Okay, maybe you won’t become a stand-up comedian like Richard or Ali, but you can get better regardless of your current skill.

This leads us to a more pertinent question, instead of asking yourself “Am I funny?...” what you really should be asking is:

What kind of funny am I? Or what kind of funny do I want to be?

This question isn't just about identifying with a specific type of humor; it's about recognizing and nurturing the type that best suits your personality and goals.

And that brings us to the various humor personas we can explore.

Unveiling the 7 Humor Personas

For the past 4 years I’ve been studying, researching, developing, and talking about the Humor Personas. Understanding the different ways we can express humor helps in refining our personal style.

Here are the seven humor personas, each with unique qualities that might resonate with your natural inclinations or inspire you to experiment with new ways to bring levity to your life and work:

The Enthusiast: Finds humor in the simplicity and absurdity of everyday life. They remind us of the joy that can be found in small, everyday moments.
The Curator: Collects and shares humorous content that resonates, building connections through shared laughter.
The Inventor: Crafts original humor from personal experiences, turning everyday observations into comedic gold.
The Entertainer: Uses charm and delivery to captivate audiences, ensuring that their performance enhances the humor's impact.
The Engineer: Strategically uses humor to solve problems and improve the atmosphere, employing wit as a tool to lighten tense situations or enhance communication.
The Advocate: Encourages the use of humor to promote a positive environment, inspiring others to find their own funny sides.
The Skeptic: Critically evaluates the use of humor, ensuring it is appropriate and effective within the given context.

Can you intuitively tell which humor persona you are?

Identifying your primary humor persona is like selecting your avatar in a game of workplace wit—a choice that can shape your interactions and even define your day.

As you read through the various humor personas, you might have seen a bit of yourself in each one. Perhaps you nodded along thinking, “That’s so me!” or maybe you hesitated with a “No way, that’s not my style at all.”

It’s common to embody different personas in different situations: you might be the Curator among friends, sharing the latest meme that made you chuckle; an Entertainer at home, delighting your kids with impromptu puppet shows; or even a Skeptic in meetings, raising an eyebrow at attempts to lighten the mood.

Most people fall comfortably in one humor persona because that is what comes naturally to them. Remember, however, these personas are not humor personality types, or fixed labels but flexible roles that adapt to the context and company, or even how caffeinated you feel.

The first step to harnessing your humor potential is pinpointing which persona feels most 'you.' At the end of this post, I’ll provide a link to my free Humor Persona Quiz that can help confirm (or deny) your hunch.

When someone is able to master all 7 humor personas, we call them a Whole Humorist. They are great at:

Mastering the art of finding joy in the every day as an Enthusiast.
Curating and sharing humor that resonates as a Curator.
Inventing original, witty content as an Inventor.
Captivating an audience with charm as an Entertainer.
Applying humor strategically to solve problems as an Engineer.
Promoting positive and responsible humor as an Advocate.
Critically evaluating humor for its impact as a Skeptic.

Remember, humor is a skill which means it can be learned.

Imagine the results you’ll attain and how confident you’ll feel when you’re able to seamlessly move from one persona to the other. You could even tap into all of them in a single meeting.

The meeting starts, and you advocate for a member of your team to share a cool project they’ve been working on. They start to present and you become an enthusiast to support them by listening and nodding along. Later, when it’s your turn to speak, you take on the entertainer, delivering the content you created as the inventor all with the purpose you had in mind as the engineer. After the meeting you follow-up as a curator, sharing key highlights from the meeting and possibly including an image, quote, or meme that summarizes what needs to happen.

That’s the skill of humor at work.

You can even use it as a litmus test for your work culture. That doesn’t mean every meeting has to be hysterical, but if people never laugh or smile at work, they aren’t fully engaged and they most likely don’t feel psychologically safe.

Remember, the ultimate goal isn't just to be funny—it's to use humor as a tool to enhance connectivity, creativity, and joy in your life and the lives of those around you.

Ready to Dive Deeper?

The truth is, you’ve just scratched the surface of understanding the seven humor personas. Each persona is rich with layers and nuances that can transform not just how you laugh but how you think, work, and connect with others.

For example, are you intrigued by the creative process behind humor? The Inventor is a master at crafting curiosity into comedy—perfect for those who love to dissect jokes and understand what makes them tick.

Interested in how humor can solve real-world problems? The Engineer explores strategic uses of humor in overcoming challenges, ideal for those looking to boost productivity and engagement through levity.

