Humor That Works

The Missing Skill for Success and Happiness at Work

Andrew Tarvin

If you want to increase team productivity, relieve stress, and be happier at work, you could hire a bunch of workplace consultants, invest in scream therapy, and put Pharrell Williams on repeat—or you could just read Humor That Works.

Written by Andrew Tarvin, the world’s first humor engineer, this a business book on humor. No, that’s not an oxymoron. It really is a business book and it really is about getting better results by having more fun. Because people who use humor in the workplace are more productive, less stressed, and happier. No joke; sources included.

The goal is not to make you funnier—though that may be a side effect—but to make you effective-er. You’ll learn to develop a personal humor habit that’s not about spitting wisecracks or telling the funniest stories, but a way of seeing work in an energizing new way. You’ll build on some of the most important business skills for today’s work environment, develop techniques for leveraging humor, and take action to improve your work immediately. And you’ll have fun doing it.

There will be stories about grandmas who text, multiple mentions of milkshakes, and exactly seven references to zombies. Oh, and there will be puns. (You’ve been warned.) Looking for success and happiness at work? Discover the missing skills in Humor That Works.


Reviews

“Funnily enough, this book is hilariously useful. Think of it as a practical playbook that helps you reconsider the way you do things and results in heightened levels of happiness. Every leader should read this book, work with the tools provided, and get serious about making people smile.”

“If Brian Regan and Warren Buffet had a baby… and that baby could write a book… it would be this book! Andrew Tarvin’s Humor That Works gives real-world examples of how humor increases effectiveness and job satisfaction and sets the stage for more meaningful human interactions that will bring benefits to the workplace and beyond. As Drew writes, ‘To be more human at work, use more humor at work.’”

“Pay attention to the strategies Andrew Tarvin shares in this fantastic book—filled with ideas on how to help you incorporate humor as a daily habit in your personal and professional life. His ideas will drive productivity, credibility, and connectivity. A must-read for every leader and a great gift for every team member!”

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“In today’s world we are constantly bombarded by noise, a noise that manifests itself as pressure, process, and back-to-back meetings. Too easily noise prevails. Andrew Tarvin, with Humor That Works, shows us we can take control. Even better, we can have a good time doing so. Reading this book is eye-opening, not just for what it reveals about the power of humor, but also because it shows how we can master it.”

“Andrew Tarvin’s expertise as the world’s first humor engineer shows in Humor That Works. Taking you through the what, why, and how of humor, Tarvin will make a believer out of anyone skeptical that humor is a must-have skill in the workplace. This book will level up your efficiency and effectiveness with unique strategies you don’t find in your average business book.”

“The evidence is irrefutable: humor has improved my humanitarian work. Thanks to Andrew Tarvin’s seriously fun approach, I can bring science and innovation to overburdened disaster managers and the vulnerable communities they serve, in memorable and surprisingly effective ways. Humor That Works is about designing and deploying smart communication—effective and evidence-based, well beyond mere entertainment. Drew helps us understand that there is a process to harnessing humor in your workplace.”

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Andrew Tarvin is the world’s first humor engineer, teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. Combining his background as a project manager at Procter & Gamble with his experience as a stand-up comedian, he reverse-engineers the skill of humor in a way that is practical, actionable, and gets results in the workplace.

Through his company, Humor That Works, Andrew has worked with more than 35,000 people at over 250 organizations, including Microsoft, the FBI, and the International Association of Canine Professionals.

He is a bestselling author; has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fast Company; and his TEDx talk has been viewed more than three million times. He loves the color orange and is obsessed with chocolate.

For more, visit www.humorthatworks.com.


ISBN 978-1-989025-83-3
$19.95 CAD $16.95 USD
Published April 1, 2019
5.5 × 8.5 222 Pages
Paperback, ebook