How a Well-Timed Joke Can Save Your Business (and Your Sanity)

A family business runs on shared blood, but it often boils. Tempers flare, egos jostle, and silences linger long after the meeting’s over. You’re not just managing profit—you’re managing people. That’s why one of the most underrated tools in any family firm isn’t strategy, or systems, or spreadsheets. It’s humour. Properly used, it diffuses conflict, builds trust, and humanises your brand. And best of all—it’s free.

Humour: The Forgotten Business Strategy

You’re not running a sitcom yet you are managing characters.

Your brother storms out of meetings.

Your father reminisces about the way things used to be.

Your daughter critiques everything with a sigh and a sideways glance.

And then there’s you. Wondering how to keep the business alive without losing the plot.

Here’s the truth: humour won’t solve everything.

But it will keep the family (and the clients) from walking out.

Why It Works

A French psychologist once tested it:

Waiter cracks a joke at the bill stage. Tips double.

(And the joke? Something about Eskimos. It wasn’t even good.)

But the effect was real:

Humour builds rapport

It lowers cortisol

And makes people lean in rather than lash out

Whether it’s an awkward staff meeting or a tense client call, a light remark often achieves what a lecture can’t.

In Family, It’s Oxygen

Family firms aren’t rational entities.

They’re emotional ecosystems.

And humour? It’s emotional release without emotional damage.

You could scold your son for missing a sales call.

Or smile and say, “If you were any more relaxed, you’d be a scented candle.”

He gets the message. You avoid war.

Clients Love It Too

Clients don’t want sterile.

They want human.

Your engineer says, “It’ll be a three-day delay.”

You add, “Unless Doc Brown shows up with a spare flux capacitor.”

They smile. You bought yourself patience, and goodwill.

When Not to Use It

Humour isn’t a get-out-of-jail card. It’s a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.

Don’t overdo it. If people start calling you ‘funny man,’ you’ve gone too far.

Stay on tone. Exclusive brands need wryness, not slapstick.

Mind the culture. That sheep joke won’t fly in Switzerland.

How to Use It Well

✅ Train your team. Give them permission to be personable, not robotic.

✅ Use visuals. A clever cartoon or meme can cross language barriers faster than a pun.

✅ Start small. Drop one light remark into a call or meeting. Notice what happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Won’t humour make us look less professional?

A: No—when done well, it makes you more human. People trust what feels real.

Q: What if I’m not naturally funny?

A: You don’t need to be. You need to be light. Wry, not wild.

Q: Can humour help with conflict?

A: Yes. It shifts tone, cools tension, and helps people re-engage without losing face.

Q: Should I joke with serious clients?

A: If you wouldn’t laugh at their dinner table, don’t try it in a meeting. But don’t confuse seriousness with a lack of warmth.

Q: What’s the risk?

A: Poor timing. Poor taste. Poor awareness. Start safe, stay smart.

Add a Line. Change the Mood.

Humour isn’t garnish—it’s glue.

It keeps the family on speaking terms.

It helps your clients remember you.

It softens mistakes, deepens trust, and makes the hard stuff easier to hear.

✅ Try one small joke this week

✅ Notice what shifts

✅ Bookmark the FAQs when you need a reminder

Because when things get tense, and they will

a light remark might be the thing that holds the business together.

And if all else fails?

A bad joke’s still better than no joke at all.