Why Seriousness Kills Connection

In February 2018, KFC had what can only be described as a bit of a disaster with their supply chains - they ran out of chicken. Which as the world’s largest and most famous chain of chicken shops, is really not what you want to happen. But instead of responding with the usual corporate, standard inauthentic guff apology, “we apologise to our customers and for the distress they must have suffered, please rest assured we're scouring the earth for spare chickens etc…” no, they did something brilliant: they made fun of themselves and issued their famous "FCK" apology -  adding, “A Chicken Restaurant without any Chicken. Not ideal.” It was  funny, clever and self-aware. The message went viral and they turned this disaster into one of the best things that’s ever happened to KFC -  massively increasing brand awareness and even, by year end, sales. 

Humour connects. It sticks. It makes people want to listen. But too often, we let seriousness take over, thinking it will make us seem more professional, more businesslike. In reality, seriousness usually blocks connection. In fact being too serious can actually sabotage your communication.

 1. Seriousness Creates Distance

Ever been on a Teams call where someone delivered a message so seriously that it felt like a lecture? Did it make you want to engage or did find that you just needed to check up on that Amazon order? If you’re too serious, you’re missing that human connection—and that’s usually where the magic happens.

 2. Seriousness Is Forgettable

You know that presentation last week where someone stuck to every bullet point, spoke in a monotone, so it felt like you were attending a Polit Bureau meeting circa Soviet Union 1980? No? Can’t remember it? Try again. Still can’t remember it? Exactly. Seriousness is forgettable. People don’t remember dry, formal communication—they remember things that stand out, make them laugh, or surprise them. Humour makes information stick. Just like KFC’s FCK ad, people don’t remember the apology itself—they remember how it made them feel. 

 3. Seriousness Kills Engagement

The CIA actually uses corporate seriousness as a sabotage tactic. In their manual on how to destroy terrorist organizations from within, they recommend sending agents to infiltrate groups and inwardly destroy them with boring, overly serious, communications and behaviours. Agents are taught to talk endlessly, argue over meeting minutes, and derail conversations with the aim being that in the end the terrorists will moving their attention away from their usual targets to trying to blow up their horrendous Team’s meeting.

 So, How Do You Add Humour?

Here are three ways to inject more humour into your communication:

1. Think Playful, Not Funny 

   You don’t need to be cracking jokes or have a comedy routine up your sleeve. Just be a little more playful. A simple, playful tone goes a long way in making your message more engaging and human.

2. Don’t Get in the Way of Humour  

Sometimes the best humour is spontaneous. If something funny happens during a meeting or presentation, don’t kill it with overthinking. Let it breathe! Humour thrives in authenticity, so let those moments happen naturally.

3. Go Over the Line (Just a Little)  

Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries a bit. MacMillan Cancer Support did this brilliantly. They approached me when their presentations on cancer diagnosis to medics weren’t landing. Their problem was entirely understandable. How to you find a lightness of touch, be entertaining and engaging when covering such a serious topic. So, together they took a risk and spent a day looking at all their teaching materials and imagined what they’d be like if they played over the line. In one talk about prostate cancer after-care, they used the tortoise and the hare story—complete with puppets. They even threw in a dramatic giraffe character for comic effect. The audience loved it. The humour not only made people laugh, but it also crucially made the message stick. 

 Final Thoughts

The next time you’re communicating—whether in a meeting, a presentation, or a simple email—remember that seriousness can be your enemy. Yes of course business is often serious but too much creates distance, disengages your audience, and makes your message forgettable. Instead, embrace a little more humour. Be playful, be authentic, and don’t be afraid to go over the line every now and then. Just ask KFC and MacMillan—humour not only works, it sticks. And in the world of communication, that’s what really matters.