This week, the world changed when Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the US. Indeed, the only thing I can guarantee with complete certainty is change. I was therefore intrigued by Melissa Swift’s recent MIT Sloan Business Review article, “Three Nonnegotiable Leadership Skills for 2025.” In this week of change, I cannot think of a more prescient article for the compliance professional.
I adapted Swift’s three critical leadership skills for the compliance professional: fairness, curiosity, and a sense of humor. In this concluding blog post of this three-part series, I will explore how compliance leaders can develop and leverage these skills to strengthen their programs and inspire their teams throughout the tumultuous next four years using humor.
Your Saving Grace: Sense of Humor
As Ronnie Feldman continually reminds us, do not be “Debbie Downer,” or as I would say, do not be Dr. No from the Land of No. In some ways, Ronnie focuses on attitude, while I tend to focus a bit more on the message. However, you might look at it. Between audits, policy rollouts, regulatory updates, and managing the risk employees inevitably want to take, a sense of humor is a powerful tool for staying grounded and maintaining perspective.
It is important to note that you need the right kind of humor for compliance leadership. This does not mean you should become the office comedian. Instead, humor in compliance leadership is about finding light in challenging situations and encouraging your team to do the same. For example, after navigating a tough audit and telling your team, “Well, we survived—and I didn’t even need to bribe anyone with donuts this time!” That simple quip can diffuse tension and signal that it’s okay to exhale.
The humor in your attitude and what you can bring to your customer base. Humor can reduce stress. Compliance work often operates under tight deadlines, high stakes, and relentless scrutiny. This pressure can weigh heavily on teams, leading to burnout and diminishing productivity. A leader who uses humor to lighten the mood helps to ease stress, making the workplace feel less like a pressure cooker and more like a place of collaboration and problem-solving.
Humor can help to build relationships, as compliance leaders often face the challenge of appearing approachable while maintaining authority. Humor humanizes leaders, making them more relatable and easier to connect with. When you can laugh at yourself or acknowledge the absurdities of compliance work with a smile, your team feels more comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and raising concerns.
Humor can make you a better compliance officer. When people are less stressed, their creativity and problem-solving abilities improve. Humor reduces the brain’s fight-or-flight response, allowing for more thoughtful and innovative approaches to challenges. A leader who fosters an environment where it’s okay to laugh at setbacks or unexpected hurdles creates a culture where solutions flow more freely. For example, if a compliance initiative hits a snag, a leader who can frame it with humor, “Okay, so maybe this isn’t Plan A…or Plan B…but I have high hopes for Plan C!” encourages the team to stay flexible and keep brainstorming.
The Right Kind of Humor for Compliance Leadership
Humor in compliance leadership is not about cracking jokes or becoming the office comedian. Instead, it is about using levity strategically to foster positivity and resilience. Some key principles are as follows:
- Diffuse Tension, Don’t Deflect Responsibility. A well-timed, self-deprecating comment can make you more relatable, but humor should never be used to deflect accountability. For example, if a compliance policy rollout faces delays, saying, “Looks like my time management skills could use some compliance training of their own!” shows humility without shirking responsibility.
- Celebrate Compliance Wins Playfully. Recognizing team achievements doesn’t have to be dry or overly formal. Use humor to make celebrations memorable. Consider giving out light-hearted awards like “Most Persistent Policy Enforcer” or decorating the office with “Mission Accomplished” banners after a successful audit. These small gestures show appreciation while keeping the mood light.
- Maintain Perspective. Compliance is serious work, but that does not mean you must take every situation or yourself too seriously. Laughing at the absurdities of navigating complex regulations or managing a mountain of policies reminds your team that, while the work is important, it’s okay to have a sense of humor about the challenges.
Applying Humor to Compliance Challenges in 2025
Humor is not simply a feel-good tool. It can be strategically applied to some of the most pressing challenges compliance professionals face in 2025.
- Building Ethical Cultures Amid Workforce Discontent
With employee engagement at a low and workplace polarization on the rise, leaders must model fairness and transparency to rebuild trust. Humor can complement these efforts by making leaders more relatable and approachable. For example, during a town hall on compliance updates, opening with a light joke about the complexity of the latest regulations, “I think the word paid the lawyers who wrote this!” can put employees at ease and make the session more engaging.
- Navigating Emerging Risks
As AI, ESG, and privacy dominate the compliance agenda, staying ahead of these risks requires proactive engagement and innovation. Humor can make daunting challenges feel more manageable. For example, when introducing training on AI ethics, a leader might quip, “Don’t worry, our goal is to make sure the robots are working for us, not the other way around!” This approach encourages curiosity and open-mindedness.
- Managing Regulatory Fatigue
As regulations grow more complex, compliance fatigue becomes a real risk for teams. Or, as the Trump Administration whipsaws the business communities with new mandates morning, noon, and night, business and compliance leaders who inject humor into routine tasks, like creating a fun, interactive quiz for compliance training or adding light-hearted captions to a policy presentation, can make the work feel less monotonous. A leader who acknowledges the challenges with humor, such as “Regulatory updates: the gift that keeps on giving!” helps your compliance team feel seen and supported, even as they tackle challenging workloads.
How to Integrate Humor Into Your Leadership Style
If you’re ready to harness the power of humor in your compliance leadership, here are some practical tips:
- Know Your Audience. Tailor your humor to your team’s preferences and sensitivities. Avoid sarcasm or jokes that could be misinterpreted.
- Start Small. During meetings, test the waters with light-hearted comments or anecdotes. Observe how your team responds and adjust accordingly.
- Encourage Teamwide Levity. Create a culture where humor is welcomed. For example, designate a “fun committee” to plan occasional light-hearted activities, like a compliance trivia game or themed office decorations.
- Keep It Contextual. Use humor to enhance, not detract from, the seriousness of compliance work. Acknowledge the gravity of issues like regulatory violations while using humor to build resilience.
The Bottom Line: Humor as a Leadership Strength
In 2025, compliance leaders will face mounting challenges, from increasing regulatory complexity to employee disengagement to a more focused enforcement presence in some verticals. A sense of humor can be your secret weapon for gracefully and effectively navigating these difficulties.
By reducing stress, building connections, and fostering creative problem-solving, humor enhances your leadership and the overall resilience of your compliance team. Remember, humor doesn’t diminish the importance of your work; it underscores your ability to lead with empathy, perspective, and authenticity.
In the high-stakes world of compliance, laughter truly is a saving grace. So, the next time you find yourself knee-deep in regulatory updates or preparing for a strict audit, don’t forget to take a moment to smile, laugh, and remind your team that even in the most serious work, a little levity goes a long way.
