Em Stroud, known as The Comic Coach, has spent over 20 years helping leaders become their most impactful selves. Through her “12 Pillars of Impact” approach — including Playful Impact, Storytelling, and Finding Your Funny — Em guides leaders to lead with authenticity, joy, and influence. She also hosts The Comic Coach podcast, tours with her one-woman show The Em Show: Tales from a Little Laughing Lesbian, and is the best-selling author of Lessons From a Clown.
We asked Em about how play, laughter, and creativity can transform leadership and workplace culture.
- Em, you’re known as The Comic Coach. Why do you think so many workplaces take themselves too seriously, and how does that affect performance?
We are still caught in the old way of working. Work has to be serious, and I agree outcomes need to be successful; however, we can allow ourselves to enjoy it, find the light and the levity. This makes humans connect, care, and be themselves in this AI world. We remember the people who help us enjoy work.
- You help leaders unlock their playful genius. What’s one playful practice HR leaders could introduce tomorrow to boost engagement or creativity?
Start meetings by sharing a video — something that makes people smile. Dogs and cats normally work. We got good at this during COVID, but now that COVID is over, the “how” we are doing business has lost its time in the spotlight.
- You’ve worked across finance, tech, and healthcare. Are there playful leadership techniques that work across all industries?
Plenty — part of what I will share in my talk is the 12 ways humans play and why this matters.
- Teams often feel stressed or burned out. How does laughter and play actually improve wellbeing and resilience?
I am a Play practitioner, and I have witnessed over 20 years how Play helps. When we bring Play and laughter into work, we feel better. (By the way, I am massively anti-forced fun!) Play and laughter help us feel human, be in our bodies, as well as release good hormones.
- You’ve facilitated workshops where teams “remember it’s okay to laugh.” How can HR use humor to break down communication barriers without undermining professionalism?
Be conscious of who you are — no one feels safe if you start using humour at work if you don’t often crack jokes at home. Do the things that you feel safe doing: share moments of joy, what made you smile. People will respond to that so well.
- In your experience, what’s the biggest mindset shift leaders need to embrace play in the workplace?
That Play is not a waste of time. Far from it. It boosts creativity, collaboration, and curiosity — all things all leaders need.
- For organizations hesitant about “play,” what evidence or stories resonate most to convince leaders it’s worth trying?
To play is to be human. Those who are resistant are coming from their own fear. The evidence comes from each person reconnecting with play; from there, there is safety, and the resistance falls away. I could here list the difference in all the teams I have worked with; however, that is just words — play is action.
- For HR professionals looking to create brave, playful leaders, what’s one daily habit or mindset they should encourage?
Walk a different path every day, and play how you walk. Seems simple.it shifts you so much. As soon as you open to this, the door is open…
- Finally, if HR could implement just one strategy to inject joy, play, and creativity into their organization next year, what would you recommend — and how should they start?
Get curious and ask your people what this means to them; then respond accordingly. People find different things funny, play in different ways. Start by getting curious; from here, play will flow. Oh, and come to my talk at HR Vision!
Ready to stay ahead in the ever-changing world of HR? Join us at HR Vision, where top HR leaders gather to explore the future of work, HR trends, and the power of HR analytics and technology.
