LEAD Webinar: A New Type of Leader

Key Concepts

• Stanford LEAD Program: A year-long, fully online executive education program designed for senior leaders and mid-career professionals, focusing on leadership, innovation, and strategy.
• Stanford Executive Program (SEP): A program for senior executives, offered in a six-week on-campus format or a hybrid format.
• Transformation vs. Information: Stanford's approach to executive education emphasizes personal and organizational transformation rather than just knowledge acquisition.
• Levity and Humor in Leadership: The core theme of the webinar, exploring how humor and lightheartedness can enhance leadership effectiveness, team performance, and well-being.
• Behavioral Research: The foundation for understanding the impact of humor and levity, drawing on studies and data.
• Humor Styles: Four distinct styles identified through research: Standup, Sweetheart, Sniper, and Magnet.
• "Tell the Truth with Levity": A comedic technique that involves observing truths and adding a lighthearted or exaggerated spin.
• "Be Human": Emphasizing authenticity, connection, and integrating personal passions into professional interactions.
• "Bio with Levity" Activity: A practical exercise within the LEAD program where participants learn to infuse their professional bios with personality and humor.
• "Me-Too" Gathering: An annual on-campus event for LEAD participants, fostering community and in-person connection.

A New Type of Leader: Embracing Levity and Authenticity in Leadership

This webinar, hosted by Stanford LEAD, delves into the concept of a "new type of leader" who leverages levity and humor to drive performance, foster connection, and navigate an increasingly complex world. The discussion highlights how traditional leadership models are evolving, emphasizing authentic connection over mere respect and reverence.

Stanford LEAD and Executive Education at GSB

Marina, Program Director for Stanford LEAD, introduced the Graduate School of Business's (GSB) executive education offerings. These range from short online courses to longer on-campus programs. Two flagship programs were highlighted:

• Stanford Executive Program (SEP): For senior executives, offered in a six-week on-campus format or a hybrid format (two weeks on campus, 10 weeks online, two weeks on campus).
• Stanford LEAD: A year-long, fully online program for senior leaders and mid-career professionals, designed for deep engagement with Stanford without disrupting daily commitments.

Bill Barnett, Faculty Director of SEP, and Peter Demarzo, Faculty Director of LEAD, shared a video message emphasizing Stanford's commitment to transformation, not just information. They highlighted that both SEP and LEAD aim to create a space for reflection, connection, and growth, changing how leaders think about themselves and their organizations. LEAD, launched over a decade ago, aims to make this transformative experience accessible globally, maintaining interactivity and rigor.

The Power of Levity and Humor in Leadership

Professors Jennifer Oer and Naomi Bdonus led the core discussion, drawing on behavioral research to illustrate the impact of humor. They noted current global trends of declining well-being, human connection, and trust, suggesting that authentic connection, often facilitated by levity, is crucial for navigating these challenges.

Key Points and Supporting Evidence:

• Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors: A case study illustrating how a moment of play and fun (ping pong tournament) during a challenging season became a turning point, leading to their first championship in 40 years. This highlights how shared experiences and reduced pressure can foster authentic conversations and team cohesion.
• Research Findings on Humor:
  • Leaders with any sense of humor are perceived as 27% more motivating.
  • Their teams report being 15% more engaged.
  • They are significantly more creative in problem-solving.
• The "Pet Frog" Study: In a negotiation simulation, adding a seemingly irrelevant and bad joke ("I'll throw in my pet frog") led subjects to offer 18% more money, enjoy the task more, experience reduced tension, and increase likability for the confederate. This demonstrates that even weak humor can have tangible positive effects.
• The "Humorous Film Clip" Study: Strangers who watched a humorous clip together before sharing personal information shared 30% more personal information and rated the conversations as more intimate and authentic compared to those who watched a neutral clip.
• Neuroscience of Laughter: Laughter triggers the release of endorphins (runner's high), reduces cortisol (stress), and releases dopamine (pleasure). It's described as akin to exercising, meditating, and physical touch simultaneously, with significant health benefits like increased resilience to stress.

The Global Humor Cliff

Gallup data reveals a precipitous decline in smiling and laughing from the mid-20s until around age 80, with a significant drop occurring during weekdays. This suggests that work environments often suppress natural human expression.

A Three-Step Journey to Integrating Levity

The presenters outlined a three-step framework for leaders to integrate more humanity and levity:

1. Be Human:

   • Focus: Not about being funny, but about having more humanity and authenticity.
   • Example: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright wearing a large "bug" pin during a high-stakes negotiation with the Russian foreign minister to address the bugging incident. This authentic expression shifted the tone and allowed for more effective interaction.
   • Tactical Hacks:
     • Ask better questions: Go beyond transactional inquiries to understand what people love or what lights them up.
     • Make call-backs: Reference specific, memorable moments from earlier conversations to reinforce connection.
     • Use serendipitous sign-offs: Replace generic email closings with personalized, lighthearted phrases (e.g., "Yours heavily caffeinated" for someone in Dubai at 4:30 AM).
   • Goal: Shift moments from transactional to authentic, creating connection and serendipity.

2. Know Your Humor Style:

   • Premise: Being humorous is not the same as being funny. Everyone has a humor style.
   • Four Styles Identified:
     • Standup: Bold, irreverent, natural entertainers, extroverted, unafraid to ruffle feathers.
     • Sweetheart: Warm, inclusive, understated, keep it PG-13, use humor inclusively.
     • Sniper: Dry, edgy, sarcastic, masters of deadpan delivery, unafraid to cross lines.
     • Magnet: Uplifting, expressive, charismatic, generous with laughter, unafraid to be silly.
   • Action: Take the quiz at humorserly.com to identify your style and understand those around you. This can improve communication and connection, as demonstrated by Naomi's experience with her son.
   • Application: Recognize the downsides of each style (e.g., teasing as affection from a sniper might not land well) and consider shifting to a secondary style or using techniques to "derisk" humor.

