Funny Thing About Jokes: The Uses and Dangers of Humour

1. Questions for group discussion:

1. Do you think humour is a necessary quality at work?
2. Is it easier to work with a person, who enjoys a good laugh?
3. Can you think of a situation when a joke saved an awkward situation or damaged a smooth flow of events?

2. Read the text.

Different cultures have different beliefs about when humour is appropriate, what can be joked about, and even who can be joked with. Attitudes to uncertainty, status and the importance of business influence how much humour can be used.
For example, in cultures where the desire to avoid uncertainty is high, as in Germany, humour will be welcomed when it contributes to the working environment and supports the highly task-oriented German company. But German managers are less likely to use humour tactically, as a means of dealing with criticism, challenging authority or reducing tension between people. International managers communicating in Germany should be direct.
Status is another important consideration. In some countries people may loosen up as they get promoted. But in more hierarchical cultures, such as France, the opposite is likely to be the case. Seniority is largely determined by intellectual achievement and academic qualifications. Consequently, French executives are keen to avoid being seen as lightweight. So, while clever and sophisticated humour is acceptable, the risk of appearing foolish, with the accompanying loss of credibility and intellectual status, tends to limit other forms of humour. Self-mocking humour may be completely misunderstood.
In many western business cultures, teasing is routinely used as a means of social control. Typically, it serves to criticize a late-comer to a meeting or to show mild displeasure, while avoiding confrontation. But in certain Asian cultures, making fun of someone may leave managers feeling uncomfortably. In Japan, managers use after-hours drinking as a functional equivalent to criticizing with humour.
American managers often use jokes to warm up speeches and presentations, but once the real business starts, attempts at humour may be met with silence. Americans have invested heavily in a set of political and economic values based on individual liberty and economic opportunity. It follows that business is taken more seriously than in other Anglo-Saxon cultures, such as Britain.
International managers have to proceed carefully, but humour remains a vital means of bridging cultural differences. Shared laughter is particularly important within cross-cultural teams, where it helps to bring differences to the surface and bring the team together. As the international comic Victor Borge once put it, humour remains “the shortest distance between two people”.

From the Financial Times

3. Number this information in order it appears in the text:

1. American managers may begin a presentation with a joke, but this is less usual later in the presentation.
2. Americans take business more seriously than the British.
3. Americans take business seriously because they have built an economic system which is based on economic opportunity for everyone.
4. In Asia, making fun of someone may make people feel uncomfortable.
5. In Japan, drinking in the evening is used as a way of making managers feel comfortable with each other.
6. In the west, soft humour or teasing is used to make fun of people, for example if they arrive late at a meeting.
7. International managers should use humour with care.
8. Laughing together is important in cross-cultural teams because it helps bring people together.

4. Find out if the statements are TRUE or FALSE according to the text and correct the false ones:

1. Status is an important factor in how humour is used.
2. In Germany, it’s ok to be indirect with people.
3. Germans use humour as a way of improving the working atmosphere.
4. Germans use humour a lot in other ways, too.
5. Different cultures have different ideas about when to use humour and what to joke about.

5. Choose the correct alternative:

1. In some countries, when people get promoted, they…

a) become more relaxed.
b) become less relaxed.
c) stay the same.

2. Clever humour in France is…

a) unacceptable.
b) OK.
c) to be avoided.

3. If someone loses credibility, this makes others respect them…

a) more.
b) less.
c) the same.

4. French managers like to be seen as…

a) serious.
b) light-hearted.
c) easy-going.

5. In France, your level in the organization is determined by…

a) how hard you work.
b) how well you know the boss.
c) your educational background.

6. In France, when people get promoted, they…

a) become more relaxed.
b) become less relaxed.
c) stay the same.

7. Self-mocking humour is when you make fun of…

a) yourself.
b) your boss.
c) others.

6. Find these words in the first two paragraphs:

1. the feeling when people disagree with each other and argue: …
2. the power of people who decide what should be done: …
3. when someone says that something is wrong: …
4. the atmosphere and climate of the workplace is called a working …
5. the way you think about something: …
6. the level of someone in an organization: …
7. when people are not sure about something: …
8. sharing jokes and making people laugh: …

7. Match the words to build new word combinations:

1. humour	a. tension
2. show	b. beliefs
3. completely	c. tactically
4. avoid	d. oriented
5. business	e. environment
6. task	f. status
7. different	g. is appropriate
8. intellectual	h. displeasure
9. reduce	i. misunderstood
10. business	j. uncertainty
11. use	k. cultures
12. working	l. influence

8. Here are some jokes or ice-breakers before a meeting, or just funny stories to entertain your guests and give a good positive and energetic start to your presentation.

Is it ok to start a meeting of victualolers or musicians with this joke?

While visiting Los Angeles, my mother decided to explore a trendy shopping area. After some window-shopping, she entered a store with unique table displays. Each table was laid out with distinctive linen, china, silver and crystal. Mom was the only customer. The young woman behind the cash register initially asked if she could help, but Mom declined and said that she was only browsing. Mom was a bit put off by the glances the young woman kept giving her, but nonetheless she spent almost an hour examining the different makes of china and silver. It was only after thanking the shopkeeper and leaving that my Mom discovered she was inspecting the tableware at a chic restaurant.

Would you use this joke as an ice-breaker for the meeting of medical people/vets?

I’m a medical student doing a rotation in toxicology at the poison control center. Today, this woman called in very upset because she caught her little daughter eating ants. I quickly reassured her that the ants are not harmful, and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital. She calmed down and at the end of the conversation happened to mention that she gave her daughter some ant poison to eat in order to kill the ants. I told her that she better bring her daughter into our hospital right away.

Key:

Ex. 6. 1. tension; 2. authority; 3. criticism; 4. environment; 5. belief; 6. status; 7. uncertainty; 8. humour
Ex. 7. 1. g; 2. h; 3. i; 4. j; 5. l; 6. d; 7. b; 8. f; 9. a; 10. k; 11. c; 12. e