Now that all of the phone booths are gone….where does Superman change?

This may not be the kind of deep question that you ponder as you sip your coffee in the morning but it is the kind of FUN question that can be posed to a team before a meeting to spur creativity and cohesion.

Izzy Gesell shared some great insights with me on infusing humor into your team on this week’s Leadership Happy Hour podcast.  Izzy has been helping leaders use humor to drive esprit de corps and innovation for nearly 30 years.  During our interview, here are a few simple ways he shared to use humor with minimal risk:

1.  Start with yourself.  Think of the things you enjoy and start making them a part of your day.  It can be as simple as putting a picture of a fun trip you took on your desk to remind you to look for the lighter side and spur a great conversation.
2. Add a funny (tasteful) cartoon to your emails.  Don’t expect everyone to laugh at once.  Actually, don’t expect a response at all.  Do it for the team.
3. Practice finding the funny and sharing it with other people.  Maybe just share the funny thing your children did the night before.

Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “Humor is a part of the art of leadership…of getting along with people and getting things done.”  It is the tie that binds us and helps bridge the gap between any group.  Start small but start today.  I think you’ll find the return is greater than the risk.

To listen to the full interview with Izzy, check it out on Stitcher!