G
o ahead, LOL. A sense of humor is an
under-rated tool for entrepreneurs, innovators, and change agents. And
that's no joke.
To keep the recovery going and put people back to work, imaginative entrepreneurs must start new businesses and revitalize old ones. Creative leaders unlock ingenuity and build support for change by lightening up. They are willing to consider new possibilities that seem absurd, even ludicrous, at first. They shake up thinking as though shaking a kaleidoscope, allowing surprising new juxtapositions to emerge. This is exactly what humor is all about: playing with ideas, challenging assumptions, and poking fun at tradition.
Some entrepreneurs thrive on humor. Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor went on both to start new Internet ventures and crack jokes as a part-time radio disk jockey. Former BBC head Greg Dyke produced a wave of creativity, including development of the BBC hit comedy, The Office, by going to ridiculous extremes that gave others permission to float "silly" (and often successful) ideas. For example, he printed yellow cards resembling penalty cards in European soccer marked "Cut the crap, make it happen" that could be tossed on the table during ponderous meetings.
To read the full, original article click on this link: - Bloomberg.com
Author: Rosabeth Moss Kanter
