2.2 Comic stories

Organisations are rich sources of humour and fun, even under difficult circumstances. Workers learn how to see humour in their surroundings, making their days more bearable and cementing friendships with colleagues.

Comic stories are often an outlet for otherwise repressed feelings, according to Gabriel (2000). Frustration, unhappiness, envy, anger, prejudice, and other feelings that are taboo when expressed in their raw form, can rise to the surface in humour. At their most sinister, however, comic stories can take the form of racist, ableist, homophobic and misogynist stories told to keep certain people ‘in their place’.

Yet comic stories in their positive guises can channel feelings towards and against power. They can make people feel like they are reducing the power differential between powerless and powerful. Making bosses seem small and even ridiculous through telling a funny story is a classic example.

With that said, comic stories can also serve the function of strengthening the very power that they mock. This is because they can substitute for more meaningful resistance. Powerful people can signal that they feel secure or show that they have a sense of humour by allowing humour at their expense to persist – thereby neutralising resistance.

Activity 3 Making fun of power

Timing: Allow around 15 minutes

Watch the following video, where Jason Sinclair shares his experience of using comic stories as a challenge to power. As you watch the video, try to identify the two main situations in which Jason uses humour for this purpose.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 2

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Transcript: Video 2 Jason Sinclair – using humour to challenge power

JASON SINCLAIR:

I use comedy as a way of dispelling tension. And an example I’ll give is one of the police boards that I sit on, and I often come in character. By that, I come in with a Jamaican accent. That’s my ancestry, my heritage. And I’ll slip into patois and I’ll act up a little bit, and it’ll make people laugh.

But then we get down to the nitty-gritty, and we get down to the serious stuff. So often, it’s just about removing tension. And sometimes referring to a story that I think is funny, telling it back and reflecting it in a funny way, again just relieves tension and allows us to have a little laugh at ourselves but then get down to the business at hand. And sometimes it’s really good for really serious, intense conversations about a subject matter that could be really, really crucial.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The added value of using comic stories in leadership is breaking down barriers, I think. Showing who you are, showing that you’ve got that side of you, because in leadership, it’s often-- you’re seen as quite steely. You’re making key decisions on issues that sometimes you have to make objectively and take emotions out of. But it’s important for people to see there’s another side of you and that you do have a sense of humor.

But again, sometimes it’s also just for that particular situation you need to dispel an air of tension, or it’s got to a point where it’s really, really heavy and the room is feeling heavy. Therefore, some comedy helps to just relieve that tension and clear the air a little bit, and make it a bit softer as an environment, and then you can start again.

End transcript: Video 2 Jason Sinclair – using humour to challenge power

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Video 2 Jason Sinclair – using humour to challenge power

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Discussion

Comic stories can inspire people, offer security and reinstate meaning. In leadership practices, it is important to take a few things on board when considering using comic stories. It is vital to think about the audience, think about the context in which the story is told, be authentic, be humble, make sure the comic story is humanising, and if possible, ensure that the story is action-orientated. When using comic stories, you should avoid misleading others as this might lead to disengagement.