Unleashing Humor & Storytelling in the Workplace with Gita Kulkarni

Speaker A: Foreign.

Speaker B: Hello and welcome to Vibe Makers conversations with Culture Activators where we dive into the heart of workplace culture and leadership with the most innovative minds in the business. And today I am, um, just tickled to bring on Geeta Kilkerny, who is not only a thought leader in the industry and someone to look up to and learn from, but she's also turned into a really good friend of mine. So when she said that, yes, I am on board to come on to Vibe Makers, I was very excited. So Geeta is the founder of humoredge, named appropriately because her goal is to help companies get more human edge using their own humor to deliver their competitive edge. Her mission is to help people express their unique sense of humor and be more productive and effective at work and really at life. Uh, she has experience learning improvisation at Second City in Chicago, which is awesome. Ah. She also operated and founded uh, Vinta Services, which is a 17 year salesforce.com partner. Most of her practice and perfection of humor originated from its basic human survival at Mrs. M. Champagne's kindergarten class and has carried her on to a thousand plus implementations of salesforce.com to Fortune 1 to Fortune 5000 companies globally. A cast and technique she has employed at 5 years old could not have, hasn't actually drastically changed. She's actually, uh, an elite runner and a recording artist. I did not know that. And both show up in her work. So welcome, welcome, welcome Gita, I'm so, so happy to have you.

Speaker A: Thank you, Marnie. It's a joy. And I'm excited to like talk about this stuff. It's fun and it's like, it, like I say, you know, life is, we are still our kindergarten selves. So it is, it is no different. We are just, we're just wearing bigger clothes, but we are still pretty much the same person.

Speaker B: Exactly. I think that's why I use the term kindergarten clear all the time. And I don't mean it to do, but it's like, help me from a kindergarten clear standpoint. Like let's just get back to our roots, pretend I'm there, right?

Speaker A: It is, it's so essential. I mean, we've got to get. I mean when you get back to basics with anybody on stuff and you talk real, real, real with them, it's just things really have it right. So love that.

Speaker B: Well, to kick off the conversation, uh, could you share with us the moment or an experience? Whether it was a moment or experience, a, uh, uh, path that sparked this innovative approach to work.

Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. I'm so. I will Say, I mean, I probably. I look nerdy. I'm sure I feel nerdy. I, um. And I. I think we're all dirty in one way or another, you know, And I think what. I think all of us, when we get out into the business world, we're like, okay, let's all just get business done all the time, you know? And I did, and I was very much that avatar. Um, but I did find that when I really got good at it, I would find ways to. Humor would just naturally crop up and I would be like, oh, that's so cute. Just go away. Um, and I would. I would kind of push away, like, no, stop talking. You know, really serious. And I would find it coming up in my work on, you know, what do I say? Just uncontrollably, let's just say to some degree. And I would find that it would also, um. It would made these connections work. I was operating at say 80%. I found myself at like 100, 110% in my productivity. And the people around me would be, you know, you would see things just really just change that point. You would see, you know, especially when I implement technology, if I was doing the work and we were doing it well. But then I added all these augmenters with humor. People were just. You would just see a lot of firing in cylinders and people just laughing and enjoying themselves. And I found that it wasn't just me that was kind of starting to realize that you could really get pretty far with this currency of shimmer. Others were finding that as I would deploy and I would show and model humor in the work in something very technical, like a salesforce implementation, like a technology decision, they'd be like. They would see like, wow, you know what? She's funny and she's enjoyable, but she's getting the work done and she's helping us work as a team, and she's about to deploy out. And I feel really comfortable with how we're doing this. And everybody likes me, nobody hates me, you know, and, uh. And we're. We've got a better rapport with our own internal teams than we've ever had. And that has. And a lot of that has come as a result of. In byproduct of humor. So I'm huge evangelist of it because of those reasons. And that was probably the moments when I started to realize where it wasn't just me. It was others that were starting to emulate and starting to latch on humor and execute it in their work and who weren't naturally coming and Grabbing the humor glass, first pass, right? Like they were like, here you go. And they would take some and they'd be like, tastes pretty good. You know. And that's where it kind of came from.

Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. I think I felt like it started naturally with me with humor, but when I started listening to a lot of your pieces, uh, and the thought leadership that you put out is that intentionality behind it. Because a lot of times what I was finding was my brand of humor may not land in the way that I had actually intended or, you know, I was self conscious in bringing that into the work environment, especially coming from hr. So I really appreciate your approach and guidance and almost that confidence building, you know, when it comes to humor. Right.

Speaker A: I mean, it is, it's, it's, it's kind of work. We were in an operating, we are operating in a stress state. And I think you probably started to hear a lot of the literature now where, um, we are addicted to our own stress, right? Like, we seek it in the morning. We. If you're, if you are a person that enjoys drama or has drama, I mean, maybe you don't even say you enjoy drama, you just have it, it comes into your, you actually look for that, you know, and, and so, um, humor, believe it or not, also operates under that same guise. When you start to draw it in. You, um, you start to get comfortable with your humor. Like, you know, you're like pressure. And then you start to realize your humor is, is acceptable and you, you actually practice with it. You. It is much like a, it is a muscle. I say so. Kudos to you, you know, so I

Speaker B: love that, you know, and I, I know going off, off, you know, kilter here, but you know, even the, the idea of culture, so that it's that healthy friction, right? And it's like that kind of friction that keeps, uh, forward momentum. Same with humor and same with culture. Like I've always said, you know, hey, I've been in these really cool vibey cultures and that's addictive, and you, you find yourself looking for it more. And I can see where that would be the same with, with humor as well.

Speaker A: Right? Yeah. I mean, and it, like we. And one of the things I always tell people, like, they're starting to get used to it. I mean, you have to get used to it within the unit of one, I call it. Right? But then once you get used to it a little bit in the unit of one, you can also practice it with the unit of many. Right? And that's where you start to you kind of often, I find especially um, when people kind of have to do a paradigm especially traditional like hr, like, you know, I, you know, have to present as a certain way and you start to play with it a little bit more. There's, you probably realize there's massive amounts of opportunity for you now. Right. Because you're getting through in a different way that. Mhm. And that's, that's, that's the beauty of it. Right. So yeah.

Speaker B: Is that charisma piece, you know, that really lends itself, lends itself to leadership that I think is so important and one of the least or underutilized skill, uh, set muscles that, that we have. So one of the other things that switching gears a little bit, but a little bit, but not, not a lot is you talk a lot about storytelling in business. And so when we talk about leadership and storytelling and how that works and in, in the business environment, um, what does that do really to advance the company culture?

Speaker A: Yeah, and they're somewhat interwoven because um, what tends to happen in this. The nature of storytelling is that you become. It is a very, it is much like a muscle to practice skills. So you start to, you start to play with it a little bit more and, and add things like humor in it. So there's a little, there's an interview there. But why is it. So you're you. The question was more of like, why is it so powerful? What does it do for companies? Yeah, I mean, um, so mechanically it gives you a currency to get to know another person. Number one. I always typically will have companies have the team tell stories. Why? Because the person that is actually telling the story has agency and has choices to the many things that are going on in their world or the many things that have happened in the world. And they get to choose the story that they want to um, share with others. Right. So, um, then, um, you really are. When we, and I, you know, good story, you're setting the scene, you're actually walking us through like the day in the normal. We're developing a level relationship with your situation and we're um, you know, then something happens, you go through a conflict and then we understand your rationale and then we understand your uh, why you do what you do. And then we see the outcome. Right. And we're rooting for you all along the way. So what's happening in that experience is like we are developing empathy for you and we're also developing therefore respect for you. And that changes like the dialogue, um, and it changes a working relationship at A really, you know, you know, at a basic level, at a fundamental level. So when I get to know Marnie and I get to know, uh, I know, you know, I went through, you know, we went, we. I met you in Houston a few months ago at this point, right. And we, we had experiences together. Um, it changes the dynamic, it changes how we talk to each other, you know, and, and it, it changes my respect for like, I mean, I've had a ton of respect for you, but I know you now in a very like, uh, even a better way. Right. That picture becomes that much more clear. So it gives you this topography of somebody and I call it like depth of, of who they are. Right. And that changes your ability to talk to them at the most basic level. And when you do that amongst a teenage, it allows you to be like. Because teams will go through, like, I, uh, call them peaks and valleys. Right. They'll go through companies, you know, will go through peaks and valleys. And we, we need to know how to work and operate and communicate effectively in those peaks and valleys. And things like these, this respect and this currency through shared storytelling help develop that muscle.

