Short animated whiteboard about how Laughology works

LAUGHOLOGY_002.mp4 from Dominic Witherow on Vimeo.

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The worlds of business and learning are evolving. Leaders are waking up to the power of happiness, because happy people are healthier, more motivated and productive.   

Leaders are waking up to the power of happiness, because happy people are healthier, more motivated and productive. At Laughology we are way ahead of the happiness curve and have been studying the positive effects of happiness and humour since 2002. We know you get the best out of people when they’re happy and have the tools to filter information in a way that promotes optimism. Today happiness is a mainstream concept and we mix it with a very special ingredient, humour. And this is at the core of our consulting process and development programmes.

Our story began in a smoke-filled comedy club watching comedians perform, using humour to engage with audiences and present topics that may otherwise be dry. The psychological power of humour has been studied by philosophers and psychologists for years, the impact it can have on how we respond to information and our emotional state.  Humour, when stripped back to its most basic form, is simply a system for processing information, a cognitive tool that can be used to think, communicate and impact on behaviours and to help view the world differently. 

Our unique techniques and thinking models are based on rigorous research from the fields of psychology and neuroscience.  We use our Laughology happiness matrix model to help us understand how to build happy organisations and couple this with innovative development programmes which help both individuals and organisations flourish. 

You may be thinking is it really that important to have people and organisations that are emotionally agile, happy, optimistic and promote positivity? 

The simple answer is yes.  It’s not enough to merely create workplaces where people just turn up.  Creating working environments that are conducive to people feeling happy means you will get fully emotionally engaged teams.     Our emotional brain is involved in everything we do, how we learn, recall and store information. The bottom line is that every single business and educational outcome improves when happiness and positivity are embedded as values and behaviours. 

The techniques we have developed help leaders and managers understand the so-called 'productivity paradox’  - the belief that if we work longer and harder we get more done. The opposite is actually true, help people feel happy, engage with them in a positive way and the brain actually works better.   

At Laughology we strip back the jargon and use simple, positive coaching techniques that enhance relationships and personal development.    

The ability to challenge and change perspective and subsequent emotional states is a powerful tool for any individual, team, leader or manager.  This is where our humour thinking toolkit FLIP is so effective.  When we talk about humour, we're not talking about telling jokes or being the clown. 

 It's a way to process information.  FLIP, designed and developed from understanding how humour interrupts cognitive flow and based in psychology, allows you to manage your mood and helps you understand how to manage the moods of others, helping provide a clearer view of events unencumbered by negativity. FLIP, when broken down, can be used as a coaching technique as well as a cognitive and behavioural tool. 

F is for focus – inviting us to think about challenges in a different way and focus on solution 

L is for language – challenging the way we contextualise the world 

I is for imagination – engaging individuals and teams to think about situations differently 

P is for pattern-breaking  - recognising what you are doing to continuously sustain a behaviour, be it positive or negative and take control of the habit FLIP, used as trigger word engages alternative thinking and proactive behaviours. 

Our pioneering research and insights have helped us identify the emotional intelligence skills needed to drive successful, engaged people in organisations. We map these against our Laughology happiness and humour models - to make sure what leaders do creates engagement and happiness in others. Being able to put people in good humour and manage your mood as well as that of others is at the heart of new business.   

We are passionate about developing real people who are able to laugh, enjoy work and create happy working environments where teams and individuals flourish.  We encourage organisations to put people first and embrace humour and happiness as lived values. 

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