The Credibility of “Clowns” as Message Senders: Perceptions of Co-workers and Superiors in Five Organizations

Abstract

Over the years, people who rely on humor for entertainment have come up with strategies, such as icebreakers and jokes, to reduce seriousness. Not many people are capable of cracking good jokes and providing good entertainment, but there are those who are known for performing naturally this role and personality such as “clowns.” Clowns have the trademark of wearing white make-up, putting on a fake red nose, and wearing colorful wigs. But apart from the conventional clowns that exist, clowns have also evolved in people. Though not so much in appearance, clowns have been carried over to the way people behave and act. Some people can make fun of themselves or of situations in order to lessen seriousness and bring in humor. Clowns exist in school and at workplace. In the workplace, workers not only differ in tasks and responsibilities, they also vary in personalities and behavior. While many workers tend to be serious in the office, a few do their work with humor and candidness. An organizational member with this kind of personality is still expected to take work seriously, communicate with his/her co-workers and superiors, and relay messages. Communication is a very important process in the organization as it fulfills the dissemination of information within and outside. It is important then, that the senders of information that would be disseminated or transferred be credible enough. Credibility is a perception of a person's believability. It is vital in the organization because it is one of the factors that help achieve communication effectiveness. Credibility varies from person to person and is influenced and determined by various factors, including the individual's personality. If the personality of the worker is unusual in the organization such as being a “clown,” he/she tends to be very attached to the worker. This may be one of the personalities that can influence one’s perception of credibility. Not much attention has been given on how this personality affects other people’s perceptions towards the clown-worker. Relating a clown’s personality to credibility is important because it is possible that it does affect one’s credibility within the workplace. There is a gap in knowledge on the effect of a clown’s personality on his credibility, which is an important issue in effective organizational communication. This study sought to answer the problem “How do co-workers and superiors perceive the clown’s credibility as a message sender in the organization?” To answer this main problem, the study also attempted to answer the following subproblems: 1) What are the profiles of the “clowns” and their organizations?; 2) What work-related and non-work related messages do “clowns” relay to their superiors and co-workers?; and 3) Do the coworkers and superiors of these “clowns” believe in these messages? Why? The research was both exploratory and descriptive and used qualitative and quantitative data. The data was gathered through interviews and surveys. The researchers interviewed five “clowns” and their direct superiors in five different organizations. The clowns’ coworkers within their team or departments were given survey questionnaires with open- ended questions to gather more detailed responses. Eight co-workers of four “clowns” and seven co-workers of one “clown” participated in the survey. The work-related and non-work related messages of the “clowns” were discussed as part of their profiles. The frequencies of the superiors and co-workers’ perceptions of the clowns’ credibility as message senders was identified as well. Their reasons were categorized into the four factors of credibility, namely competence, intention, character, and personality. The number of times that the reasons were given was also determined to know which factor influenced the credibility of the “clowns” the most. The data revealed that the “clowns” in this study have distinct personalities. They are aged 23-44 years old, and mostly males who are holding varied organizational positions such as Team leaders, Technical Specialist, Administrative Officer and Negotiator, and Customer Representative. They relay to their superiors updates and reports regarding the demands of their clients, accounts, and projects, give motivating messages and they tell them the things that happen within their teams, as well as communicate follow-ups to their co-workers regarding particular tasks. Their work-related messages are personal things and “anything under the sun.” The study concludes that although the “clowns” are generally perceived as credible senders of work-related messages because of their high level of competence and good character, yet some co-workers perceived them as non-credible even in this area because of their personality—their being a prankster, funny, and not serious about their messages.