MB Seminary President Mark Wessner once opened a sermon for a church deciding whether to hire him with a game of two truths and a lie: I've done cocaine. I've been in prison. I have a tattoo. He doesn't have a tattoo.

Mark joins Kate Davis to talk about using humor to lower the guard that comes with hierarchy, from all-out Nerf battles with his team to the evaluation that told him to be more presidential. He also breaks down the four languages leaders communicate in, what the Birkman Method reveals about why we joke, and his one rule for humor at work: if anyone's paying for the joke, make it you.

Additional Links & Resources:

• Interested in being a guest on Humor in the C-Suite? Reach out to book a call with Kate!
• Learn more about me and my work at katedavis.ca

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Humor in the C-Suite! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with your friends, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps the podcast continue to grow.

Hosted by Kate Davis
Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios

Kevin Dias doesn't think he's funny, but he's built a company where everyone else gets to be. From his home in Oyama, Japan, the founder of Ambiki talks with Kate about leading a fully remote startup with levity: jokes flying in the Zoom chat, the teammate who told him a joke about a customer crossed the line, and the annual hackathon that keeps turning play into real product features.

In this episode:

• Why humor has to start one-on-one before it works in a group
• Laughing at a situation vs. laughing at a customer
• Using self-deprecation to get past imposter syndrome
• The cynicism trap, and why the wins deserve as many jokes as the losses
• Two days, four teams, and a hackathon that ships

Connect with Kevin:

• Website: https://www.kevinsdias.com/
• Ambiki: https://www.ambiki.com/
• The Problem-First Method: https://problem-first-method.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-dias-ambiki/

Additional Links & Resources:

• Interested in being a guest on Humor in the C-Suite? Reach out to book a call with Kate!
• Learn more about me and my work at katedavis.ca

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Humor in the C-Suite! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with your friends, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps the podcast continue to grow.

Hosted by Kate Davis
Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios

Leadership development, resilience, and humor in leadership take center stage as Kate sits down with NAVAC founder Lintao Lu, author of In Through the Window, for a conversation on grit, authentic leadership, and turning closed doors into opportunity.

In this episode, Kate and LT talk about:

• Why "sometimes you have to realize this building is not for you" — and how to build your own instead
• Turning a workplace mishap into trust and team cohesion instead of embarrassment
• Bridging US-China cultural differences in the boardroom
• How humor eases the pressure cooker of corporate life and boosts employee engagement
• Why laughing at yourself is the fastest path to authentic leadership and psychological safety

LT's story — from a childhood during China's Cultural Revolution to seven US patents and a career spanning engineering, marketing, and the C-suite — is a lesson in workplace culture built on hope, humor, and grit.

LT is the author of In Through the Window: On Forging Your Own Path to Success, available now.

Connect with LT: lintaolu.com | linkedin.com/in/lintao-lt-lu-10255b5

Find Humor in the C Suite wherever you get your podcasts.

Additional Links & Resources:

• Interested in being a guest on Humor in the C-Suite? Reach out to book a call with Kate!
• Learn more about me and my work at katedavis.ca

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Humor in the C-Suite! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with your friends, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps the podcast continue to grow.

Hosted by Kate Davis
Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios