Humour and Culture

Humour is one of the most challenging parts of mastering a new language, and of learning a new culture. It is used differently from culture to culture; what is entertaining in one culture may be frowned upon in another. The right time and setting to use humour is also different from one culture to another.

Some cultures will use humour in serious settings at work, to make a difficult message easier to convey, while other will absolutely refrain from using humour in such situations.

Some cultures commonly use self-deprecating humour to create connection and reduce social distance. In other cultures, this type of humour is much less common and may make you appear insecure, less competent, or unprofessional.

When you lead teams that are spread across countries and are diverse, this is one of many aspects of communication that you need to be conscious of in order for your message to be understood as intended.

The picture is from the streaming of a digital lecture that I gave in May 2026 for the employees of a multinational company operating in 100 countries. Illustration: Elise H. Kollerud

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Everyone sees the world through their own cultural glasses. We interpret actions based on what they mean in our own culture. When interacting with different cultures, we often need to make a conscious effort not to misinterpret what is being communicated. My work is about helping people communicate in ways that ensure the recipient correctly understands the message and the intention behind it.