Speaker B: Yes. And communicate through the peaks and valleys. And one of the things that you said that really resonates me because I've been talking about it a lot lately is agency. And you know, these companies, especially in today's day and time, companies are like, okay, well how do I get my, my team to be more creative or to bring more ideas to the table? Well, by storytelling and inviting people to co create these stories, you, you are giving them that agency. And it just this flywheel effect from

Speaker A: that A, uh, hundred percent, right? Because you start to tell stories amongst yourselves, you develop muscle and then you start to develop stories. Like, what can we do to like, we want to be more innovative in the team? Well, what do we. What are the projects working on? What is the stimulus for that? Like, tell us more about what that would get you excited about this project. And there, there lied the stories, Right. And when people start to get really comfortable with the storytelling aspect, they realize that it's. You are now getting somebody on your side and you're getting them in your, in your shoes. And therefore they will take the action to learn what you want to, you know, teach them or what you're trying to make them buy or what you're trying to kind of impress onto them or inspire them to do. Right? So there's, there's so much that storytelling affords. Um, when you finally grasp the fundamentals of how that's supposed to be performant. You know, it's not just the kind of what I call the superficial team building exercise, but it's a very deep way of just kind of. And it's also like I think I mentioned this, you know, it's, it's an attractor and it's a detractor. Right. Because um, you know, if I tell a story, I'm you know, whatever 39 year old runner that loves to go crazy on a running and but, and I set the story and I talk about those things. But guess What? Somebody who's 24 years old can relate to that too. Somebody who's 30, whatever, you know, other Democrats, somebody else will. Or even just kind of walking through a really good story. Somebody who's facing odds or constantly has to go up and fight a battle. Every Saturday or once a week they have this knowing battle of like I got to get on the race course and do this or I've got to have this challenge every week. They will relate. Right. And so what companies start to see is that they're like, I don't just bring like this really myopic market of people together. I bring massive amounts of people to relate to the fundamental value set here of the culture, of the purchase of the product or whatever it is. And then they're like the acquisition costs, you know, it's an attractor. But then also your detraction is there. Right. People who don't find stuff like in culture very resonant, you find that they pull away and that's great.

Speaker B: Exactly. It's like, okay, peace, see ya. You know. Yeah. So if you are. And like I resonate 100% and that's one of the things as a business leader I've had to learn is I'm not for everyone. But if I tell my story and I tell it well, the people who I am for will resonate and will follow me. Um, and that's that it works for companies as well. So if I'm a company leader, what makes a powerful story?

