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I have AB tested this previously, and what the article is saying, does ring true to a some extent. I am known to be the joker, the glue of the team that just ra

by hyuuu 4y ago

I have AB tested this previously, and what the article is saying, does ring true to a some extent. I am known to be the joker, the glue of the team that just rallies as we go through harder problems or things we just don't want to do as a team. One day, just to test, for a whole month, I put on a serious facade. People did question if I was okay but in the end they adjusted and so did their treatment towards me. When I spoke they listened intently, when I disagreed the content of it was echoed by my team, I just somehow carry more weight. I switched back and the treatment then went back to "normal". It's hard for me to joke less and laugh less because it is naturally who I am. I would love to hear other people's experiences, has laugh/joke less helped you?

swatcoder 4y ago
> It's hard for me to joke less and laugh less because it is naturally who I am. I would love to hear other people's experiences, has laugh/joke less helped you? I try to bring a more complete version of myself into my work. I treat my coworkers and clients as peers that I'm collaborating with towards common professional goals and embrace an honest, informal air that includes humor, cynicism, sympathy, excitement and whatever else gets stirred. I do this knowing that not everyone approaches their work this way, and not expecting them to. What shakes out is that I tend to leave an impression on the clients and coworkers I collaborate with and that I accumulate tighter and longer-lasting relationships with those whose impression is positive. A few decades into my career, this means that even while I work as an independent consultant, my collaborators often feel like a family where there's a lot of respect, trust, wholeness, and acceptance. I'm not forgotten and -- because I also do good work -- I can usually find it when I need it. It's worked out well. But I also harbor no illusion that there aren't people who I've rubbed the wrong way and who would prefer a more compartmentalized work environment or who just weren't into my vibe. I don't blame them, and I don't sweat it. I also don't know that my approach would have flown had I gone down the megacorp route. That's fine by me too.
RobertRoberts 4y ago
I have nearly the same experience, but because I moved to a new company/job I had to make my change permanent. My jokes were getting in the way of being productive and so I started to bite by tongue when I think of something funny. Now I save my humor for times where productivity is not an issue, nor is decision making or in the presence of others making decisions or being productive. This is the nice balance I have found. (it's been better for me at work in every way to make this conscious decision on a regular basis, still not easy, but worth it)

by hyuuu 4y ago

swatcoder 4y ago

> It's hard for me to joke less and laugh less because it is naturally who I am. I would love to hear other people's experiences, has laugh/joke less helped you? I try to bring a more complete version of myself into my work. I treat my coworkers and clients as peers that I'm collaborating with towards common professional goals and embrace an honest, informal air that includes humor, cynicism, sympathy, excitement and whatever else gets stirred. I do this knowing that not everyone approaches their work this way, and not expecting them to. What shakes out is that I tend to leave an impression on the clients and coworkers I collaborate with and that I accumulate tighter and longer-lasting relationships with those whose impression is positive. A few decades into my career, this means that even while I work as an independent consultant, my collaborators often feel like a family where there's a lot of respect, trust, wholeness, and acceptance. I'm not forgotten and -- because I also do good work -- I can usually find it when I need it. It's worked out well. But I also harbor no illusion that there aren't people who I've rubbed the wrong way and who would prefer a more compartmentalized work environment or who just weren't into my vibe. I don't blame them, and I don't sweat it. I also don't know that my approach would have flown had I gone down the megacorp route. That's fine by me too.

RobertRoberts 4y ago

I have nearly the same experience, but because I moved to a new company/job I had to make my change permanent. My jokes were getting in the way of being productive and so I started to bite by tongue when I think of something funny. Now I save my humor for times where productivity is not an issue, nor is decision making or in the presence of others making decisions or being productive. This is the nice balance I have found. (it's been better for me at work in every way to make this conscious decision on a regular basis, still not easy, but worth it)