Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Jenna Redline ISU alumna Claire Berger talks during her presentation, Humor in the Workplace-Having Fun While Getting the Job Done, Tuesday night in the College of Business.

Humor consultant Claire Berger spoke to students in the College of Business Tuesday night about the importance of humor in the workplace and in life.

Berger, an ISU graduate who has worked with many successful corporations as a humor consultant, began the presentation by complementing the students on their impressive wardrobe, and implored the male students to loosen up their ties with "one good yank."

And therein lies the essence of Berger's presentation. "I believe that humor is essential to life, and that students have a tendency to be so organized and so worried about their obligations, that they lose sight of what is really important," she said.

Berger's presentation included a PowerPoint slideshow displaying many quotes on the importance of humor to a person's livelihood. One of the quotes was from Ludwig Wittgenstein and read, "If people never did silly things nothing intelligent would ever get done."

"It is the air I breathe, it is what I believe. I believe that a sense of humor is a productive way to live your life. Productivity comes from having a sense of joy about what it is you do whether it's school or work," Berger said. "If you don't have a sense of humor about the way you approach everything you do, then your life is missing something very essential and very important in life."

John Andrew, senior business administration and entrepreneurship major, thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and found it to have real-life relevancy.

"I totally agree with the stuff she's saying about having a sense of humor in the business world and I think it's an awesome idea," Andrew said. "My last job was working in a car shop with a bunch of young guys and our boss was like 40 and he would always just act like he was my age and tell jokes but we also still got stuff done, it's totally possible."

Berger described highly successful companies that have embraced a fun, laid-back work atmosphere. Her examples included computer giant Apple, which allows employees to create their own job titles and independent grocery store chain Trader Joe's that has employees ring a bell and celebrate when a customer purchases the produce of the day.

She feels, though, that these companies are the exception, not the rule and that needs to change. "It is an uphill climb as a humor consultant to convince corporate America that political correctness has gone too far, and that it's really time that we laugh at ourselves to start there and give others permission to do so," Berger said.

Norris Porter, assistant to the dean of the College of Business, felt the presentation held a lot of merit about how humor can increase productivity in the workplace.

"If workers aren't happy, if they're not enjoying what they're doing, they're not as productive and the end result is not going to be as effective for the organization," Porter said.

"I've been to tons of presentations in the College of Business and this is by far one of the more laid back funny ones, but at the same time just as informative and I wish I could see her present more often," Meredith Rambert, senior insurance major, said.

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