Know the Room, Own the Room: How Michael Earls Uses Humor to Keep Leadership Human in the Age of AI

Know the Room, Own the Room: How Michael Earls Uses Humor to Keep Leadership Human in the Age of AI

Author: Kate Davis | Keynote Speaker & Stand Up Comedian showing Leaders how to Leverage Humor July 14, 2026 Duration: 38:50
Key topics: Leadership development in the age of AI · humor as an icebreaker in corporate IT leadership · Who are the "new zombies"? · why empathy and emotion are what AI still can't replicate · AI hallucinations and the limits of large language models · curiosity as a leadership trait · knowing your room before you use humor · storytelling as the key to retention. Guest advice: "Own the room. Know the room." Michael's guiding principle for using humor as a leader, learned from a mentor years...

Kate Davis, a comic and keynote speaker, hosts Humor In The C-Suite, a podcast built on a simple but powerful idea: laughter is a serious business tool. Each episode features conversations with leaders, executives, and business owners who have moved beyond seeing humor as just a Friday afternoon perk. Instead, they explore how intentional levity can fundamentally reshape a workplace, fostering a culture where people feel connected, creative, and genuinely engaged. These discussions get into the practicalities and the psychology, asking whether humor can ever backfire, how it reframes challenges, and the ways it builds trust and curiosity within teams. You’ll hear real stories from the front lines of management about deploying wit during tough meetings, the role of personal storytelling in leadership, and how a lighter atmosphere can directly impact well-being and performance. This isn’t about memorizing jokes for the boardroom; it’s about cultivating an authentic, human approach to the pressures of high-stakes roles. The podcast naturally bridges several worlds-business strategy, mental resilience, and personal development-by examining how a sense of play isn’t opposed to professionalism but can be its foundation. Tune in for thoughtful, often funny, explorations of how the sound of laughter in the office might just be the sound of a company thriving.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Humor In The C-Suite
Podcast Episodes
Kate Davis: "The Power of Storytelling" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:13
Welcome to the first episode of 2025 of "Humor in the C Suite," where host Kate Davis dives into the intersection of humor and leadership. As the new year unfolds, Kate reflects on the previous year’s episodes filled wit…
Melissa Hurley: "They Get To Go To Work" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:35
In this episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis welcomes Melissa Hurley, VP of Learning and People Development at Bill Gosling Outsourcing, for an engaging conversation on how humor influences leadership and w…
The Prankster with Colin Brook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:24
In this engaging episode of "Humor in the C-Suite," host Kate Davis welcomes Colin Brook, an industry leader from Wika Instruments with an impressive career in engineering and management. Throughout the conversation, Col…
Vajeans with Bridgett Burrick Brown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:23
Why “Vajeans”? You’ll have to listen to find out! In this episode, Kate Davis and Bridgett Burrick Brown weave humor into the challenges of authenticity and self-acceptance. The title, inspired by a hilarious moment duri…
The Mentor with Ted Giovanis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:04
Ted Giovanis is President and founder of the Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis Foundation for Health and Policy that conducts research in the health policy and clinical arenas. He was previously President of T. Giovanis & Comp…
Saying What Everyone Is Thinking with Matt Phillips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:42
Matt Phillips is a leading expert on accelerating innovation. For over 20 years, Matt has been an in-demand advisor to the Fortune 500, large nonprofits and rapidly growing mid-sized companies. As the founder of Phillips…
Authentic with Erin Hatzikostas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:38
Erin Hatzikostas is a former Corporate CEO turned Professional Pot-Stirrer. Erin is an internationally-recognized leader on the impact of authenticity in the workplace. She is the founder of b Authentic inc, where she’s…
The 7 Disk Drives with Richard Leest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:11
As Director of Information Technology Services for York Region, Richard leads the planning, delivery and support of information technology for almost 4,500 employees, 300 applications and over 11,000 computers and mobile…