3. Tell the Truth with Levity:

   • Core Principle: Humor often stems from truth and resonance with shared experiences.
   • Technique: Observe truths and escalate them with contrast, exaggeration, or analogies.
   • Examples:
     • Work Culture Contrast: European out-of-office messages vs. American ones, highlighting differences in urgency and response times.
     • Exaggeration: Sarah Cooper's humorous take on shrinking airplane seats, creating a satirical seating chart.
     • Analogy/Truth: Hassan Minhaj's lie detector test revealing parental favoritism, using analogies to describe parental love (USD vs. Bitcoin).
   • Workplace Application: CEO Connor Deman's accidental screen share revealing his search for "inspirational things leaders say during hard times" led to laughter and connection during a stressful all-hands meeting, demonstrating how sharing vulnerability and truth with levity can be powerful.
   • Key Takeaway: Focus on what is true and add levity, rather than trying to find something inherently funny.

"Bio with Levity" Activity and Panel Discussion

Spencer Porter, a course facilitator, led a demonstration of the "Bio with Levity" activity. This exercise helps participants infuse their professional bios with personality and humor. He emphasized that humor is a muscle to be developed in a safe space.

Key aspects of the activity and course structure:

• Course Phases:
  1. Self-Discovery: Understanding one's profile, humor style, and the different selves brought to work and home.
  2. Bio Creation: Crafting memorable bios that go beyond job titles to reveal personality and stick with others.
  3. Making Mundane Moments Memorable: Applying levity to everyday routines and workplace interactions.
  4. Leadership Handbook: Defining how one wants to be treated and how to communicate effectively.
  5. Guiding Principles and Levity List: A holistic view of oneself as a person and leader.
• Tiffany's Bio Editing: Spencer worked with Tiffany, a past participant, to refine her bio, focusing on clarity, impact, and incorporating specific, memorable details. This included suggestions for strengthening her opening, using the "rule of three" for repetition, and finding authentic details to make her bio stand out.
• Panelists' Experiences:
  • Andrea: An engineer who initially identified as a "sniper" but learned to embrace a "magnet" style and create an environment where others can flourish. She emphasized starting with connection over data and the increasing relevance of human connection in the age of AI.
  • Tiffany: Initially disappointed not to become a stand-up comedian, she learned to push her authentic self and bring levity to the technology field, focusing on how her actions make others feel. She highlighted the value of storytelling and connecting with personal history.

Program Logistics and Investment

Marina provided details about the Stanford LEAD program:

• Application Deadline: February 4th for the March cohort. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Program Structure: Year-long, part-time, fully online. Participants invest 5-10 hours per week on average.
• Schedule: Divided into four 8-9 week quarters with 3-4 week breaks in between.
• Format: Mostly self-paced with live elements, weekly deadlines, and deliverables.
• Flexibility: Option to take one course at a time (3-5 hours/week) or extend enrollment up to two years.
• Tuition: $4,800 per quarter, billed in four installments. Payment options are available to spread costs over multiple years.
• No GRE/GMAT or application fee.

Panel Discussion: Impact, Surprises, and Making it Work

Andrea and Tiffany shared their experiences in a panel discussion:

• Why LEAD:
  • Andrea: Wanted to learn from those who "made" ideas, not just presented them, choosing LEAD over an MBA for its practical, world-leading minds.
  • Tiffany: Sought to fill business knowledge gaps, attracted by specific courses (business models, financial innovation) and the online format due to extensive travel and family commitments.
• Impact of LEAD:
  • Tiffany: Gained a new mindset for leadership, enabling her to hit the ground running in a new VP role, set vision, and ask for what she needs.
  • Andrea: Evolved from an innovator to someone focused on helping others shape the future, scaling her impact by building systems. She emphasized designing by intent, prototyping, and continuous learning.
• Surprising Aspects:
  • Andrea: Surprised by the deep focus on human connection, trust, and leadership, rather than just frameworks. Also appreciated the emphasis on critical thinking, debate, and influence.
  • Tiffany: Surprised by the strong network of diverse, friendly, and collaborative individuals, leading to lifelong friendships and global meetups.
• Making it Work with Commitments:
  • Tiffany: Sacrificed sleep, positioned projects for dual benefit (coursework and work application), and utilized the flexibility of time zones for live sessions. She noted the pros and cons of completing the program in one year versus spreading it out.
  • Andrea: Managed with a young child and a new leadership role, emphasizing that commitment and sacrifice are necessary but the energy gained from the course makes late-night sessions manageable. She highlighted the program's design for busy schedules and the availability of extensions.
• Investment Value: Both strongly affirmed that LEAD was worth the investment in time, money, and opportunity, especially when compared to other MBA programs. Andrea continues to invest in further courses.
• Tips for New Participants:
  • Tiffany: Find your group and ensure active participation to get the most out of the investment.
  • Andrea: "Use the program, don't just take it." Engage with the cohort, bring real challenges, treat it as a leadership laboratory, apply learnings immediately, and be consistent.

Conclusion and Call to Action

The webinar concluded with a strong emphasis on the enduring value of human connection and authenticity in leadership, especially in the face of technological advancements like AI. The Stanford LEAD program is presented as a transformative experience that equips leaders with the skills and mindset to navigate these changes, drive impact, and foster meaningful connections. Attendees were encouraged to explore the program further, apply for the upcoming cohort, and reach out to the Stanford LEAD team with any questions.