Humor in a crisis? Our instincts say no, but maybe the answer is yes. Humor has the power to overcome tense and deadlock situations.
At a recent conference, I listened to fascinating research on how humour can be used in public apologies—especially in lighter, reputational crises where celebrities or politicians are in the spotlight.
During the break, I discussed with colleagues a different angle: how humour helps teams under stress manage their emotions and defuse pressure.
Recently, I was in a crisis meeting, late evening. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Tension everywhere. Faces stiff. Silence heavy.
Then, in the middle of it all, someone made a small, humorous comment. Nothing spectacular—just a quick remark. Everyone laughed. Suddenly, the pressure dropped. People leaned forward, started talking, and energy poured back into the room.
That’s the power of humour in difficult times. It doesn’t make the problem go away. But it gives us perspective. It connects us. It helps us breathe again.
Humour is not the opposite of seriousness or focus. It’s a tool to stay human when things get rough.
A crisis is never 9-to-5—it’s a marathon. Managing a crisis also means managing resources, emotions and the people around you. Humour can support you in this endeavour.
I received several interesting comments on a LinkedIn post regarding this matter. A selection below:
- Humor has lightened the load many times over the years. I have to say, though, that I would be much more cautious these days. It only takes one person, even in the closest inner circle, who sees something as inappropriate for it to become another crisis. It is far too easy to record and share the most private moments on a global scale. I certainly validate your point from past experience. I would just caution us all that the heat of the moment and the lure of celebrity seems a bit more intense at present. (August Whitcomb, Author and Crisis Expert)
- Serving as a military medic and later in civilian trauma teams humor got myself and colleagues through some shocking times. I won’t share examples but I know a moment of humor in the midst of stress and chaos has helped bring focus back into the room on many occasions.
(Nathan Charlish, Emergency Manager and Strategist) - Within an Incident and Crisis Leadership Team, there must be space for humor. The job can become very tough, and the tension high. As Martin states above, humor does not mean, someone takes a situation not serious (enough). It creates moments of relaxation in times we all need them while working for those who are affected by and an incident or a crisis.
(Christian Gartmann, Swiss Crisis Expert)