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Peter McGraw, Professor of Marketing and Psychology, University of Colorado Boulder

Why you seriously need to stop trying to be funny at work

David Ogilvy Peter McGraw
Goofing off at the office doesn't do you any good. Milan Markovic/E+ via Getty Images

How can you get ahead in your career and still enjoy the ride?

One solution offered in business books, LinkedIn posts and team-building manuals is to use humor. Sharing jokes, sarcastic quips, ironic memes and witty anecdotes, the advice goes, will make you more likable, ease stress, strengthen teams, spark creativity and even signal leadership potential.

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