Humor

From Minute Motivators by Stan Toler:

'Good leaders don't take themselves too seriously. They know how to laugh and are willing to laugh at themselves. Since they have a firm grip on who they are and what they are about, they aren't threatened by the understanding that their associates are keenly aware of their foibles and probably have had a laugh or two at their expense.

Good leaders know that a bit of measured silliness can break the bondage of prolonged seriousness...Humor is effective in breaking down the walls between leadership and the team. A shared joke with the team may not only calm a tense situation, it can create rapport and cultivate trust. When the leader laughs, the team shares a sense of relief.

Nobody trusts a leader who doesn't know how to laugh. Lincoln had a sharp wit. Kennedy kidded with the press.'

Winners are confident with themselves and are able to smile.