Embrace the Silly. It's Good for Business.

Recently, I sat down with the leader of a sales team to talk about his personal and professional goals. One of his answers surprised me: he wanted to have more fun at work.

It stuck with me. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized he was asking for something genuinely important.

We are in a period of rapid acceleration. The change is fast, and it can feel personalized and relentless as we attempt to navigate as humans within complex corporate systems.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in everything that we forget: life is supposed to be fun. And cracking a joke doesn't negatively impact productivity- it enhances it. Obviously humour can’t be forced and not every environment feels psychologically safe right now, but I want you to take a moment to be open to the idea. 

The Performance Link Is Real

Research from LSE links humour to reduced burnout, increased task persistence, stronger group cohesion, and improved productivity. In a high-pressure environment, that's not a waste of time, it's a retention and resilience strategy.

On Whimsy

Unless you’ve been living under a social media rock, you’ve probably noticed the “whimsy” trend gaining traction this year.  People are craving an antidote to burnout, over-optimization, and the weight of constant intensity.

“Whimsy” is simply a modern shorthand for a very human need: delight, playfulness, and a bit of levity.

And it turns out, our teams need it too.

So rather than adding another initiative to your already full plate, consider this instead:

Where can you introduce a small moment of delight into the work that already exists?

Ideas That Actually Work

Here are a few simple things I’ve seen leaders try:

• Name your team and give yourselves a mascot

• Create a norm of funny status updates or clever out-of-office notes

• Start a channel/wall or posting when people wear the same outfit

• Open meetings with something unexpected: silly polls, or “describe your mood as a vegetable” (this has to suit your personality!)

• Put a puzzle or nostalgic game (Connect 4, anyone?) in a shared space

• Theme an internal presentation around something you love (Catan, Queer Eye, show your personality)

And yes, you can absolutely use AI to help you here. A couple of prompts to try:

• “Give me five creative ways to introduce a whimsical team ritual at the start of a meeting.”

• “How can I make Slack or team chat more delightful without being distracting or over the top?”

Why It Goes Deeper Than a Laugh

When we laugh together, genuinely and inclusively, something shifts.

Our nervous systems settle. The fight-or-flight response softens. We experience a moment of shared connection.

This isn’t just emotional, it’s physiological.

And that shift matters. Because feeling safe and at ease at work is what allows people to think more openly, take appropriate risks, and generate creative solutions.

In other words, it’s the foundation of high performance.

So, where you can, create space for lightness. Model it. Invite it.

😋Embrace a little bit of the silly.😋

It’s good for you, your people, and for your bottom line.