Speaker A: Yeah. So I kind of break it into a couple things. One is setting the stage right when you think of yourself, when you want to tell a story is I'm coming to watch your movie, right. So you need to very quickly get me into the movie scene. Like I want to see that. It's a sunny day, you know, particular details, some details I don't need to know. Right. But then, but I. The scene is there and it's a scene and a situation that we can all walk into and relate To. And look around and go, okay, I get it, right? And then, um, you start to. Then there's something that happens in the story, right? So typically in a good story, I always tell my leaders to walk through a lived experience, um, and say, okay, this is how. This is the normal. And then this happened. And then you walk through your thought process. That's a very important thing. People need to understand your thought process. That's where the. What I call the intimacy of the mind happens, where you're like, oh, I understand why they did that. Right? But if we don't understand that, we just know that, yeah, you walked across the bridge and you. You swam five miles, and so be it. We don't appreciate as much as, oh, I was. Ran across the bridge and I almost fell. And then I, like, I was worried because I, you know, remember my sock? I was telling you about my sock. It was like, big, and then I was wet, and I'm worried. Like, we want to know because then we relate to that, right? We're like, oh, yeah, like now I can imagine because I was in that pain. And, and so that, um, hearing the thought process, hearing your stream of conscious, and then, you know, telling us the outcomes and how the things, the lived outcomes come out is a really good thing. And by the way, when you tell that story, um, natural devices of your humor, because it's your own story will come out, right? And you can even see me look at my. I mean, I'm just thinking of stories I tell, so I tend to look in the. In the corner and think about these experiences. But, um, that's what makes a good story. And also, also, I'd say don't make it about. I, uh, hate to say this, but it could be a good story with a great outcome. But there has to be some setback. We need to see the struggle. People want to see struggle. We don't want to hear that you solve world peace. Like, I mean, I just, you know, cool. But maybe not so much, you know, so.

Speaker B: Not. Not so so much relatable at that point.

Speaker A: It's like, exactly, right, exactly.

Speaker B: Or, you know, there. There's a bull, uh, ometer. That's. That's linked to that as well.

Speaker A: Right, exactly. Right. Yeah. We don't want to know that. Like, you went from your yacht and then you went to the conference, and then you solved world peace, and then you got back under. You. Like, nobody wants to know that story. Like, that's not how most of us live. I mean, I'd love to say I did but you do, but I. We don't, you know.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker A: Well.

Speaker B: And then you have it covered. At that point, you don't need me. Like, if you saw, like, we're good. All right.

Speaker A: Right, Exactly.

Speaker B: We're done. So, you know, one of the things I think that's so hard when it comes to, you know, thinking about intentionally, you know, leading with storytelling or taking your. Your company on the hero's journey with you, you know, is how do you even get started? You know? Any good tips from that standpoint?

Speaker A: Yeah. So, um, us. A workshop, like, where you each. You practice it as a unit of self, I think is a really great way to do it. Um, help everybody. You know, typically, I will say one of the things I do is, I'll say, hey, let me talk to you about the good framework of a basic, good story. And I kind of walk through very simple thing of, like, wow, I just walk through it with you, and I kind of give angles and stuff about choice of story. Um, choice of story is a big thing. Um, there's many options. People think, I live a boring life. And then you start to realize as you get these prompters, every. I don't think there's a single person on the face of this earth unless they're, like, one second old at his face setback. And probably the one who was one second old actually had to come down the birthing canal. So they probably have faced that back.

Speaker B: I've seen some stuff.

Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. So, you know, like, so there everybody has face setback. It's just. You have to. You have to come sometimes. Kind of. It's a process, right? You start. I usually tell people to do the story and then come back to it in, like, a few days and revisit it. You know, it's not. You get better at it as you do it more often, but, um, the first few times that you do it, like, humor, right? It just takes a little bit of getting comfortable and coordinated with the muscles to kind of feel like, okay, I can do this. Right? Um, but I think do it as a unit of a team, um, practice on the agency of self. Because, you know, your stories. There's not really much to memorize there, you know? You know, so I tell people, like, work there, and then get that muscle and understand the fundamentals, and then kind of start to say, okay, how can we use cases amongst a department? How can we use this for a team or an initiative we're having? And then I take that initiative and then tie it to kind of the realities of the Constituency that you're trying to bring into. To do something. Right? So that's. Yeah.

Speaker B: And I love your. Your workshop approach and how you approach that, because it's. It's not. It's. It's the agency and developing that ability, but also this. This shared vernacular and shared communication of, uh. This is our approach as an organization. So that you're creating this. This safe space, but also this. This expectation of, like, I see what you're doing there. I'm gonna. I'm gonna give you your. Your time and your space to. To develop that and go on the journey with you.

