Monday Feb 26, 2024

Season 2, Ep 09: The Power of Humor: Dani Klein Modisett's Journey of Impact with Laughter on Call

“Using laughter to create human connection, that’s always been my game,” says Dani Klein Modisett, founder and CEO of Laughter on Call, a company which runs interactive workshops in workplaces and caregiving communities to foster connection and relieve stress through the power of humor and laughter.

The idea for this company was born when Dani’s mother, who was battling Alzheimer’s disease, was having trouble adjusting to her new surroundings in a memory care facility. Dani hired a comedian to cheer her mother up. She observed how the comedian's warm, interactive humor, which Dani terms 'affiliative humor,' not only uplifted her mother but also helped her integrate into her new surroundings.

Needless to say, building trust, and learning to be vulnerable and to make mistakes are invaluable to building strong relationships in the corporate setting. This is particularly true when many companies are international, and most people work at least partially from home. Dani explains how Laughter on Call’s in-person and remote workshops use humor to bridge communication and cultural gaps, as well as promote creativity, innovation and empathy in the workplace.

Humor also helps create resilience in corporate and caregiving environments by providing the perspective that even a tough moment is not forever. In this episode, Dani shares one of her most embarrassing stories of performing and how she handled it. She also explains how 8 proven comedian’s tools support self-care and create more capable caregivers.

Quotes

“It lit my mother up. Even when she wasn’t with the comedian she started joining in her community and being more engaged and even singing.” (4:18 | Dani Klein Modisett)
“Letting go of the moment before is so important. As a comedian, you know if you say a joke and it bombs, you can’t go in the bathroom and cry, you have to go to your next joke. It’s the same thing in caregiving, especially in cognitive decline, every moment is different. So, you have to be able to let go of a moment so you can be available for the next moment.” (5:53 | Dani Klein Modisett)
“Laughter is the overarching umbrella under which human connection can live.” (7:13 | Dani Klein Modisett)
“It’s about engagement. That’s always where we’re headed. That becomes the most important thing, but from there, you create the connection and create the trust. That woman knew she could trust me because I said, ‘Yes,’ to what she was saying, which is unusual in dementia care.” (9:34 | Dani Klein Modisett)
“It’s a hybrid world. A lot of companies even gave up their commercial space. So, how do you keep people engaged and connected to each other and create relationships and mentoring. That’s very, very hard. For the younger generation, it’s very, very challenging.” (15:17 | Dani Klein Modisett)
“Something we talk all the time about is making mistakes. It’s OK. That can be a launch point for a new creative idea that you wouldn’t have even ever had. So, once you establish that, in a safe space, and people are laughing, then they’re that much more likely to bring an idea forward because they’re not afraid they’re going to get mocked, or people are going to put them down for it. It’s all good.” (17:03 | Dani Klein Modisett)

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