Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And How Anyone Can Harness It. Even You.)

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 767 ratings

Price: 15.75

Last update: 02-26-2025


About this item

Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today Best Seller

Anyone - even you! - can learn how to harness the power of humor in business (and life), based on the popular class at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

Don’t miss the authors’ TED Talk, “Why Great Leaders Take Humor Seriously", online now.

“The ultimate guide to using the magical power of funny as a tool for leadership and a force for good.” (Daniel H. Pink, number-one New York Times best-selling author of When and Drive)

We are living through a period of unprecedented uncertainty and upheaval in both our personal and professional lives. So it should come as a surprise to exactly no one that trust, human connection, and mental well-being are all on the decline.

This may seem like no laughing matter. Yet, the research shows that humor and laughter are among the most valuable tools we have at our disposal for strengthening bonds and relationships, diffusing stress and tension, boosting resilience, and performing when the stakes are high.

That’s why Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach the popular course Humor: Serious Business at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where they help some of the world’s most hard-driving, blazer-wearing business minds infuse more humor and levity into their work and lives.

In Humor, Seriously, they draw on findings by behavioral scientists, world-class comedians, and inspiring business leaders to reveal how humor works and - more important - how you can use more of it, better.

Aaker and Bagdonas unpack the theory and application of humor: what makes something funny, how to mine your life for material, and simple ways to identify and leverage your unique humor style. They show how to use humor to rebuild vital connections; appear more confident, competent, and authentic at work; and foster cultures where levity and creativity can thrive.

President Dwight David Eisenhower once said, “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” If Dwight David Eisenhower, the second least naturally funny president (after Franklin Pierce), thought humor was necessary to win wars, build highways, and warn against the military-industrial complex, then you might consider learning it too.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Molly T.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Seriously Great, Seriously Funny!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2021
    This book is insightful, groundbreaking and sharp. No, seriously, if you drop it at an angle on your foot, it hurts. But once the pain subsides, it makes for a great read. It’s the funniest serious book I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

    Humor, Seriously provides an entertaining and informative spin on how effective humor can be when developed as a powerful communications tool. The tips, tricks, case studies and techniques help create an awesome roadmap to help readers refine and strategically adapt humor to practically any situation. And Jennifer and Naomi have artfully broken down the process into bite-size pieces that can be enjoyed bit by delicious bit or in entire binge-worthy mouthfuls, sort of like my favorite chocolate.

    What I love about this book is that it while it cracks me up, it also cracks the code on what makes humor funny, appropriate and successful. This book also provides a solid foundation for using humor as a force for good, not just getting laughs.

    Up to now, I’ve taken great pride in my marginally funny sense of humor, but it was really a hit-or-miss proposition that involved throwing things out there and hoping for the best, with wildly mixed results. Humor, Seriously gives someone like me hope that I can actually be more funnier (industry term) simply by understanding concepts like the relationship between truth, pain and distance, and paying attention to how words might land for listeners.

    And if you’re willing to learn from “humor bombs”, there’s even a formula for recovering from those backfires, too. Brilliant. The bottom line is that this book will make you a better person. Do yourself a big favor and buy it; your friends, family and colleagues will thank you. Seriously.

    P.S. Quite frankly, Jennifer and Naomi are geniuses. I hope they both get a raise. But if not, at least this book will make the world a better, funnier and more interesting place.
    Customer image
    Molly T.
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Seriously Great, Seriously Funny!

    Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2021
    This book is insightful, groundbreaking and sharp. No, seriously, if you drop it at an angle on your foot, it hurts. But once the pain subsides, it makes for a great read. It’s the funniest serious book I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

    Humor, Seriously provides an entertaining and informative spin on how effective humor can be when developed as a powerful communications tool. The tips, tricks, case studies and techniques help create an awesome roadmap to help readers refine and strategically adapt humor to practically any situation. And Jennifer and Naomi have artfully broken down the process into bite-size pieces that can be enjoyed bit by delicious bit or in entire binge-worthy mouthfuls, sort of like my favorite chocolate.

    What I love about this book is that it while it cracks me up, it also cracks the code on what makes humor funny, appropriate and successful. This book also provides a solid foundation for using humor as a force for good, not just getting laughs.

    Up to now, I’ve taken great pride in my marginally funny sense of humor, but it was really a hit-or-miss proposition that involved throwing things out there and hoping for the best, with wildly mixed results. Humor, Seriously gives someone like me hope that I can actually be more funnier (industry term) simply by understanding concepts like the relationship between truth, pain and distance, and paying attention to how words might land for listeners.

