About Seriously Funny: Women Who Humor and Change the Rules
Can humor help us create better work? YES! AND - We don't hear many stories of leaders - esp. women - doing their thing and using THEIR unapologetic humor THEIR way. They're blazing new paths, upending expectations and changing the status quo. There are a few stories and in the press; I know there's so many more. This podcast is dedicated to those stories and conversations. How does humor create better work? Who are these women leaders? What lessons can they offer? What's funny to them? Part comedy, part interview, this podcast will change how we talk about better work, humor AND funny women.
Ep 5: Failure is the Sex Talk of Leadership: How to Have That (and Any) Awkward Convo
Awkward. Necessary. Avoided. Sometimes Until it's Too Late.
We can change that story and the results. And yes, humor is a guide.
“How many of you have honest conversations abut failure at work?"
I asked 500 leaders in my audience a simple question during a keynote in Ohio:
Fewer than 10 hands went up.
Then came the half-raises. Which was hilarious...we all feel a little conflicted. They looked around. I get it.
Fewer Than Ten. Out of 500.
It's usually the case. I ask that question for a reason:
I want leaders to see they are not alone in feeling weird talking about THAT big old F-WORD.
It's human, awkward and we avoid discomfort.
And having the failure conversation in organizations is a lot like the sex talk with your kids.
Nobody wants to do it. It’s awkward as hell. So most people don’t. I have been the leader going we gotta talk about it and the parent awkwardly trying to figure out how to get my kids to listen and not run screaming from the room.
So we delay it. Avoid it. Hope it somehow becomes unnecessary.
It doesn't.
In this podcast episode, I talk about what questions your team has and how to approach ANY awkward conversation you might be avoiding.
Reach out. Let me know what resonated for you with this episode. Like it, give it a comment and some love. Reach out. kathy@keepingithuman.com
23 Apr 2026
Stop Being 'Professional' and Start Being "Real': The Power of Shared Laughter
We’ve been lied to. We’ve been told that being 'Bold' means having answers and being tough. Whatever THAT is. No expression. You know, "Professional."
"Professional" isn't serving us.
2026, that ‘professional’ mask isn’t a shield; it's a prison. It’s why we’re all exhausted, lonely, and 'Quietly Cracking' behind Zoom.
I am Kathy Klotz-Guest and 20+ years in innovation and improv (and stand-up) taught me one thing: the shortest distancebetween a problem and a solution is a shared laugh.
If you want to be bold, you have to stop performing and start connecting. I mean stop being performative.
Let’s get weird, let's get real, and let’s get bold. Because there is power in shared laughter with others, and with people we don't know well.
Want more? Check out all episodes. If you like the episode, let me know. Review, like, share.
Keepingithuman(dot)com.
4 Feb 2026
Laughter and Trust: Why Humor Is the BIGGEST Culture Signal Leaders Miss
"If they're not laughing, you are already losing."
I know it up close.
When the world feels uncertain, most workplaces default to performance and acting like they “have it together.”
Pretending.
We kind of forgot how to be human.
performance 'theater' is quietly killing creativity, trust, and honest leadership.
In this episode, Kathy Klotz-Guest—former Silicon Valley leader, longtime comedian, and founder of Keeping It Human®—explores why laughter and play aren’t perks or distractions; they're neurological signals that make better leadership, innovation, and decision-making possible.
Drawing on decades of building teams, leading products, and working comedy stages, Kathy unpacks what fear does to teams, why burned-out brains can’t innovate, and how humor helps people reframe failure, speak up, and stay human when things get hard.
It’s about creating cultures where people can drop the performance, tell the truth, and do braver, better work together.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why fear makes teams smaller—and how laughter helps reverse it
How humor reframes failure so teams can learn instead of shut down (and a real example you can use!)
What leaders can do to calm nervous systems without pretending everything’s fine
Staying human is the real work!
Want more? Visit keepingithuman.com
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact Seriously Funny: Women Who Humor and Change the Rules
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Seriously Funny: Women Who Humor and Change the Rules?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
