Thinking of cracking a joke next time you’re in a job interview? Jamie McLaughlin, CEO of recruitment firm Monday Talent, tells Laughing Matters that while this could be a good approach, you should take a step back and make sure you read the room! He also goes into details on: The importance of the right humor in interviews, especially as most today are virtualWhy sarcasm can be a quick way to humor but isn’t always the best way to help people relaxAn embarrassing story of an interviewer...
Join us on this episode of Laughing Matters as we chat with Pat Fitzgibbons, Senior Public Relations Manager at M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust, whose career journey is filled with humor, from newsroom antics to his family’s political legacy in New Jersey. Pat shares:· Tips on how to prepare for a career in communications and how to infuse a daily dose of LOL in college · How his father and grandfather used laughter to forge connections a...
Life is a highway for most of us, but especially for Jenni Ruiz, the Bronx native who works as a senior marketing manager for trucking software company Transfix. Jenni is our latest Laughing Matters podcast guest, where she talks about why humor is essentially a job prerequisite in trucking & freight, as well as: · Why her first career was tough and the importance of working somewhere you can be yourself· How she learned to watch wh...
On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, Brandi Boatner, Manager of digital and advocacy communications at IBM, joins us to talk about how she uses humor as a dynamic public speaker and advocate for her profession. Her insights include:How she linked an IT infrastructure campaign with yoga poses. How humor can play a role in attracting students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds into communications. A hilarious cringeworthy moment in Grand Central Station that taught her valu...
In this episode of Laughing Matters, Paul Merchan and Steve Cody interview Gloria Rodriguez, the founder and president of Comunicad, a Ruder Finn company, and a pioneer in multicultural communications and advocacy for the Latino community. She shares some of her amazing stories and insights from her career, such as:● The time she took clients to Puerto Rico to help support Hurricane Maria relief efforts and helped expand the aid to our furry friends● Ho...
Tune in to the latest episode of Laughing Matters, featuring David Dye, President of Let’s Grow Leaders and co-author of “Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict.” David shares tips on what to do when faced with a workplace conflict, including results from the study he conducted for his book. Among his insights:The difference between productive and destructive conflict and the role of humorHow to navigate hot-button issues when others see the world differently than you doWhich co...
Dr. Phillip Gable, Director of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program and Professor at the University of Delaware, recently joined the Laughing Matters podcast to dissect the intricate world of human emotions and humor with the precision of a brain surgeon but the vulnerability of a stand-up comedian. Dr. Gable discusses everything from how our emotions impact behavior to the neural underpinnings that drive our humor responses. He also addresses the following:With all d...
On today’s episode of Laughing Matters, we welcome our first returning guest, Ken Jacobs, Principal of Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching. Ken emphasizes that leadership is about being someone people choose to follow, not just holding a specific title. He discusses the importance of emotional intelligence and the role it plays in leadership, as well as:The difference between coachable and uncoachable leadersKnowing you are “kenough” and the right use of self-deprecating humor A sto...
HR & management consultant expert, entrepreneur and keynote speaker Kendra Prospero joins the Laughing Matters Podcast to talk about what business leaders need to do to create the conditions for people to thrive. She discusses the “people's revolution” to transform company cultures and how employers can embrace the change, as well as: How to invite humor into HR, which is often shamed as humorless Embracing “feed forward” rather than feedback Laughing off an embarrassing “m...
Author, podcast host, keynote speaker and comedian Kathy Klotz-Guest shares how she helps companies infuse humor into their everyday practices through the tenets of improv and comedy through her company, “Keeping it Human.” Kathy shares her approach while also discussing: How most organizations need to get out of their own way to bring humor back Why it’s still a challenge for women to be funny (and not be funny) in their jobsWhen your humor comes off cringe, learn to “embrace the s...
Do you think today’s politicians are too scripted? Or maybe they’re a little too comfortable “winging it.” Or maybe they need to go old school and take a page out of President Lincoln’s joke book. Dr. Don Waisanen from Baruch College joins Laughing Matters to discuss the dire need for more humor in political communication today and why some of the presidential candidates can stand to take an improv class before their next debate. He also discusses: Past U.S. presidents who have been most...
A funny thing happened on the way to the courthouse for Judge Nelson Diaz. In fact, lots of funny things happened on his journey from the inner city to the inner sanctum of Washington, D.C. power politics. From his childhood days playing baseball outside the projects in Harlem to law school in Philadelphia to his time working as HUD General Counsel under President Bill Clinton, Judge Diaz is no stranger to feeling like the underdog and outsider. In this episode, he shares how he used humor to...
Have you ever thought about how humor can play a role in our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion? Award-winning author and college professor Dr. Malcolm Frierson shares how his research on African American history led him to explore stand-up comedy and discusses: Researching humor as a platform for the civil rights movement and the African American experience How companies can improve their DE&I practices and make impactful contributions The influence of comedy greats ...
You might groan when you hear you’re about to listen to an economics presentation, but Chief Economist Luke Tilley of Wilmington Trust explains how working at the Philadelphia Fed and a premier financial institution has shown him that his peers may be funnier than you think. Luke shares how humor plays a surprising role in his day-to-day and discusses: Why humor is so effective, disarming and humanizing when giving economics presentations. Keeping it level-headed when the economy ca...
Being a leader at a global consulting firm for over two decades taught Stacey Jones many things, not the least of which is that she was a MUCH better basketball player in real life than in the Metaverse. Stacey joins Laughing Matters to talk how she turned this rude awakening into an icebreaker and also discusses: Why laughter and humor are essential components she’s looking for in the next chapter in her careerHer experience as a young reporter writing a story about an intimidating nun ...
Some people may think hot-button topics like race and humor have no business together. But when done right – minus the cringe – it can be a powerful tool. Dr. Luvell Anderson, associate professor of philosophy at Syracuse University, joins the podcast so share some of his insights on how to go about this in a genuine way. He shares: His two rules of engagement when using humor in DEI trainingBalancing the ethics of race and humor Examples of artists who uses humor effectively – from...
Think you've got a full plate? Just listen to some of the mega personal and professional changes former Peppercommer "Smiling" Sam Sanders (née Bruno) of Marriott Vacations Worldwide has experienced in the past few years. She joins the podcast to talk about using humor to help her do it all during the pandemic and beyond – from doing a 1,000-mile career move, to getting married, to becoming a mom, to traveling the world for work. And she's handled it all with grace and a smile. Sam will...
Episode 19 – How to use humor to become an award-winning global CMO superstar. Sometimes you have to use humor to tell the same stories in a completely different way from what your competitors are doing. Laughing Matters recently welcomed Rupen Desai, co-founder of The Shed 28, who talked about how he did just that in his former role as CMO of Dole. His insights include: Why he’s done working with people who “suck the oxygen” out of the creativity of others and chooses to surround himsel...
Tina McCorkindale, the first female president & CEO in the Institute for Public Relations’ storied 65-year history, shares LOL stories that include: Hiking in the Cascade Mountains (and figuring out how one manages the call of nature in the midst of nature)Navigating the worlds of academia & business (and coping with a toilet flushing during a very serious taping)Examples of celebrities showing humor (a politician, an athlete and a CEO are at the top of her list)
Tone Viera, producer at SiriusXM, stand-up comedian, and content creator joins us on the Laughing Matters podcast to talk how comedy fuses with hip hop. He breaks down how he fell in love with comedy and his experience working with some of the most influential hip-hop artists of today. Some notable takeaways:The down-to-earth nature of the hip hop artists he interacts with, including one who happens to be his boss and with whom he’s on a middle-name basisHis embarrassing moment with the daugh...