    And if you’re willing to learn from “humor bombs”, there’s even a formula for recovering from those backfires, too. Brilliant. The bottom line is that this book will make you a better person. Do yourself a big favor and buy it; your friends, family and colleagues will thank you. Seriously.

    P.S. Quite frankly, Jennifer and Naomi are geniuses. I hope they both get a raise. But if not, at least this book will make the world a better, funnier and more interesting place.
    Images in this review
  • Morris B. Holbrook
    5.0 out of 5 stars YES, AND....
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021
    Recently, every week, I have entered the New Yorker’s cartoon-captioning contest. It works like this. On the last page of the current issue, they provide a strange, fanciful, or otherwise unique drawing. The contestant’s job is to invent a funny caption and to submit it via the Internet. Next week’s issue selects three captions as finalists, and participants vote on-line for their favorite among these. On the third week, one caption emerges as the winner, and – on-line but not in the magazine itself – the other two are listed as runners-up. Suffice it to say that I have never managed to create a winning entry. Indeed, I have never even qualified as a runner-up. Clearly, I need help in developing my comedic skills. Such assistance promises to come from the new book by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas entitled “Humor, Seriously.” In it, the authors analyze the importance of humor to our lives in general and to our business-oriented communications in particular. In short, they assemble personal reflections, clever anecdotes, experimental research findings, comments from real-life comedians, and observations reflecting a great deal of wisdom mixed with common sense to limn the essence of ways in which levity can enliven, enrich, and enhance our activities as we participate in the human condition. Aaker and Bagdonas have done their homework, and the benefits of their fruitful efforts emerge in a carefully structured and engagingly presented trip through the subtleties of what makes things funny and why we care. One reason we care is that laughing is good for us. Another is that jokes can pave the way to smooth relationships in the workplace. Another is that comic insights often embody great truths. All told, as demonstrated by A&B, levity is the soul of wit. A&B have created a passionate entreaty to foster levity-humor-&-comedy in your business, your organization, … your life. Humor smooths the way, encourages friendships, cements relationships, sparks innovations, and resonates with love. All this awaits the reader of “Humor, Seriously.” And – if you are such a reader – you’ll be grateful for the experience. Meanwhile, after reading A&B, my latest submission to the New Yorker’s captions contest still failed to achieve success. It did not win, place, or show. Apparently, I’m a slow learner. I guess it’s time to read the book again. This time, following the cues provided by A&B, I’m ready to respond with “Yes, And….”
  • Jesus Timo Bartolo
    4.0 out of 5 stars good
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
    Liked how it defined humor and gave good principles for its role in professional life. Feel like it made it better to grasp.
  • Craig Kensek
    5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining, educational read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2021
    If your goal in reading this book is to become a stand-up comedian fulltime as a career, this isn’t the book for you. If you want to understand humor, learn about humor as it affects you, and incorporate it into your life (business and personal), yes! You can do it!

    The book has a great tone to it. The authors did a lot of research. Some of their examples may have you going, “Who’s that?” if you go to bed before 11pm (I got a sense that the authors relate more to Seth Meyers more than Stephen Colbert). Other examples will have you smile, laugh, and say to yourself “Great suggestion!” If you purchase the print version, be liberal with a highlighter or post-its for some of the pearls that are sprinkled throughout the book. Or wait, pearls roll and aren’t sprinkled. Tips.

    “Humor, Seriously” is highly practical as being a great read. Try the tips they suggest. Better yet, incorporate them in your professional/personal dealings with others. People may not be rolling on the floor with your comments during meetings (and they shouldn’t), for example, but your points will probably be listened to more, people will probably at some level, will enjoy working with you more, and you won’t require a food taster or Kevlar attire during lunches and meetings.

    Even Snipers (from a test you can take online), will benefit from the book. Some people just don’t get irony and haven’t even heard of Oscar Wilde!
  • R.D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Was very interesting and profound book about the humor
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2024
    However, It's important to apply the suggestions mentioned in the book, in reality.
  • Graham Hill
    3.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, simple.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2021
    This is a lovely short book that has some useful ideas in it. It’s light hearted but it’s ideas are actually quite powerful.
    It definitely has me thinking about how to bring more humor into my life in general.

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