513: Humor as a Leadership Tool

513: Humor as a Leadership Tool

From Renegade Marketers Unite by Drew Neisser

April 10, 2026 · 47 min · Episode 513

About this episode

Drew Neisser discusses with Jan McInnis how humor can be an effective leadership tool to enhance communication and connection.

Do humor and serious leadership belong in the same room? Most leaders default to staying "professional" and miss one of the simplest ways to build connection and improve communication. In this episode of Renegade Marketers Unite, Drew Neisser talks with Jan McInnis about how leaders can use humor effectively—without telling jokes or trying to be someone they're not. The conversation reframes humor from something perceived as risky to something practical: A tool leaders can use to make teams more comfortable, conversations more effective, and workplaces a little more human. What You'll Learn : Why humor can make leaders more human and approachable Why humor makes leaders more approachable How humor can acknowledge tension without derailing the moment When humor helps, and when it can backfire How small moments of levity can improve communication across teams The takeaway: Humor isn't about being funny. It's about being human. If your meetings feel a little too stiff—or your communication isn't landing the way it should—this episode offers a simple place to start. For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/ To learn more about CMO Huddles…

People in this episode

Host: Drew Neisser

Guest: Jan McInnis

Topics covered

  • humor
  • leadership
  • communication

Keywords

  • leadership tool
  • effective communication
  • team comfort

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