Speaker A: Yes, yes. And it's powerful, right? You're giving. You're. When people feel empowered, then they feel that much more apt to kind of move with you. Right. Or change. Right. And so, um, to your point, like, so this. The. You know, with the workshop, too, you learn some massively fascinating things about, uh, people, about your cohorts, because oftentimes when they're telling these stories, people want to come to the second session with, like, a really good story that people don't know about them. And we're like, wow, we learned so many things. We learned that you're. You speak sign language with your mother and that she speaks sign language in two different sign languages. Right. Or, um, you're like. You learn a massive amount of things about people in the world at large, and it changes. Just. People walk out of that and go, wow. You know, so I love that.

Speaker B: Can it go wrong?

Speaker A: Yeah, it can. I mean, so the example I've used where you kind of come in and you're like, we need to hear your struggle. I think that's where people don't, um. When. And people. And. Or people will embellish, you know, like, they'll. They'll kind of go off the reservation. We can. People are really smart, you know, just, you know, and people can see when there's. That's not a real story or you're not cutting through the glass or, um, it's just. It's all. It's not. It doesn't show your struggle. The struggle makes us want. It gives us the affection towards you. Right. And it makes. So that's where I say, like, that's so often where people go wrong. They just think, I'm going to tell a story. Right? And I'm like, well, the story has to have a struggle to some degree, you know?

Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. And I know we already talked about this, too. You have the struggle, and then there's the approach, too. And, you know, I know that you, you also speak a lot on humor. And we talked about that at the top of our conversation. But yes, uh, you know, tell me a little bit about that. You know, and intertwining with storytelling, you

Speaker A: know, it comes out it naturally. When I do these workshops, it without fail will always come out. Because when you hear people's thought, thought, ah, process like you, it's not like joke funny, it's just, I'm with you and you just get there and, and that is, it puts a smile on your face, a smirk on your face and that. That's where the funny comes out. Um, as you get more comfortable with your. Because this stuff to get so a little esoteric, it's living in your subconscious and it becomes more conscious. And as you become more conscious of yourself, you actually give yourself grace. And as you give yourself grace, you, you actually. Humor naturally is a byproduct of that. Um, so it's, it's kind of where there's a lot of intersectionality where. With storytelling, humor. Because, um, people think, oh gosh, I've got this. And they almost self impress themselves. Like, oh, I've got to have a story. And then I want to make sure it's funny. And I'm like, it's just going to become funny. If it's a good story, it will find it's funny. Trust me. Don't, don't focus on that. Focus on the story and you'll get what you, you'll get the results. You know, people are like, I'm scared, but I'm like, try.

Speaker B: You know, I, uh, love that I'm actually taking notes on that because it is. Sometimes I have to. Even in speaking engagements and whatnot, it's like, okay, where's the funny? Well, no, actually, just tell your story. The, the funny's in there. And, and sometimes you don't even know it's the funny until.

Speaker A: Right. Like I'll. You'll tell the story and then like you can tell the third party like, or you know, your hus. Or you know, daughter. Right. And then they'll see it. They'll see it and you may not even see it because. And, and that's. That's the, that's the fascination of some of this stuff, you know? Um, so.

Speaker B: Exactly. Because usually they're your biggest fans and if you're doing a group thing and you're creating the environment where you're rooting for each other, then it's like, yes, they'll give you the feedback that you need.

Speaker A: Exactly.

Speaker B: Okay, so now where we have a few minutes left. Not much time. We're to. My favorite part of the show.

Speaker A: We're.

Speaker B: Which is what I like to call the, um, non. Rapid fire. Rapid fire questions. Because, um, it's a bit of an oxymoron. I started trying to do rapid fire questions and guess what? They're not rapid fire. They're just like regular questions, but maybe a little more fun in nature. So are you ready?

Speaker A: I'm ready.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: I think, well, this one's maybe not as fun, but it's, uh, a book that changed your perspective on work or significantly influenced your approach on humor and business.