For each persona, I’ve created a treasure trove of content—from detailed case studies and anecdotal evidence to targeted exercises that can help you refine your humor skills in specific areas.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, go ahead and take the free Humor Persona Quiz here and uncover your dominant humor style. I recommend that you embrace this opportunity to not only identify which persona resonates most with you but also discover how you can improve your other humor personas.

TAKE THE HUMOR PERSONA QUIZ

What if the secret was, indeed, so simple, so… human?

It’s almost as if we had this built-in system to help ourselves relieve stress, increase our self-confidence and forge stronger connections. Who knew??? Well… me, and now you.

I’m curious to know what your Humor Persona is and if you think it fits, let me know in the comments.

2024 Corporate Humor Awards Winners

Bianca Damoc — Mon, 20 May 2024 06:53:31 +0000

The results are in, and we are thrilled to announce the winners of the Humor Corporate Awards 2024! These individuals and teams have shown exceptional creativity and dedication to making the workplace a more enjoyable and humorous place.

Watch the 2024 Corporate Humor Awards Winners Show video recap to see the winners!

Corporate Humor Awards – Organization Awards

The organization awards are for organizations who improve the workplace with a humorous culture. These nominations are themed by the 5 core skills of work from the Humor That Works book.

Works with a Smile (Humor and Execution) Award Finalists:

Slack – Putting out great release notes and having a humane approach to support tickets.
Euston Station – A playful approach to a corporate message
Ice Cream Shop – Interacting with their customers in a fun way

Works with a Smile (Humor & Execution) WINNER: Euston Station, London
What the judges liked – “I think that any time someone can find humor in a potentially frustrating situation, it works well.” Julie Vick

Funny Innovator (Humor and Thinking) Award Finalists:

Funny Innovator (Humor & Thinking) WINNER: Orange
What the judges liked – “Finally, a use of AI that I actually like! This is incredible - a fun way to highlight the French women's team while addressing the gender biases that exist in sports.” Carlos Greaves

Mark as Always Read (Humor and Communication) Award Finalists:

Mark as Always Read (Humor and Communication) WINNER: ABC
What the judges liked – “The balance between being informative and entertaining is so difficult to get right, and this video nails it!” Carlos Greaves

Everybody Loves Them (Humor and Connection) Award Finalists:

Wander Club – Delightful post purchase confirmation email.
NFL – NFL allowing football players to introduce themselves with levity.
Pearson – The use of Friday Fun Day, fun committee and other humorous initiatives at work.

Everybody Loves Them (Humor and Connection) WINNER: Pearson
What the judges liked – “The description of Friday Fun Day uses humor to build relationships” C.K. Steefel

Lincoln Leadership (Humor and Leadership) Award Finalists:

NPR – Using photographs to challenge harmful stereotypes.
Coffee Shop – Coffee shop created a fun moment for customers entering the shop.
Peppercomm – Investing in comedy as an onboarding task for employees.

Lincoln Leadership (Humor and Leadership) WINNER: Peppercomm
What the judges liked – “This feels like a really unique and fun way to help employees team build and to set the tone for a positive work environment.” Julie Vick

Corporate Humor Awards – Individual Awards

The individual awards are for individuals who add humor to the workplace in their own way. These nominations are themed by the 7 humor personas from the Humor That Works personality assessment.

The Humor Enthusiast Award Finalists:

Tucker Lindgren – Great example of things we take for granted but is actually pretty impressive.
Ian McConnell – Creating the song highlighting all of the simple things he likes.
Jonathan W. – Self employed person gives themself the employee of the month award.

The Humor Appreciator WINNER: Jonathan Warrington
What the judges liked – “Sometimes you need to cheer on your coworkers even when you only co-worker is you! What a great way to make self-employment more fun as well as entertaining for the rest of us.” Carlos Greaves

The Humor Curator Award Finalists:

Laurie Lawrence – Using humor in email signatures.
Gary Ware – His Friday posts on IG consists of great memes from around the internet.
Rajiv Satyal – Sends a regular newsletter and includes funny things in the P.S.

The Humor Curator WINNER: Laurie Lawrence
What the judges liked – “Laurie not only writes her own-liners, she shares them with everyone. And they're so chortle-worthy, people email her just to get a fix. I'd be addicted too.” C.K. Steefel

The Humor Inventor Award Finalists:

Cathy Kuntz – Making an intentional effort to infuse humor in the most mundane tasks at work.
Andy Kuc – Incorporates humor into his work day directly with his colleagues.
Geoff Greer – Great longform satire piece about a "gas car" review.

