In this episode, Ross Saunders interviews Michael Kerr, a Canadian Hall of Fame speaker, about the importance of humor and culture in leadership. They discuss how a positive workplace culture is crucial for success, the role of managers in shaping that culture, and the impact of humor on team dynamics. Michael emphasizes the need for leaders to be champions of their culture and to create a sense of belonging and safety for their teams. The conversation highlights the significance of being intentional about culture and the benefits of incorporating humor into leadership practices.

Takeaways

• Culture is the number one competitive advantage for any business.
• Leaders must think of themselves as culture leaders.
• Humor can significantly enhance workplace culture and team dynamics.
• Creating a sense of belonging is essential for employee engagement.
• Leaders should model the values they want to see in their teams.
• Micro cultures exist within larger organizational cultures.
• Ignoring team culture can lead to demoralized employees.
• Positive humor fosters trust and approachability in leaders.
• Workplace culture affects employee well-being and performance.
• Fun at work should be a daily practice, not just a special occasion.

About Michael:

Michael Kerr is a Canadian Hall of Fame speaker who writes and speaks about inspiring workplace cultures, leadership, and businesses that leverage their humour resources to drive outrageous results.

He is the author of nine books including, "The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank," "The Jerk-Free Workplace," and most recently, "Small Moments, Big Outcomes: How Leaders Create Cultures That Fuel Extraordinary Results."

https://mikekerr.com/

About your host, Ross:

Ross started his management career by being promoted from technical specialist to manager of a global team. This was not an easy transition at first but it blossomed into an exciting management career spanning over a decade in corporate and enterprise software environments. Ross has managed development teams, technical teams, call centres, and entire software divisions across several countries.

Intro music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

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License code: WM2CBDQ0C2W0JGBW

Outro music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/vacation-beat

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