ABOUT DR. MIKE
Mirth Management
I founded Mirth Management in 2017 to address the lack of information and training in humor for organizations, companies, and executives, in the professional world. Not only did I know from my experience as a classroom teacher how helpful humor is, there is a lot of research that shows us how humor can benefit our daily lives.
I received my Ph.D. in Philosophy and the Sciences from the University of Cincinnati. While I had always been known as a funny guy, my formal research into humor began in earnest while working on my dissertation on autism. Since then, I have published on the cognition of humor, racist, ethnic and offensive humor, and humor in business communications.
I've given talks and presented to members of the US Army's Raleigh Recruiting Battalion on humor and leadership, educators on humor in the classroom, humor and sales, humor and health, and humor and donor relations/advancement.
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My students say that I use humor in the classroom to good effect, and my colleagues like that I use humor in our meetings. When I'm not working on humor or teaching philosophy, I'm hanging out with my wife and three sons, woodworking, dancing, or practicing Aikido. I also like to cook and bake.
Some of Dr. Mike's publications on humor (be careful, these are full-on academic papers):
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Tips & Tricks: Getting Started
Here's some information, games, tips, links, other odds and ends that you may use to help increase humor in your workplace, home, or your life in general. The point is to have fun and lighten up the atmosphere. Make fun of your failings at first, it may help the process.
What Can You Do?
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Try having the best work incongruity contest. What's odd, ironic, unique in your workplace or what you make? Try it.
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Go for witty, not comedy club
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Leave puzzles or hidden messages in workplace communications. Rick Roll 'em
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Would a harmless prank work?
Be careful
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Be authentic
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Humor is tough when brought into places where it hasn't been warmly received
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Awkward moments will happen
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Be self-deprecating
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Keep at it.