Humor as a Desired Leadership Quality Compared Across Four Professional Fields in Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio

This quantitative research study examined how followers in four different fields of business, education, government, and the non-profit sector view humor as a leadership quality. The study met this purpose through the administration of the self-designed Leadership Attitudes Survey, which addressed how individuals in each of the four fields of business, education, government, and the non-profit sector: rank humor compared to other leadership skills, show preference for working with a leader who uses humor compared to one who does not, and identify contexts that are appropriate and inappropriate for leader use of humor. Participants in the study were 433 individuals living in Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio who work in each of the four fields identified above. The data collected implied that humor was not deemed unimportant, but less important than the other leadership qualities listed and that statistically significant differences existed in how individuals in each of the fields ranked the leadership qualities. The data also implied that while individuals across the four fields prefer working with a leader who uses humor, the quality would not be included in the top lists of desired leadership qualities they would choose when selecting a new leader. In addition, the data implied that contexts in which followers across fields felt leader use of humor was appropriate and inappropriate are uniform, without significant differences. This research led to several recommendations for educators, first being that use of humor should be universally included in the training and education of existing and emerging leaders across all fields. Second, individuals should be trained and educated in the contexts in which humor use is appropriate and inappropriate. Since these are universal, training in contexts can be beneficial to all leaders. Finally, humor is a part of a well-rounded leader. Although humor alone is not the sole indicator of leadership effectiveness, followers prefer a leader who uses humor and it has been included on lists describing the traits and behaviors that lead to strong leader performance. While humor may not be the sole key to leadership success, humor has a place in the discussions of leadership.