Humor Leadership Consulting

Humor
Leadership Consulting

Lead Boldly. Laugh Often.
Elevating leadership and well-being

with science and humor

About

Dr. Cheng Zhu is the CEO of Humor Leadership Consulting, a New York City-based consulting firm that helps leaders and teams master the future of work — blending practical strategy, behavioral science, and a dose of humor to boost well-being, drive change, and keep humans delightfully irreplaceable.

An organizational psychologist by training, executive coach by practice, and corporate commedia by necessity, Dr. Zhu advises leaders, boards, and investors across Fortune 500s, startups, nonprofits, and government agencies. Known affectionately as Dr. Laugh, she translates complex behavioral science into clear actions — empowering people to lead courageously, laugh more, and accelerate growth without losing their minds.

Dr. Zhu's expertise ranges from leadership development and talent strategy to cultural transformation, organizational innovation, change leadership, negotiation, conflict resolution, succession planning, executive assessment, and board effectiveness.

She has designed and facilitated executive education programs for leaders from over 50 countries. Examples include spearheading Eisenhower Fellowships’ inaugural Global Leadership Development Program and leading the Women’s Leadership Development Program under the guidance of then-Chairman General Colin L. Powell.

Dr. Zhu’s book chapter was published in The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Leadership Handbook, which features a who’s who of leadership gurus. Her articles have appeared in Forbes and The Leadership Quarterly Journal, reaching global audiences through multiple translations. As a Fellow of Disruptor Foundation, she guides leaders in adopting innovative growth strategies—drawing on the pioneering insights of Dr. Clayton Christensen, the world’s foremost authority on disruptive innovation.

Previously, Dr. Zhu researched leadership and workplace culture at the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Center for Public Leadership, and served as faculty at the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences and at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). She broke new ground as the first Asian elected President of the Harvard Graduate Student Government, and received the Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching and the Provost’s Outstanding Service Award.

She is certified in a variety of leadership development and coaching tools, including 360-degree feedback, simulations, executive selection and development assessments — plus an improv certificate from New York’s legendary comedy training institution, Upright Citizens Brigade.

When not uncovering blind spots or decoding org charts to reveal who’s really in charge, she is road-testing new leadership jokes on unsuspecting teams — the best land in her keynotes, the rest become lessons (with punchlines). She recently took it up a notch by guest-starring in truTV's hit comedy series "Impractical Jokers."

She lives in Manhattan, New York, and holds a B.A. from Beijing University and a Masters and Doctorate from Harvard University.

Overview

A New Era of Leadership

Differentiators

Science + Humor
We blend deep behavioral science with real-world practicality — and deliver it with improv-inspired humor that keeps people awake, engaged, and actually using what they learn.

Human Before Hierarchy

We focus on the people behind the titles—because real transformation happens when humans, not hierarchies, drive the breakthrough.

Redefining Leadership in AI

Fusing AI‑savvy strategies with improv‑honed agility, we design experiences that land, stick, and leave people both laughing and learning.

Speaking

Keynotes & Speaking

Fresh insights, practical takeaways, and just enough humor to get people trying new ideas — and cracking inside jokes — by the next team meeting.

AI Won’t Replace You — But Boring Leadership Might
Your real risk isn’t the robots — it’s stale, uninspired leadership. Discover how to lead boldly and creatively so your team stays motivated — and you stay irreplaceable in an AI world.

Mastering AI Leadership: Lead Smart, Stay Human
The bots are here. Now what? Learn how to steer people, projects, and strategy when tech moves fast — and keep your human edge front and center.

Culture Clash or Culture Blend?
Collaboration shouldn’t implode just because people think differently. Get practical ways to navigate unwritten rules and turn cultural friction into fuel for real performance — not drama.

Laugh, Lead, Repeat: Humor as a Serious Leadership Tool
Work’s too serious not to laugh about it sometimes. Discover how well-placed humor builds trust, cuts stress, and makes hard conversations human — instead of awkward.

Speak Up, Slip Up, Spark Ideas
Improv for leaders who’d rather not wing it — but need to anyway. Learn how to foster agility, creativity, and resilient teamwork when plans (inevitably) go sideways.

The Feedback Fix: Communication That Works
Stop dreading feedback season. Master the conversations that grow trust, sharpen performance, and keep HR out of awkward follow-ups.

Leading Change Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Team)
Get your people from resistance to real buy-in — minus the eye rolls. Proven tactics for driving meaningful change while staying grounded (and keeping your team, too).

Inclusive Leadership: Cultures of Belonging
Real inclusion isn’t a slogan — it’s a daily practice. Learn to design workplaces where people show up, speak up, and stick around because they feel they matter.

CEO Playbook: Strategic Decisions & Legacy Leadership
Your biggest calls shape what outlasts you. Discover how to make decisions with courage, clarity, and staying power — and leave behind a legacy worth more than a press release.

