Disarming With Humor

Abstract

Attending an academic advising meeting can be a challenge for students who either do not know what to expect during the advising process or fear that it will be a difficult exchange with the advisor. This article highlights a scenario of a reluctant student and explores how academic advisors can make their students comfortable and begin to foster connection with their students through humor. The article examines how humor can be intentionally infused into the Appreciative Advising framework specifically in the initial Disarm phase which is focused on helping academic advisors build rapport and trust with their students.