No Laughing Matter: The Value of Humor in Educational Leadership

(Paperback)

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Educators are not alone in perennially seeking the best leadership practices and applying them to their own leadership behavior. What constitutes effective leadership seems to be on the minds of people everywhere. Recently, there has been some seminal work done with regard to the role of humor in leadership effectiveness. Several contemporary empirical studies corroborate some earlier research that closely linked effective leadership to whether the leader possesses a well-developed sense of humor.

In light of this connection between possessing a keen sense of humor and leadership effectiveness, this book profiles the leadership behavior of ten proven leaders from many walks of life whose leadership style included a highly developed sense of humor. The idea, of course, would be to look at the overall leadership behavior of these individuals, but focus especially on their symbolic frame leadership behavior in the form of humor, to determine how their behavior can inform our own particular leadership style.

Reviews

I had my handwriting analyzed when it was in vogue during the late 60s. The analysis revealed that I had leadership qualities and one of my strong points was my ability to laugh at myself. Dr. Palestinis book, No Laughing Matter:The Value of Humor in Educational Leadership, reinforces my need to maintain this ability especially in my continuing development as a transformational leader. The ten leaders and their leadership styles portrayed in this book prove that the power of humor is timelesseven if handwriting has become a lost art). -- Joanne Walls, principal, Ocean City Primary School
Educators are not alone in seeking the best leadership practices and applying them to their own leadership behavior. What constitutes effective leadership seems to be on the minds of people everywhere. Dr. Robert Palestinis new book, No Laughing Matter: The Value of Humor in Educational Leadership, takes us on a journey through the lives of some of the greatest leaders in history to show us that the connection between possessing a keen sense of humor and effective leadership is indeed no laughing matter. In my nearly 45 years in educational leadership, I have seen firsthand how humor can defuse even the tensest situations. -- Gail Avicolli, principal, Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School
Dr. Palestinis new book, No Laughing Matter: The Value of Humor in Educational Leadership, has added a new dimension to the tenets of situational leadership theory. The authors analysis of humor and the addition of the moral frame to leadership behavior resonate with educational leaders through the words and actions of the ten exemplary leaders he profiles in his book. While medicine has established the benefits of humor to physical health, Dr. Palestini proposes its value to leaders in this critical era of educational reform. -- Elizabeth Weber, director, human resources, Exeter (PA) School District
In his latest book on educational leadership and the value of humor, Dr. Robert Palestini has once again knocked the ball out of the park. He takes his readers from the late 1700s with a look at Benjamin Franklins leadership behavior through the late 80s with Ronald Reagan and eight other prominent leaders, always focusing on their highly developed sense of humor and how it was reflected in their leadership styles. During my forty years as a school business manager, I have worked with more than two dozen superintendents, including Dr. Palestini, and without exception, those with a great sense of humor were always the more effective leaders. -- P. Thomas Padden, former business manager, Radnor (PA) School District

Author Bio

Robert Palestini is graduate dean emeritus and professor of educational leadership at Saint Josephs University in Philadelphia. He is also the founding executive director of the Educational Leadership Institute at SJU. In almost fifty years in education, he has served as a teacher, principal and superintendent of schools of one of the largest school systems in the United States. He has written more than a dozen books on various aspects of educational leadership.