Negotiation & Conflict: The Psychology of Getting to Yes
Cut through negotiation clichés and master what really works. Bring behavioral science to the table and handle tough conversations with calm, credible confidence.

Global Leadership: Leading Across Borders & Time Zones
Turn cultural complexity into your team’s secret advantage. Best practices for leading multicultural, cross-functional teams — without losing sleep (or context).

Generational Intelligence: Stop the Eye-Rolling, Start Collaborating
Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z — it’s not a punchline, it’s your workforce. Learn how to adapt your leadership style so everyone actually works together (memes optional).

Women’s Leadership: Leading Differently, Bravely, Strategically
Lead on your own terms — and stay sane doing it. Research-backed insights for women ready to grow influence, make bold moves, and do leadership differently.

Managing Stress & Energy: Leadership That Doesn’t Burn You Out
You can lead well and stay well. Practical, science-backed ways to protect your energy, boost resilience, and keep your performance (and health) sustainable.

TRAINING

Training Programs & Solutions

Dr Cheng Zhu on Global Leadership	Dr Cheng Zhu-Women Leaders Activity	Dr Cheng Zhu on Leadership Styles
Dr Cheng Zhu on Leadership Vision	Dr Cheng Zhu's Leadership Exercises	Dr. Cheng Zhu on Team Innovation
Dr Cheng Zhu on Team Leadership	Dr Cheng Zhu's Leadership Seminar	Dr Cheng Zhu's Coaching Exercises
Dr Cheng Zhu on Leaders' Negotiation

1. Popular Themes:

Leading in the AI Era — Stay human while the robots do the grunt work.
Equip leaders to keep trust, empathy, and real conversations alive — even when half their meetings have a bot in the corner taking notes.
Cognitive Agility Bootcamp — Think sharper. Pivot faster. Stress less.
Train your brain like a muscle. Tackle bias, break stale habits, and make better calls when the pressure’s on — without your head spinning.
Coaching Skills for Managers — Less control freak. More trusted guide.
Micromanaging is out, coaching is in. Managers learn how to ask smart questions, give feedback people actually want, and inspire real ownership.
Generational Intelligence — Turn “OK Boomer” into “OK, let’s do this.”
Decode what makes each generation tick, click, and occasionally clash. Build a team that actually talks to each other — and maybe even enjoys it.
Humor at Work — Laugh with purpose. Lead with ease.
Master when to drop the perfect quip — and when to zip it. Use humor to defuse tension, connect across silos, and make meetings less painful.

Formats: Half-day, full-day, or blended.

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2. Customized Solutions for Organizations

Individual Leader Assessments — Blind spots? Meet bright lights.
We hold up the mirror so leaders see what everyone else already does — minus the sugarcoating. Clear insights, sharper choices, real growth.
Executive Team Assessments — Turf wars to teamwork.
Silo-smashing, trust-building, goal-aligning goodness. Get executive teams out of their corners and pulling in the same direction — no corporate referee required.
Organizational Leadership Assessments — A clear read on your bench strength.
See exactly how your leadership layer stacks up — strengths, gaps, surprises included. Get the data to invest wisely, develop intentionally, and dodge nasty succession shocks.
Leadership Development — Custom-fit. Not off-the-shelf. Actually useful.
Programs built for your people, your strategy, your context. No dusty binders — just skills your leaders keep using when the pressure’s on.
Change Management — Plans people don’t snicker at.
No more “flavor-of-the-month” rollouts. We craft clear, realistic change roadmaps that land, stick, and keep skeptics onside — so good ideas survive slide three.
Organization Design — Org charts that won’t cause migraines.
Clear roles, smart structures, fewer awkward overlaps. Org charts that help people do great work — not bicker over who does what.
Culture Transformation — More doing, less corporate chanting.

Formats: 1-5 days or blended.

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Consulting

1. Strategic Planning and Consulting for Executive Teams

Engage in discovery conversations to identify challenges and potential areas for growth and development
Diagnose contextual and organizational dynamics
Facilitate strategy sessions for executive teams to clarify organizational vision
Conduct in-depth policy and practice analysis in your industry
Develop strategic initiatives and engage stakeholders to support organizational transformation and growth effectively
Measure the progress of strategic execution and conduct impact assessments

2. Innovation Consulting for Organizations

Identify and build adaptive capacities for organizations, by leveraging a variety of methodologies in change management
Develop and execute organization-wide innovation projects to scale and profit
Create an innovative and inclusive organizational culture that enables people to thrive and bring their most creative selves to work

Consulting

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

Client Testimonials

General Colin Powell & Dr. Cheng Zhu @ Eisenhower Fellowships Global Leadership Development Programs	Eisenhower Fellowships	Eisenhower Fellowships Testimonial on Women's Leadership Program led by Dr. Cheng Zhu
Eisenhower Fellowships President's Letter - Testimonial on Multi Nation Program led by Dr. Cheng Zhu	Eisenhower Fellowships Testimonial on Dr. Cheng Zhu's Women's Leadership Programs	New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene