The First Step to Developing a Sense of Humor
Your skill of humor starts with something you already have: your sense of humor.
Ever tried to use humor at work and had it met with blank stares before someone awkwardly said, “… anyway…”?
Or have you wanted to make people laugh but stopped yourself because you weren’t sure it would land?
You’re not alone.
When people hear the word “humor,” they usually think of the word “funny.” So they assume “using humor” means cracking jokes, acting silly, or doing anything they can to get a laugh.
But your skill of humor actually starts with something that doesn’t require you to be funny at all.
Your Sense of Humor
It starts with your sense of humor. And that’s something every human already has.
Even introverted high-school me.
As the personality assessment I took when I was 18 put it, I was “Quiet, reserved, and ill-at-ease among strangers.”
No one ever accused me of being the funny one. Instead, I was voted teachers pet by my peers… and the teachers. But I did have a sense of humor.
I loved reading The Far Side comics in the newspaper. And every month, I’d grab my mom’s Reader’s Digest just to read the jokes and tell her the best ones later.
My favorite was:
“The Ohio River is flooding.
Dam it. Dam it. Dam it.”
That ability to find amusement in something—anything—is your sense of humor.
It’s not just about jokes. It’s about noticing things differently.
It’s about those moments when you think,
“That’s interesting.”
or “That’s weird.”
or “That’s amazing.”
That’s where your Appreciation starts.
Humor Competency #1: Appreciation
Appreciation is the first of eight humor competencies that make up your skill of humor.
It’s the ability to recognize and enjoy humor in its many forms, whether it’s subtle or bold, planned or spontaneous, laugh-out-loud funny or just quietly clever.
It’s seeing the fun in everyday moments and appreciating the variety of humor that life throws our way (both intentional and unintentional).
And there are tremendous benefits to expanding your Appreciation. Research shows that laughing and smiling more can boost your immune system, relieve pain, improve mood, and increase personal satisfaction.
But that’s only half of your “sense” of humor.
The other half is Consideration.
Humor Competency #2: Consideration
Consideration is about understanding the impact of humor on other people. It’s the ability to recognize when humor is appropriate, when it’s down right mean, and the large gray area in between.
Never forget, you’re someone’s reason to laugh.
Because your life is a joke.
It’s reading the room.
It’s knowing when humor helps, and when it might hurt.
It’s how you avoid awkward stares and trips to HR.
Getting this balance between Appreciation and Consideration is critical to using humor well.
People often hold back because they don’t want to say the wrong thing, or they push too far trying to get a laugh.
But the kind of humor that connects (instead of divides) happens when we have a fully developed sense of humor.
Those moments are where your skill of humor begins.
Skill of Humor Live Lab
And that’s exactly what we’ll explore in the upcoming Skill of Humor: Live Lab on Saturday, November 8.
It’s a 4-hour, hands-on session where we’ll cover all eight humor competencies and show you how to use humor to lead better, connect faster, and actually enjoy work more… even if you’re not the “funny one” (like me).
This first cohort will be small, hands-on, and personal so we can overdeliver and refine the program.
You’ll get real feedback, live practice, and the chance to help shape how humor is taught around the world.
→ Join the Founding Cohort here
Humor is a skill.
And like any skill, the more you practice it, the more powerful it becomes.
Unlike most skills, humor is a blast to learn.
I mean you tell me, what’s more exciting? Learning your scales on piano or dissecting a hilarious stand-up routine to boost your own funny?
I hope to see you there.
-Andrew
P.S. If you’ve ever thought “I’m just not the funny type,” this is for you. You don’t need to be funny. You just need to learn how to use funny.
It's definitely about noticing things differently!