Seriously Funny: Women Who Humor and Change the Rules (Kathy Klotz-Guest)

This was pure joy. Lalita Dee is a friend and fellow comedian. A leader at Stanford, she also hosts a podcast with fellow friend and comedian, Smita Venkat, called "We 💖 Mom Jokes!" Want unfiltered truth? Talk to a comedian. At least one who's Dutch. She's not rude...she's from Amsterdam! (A call back will make sense as you listen).

In this episode, we chat about:

-The definition of mom jokes: Funny dad jokes!

-How women still get mixed messages about being themselves at work despite awareness of gender issues, and why we hate the word "authenticity" and laugh about our "full selves"

-Why comedy makes us happier and braver (and what it can do for you, too) and yes comedians second-guess themselves

-Our big lessons from doing comedy (hello innovation and why jokes that don't work gotta go)

-Why women leaders need to stretch themselves, take bigger risks and use more humor

-Comedy v Ted Talk: why you can do both with jokes AND it means knowing your audience

Connect with Lalita

Lalita Dee @lalitadeecomedy (Insta)

Her podcast is We 💖 Mom Jokes

Connect with Kathy

Keepingithuman.com

@klotzguest and @kathyklotzguestcomedy (insta)

In this episode I talk to my fun friend, Mavens of Merch founder, Zineb Layachi. She's a GIF Queen, too, all.

Her whole brand is about getting people to hear your message - not the pitch slaps we're used to. Rather, her whole brand is about fun connections people remember: like comical sayings on merch. 

Highlights of this episode include:

• Why recognizing that 'limited space' for anything can clarify everything
• My fave phrase and her mantra for the entrepreneurial journey 'take what you do seriously, don't take yourself so seriously'
• Confidence means not over-thinking and it's important so that you own who you are
• Why today she no longer has a divide between personal and professional (personal and private are different, though)
• Humor is really giving yourself permission to be seen by showing up as you are and her way to have fun: selfies, slogans and GIFs!
• Kathy talks GPS redirects for filtering (as women leaders do) and does one F-bomb (just one. You'll live)

Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn and Keepingithuman

Connect with Zineb on LinkedIn

You effed up.

We all do. I have. You have. We're all human.

Watching the Golden Globes made me think of times I didn't perform well or things could have gone differently.

Don't beat yourself up. Making mistakes, failing - all part of learning. Don't wait too long to get back on the horse.

Give yourself grace, understand lessons and move forward.

Here are 3 big life and leadership lessons on letting disappointment and failure drive your growth, being kind to yourself, your team AND how to use humor to lift people up.

What did you learn from the Golden Globes? I'd love to hear.

Be sure to reach out and visit me on linkedin.com and keepingithuman.com

Dani Klein Modisett is the Founder and CEO of Laughter On Call. She is a woman after my own heart. 

We're both comedians, improvisers, business women, moms, have 3 names and we both believe in the power of laughter.  This conversation was one of my favorites (they all are!) because we both believe in the message of joy. We know that Covid created a profound sense of isolation that led to disconnection. Girl, preach. And her business pivoted and grew to meet that demand for shared laughter.

This episode is so rich in fun and life wisdom, I think you'll love it too! 

We chat about:

• Meeting on LinkedIn, the most unfunny social platform. or is it changing?
• How she pivoted from working with Alzheimer's patients to recognizing that laughter healed the isolation so many of us feel
• The power of Improv and How Covid forced us (all of us) to say 'yes and!' to change
• The challenge of cynicism and she gives me a (Greek!) history lesson
• Being a woman in comedy and her journey from waitress in NY to helping people laugh for a living
• Why magic happens when you let go of being right and accepting your imperfections (she'll tell us hers!)
• Why shared laughter is the key to human connection between / among humans (a big 'yes and' to that!)
• The big life thing: find your joy!

