Week6: Summary and Thought on Chapter8 L@E

Strategy8: Find something to celebrate and something to laugh about

Hi there. In this post I am summarizing Chapter8, Lighten Up!, and introducing what I felt though reading this chapter as well. The chapter mainly discusses celebration and humor which are regarded as integral factors for a successful leader. First I am giving the summary of this chapter, and then I will express my thought.

Find Something to Celebrate

This section argues that leaders need to find the opportunity to celebrate something and what is more, they should create the atmosphere of celebration in their teams as well. This is because holding celebration strengthens team morale and eventually it leads to a team success. Shackleton used celebration effectively and he succeeded to enhance team morale, but on the other hand Captain Bartlett, who was the captain of Karluk, did not and failed. This comparison illustrates the importance of celebration very well.

Find Something to Laugh About, Too

According to the L@E, “humor is one of the most effective leadership tools” (p.123). Humor, laugh, banter or things like that allow us to break the monotony, to build a pleasant atmosphere, and to reduce members’ anxiety. But hurtful kidding and laughing at someone should be avoided – they just offend others and as a result, they break the relationships.

Thought

This chapter made me reflect on my own characteristic… I felt really difficult to make a joke. I like humor or a joke, but I am highly likely to listen to it, not make it. Although I knew humor was somewhat important for an effective leader, I did not expect it would be such a crucial skill for him/her. I am wondering whether humor is natural characteristic or can it be acquired, but probably humor is one of the most challenging leadership skills for me.

              By the way, I found it really interesting that the American presidents are expected to have a sense of humor, on the other hand, Japanese prime ministers seem not to be required. I guess this is the difference between Japanese prime ministers and American presidents, and I am wondering why this difference occurs.