using humor and metaphorical thinking in your work
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Using Humor & Metaphors in Your Work
CPAD
Darren Kaltved, M.Ed.
Vic Massaglia, M.A.
"He who laughs; lasts." ~ Anonymous
"Laughter is the shortest
distance between two people." ~ Victor Borge
How Many Times A Day Do Adults Laugh?
Laughs per Day90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
ChildrenGrown ups
150-400
Fake Graph, Smith 2004 ;43 (2), Imaginary Journal
15
Kids
Adults
Laughs per Day
Another Fake Graph, Smith 2005 ;43 (2), Imaginary Journal
Benefits of Humor Holistic Treatment of the critically ill &
terminally ill Adds in defending against infections Good for respiratory and cardio
vascular system – stimulates immune system
Reduces stress One of the best devices to combat
burn-outNevo & Foster
(if you agree it does)
How Does Humor Help the Counseling
Relationship?
How Does Humor Help the Counseling Relationship?
Building the relationship: it produces a bond between the therapist and the client. It also facilitates rapport and self-disclosure (Golding & Bordan, 1999). According to Maples et al. (2001) it helps establish a more collaborative and friendly relation.
Increasing Communication and Attending: through humor, messages can be expressed in an indirect and less threatening way, allowing the client to attend and understand what is being said.
How Does Humor Help the Counseling Relationship?
Changing Feelings: humor allows people to experience for a period of time a relief from their depressive or anxious mood.
Changing Thoughts: humor allows clients to change the way they perceive different situations by giving a new perspective or through incongruity.
Changing Behavior: when people are in a better mood they become more active, may try out new activities.
HUMOR’S EFFECTIVENESS:A “CLEESIAN” PERSPECTIVE
I. Humor facilitates learning.
II. Humor helps change people’s behavior.
III. Humor promotes an increase in creativity.
IV. Humor reduces stress.
From the videotape “Humor Is Not A Luxury”
by John Cleese, available from Video Arts
Five Things Humor Will Do For You:
1. Releases negative emotions such as anger & guilt
2. Improves enthusiasm for work
3. Reduces inhibitions & increases self-confidence
4. Humorous people face life's problems better
5. Sense of humor is the #1 romantically attractive trait Kevin Lee Smith
KEYS TO THE SUCCESSFUL USE OF HUMOR
I. Relationship
II. Rapport
III. Setting
IV. Timing
Jim Winter - www.wavelength.biz
I. RELATIONSHIP
Know your audience
Make your intentions clear
Tell stories with a purpose
II. RAPPORT
Understand your audience’s feelings
Should be laughing with, not at someone
Obtain permission to tease
Funniest Resume Mistakes, Bloopers and Blunders Ever
“2001 summer Voluntary work for taking care of the elderly and vegetable people”
Candidate wrote resume as a play – Act 1, Act 2, etc.
Under “job related skills” – for a web designer – “can function without additional oxygen at 24,000 feet”.
One applicant for a nursing position noted that she didn’t like dealing with blood or needles.
“Seeking a party-time position with potential for advancement.”
Funniest Resume Mistakes, Bloopers and Blunders Ever
“Able to say the ABCs backward in under five seconds.”
“Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far.”
“Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store.”
Skills: “I have integrity so I will not steal office supplies and take them home.”
Objective: “I would like to work for a company that is very lax when it comes to tardiness.”
References: “Bill, Tom, Eric. But I don’t know their phone numbers.”
Awards: “National record for eating 45 eggs in two minutes.”
Education: “I have a bachelorette degree in computers.”
III. SETTING
Make sure the humor is appropriate for the space
Respect everyone within earshot
Humor should enhance, not distract
IV. TIMING
Allow time for the imagination to work
Never rush a punch line
Remember the non-verbal pathway to humor
KEYS TO THE SUCCESSFUL USE OF HUMOR
I. Relationship
II. Rapport
III. Setting
IV. Timing
V. Areas of Humor to Avoid
AREAS OF HUMOR TO LIKELY AVOID
Politics
Sexual
Ethnic\Racial
Religious \ Political
Hostile \ Sick
Demeaning to Men \ Women
Graveyard
How Can Humor Be Destructive?
Guidelines for the proper use of humor in counseling
There are certain considerations that the counselor must think of before applying humor in the counseling process. Some of these are:
Observe the client student's mood to determine
if the humor will be appreciated or not (Tichacek, n.d.)
Start slowly (Tichacek, n.d.)
Make it relevant to the student's situation (Tichacek, n.d.)