Be sure to visit and connect with us at:

laughteroncall.com

keepingithuman.com

In this episode I talk to someone I've listened to for a while and, whew! ...she delivers. Laurie Ruettimann is lightening in a bottle. Part funny, part changing the world, and a whole lot of F YES! She is on a mission to fix work AND that starts with you. And me. And us. Her book is "Betting on You" and her podcast is "Punk Rock HR."

The big takeaway from our convo: You fix Work by Fixing Yourself First 

That's just gospel truth right there. Can I get an AMEN?!

In this episode, Laurie and I chat about:

- Why everyone is an imposter, so don't feel too bad!

- Why you should do a pre-mortem about your career and where you might fail...do the work up front because being honest about where you    might fail is the best path to success

- How you can write your own story IF you own yourself

- Self-compassion and self-leadership are two sides of the same coin

- Why it's not about trying to be funny (I agree!); the funniest thing you can do is own your own imperfections and mistakes

- Changing the world by being entertaining too

- Being petite with a big-ass personality and how being 5'0" gave her a (sometimes confusing) edge (petite women know!)

Two improv comedians, speakers and business owners

Tons of laughs

1 podcast

I got to talk to Erin Diehl, fellow improviser after my own heart. Whew! And the fun, laughter and AMENs kept going. Grab some wine, some friends and lean into this convo.

Highlights

• Why we love bloopers (it's all about showing up real)
• How improv skills in life and business are about taking up space and accepting ourselves
• We need to be measuring success also by the amount of fun we're having
• Why not having fun is a red flag for burn-out
• Mistakes are hilarious (absolutely!)

Visit learntoimproveit.com

Visit keepingithuman.com

In this 15-min episode (no guest), I talk about imperfection. One of the threads coming up so far in conversations with guests is being imperfect and why we need more joy.

Women are judging themselves way too much and too harshly. So what if we didn't?

What if we gave ourselves the power to be imperfect, have more humor and joy?

What do you think?

I've spent almost 25 years on comedy stages and for 17 years of that, I was in tech by day (comedy by night). Here's why humor IS the ultimate algorithm for innovation:

• Innovation of any type needs trust, courage, connection
• Humor fosters trust, courage, connection
• Laughter measure company health (say ahhh...haha!)
• Humor is not unprofessional. It's not professional v. humor; it's understanding that humor is celebration of human imperfection

I work with leaders and teams through talks to create mindset shifts and through programs that build skillset shifts.

Happy Holidays!

Reach out at keepingithuman.com

Andrea Vahl and I go way back to speaking and marketing.

She is a social media consultant, speaker, comedian and host of Late Starters Club Podcast. Hey, she and I know it’s never too late to change your life.

Andrea and I laugh and chat about some big lessons for all of us about the healing and connecting power of humor. One of the biggest reminders for all of us is the resilience and power behind accepting all of yourself: the good, the OMG and the hard stuff.

Because it's completely human. It's where the good stuff is.

You will definitely want to check this one out. We touch on:

• Comedy as healing and a way to help us get over the fear of failure (I can confirm!)

• Humor is showing our fears and being willing to laugh

• Leadership needs vulnerability and imperfection and humor helps us be more human

• When you learn to fail well, which comedy helps with, you learn resilience - there is nothing you can’t get over

• Comedy-thinking helps us get over judgment of ourselves and others

• Confidence comes from giving and owning your point of view (POV)

• Bombing and turning into the spiral (riding it down with laughter!) 

  
  

  
  

Follow Kathy 

Follow Andrea

If you love the show, give us a review and share. TY.

I am on a mission to change leaders, teams and workplaces through laughter, lightness of being and levity. Yes, humor.

I've said it many times and I'll say it again: humor > funny and jokes.

Humor is embracing our imperfections, our awkwardness and making it safer for others to do the same around us. It builds trust and connection and courage - all the things companies need for innovation, better stories and all that big, juicy creativity.

And imagine reducing all that stress and burnout, too? Upside.

Leadership isn't 'gravitas.' It's trust and it starts with de-armoring and showing up more human.

