Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas: Why great leaders take humor seriously | TED

譯者: Yiann C. 審譯者: Helen Chang

Naomi Bagdonas: Alright, so, how often do you laugh at work?

娜歐蜜 · 巴格多納斯： 工作的時候，你多常笑？

I mean really laugh.

我指的是真正的大笑

We asked some of you this question, and here's what we heard.

我們問了一些人這個問題 這是我們聽到的答案：

"Rarely."

「幾乎沒有。」

"Seldomly."

「很少。」

And then our personal favorite ...

我們個人最喜歡的答案是...

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"I study climate change. Why would I laugh?"

「我研究氣候變遷，怎麼會笑？」

The two of us teach a class at Stanford Business School

我們兩個在史丹佛商學院教一堂課

about the power of humor in leadership.

關於領導力中，幽默的力量

Jennifer Aaker: Turns out that humor is a teachable skill,

珍妮佛 · 阿克：結果顯示 幽默是個可教的技巧

and one of the most underappreciated assets at work.

也是在職場上最不被重視的資產之一

For the record,

強調一下

our class on humor gets the same academic credit

我們這堂幽默的課和財務會計

as financial accounting,

有一樣多的學分

NB: ... which is not a joke.

娜歐蜜：不是開玩笑的

JA: Here is the problem, though.

珍妮佛：但問題是

We've all fallen off a humor cliff.

我們都跌下過一個幽默的懸崖

In a global study,

在一個全球性的研究中

over a million people were asked a simple question:

問了超過一百萬個人 一個簡單的問題

"Did you smile or laugh a lot, yesterday?"

「昨天你有常常微笑或大笑嗎？」

When we are kids, the answer is "yes."

當我們問小朋友，他們的答案是「有」

Then, right when we enter the workforce,

當我們進入職場後

the answer becomes "no."

答案變成「沒有」

The good news is things look up again

好消息是情況會再次好轉

around 80.

大概 80 歲的時候

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

The bad news is the average life expectancy is 78.

壞消息是人類平均壽命是 78 歲

So ...

所以...

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

JA: It's not good NB: It's not great.

珍妮佛：這並不好 娜歐蜜：非常不樂觀

JA: I’m a behavioral scientist

珍妮佛：我是位行為科學家

who spent my career studying what actually creates happiness in life

研究到底是什麼東西 創造生活中的幸福

versus what we think.

相對於我們所猜想的

NB: And I'm a corporate strategist

娜歐蜜：我是位企業策略師

who spent my career straddling the worlds of business and improv comedy.

我的職涯橫跨商業和即興喜劇

Which was a wide straddle.

跨得非常寬

The two of us are on a mission to bring humor back.

我們兩個的任務是找回幽默

Over the last decade, we have gathered data,

過去十年，我們收集了資料

partnered with comedians

和喜劇演員合作

and talked to leaders about humor.

和領袖談幽默

One of them was our friend Connor Diemand-Yauman.

其中一位是我們的朋友： 康納 · 狄蒙耀門

Connor is the co-CEO of a large nonprofit,

康納是個大型非營利組織的 共同執行長

and in early 2020, just weeks after the world went into quarantine,

2020 年初，就在全世界 進入隔離的幾個星期後

he's leading his first virtual offsite with his entire organization.

他主持了整個組織 第一個線上團隊活動

People are exhausted and scared, it's tense.

大家都很疲憊、害怕，氣氛緊繃

So Connor shares a few slides

所以康納在傳給下一位同事發表之前

before passing to another teammate to speak.

播放了幾張投影片

But when he does, he intentionally leaves his screen-share on,

在傳給下一個人的時候 他刻意繼續分享他的螢幕畫面

so his entire organization watches, thinking that this is a terrible mistake.

整個組織都在看 心想這是個糟糕的錯誤

As Connor closes his PowerPoint,

當康納關掉他的 PowerPoint

opens up a Google search, and types in ... this.

打開 Google 搜尋引擎 然後輸入... 這個

[Things inspirational CEOs say during hard times]

[ 鼓舞人心的執行長 在困難時期說的話 ]

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"Things inspirational CEOs say during hard times."

「鼓舞人心的執行長 在困難時期說的話」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Everyone laughs.

大家都笑了

It's this beautiful moment of levity,

這個不經意創造的美好時刻

and it has real upside for Connor and for his organization,

為康納和他的組織 帶來實際的好處

because we know from the research

因為從研究中我們知道

that leaders with a good sense of humor are seen as 27 percent more motivating.

有幽默感的領袖 激勵人心的程度高出 27%

Their teams are more bonded and creative.

他們的團隊更緊密、更有創意

JA: Also, humor sells.

珍妮佛：而且，幽默有助銷售

Studies show that adding a lighthearted line into a sales pitch,

研究顯示，在銷售術語中 加入一句輕鬆的話

like "My final offer is x ...

像是「我的最終報價是 Ｘ...

And I'll throw in my pet frog,"

然後我會附送我的寵物青蛙。」

makes people willing to pay nearly 20 percent more.

讓大家願意多付將近 20%

Really let it sink in,

真的認真想想

just how bad that joke is.

