Power dynamics are definitely there, and they can sneak up on you. Injecting jokes can definitely break the tension, but I have also had it backfire on me a bit

Power dynamics are definitely there, and they can sneak up on you. Injecting jokes can definitely break the tension, but I have also had it backfire on me a bit. In my first time leading a team, a few months in one of the people on my team who I had known personally from before pulled me aside and basically said "listen, I know you, and I know that you are a sarcastic person and can understand it. But everyone else kind of thinks you're an asshole". Still very thankful that they pointed that one out to me.