It starts with us. Me and you. So, join me. Make the decision to embrace the lighter you. The laughter, the levity.

It will change how you show up, how others show up around you and your life.

May this be your best year yet.

Want talks or workshops that transform your work with a lot of fun and brave fuel for big ideas? Reach out.

Kathy Klotz-Guest, keepingithuman(dot)com

She has called herself an "Unlikely Comedian." In 2020, Megan Jeffrey didn't just hit pandemic burnout like all of us, her mother had terminal cancer, she found out her then-husband was unfaithful to her and she found herself a single mom of 3 young kids. Then...she lost her job.

She then turned to social media, posting videos of her doing accents, particularly Trinidadian ones (her ex-husband is), and exploring comical clashes being an American woman in its culture. She expected to find an outlet for her creativity and ease the burnout; then she 'blew up' as posts went viral.

It was unexpected. She wasn't trying to be a comedian.

What she learned was a lot more about redefining herself and bouncing back. In this convo, Megan and I chat about:

• The power of betting on yourself
• The ridiculous standards that women have to adhere to (and why we gotta laugh!)
• Why 'tone it down' is the call to do the exact opposite (it's cool; it often takes time to realize it)
• Letting of perfection

Want more? Check out past episodes

Be sure to Visit

meganjeffrey.com

keepingithuman.com

On Insta

@klotzguest, @kathyguestcomedy, @themeganjeffrey

Principles of comedy can help you become a more powerful, confident and connected speaker and presenter. Anyone can add more humor and playfulness...without having to be a comedian.

If you can laugh, you have a sense of humor and that's different from being funny. Think playful, humorous and improvisational and you can use all these approaches. And yes, even a bit of stand-up if you like. It's not required.

In this episode, I break down the following concepts that I use with clients and you can, too, to add more playful humor to your speaking that is true to you (hey, it should be fun and natural):

Comedy v. Improv v. Humor (they're different)

How to think about what's funny

Big talk points, then punch up

Ways to heighten storytelling

Rehearsing and Planned Spontaneity

Your body and voice as an instrument

Have fun. You got this.

Interested in working with me?

I use comedy concepts for creative, connected communication and innovation. I offer workshops, transformational programs and keynote talks. Reach out at keepingithuman(dot)com.

In this kickoff to the 3rd season of the podcast, I chat about what it means to be a Seriously Funny, how it is strategic and the cake - not just the frosting! - and why it matters for your company's (and peoples') adaptability, resilience and innovation.

"Funnier" is the title of Anne's Upcoming book.

Comedy is WAY bigger than jokes. It's our words, our voice, our humanity and how we show up.

I was not going to release the whole hour at once. Originally I was going to break it up into sections.

I just couldn't break the convo in two because it was TOO GOOD. And it's worth many listens.

Anne is a woman after my own heart. I studied sketch writing at Second City. And comedy changed how I think, show up and create. Yes, I perform. And humor matters in business. Comedy teaches us skills of connection. And we need it.

Anne is funny, brilliant and thinks and teaches deep stuff: what makes things funny and how can we be funnier.

I connected with her when she said, "I get asked, 'Can you make me funny?" Her response, "I can make you funnier." And I relate. I get asked that and I think the answer is 'Funnier.' I can't make anyone funny. We can all be funnier.

This convo is not only funny; it will make YOU funnier.

Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with pen, paper or computer. We talk about:

-Thick humor (vs thin humor)

-Humor and comedy are more than jokes (preach, Anne!)

-Humor and AI (chat GPT writes bad jokes!)

-Narrative (story arcs matter!) and characters

-Humor as recognition (starts with a truth - audience must recognize it)

-Distance (time)

-Improv and the power of discovery - being present in the moment

Take notes. Laugh. Rinse and Repeat. Please check out Anne's work and her upcoming book, "Funnier."