Speaker A: Yeah, book that changed my approach on work or significantly improved is Bossypants. So, yeah, I'm sure there's many to crap up that I probably should have said something more like, you know, how to derivatives and options. But I. Yeah, bossy pants. Um, it's just funny. I mean, it really gives me. And if you're. If you're anybody that wants to explore like your inner humor, like Tina Fey is a good example. Living, watching other people. It's a biography of Tina Fey. Um, and she talks, but she's got a lot of antidotes in there and it just helps you. Gives you like a lot of creative freedom to like, find your funny.

Speaker B: So, yes, I love Tina Fey and I am totally gonna read that. I haven't read it yet. So now that you've said that, it's definitely on my list. Okay. If the Humor Edge had a mascot, what would it be and why?

Speaker A: Right. Pyramid. Probably a cat. I don't know why, but I have this, like, I'm not had a cat. Um, but I think there's just a lot of, um. I didn't realize as much, I guess because I, you know, and sometimes at night, if I want five minutes of guilty pleasure, I'll go and look at cat memes on Instagram. And so I just find that like, I. That's my thing is like, probably cat. And I think mascot would be like, I don't know, humorous. The cat. I don't even know. Just something.

Speaker B: Yeah, I love that. And you know, because cats are smart, but they're also jerks and they're also, you know, like, I don't think that about Humor Edge, by the way, but I'm thinking like.

Speaker A: Yeah, no, that's exactly. And they express so many different things. Right. So it's multi dimensional. They are.

Speaker B: So if your culture was a theme park ride, what would it be called and what would the experience be?

Speaker A: Like, so I am going to date myself. But have you ever gone, like when I was little, we went to Magic Mountain in Disney World. Was it. And it was inside the mountain. So like I'm. I don't even think. I don't even know if that's functional anymore. But it was, I mean it was a, you know, it was that roller coaster. I think I, I think it would be a roller coaster just because Peaks and Valleys we should. And we should as we should have peaks and valleys in our life. So.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: Um. Mhm.

Speaker B: Well. And that's part of the storyline, right too, Is the peaks and Totally part of the storyline. And that should be the name of the theme park ride is Storyline.

Speaker A: Well, I mean, we need to talk to Mr. Who I don't even know. It's not Mr. Disney anymore because I don't think he's alive. But you know, we need to talk to them and there's a business plan they're waiting for us to be.

Speaker B: Yes, exactly. And so, uh, this one is a regular question of mine, so it might be cheesy for you in particular, but, uh, what's your favorite punchline? Just the punchline of your favorite joke.

Speaker A: I know I'm like the oldest. I feel like, uh, so did I do that? I don't know if you remember, but on Friday nights I think I'm. Yeah. So there was Urkel and it was a show and I can't. I think it was Family Matters I did. So there's a lot of, like I watch a lot of women humorous like Amy, um, Eliza Schlesinger and obviously Tina Fey and Amy Schumer and all of the, you know, I watch these women who do their work and I study their craft, if you will, but they don't have one liner. So I was like, I was thinking about like, what's a good liner? And I just thought like, did I do that? It's just one that I first. That came to mind. I don't necessarily walk out of the house or go into my presentations going, did I do that? But I have been known to do it at times.

Speaker B: I love that, you know, we're. Yeah. My family will adopt one for a certain period of time. Just have like a, you know, Instagram reel or whatnot. Is like, you know, well, maybe all of a sudden that's just our line for the next two months.

Speaker A: Right, that's true. That is absolutely true.

Speaker B: Yeah. Well, I know we're, we're up on time, giddy, and you're extremely busy. So before we wrap up. Where can people find you?

Speaker A: Yeah, um, well, so I've got the tips and tricks on LinkedIn, so, um, I often post up out there, just as you're thinking and trying to experiment and find your funny. You can always look at LinkedIn and see stuff there. And then you can always reach out to me in the humor edge. Right. Um, there's a. I've got a website out there. Um, yeah, just reach out and we've got engagements and kind of what's out there and we. I happy to chat.

Speaker B: So thank you and hopefully we can continue the conversation again soon. Thank you so much.

Speaker A: Absolutely. Yeah. Thanks, Marie. Have a good one. Keep laughing. Keep smiling. Bye.