The Humor Creator WINNER: Andy Kuc
What the judges liked – “I like the idea of sprinkling humor into a report and livening up something that may not be the most exciting to write.” Julie Vick

The Humor Entertainer Award Finalists:

Anthony Vincent – Using heavy metal music for motivational ideas.
Prof. Matthew Weathers – Professor has very clever presentation to keep his students engaged.
Paul Oscincup – Funny work related humor (and he's a humor speaker.)

The Humor Performer WINNER: Prof. Matthew Weathers
What the judges liked – “Every teacher should take notes from Prof. Weathers. He not only made his lesson clever, the joke had an arc that built to the Star Wars Blaster finale erasing the smudge and engaging every student. I'd study physics if I had this professor.” C.K. Steefel

The Humor Engineer Award Finalists:

Frederic Hortault – Making regular communications at work more enjoyable.
Erin Azar – Great tips on how to motivate yourself to do something you don't want to do.
Luis von Ahn – TED talk from Duolingo founder about gamifying language learning.

The Humor Engineer WINNER: Erin Azar
What the judges liked – “Self-motivation is so difficult. Tricking yourself ito going for a run this way is both hilarious and genius.” Carlos Greeves

The Humor Advocate Award Finalists:

Margot Escott – Applied improf for Mental and Physical Health Challenges.
Cory Jenks – Focus on his advocacy, such as his applied humor and promotion of the value of humor.
Greg Goya – Person who creates fun moments for people out in public.

The Humor Advocate WINNER: Cory Jenks
What the judges liked – “Cory gave them an Improv exercise that productd an instant, positive connection.” C.K. Steefel

The Humor Engineer Award Finalists:

Frederic Hortault – Making regular communications at work more enjoyable.
Erin Azar – Great tips on how to motivate yourself to do something you don't want to do.
Luis von Ahn – TED talk from Duolingo founder about gamifying language learning.

The Humor Engineer WINNER: Erin Azar
What the judges liked – “Self-motivation is so difficult. Tricking yourself ito going for a run this way is both hilarious and genius.” Carlos Greeves

The Humor Skeptic Award Finalists:

Madilyn Bailey – Musician that turned hate comments into a song.
Tim Denning – A profound (if not humorous) reminder of what's important. Skepticism about the work grind.
Ryan George – Humorous take on the idea that companies "care" about you.

The Humor Skeptic WINNER: Madilyn Bailey
What the judges liked – “I think anyone that can find a unique comedic spin on internet trolls is winning at humor. Julie Vick

Congrats again to the Corporate Humor Awards winners and thank you to everyone who submitted nominations!

These 3 esteemed humorists have selected 2024 Corporate Humor Award winners:

Julie Vick - a writer who frequently writes humor and parenting pieces for places like New Yorker, Daily Shouts, McSweeney. You can find her on Substack here.
Carlos Greeves - an afro-latino electrical engineer turned comedy writer. He is a contributor to The Onion, The New Yorker and McSweeney. You can find her on Substack here.
C.K. Steefel - received her B.F.A. from new York University and is a happily married empty nester. She's still waiting for her kids to text her back. You can find her on Substack here.

The Very Thick Line Between Toxic Positivity and Toxic Negativity

Andrew Tarvin — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 05:06:42 +0000

"Tonight, we are going to laugh. And we are going to cry... we are going to laugh at people who cry."

Michael Scott

After Dwight's extreme fire drill causes Stanley to have a heart attack, Michael Scott attempts to relieve the office's stress levels by holding a comedic roast of himself to lighten the mood and encourage laughter among his team. ("Stress Relief" episodes of "The Office" - Season 5, Episodes 14 and 15)

And because this is “The Office,” Michael proves to be unable to handle the jokes made at his expense and turns the event itself into a stressful situation, which is the exact opposite of what he was going for. He also tries various relaxation techniques, lectures on stress, enforced group hugs (because who doesn’t find forced bodily contact relaxing) among other things.

I know “The Office” is the posterchild for a boss that is trying way too hard, but it does capture how some workplace dynamics work (albeit greatly exaggerated). The motivations behind Michael’s actions aren’t too far from real life.

The same instincts that get us to laugh at this “buffoonery” also keep us from attempting humor in the workplace more. We don’t want to be Michael Scott in our own Office.