About Anne

Anne Libera is Director of Comedy Studies at The Second City where she also serves as Artistic Consultant. She is an Associate Professor at Columbia College Chicago where she created and coordinates the Comedy Writng and Performance BA. Northwestern University Press which will also publish her upcoming book Funnier: A Theory of Comedy With Practical Applications. Contact her: Alibera(at)secondcity.com

About Kathy

Kathy Klotz-Guest, MA, MBA is a stand-up and improv comedian, author and speaker. A former tech exec for two decades while doing improv and stand-up comedy at night, she is the Founder of Keeping it Human℠ and the Seriously Funny podcast. Her mission: to help companies, leaders and teams think differently and get bigger results through improv and comedy concepts. Her last book, "Stop Boring Me!" was a top 10 selling book on Amazon in Creativity and Humor. Kathy(at)keepingithuman.com

In this intro to my brand new podcast, I share my story, my mission, why this is exactly the right time for these stories and why and how comedy helped me heal a fragmented soul. I talk about a few upcoming guests. This is the beginning of a labor of love. I had the idea for years. So here it is My new baby i the world. The next episode will be up next week. We'll talk about girls humor and the psychology of the 'goofy girl.'

Hi,

I am Kathy Klotz-Guest, ex-tech leader, speaker and comedian, and the Founder of Keepingithuman.com. 

My friend, Alessandra Wall, PhD, one of my fave friends to chat shop with, works with companies and women as do I. Her first job was as a child psychologist and we nerd out as we always do about women, humor and how it plays out at work. The first time we did, we both laughed because after we chatted for an hour, we forget to record. It was a juicy convo!

She and I geek out here about women and humor at work and how and why many women lose that 'goofy, funny girl' in adolescence.

 In this episode... 

-'Being funny is not sexy for women' (it really is and we challenge the myth for women that it's not)

-Competence and warmth: leaders need both (warmth kicks competence's ass every day of the week)

-How and why women lose the 'goofy girl' in adolescence

-Shedding the 'good girl' image (oooh this one!)

-Can funny women be taken seriously? (hell yes...and I apologize to Carol Bartz whose last name I blanked on! You are unforgettable, just not during a recording!)

-How to be be more trustworthy (share a laugh together - laugh WITH people!)

-What women can do to reframe humor (from just being funny to playfulness AND more...)

We laugh, chat and Alessandra turns the tables on me and asks me questions about my work! I could not help giving 'amens' and 'aww yeahs' in this convo as you hear. I thought about editing them; and you know what? Nope. They stay. Let's show up as we are. She had me at the church of truth and what else could I do?

Two improv comedians, speakers and business owners

Tons of laughs

1 podcast

I got to talk to Erin Diehl, fellow improviser after my own heart. Whew! And the fun, laughter and AMENs kept going. Grab some wine, some friends and lean into this convo. You won't want to miss it.

A few Highlights from our convo....

• Why we love bloopers and when sketch comedians 'break character' (it's all about showing up real)
• How improv skills in life and business are about taking up space and accepting ourselves - this is a biggie to everything good
• We need to be measuring success also by the amount of fun we're having
• Why not having fun is a red flag for burn-out (listen up!)
• Mistakes are hilarious (absolutely!)

For more info about Kathy Klotz-Guest (moi) and my great guest, Erin Diehl...check out our sites below...and check out some of the other episodes...

Visit learntoimproveit.com

Visit keepingithuman.com

This episode is pure magic because I get to talk to my friend, Jocelyn Brady of BetterBrainStories.com. She is a fellow storyteller and play advocate who has been called the Bye Nye of The Brain and wears a brain cap in her vids. In this amazing episode, we talk about:

• Why we NEED stories of productive play
• Tiny wins matter - little victories are so important
• Elevating KPIS that are hard to measure - curiosity, overcoming perfectionism - these matter and why aren't we tracking?
• Triggers are teachers

AND I think most importantly why our inner critic needs to play because once we play with it, we can move forward. Also, why everyone can benefit from improv to expand your thinking, your stories and your possibilities.

To your success!

Follow me at Keepingithuman.com and Jocelyn at Betterbrainstories.com.