# Why So Serious By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-03-05 The language and demeanor of organizations are overwhelmingly serious and dull. Mission statements highlight lofty and long goals that align with a larger purpose that only loosely ties to what the organization does. Organizational values are typically things like respect, taking action, doing what is best, and working hard together. Organizational language and stories revolve around beating the competition, winning the battle, and executing the mission. Occasionally team and morale-building exercises creep in but are only done when performance begins to slip or because it's the latest management fad. Do all organizations have to take themselves so seriously? If you were to turn every organization into a show and put it on your favorite streaming services, would you not become incredibly bored with all the pointless soap opera dramas? Will the sales team meet their quarterly goals by beating out the evil competitors while Sally in marketing works through the night on a presentation? Tune in next week to find out. Where are the comedies and adventure stories? They are non-existent in the world of organizations. Maybe after the fact, someone turns them into these kinds of stories, but they are merely parodies of what life was like within the organization. What would an organization look like if it didn't take itself seriously all the time? Some might say they wouldn't survive in the free market. But I'm not so sure about that. Seriousness does not equate to productivity and engagement. Humor exists for a reason. Sometimes laughter is the best medicine. Sometimes the greatest truths live in the jokes we tell, and these jokes propel us to continue in joy. Why not exist a little bit in the realm of humor and fun versus the realm of endless seriousness and suffering? #### Related Items [[Organizational Analytics]] [[Business]] [[Humor]] [[Purpose]] [[Suffering]]