Two Emotional Extremes - Toxic Positivity vs Toxic Negativity

Amidst the drive for productivity and efficiency, the emotional spectrum within the workplace often swings wildly between two extremes: toxic positivity and toxic negativity.

TOXIC POSITIVITY

At one end of the spectrum lies toxic positivity, the excessive and compulsive focus on positive outcomes and emotions, often at the expense of genuinely acknowledging and addressing negative feelings and challenges.

You see this in more places besides “The Office.”

Sitcoms and TV shows: Ted Lasso, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Parks and Recreation all have examples of people who are enjoyable to watch from afar but would probably be pretty annoying to work for after long stretches of time.

Inspirational Social Media Content: motivational quotes and posts that encourage you to "just be positive" or "not let negativity bring you down” (which is then immediately followed by a social media post of negative news, trolling, or ragebait).

Self-help Books and Gurus: self-help materials and personalities advocate a version of positivity that overlooks the validity of negative emotions, with mindsets such as: “you just gotta stay positive” or “everything happens for a reason!”

Commercials: Advertisements often promote products by associating them with an idealized, always-happy lifestyle, suggesting that purchasing certain products will lead to constant joy and fulfillment. Unhappy? You just need a bit of McDonald’s with a side of Coca-Cola (and possibly diabetes).

And listen, I LOVE Ted Lasso. The show is incredibly nuanced and doesn’t gloss over things like panic attacks, toxic masculinity, and how hard it is to be positive in the face of negativity. But, let’s be honest, if Ted were your coworker, he could be a bit much.

These narratives can overshadow the struggles, setbacks, and negative emotions, promoting a simplified view of success and happiness. And while the intention behind these messages is often to motivate, they can inadvertently suggest that if you're not successful or happy, it's simply because you're not thinking positively enough.

Most people’s idea of humor in the workplace is scenarios similar to The Office and Ted Lasso. That it’s one person using humor just so people will like them. That’s not how it actually works in the real world. At least not in the way we approach it at Humor That Works.

When the FBI had brought me in to teach their agents about humor in the workplace, the end goal was not to have a successful roast (of the FBI director or possible criminal suspects). Rather, they wanted me to help their agents build better rapport with people (and manage the stress of their very intense job)… and that’s what we did.

TOXIC NEGATIVITY

Conversely, toxic negativity dominates the other end of the spectrum.

You’ll find it in environments saturated with pessimism, where complaints and criticisms overshadow positivity and constructive feedback. In my experience, toxic negativity not only feels crappy, it stifles innovation and growth, creating a cycle of discontent and disengagement.

Similarly, it is largely promoted in the media and the news where there’s a new reason for conflict at every turn.

Somewhat ironically, toxic negativity is seen as more appropriate than toxic positivity. As if to say - “It’s ok if you’re cynical, as long as you’re not too happy.” What a sinister message this conveys about our society.

The effects of lingering in either extreme are profound.

Toxic positivity often leads to a culture of denial, where problems are glossed over, and employees feel pressured to mask their true feelings, leading to increased stress and burnout. Meanwhile, toxic negativity can erode morale, reducing motivation and productivity, and making the workplace an environment of dread rather than aspiration.

But these are extremes for a reason - despite common assumptions, they rarely happen. In the 10+ years since I’ve teaching people about humor in the workplace, I have met exactly 0 Michael Scotts. Sure there are people who do try a bit too hard, but not to the point you could create 9 seasons about it.

And yet we act as if using humor at work is the gateway drug to becoming the office clown.

In reality, there is a very thick and gray line between toxic positivity and toxic negativity (the kind you can't even jump over.)

Introducing…

THE EMOTIONAL GOLDILOCKS ZONE

The Emotional Goldilocks Zone is where you’re allowed to laugh, not because sadness is forbidden, but because joy and sadness are sides of the same coin - something a good team leader knows well.

This is achieved when an organization recognizes and validates the full spectrum of human emotions, creating a supportive environment that allows employees to express genuine feelings and concerns.

This balance is crucial for fostering psychological safety, where everyone feels valued and understood, leading to higher engagement, creativity, and productivity.

And while it’s generally within a team leader’s responsibilities to make efforts to nurture emotionally intelligent behaviors and instill policies that support mental health and well-being, your happiness is still very much within your control.

Even if your office environment leans over the negative side, you can take it upon yourself to improve your own bubble, and when you feel safe and able, improve your colleague’s bubble until the office culture changes (or you find another job).

Just maybe avoid trying to do a roast as your chosen form of stress relief.