Humor in the world of business

With all that’s happening lately in this strange, strange world, I really needed some consoling. In fact, I was in dire need of a good laugh and can afford to even smile nowadays? Not with 105 people killed in Nigeria during the Miss World event. Not with the recent bombing in Kenya. Not with our ballooning budget deficit.

I needed a change of pace – I wanted to know what was going on in the world apart from tragedy. So when my good friend Lizza Nakpil recently called me up and invited me to attend the product launch of a new diaper called "Drypers Wee Wee Dry," I figured that it was interesting event – I could literally get "pissed off" and it will be all right. So to relieve me from all my stress, I hopped to the Shangri-La Hotel and got more than what I bargained for. I had a good laugh!

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t get a good laugh because of the product. In fact, the product is excellent (according to my friend, to whom I gave my free samples, who tried it on her baby). I got my laugh with the men who were running the company. They had such a good sense of humor about the product. Peter Smerling, managing director, and Eric Banyusay, regional marketing manager, had a nice way of describing themselves: "We’re the M.I.D.," said Eric, "the Men In Diapers – well, the men in the world of diapers, that is."

Eric explained that his job is great because a lot of women find them attractive that they are in a business involving "babies." "The only problem is," according to Eric, " the women who get attracted to us are the young mothers!" Eric and I had an animated conversation and before we ended, I learned he was from La Salle and he learned I was from Ateneo. So as a parting wisecrack, he said, "Hey, I want one of your championship shirts." And I said, "Really?" And he said, "Yeah. It will take another 14 years before they print one of those."

At long last, a La Sallite with a good sense of humor!

I suppose our desire to laugh is part of human nature. We associate laughter with happiness (except if we’re pinned down and tickled wildly by someone as big and ugly as Shaquille O’Neal). We all look for a reason to laugh because it’s an emotional outlet, it makes us cheerful and puts us in a good mood.

Making people laugh is not an easy task. Actors will always tell you it’s easier to make people cry than to make people laugh. The latter is a rare gift, which is why the loony Jim Carrey and the retarded-looking Adam Sandler earn US$20 million per movie. Laughter is a rare commodity. It’s a premium. We don’t mind paying money just to have a good laugh. We vote comedians into public office because they make us laugh. We’ll take amusement – in any shape or form.

In this day and age, laughter has become a necessity in order for us to live. With all that is happening in the world, we need to find a way to make us laugh – if only to stay sane and continue living.

Laughter Is Our Best Friend

Laughter is much more than just a cure for depression. It can be our best friend. It’s what makes the world a less tragic place to live in. The world as a whole is a damn serious place and life is a serious thing: People work hard day in, day out, toiling, and struggling, getting so wrapped up and depressed about their personal and professional lives. If you watch Dr. Phil on Oprah, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Life is not easy to deal with. That’s why we need a friend to help us along and a sense of humor and a gift for laughter is the best friend you could ever have. You know why? As far as I my research shows, it’s rare for a person with a great sense of humor to have very few friends. For a lot of not-so-good-looking guys, a good sense of humor is a way to make up for lack of aesthetic beauty. Just look at all the comedians who have bombshell wives!

A lot of the most charismatic, most loved and most popular people in world history were gifted with a good sense of humor. One good example is President John F. Kennedy. One can hardly call the Kennedy saga a fairy tale. The family has been beset by tragedies and scandals and yet JFK’s time was, and still is, considered the highest point of America – Camelot, they call it. The world is still mesmerized by JFK and a great deal of his popularity could be attributed to his magical way of injecting humor every time he spoke. He was so quick and witty, and often self-effacing (he made fun of himself a lot), that whether he knew it or not, he endeared himself to the press and the world. His humor and charm certainly added to his legendary status. We don’t have politicians like that anymore.

Here are some interesting quotes from JFK:

Question: "The Republican National Committee recently adopted a resolution saying you were pretty much of a failure. How do you feel about that? (note: for those who are not aware, JFK was a Democrat)

President Kennedy: I assume it passed unanimously."

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Little Boy: "Mr. President, how did you become a war hero?"

President Kennedy: "It was absolutely involuntary. They sank my boat."

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The Beatles, the most successful musical act in history, didn’t really impress the world press with their music. When they were starting, they were like any other band. The truth is, it was their wit and charm that got the press writing about them. And when they got the media, they won the hearts of the world:

Press: How do you find America?

Beatles: Turn left at Greenland.

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Press: Are you wearing moptop wigs?

Beatles: Well, if they are wigs, they’re the only wigs with dandruff.

Humor In The World Of Business

In the business setting, interjecting humor – that is, decent humor – can spell the difference between making a good impression and no impression, between a botched deal and a closed deal. Humor brings the human element into the usually sticky world of business, especially when the subject of the joke is yourself. It gives the impression that you don’t take yourself too seriously, and for a lot of people, that is very impressive – because they realize they are dealing with someone who doesn’t have a hopelessly big ego. Always consider humor as your first and final artillery.

One time, I was caught in a tight business negotiation. My client was ready to buy but he made a "final" offer that was below my lowest possible price. And no one seemed to be willing to budge. So he said, "Take it or leave it, Rod." And I said, "Ok, I’ll take it under one condition – that you promise that you hire me after we close the deal because once I report this deal to my boss, I know I’ll be fired." I eventually got the deal – with the price I wanted.

Moral of the story: Whether you’re selling diapers like the M.I.D. or selling encyclopedia, always have your sense of humor. Pretty soon, you’ll be literally laughing to the bank! And that’s certainly something to laugh about!

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Thanks for your letters, folks! I’d like to hear from you – you may write me at nepomucenor@mtv-asia.com. Let me know of your funny experiences.