這笑話有多糟

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

NB: "I'll throw in my pet frog."

娜歐蜜：「我會附送我的寵物青蛙。」

JA: The bar is so low. NB: It's extreme.

珍妮佛：標準很低 娜歐蜜：極低

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

NB: Very low. JA: Could not be lower.

娜歐蜜：非常低 珍妮佛：不能再低了

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

JA: Laughter shortens the path to connection as well.

珍妮佛：笑聲也縮短了 建立連結的途徑

So when strangers share a laugh before a conversation,

陌生人在開始對話之前 一起笑的話

they end up disclosing more personal information,

最後他們會彼此分享更多個人資訊

so they feel closer.

所以他們感覺更親近

You really laughed hard at that "pet frog" line.

你聽到寵物青蛙的笑話後 捧腹大笑

I already feel close to you.

我已經覺得跟你很親近了

Don’t we feel close?

不覺得我們很親近嗎？

JA: Yeah, we feel close.

珍妮佛：對，我們覺得親近

NB: There's a lot there.

娜歐蜜：很有力量

NB: OK, so what's happening is when we laugh,

娜歐蜜：當我們笑的時候

our brains release a cocktail of hormones.

我們的大腦釋放各式各樣的賀爾蒙

So we release endorphins,

我們會分泌腦內啡

giving us a similar feeling to a runner’s high;

讓我們感受像跑者一樣的快感

we lower our cortisol, making us feel calmer;

我們會降低皮質醇，感到更冷靜

and we release dopamine, the same hormone released during sex,

我們還會分泌多巴胺 這也是做愛時分泌的賀爾蒙

making us feel more bonded.

讓我們感到更緊密

So in essence,

所以本質上來說

as far as our brains are concerned,

就大腦而言

laughing is like exercising, meditating and having sex at the same time.

笑就像同時在運動、冥想，和做愛

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But logistically easier.

但做起來更簡單

JA: Also, efficient. NB: Yes.

珍妮佛：而且有效率 娜歐蜜：沒錯

NB: There's a lot to it.

娜歐蜜：功用很多

Alright, so humor works.

好的，所以幽默真的有用

And the really good news that we want to talk about today

今天我們真的想說的好消息是

is that this humor cliff is actually easy to fix.

這個幽默懸崖其實很容易修理

[GLOBAL HUMOR CLIFF]

[ 全球幽默懸崖 ]

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Isn’t that better? 10 years, but we got there.

這不是比較好嗎？ 十年，但我們做到了

Just a little Sharpie.

只需要一些簽字筆

OK, the actual good news is that our lives are full of humor,

好，真正的好消息是 我們的生活充滿了幽默

if we know how to look for it.

如果我們知道如何去尋找

JA: Here's the secret.

珍妮佛：秘訣是

Don't look for what's funny, just notice what's true.

別尋找好笑的東西 只要去注意真實的事

We asked some of you what's true in your own lives,

我們問了一些人 你的生活中什麼是真實的

and here's a few things we heard.

這些是我們聽到的

NB: "Since working from home, I only comb the front part of my hair."

娜歐蜜：「自從開始在家工作後 我只梳正面的頭髮。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

JA: "I only like my own kids ..."

珍妮佛：「我只喜歡我的小孩...」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

“There, I said it.”

「沒錯，就是這樣。」

NB: So this is not about becoming a comedian.

娜歐蜜：這不是為了成為喜劇演員

This is about looking at the world in a different way.

而是用不同的角度看世界

There's a psychological principle called the priming effect

心理學有一個原則叫作啟動效應

that says our brains are wired to see what we've been set up to expect.

說我們大腦去看 我們原本就預期的東西

In essence, we find what we choose to look for.

就是說，我們尋找 我們選擇去找的東西

So when we live our lives on the precipice of a smile,

所以當我們活在 微笑曲線的峭壁上

we shift how we interact with the world,

我們改變和世界互動的方式

and in turn, how it interacts back.

相對地，世界如何和我們互動

JA: It's also about being human,

珍妮佛：這也是為了作為一個人

which should be easy, because we are human.

應該很容易才對，因為我們是人

But at work, it's oftentimes harder than we think.

但是工作的時候 這常常比我們想得還難

In a recent survey, people were asked "What traits inspire trust in a leader?"

最近一份調查，問人們 「什麼領袖特質會激發你對他的信任？」

One of the top responses: "Speaks like a regular person."

其中一個最普遍的回答是： 「像一個正常人說話。」

When work gets serious and life gets busy,

當工作變得嚴肅，生活變得繁忙

we become transactional.

我們變得制式化

And yet these small shifts are enough

這些微小的改變

to move us from transactional to human.

足以讓我們從制式化轉變成人性化

As small as a single word,

小至一個詞

like how we often sign off our emails: “Best.”

像是電子郵件結尾常常寫「最好的」

What does "best" even mean?

「最好的」到底是什麼意思？

Are you the best? Am I the best?

你是最好的嗎？我是最好的嗎？

Why do I need to tell you that?

為什麼我得告訴你？

We can do better than "best."

一定有比「最好的」更好的方法

Instead, how about ...