Guidelines for the proper use of humor in counseling
Do not use humor as a put-down (Gladdin, 1995)
Do not use it too frequently because it becomes boring (Gladdin, 1995)
Use it in an appropriated time (Gladdin, 1995)
Consider the student's sense of humor (Gladdin, 1995)
HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL SENSE OF
HUMOR Look for humor in everything
Collect humor
Smile more
Participate in humorous
activities
Hang out with funny people –
try the humor buddy system
• Use humor in your correspondence \
surveys \ tests
• Try out other styles \ forms of humor
• Tell stories on yourself
• Have some sort of humor always at
the ready
HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL SENSE OF
HUMOR
Collect Humor
Keep a journal \ file \ bulletin board \ library of:
Books Magazines Cartoons Headlines
Jokes Stories Excuses Oxymoron's
Signs Anecdotes Videos \ Audio Tapes
What Are the Multicultural Implications?
Prayer: God Grant Me the Senility to
Forget the People I Never Liked Anyway, the Good
Fortune to Run Into the Ones I Do, and the Eyesight to Tell the
Difference.
Take your work seriously--and yourself
lightly"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are
everywhere." ~ Dr. Seuss
“Key metaphors help determine what and how we perceive and how we think about our perceptions.”
~M. H. Abrams
“Time is Money”What do you think of when you hear this?
What images come to mind?
Metaphorical Thinking
Metaphorical Thinking: A direct comparison between two unrelated or
indirectly linked things. (a bridge between the new and the familiar)
Can be used to improve communications: They can add impact or can help you explain a difficult concept by association with a more familiar one.
It can be a good way to build connections because the human mind tends to look for similarities (Making Truth: Metaphor in Science, T.L. Brown, 2003). – For instance, scientists will describe the distribution of
mass in the universe as foam-like or that the earth is like a living organism.
As for career counselors, we also have the opportunity to describe career development concepts using metaphors – especially new concepts or ideas– such as the relationship between dating and
interviewing.– Branding – branding products or services– The world is your canvas, what picture do you want to
paint?
What other metaphors do you use?
How do we make this work? They key to instituting this methodology is to get
students or clients to awaken their image-thinking part of their brain. – Ever wonder why the word “Image” is the root word for
“Imagination?”– A word is worth a thousand pictures!
Create a whole new world of perception, understanding and experience – a clearer meaning– Einstein once said “I rarely think in words at all”
Use physical drawings or pictures to create visualization– Wikipedia or Google Images
Don’t just stick with one metaphor…have alternates
ExamplesSoftware Development at Microsoft: Microsoft builds its software in conditions of considerable security. The software
developers are large groups of skilled professionals who are kept separate from other employees under the authority of a senior project manager.
HERE IS WHAT THEY ACTUALLY SAID… Microsoft…(builds its) software like cathedrals, in that a cloistered team of
software developers work…much as medieval cathedrals were built by vast armies of craftsmen under the authority of a bishop or high cleric.
WHAT NEW IMAGERY WAS CREATED IN THE ACTUAL STATEMENT?
Images: Messages:Cathedral More PhysicalCloister More VisualArmies More RomanticCraftsmen Less Bald
ExamplesAsked to use a metaphor to describe their careers, over
50% used the word “Journey”
Words: Career Path Career Exploration Career Ladder or Career Plateau Progress, Climb, Destination, Map, Track, Journey, Path Fit, Match (Assessment-oriented)
Phrases: Your career is a journey not a destination I want my career to be on the fast-track Interviewing is like going on a first date… It’s a roller-coaster ride It is like fitting a square peg into a round hole
What about descriptors – the more the better. Remember your goal - to create understanding!
ResourcesNevo, O. (1996). Uses of humor in career counseling. Vocational Guidance Quarterly, March, 188-196.
Bordan, T. & Goldin, E. (1999). The use of humor in counseling: The laughing cure. Journal of Counseling and Development, Fall (77), 405-410.
Metaphorical Thinking: Using comparisons to express ideas and solve problemshttp://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_93.htm Unlock the Power of Metaphorical Thinkinghttp://www.innovationtools.com/Articles/ArticleDetails.asp?a=188
Promoting Metaphorical Thinking Through Synectics: Developing deep thinking utilizing abstractionshttp://facstaff.bloomu.edu/dwalker/Conference%20Information/IUT/Synectics.pdf
Resources to Get Your Started
Article from Monster.com about Workplace humor:http://career-advice.monster.com/in-the-office/Work-Life-Balance/Workplace-Humor-Guide/article.aspx
Career Counseling "spoof" from GW Law School:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnZQik4-Ys&feature=player_embedded#
Silly Job Interview - Monty Python:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP0sqRMzkwo
Career Metaphors and Their Application to Theory and Counseling Practicehttp://www.virtualhabitats.com/Students/CareerCounselorWebquest/Career%20Metaphors.pdf
Metaphor: A new way of thinking about careers (NCDA)http://www.associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/5132/_PARENT/layout_details_cc/false
ThinkBlocks Tutorial: Metaphors and Similieshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr0-kMlWJgw&feature=related
Questions?
Fun Videos/Resources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asxUtX8Hyd4&feature=related
http://www.laughterremedy.com/
Ever wonder what an interview at IKEA is like?