Humor and laughter are two of the best things humanity’s ever developed, aside from toilet paper. By laughing or even smiling, you can make the stress fade away. Your giggles will help you lower blood pressure, boost blood circulation, relax muscle tension and pain, and in general, improve your immune system.
It is also a tool used by many to influence other people’s opinions, especially when running for a president, like Volodymyr Zelensky. He used to be a complete boob in politics, but somehow his charisma and empty promises have successfully made him the head of the country.
What’s even funnier is that as an actor, he used to play a history teacher who became the president. You can look up Servant of the People on Netflix if you don’t believe us.
In a very unexpected turn of events, Zelensky eventually became a real icon of the free world, so here’s the question: can comedians make great leaders? Can jokes help you rule the land? Apparently, those statements are not that farfetched.
1. Humor unites people
When running for a president, the first thing you’ll need is a solid and hardworking team. And nothing says “good leader” like a well-placed joke to boost everyone’s morale. Plus, if the people around you like you, you won’t have to worry about a coup.
2. Sprucing up boring speeches
We’ve all heard those long-winded presidential speeches at some point and thought to ourselves: “Would it kill whoever wrote this to crack a few jokes?” It’s much easier to focus on the speaker that way, and anecdotes make boring speeches more memorable.
3. Softening the blow
Nobody likes being criticized, even if they say they want a straight answer. It’s a real fine art to deliver criticism in a way that won’t only hurt the person’s feelings but also make them like you more.
4. A fun line between power and politeness
Respect is a huge factor for any leader, but being a tyrannical dictator won’t get you far. Go ahead and use your wits to remind people why they’re following you instead of rudely reminding everyone who’s the boss.
5. De-escalate tense situations
To err is human, and no matter how smart you think you are as a leader, mistakes will be made. How you deal with these problems is up to you, but generally speaking, there are two options. Remain silent and try to fight the consequences or admit to your shortcomings while cracking a few jokes. One option will cause distrust, while the other will make you look more human and relatable.
6. Improve your social image
Unless you’re a very troubled person, you want to be liked by people. Probably not everyone, but at least a few. But leaders have to up that scale to thousands and millions! It’s no secret that being funny makes you more likable, so use humor to get more followers, just remember not to overcompensate, as that would have the opposite effect.
7. Jokes may become memes
When a leader says something dumb, you hear about it from every direction, but a well-placed joke can have the same viral effect without the negative consequences. The meme lords will use those funny words and create pictures, songs, t-shirts, and even video games, solidifying your reign even further.