不如寫...

NB: When you've been up all night --

娜歐蜜：當你熬夜一整晚

"Yours heavily caffeinated."

「含高濃度咖啡因的敬上」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

JA: When you're talking about financial accounting?

珍妮佛：當你們在講財務會計

"Let's never speak of this again."

「別再提這件事」

NB: And on rare occasion, "I'm the best."

娜歐蜜：偶爾可以寫「我最棒」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Sometimes, you've just got to let people know.

有時候你就是要讓大家知道

Now, it's easy to believe

現在，大家很容易相信

that if we take our lives or our mission seriously,

如果我們認真對待生活 或是我們的任務

the presence of humor betrays that mission.

幽默的存在會背叛那個任務

That gravity and levity are somehow at odds.

那股重力和浮力 不知怎麼地就會分歧

But our research tells a different story.

但我們的研究結果並非如此

JA: We met with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,

珍妮佛：我們和國務卿 馬德琳 · 歐布萊特見面

who told us of the time when the Russian government

她告訴我們當時俄國政府

had bugged the US State Department,

竊聽美國國務院

a serious breach in international diplomacy.

國際外交史上一件嚴重的侵犯事件

After learning about the bugging,

在得知竊聽事件之後

Secretary Albright then went to her next meeting

國務卿歐布萊特在下一個

和俄國外交部長的會議上

with the Russian foreign minister,

wearing a bug pin.

別了一個臭蟲胸針

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And enormous bug pin.

超級巨大的臭蟲胸針

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

She shared how the foreign minister couldn't help but smile,

她說俄國外交部長忍不住笑了

and she also shared how the energy in the room shifted,

也提到會議室的氣氛跟著變了

and it changed the conversation entirely.

完全改變了雙方對話的走向

NB: This story illuminates at least two things that are true.

娜歐蜜：這個故事闡明了 至少兩件事實

First, that humor is a choice,

首先，幽默是個選擇

one we make in small moments and in big ones, too.

不管是平常無關緊要的時候 或是重大時刻做的選擇

And second, that the balance of gravity and levity

第二，重力與浮力之間的平衡

gives power to both.

為兩者都帶來力量

We can do serious things without taking ourselves so seriously,

我們不用太嚴肅地對待自己 也可以做認真的事

and in fact, often, we can do them better,

事實上，我們常常可以做得更好

and more fashionably.

更時尚

JA: Now we often hear that humor can be so tricky these days,

珍妮佛：最近我們常常聽到 幽默可以很棘手

and it's true.

這是真的

Comedians know this,

喜劇演員深知此理

which is why they can practice hundreds of times

所以這是為什麼他們要練習上百次

before a line makes it into one of their sets.

才能把一句台詞放到段子裡

They also get to wear jeans and drink whiskey at work.

他們也得以上班穿牛仔褲、喝威士忌

It's all very unfair.

這都很不公平

So how can we, as normal, non-comedian people,

所以我們一般非喜劇演員的人

practice safe sets?

如何練習安全的段子呢？

Start by recognizing it's not about you.

從意識到這不是關於你開始

So don't ask "Will this make me sound funny?"

所以別問「這會讓我聽起來好笑嗎？」

Instead, ask: “How will this make other people feel?”

要問「這會讓聽者有什麼感受呢？」

NB: Which also means never punching down,

娜歐蜜：也是說千萬不要打倒別人

that is, making fun of someone of lower status.

意思是，開社會地位比較低的人玩笑

And be sure to check your distance.

一定要檢查你的距離

How close are you personally to what you're making light of?

你和開玩笑的對象之間 私下有多親近？

I can make fun of my mother, but not your mother,

我可以開我媽媽的玩笑 但不能取笑你的媽媽

who, by the way, I hear is a saint, a lovely lady.

順帶一提 聽說你媽媽是位聖人、可愛的女士

JA: An angel.

珍妮佛：一位天使

NB: Our hope today is that you start climbing back up the humor cliff.

娜歐蜜：我們今天的期望是 你們開始沿著幽默懸崖往上爬

Start with what's true, and start small.

從真實的開始，從小地方著手

Choose to live on the precipice of a smile.

選擇生活在微笑曲線的峭壁上

When we do, we create teams, communities and families

如此一來，我們會建立 讓歡樂和笑聲來得更容易的

where joy and laughter come more easily.

團隊、社群，和家庭

JA: Laughing together makes us feel more connected.

珍妮佛：一起大笑 讓我們感覺彼此更有連結

It floods our brains

笑讓我們的大腦

with the same hormones associated with love.

充滿了那些和愛有關的賀爾蒙

And who doesn't want to feel more joy and love in our lives?

誰不想在生活中 感受更多歡樂和愛呢？

Where humor exists, love is not far behind.

有幽默在的地方，愛就在不遠處

NB: And if that doesn't sell you on the power of humor,

娜歐蜜：如果這還不能推銷你 幽默的力量

I will throw in my pet frog.

我就附送我的寵物青蛙

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

NB: Thank you. JA: Thank you so much.

娜歐蜜：謝謝 珍妮佛：非常謝謝大家

(Applause)

（掌聲）