Leadership is a serious responsibility, but it does not always have to be taken seriously.
Humour has the unique ability to defuse tension, build rapport and remind us of the joy of life and work.
“Humour and Wit” celebrates the lighter side of leadership, offering a collection of quotes that entertain, provoke thought and instil light-heartedness even in the most challenging situations.
In this section, you will find reflections on the absurdities of human nature, the irony of certain truths, and the wisdom that is often hidden in laughter.
Humour is not just a tool for entertainment: it is a bridge to understanding, a way to connect with others, and a reminder to remain grounded in humility.
For leaders, humour can defuse conflict, foster camaraderie, and even reveal deeper truths.
As you explore this section, may these quotes bring you a smile and a renewed sense of perspective on your journey.
Italians are not always late, but the stereotype persists because it contains a grain of cultural truth — a small one, the size of a coffee bean, but still enough to fuel an entire international myth. It is not really about punctuality in the strict sense. It is about a different relationship with time, one … Read more
How to wash a cat
1.Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.
2. Pick up the cat and soothe her while you carry her towards the bathroom.
3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid.
History of the adhesive bandageLife, death and miracles of a device that saves both lives and honour Before beginning, it may help international readers to understand the family of words from which “sparatrap” originates. In much of Europe, the earliest form of the term was the French sparadrap, itself derived from the medieval Latin sparare … Read more
For some time now I have often been told, “You are a good listener.”The remark surprises me every time. I have always listened, of course, but for many years I doubt I truly deserved the adjective “good”. And I do not think this new reputation comes from age, which sometimes leads people to mistake the … Read more
(Inspired by Bruce Horovitz,“10 Subtle Signs That You Are Ready to Retire”,Wall Street Journal, 19 November 2025) We always imagine a dramatic moment of revelation, a thunderbolt from above announcing: it is time.In reality, for most of us, no epiphany ever arrives.What we do receive are small messages, discreet yet insistent. Tiny yellow lights blinking … Read more
“Procrastination is totally a good thing.
You always have something to do tomorrow,
plus you have nothing to do today.”
After all, what is a delay if not a refined form of prioritisation?
A wise leader never rushes; they simply wait for the perfect alignment of circumstances — or, more elegantly, for someone else to act first.
“If hard work led to success, the donkey would own the farm.”
But it does not.
The donkey works the hardest, from dawn to dusk, and yet remains where it started — tired, obedient, and replaceable.
The truth is that effort without vision only strengthens someone else’s dream. The donkey’s labour feeds the master’s ambition.
And that is the silent tragedy of many: they mistake productivity for purpose.
The wise man uses his knowledge when the moment has come.
The prudent man waits for the right moment.
The fool jumps ahead of it.
The idiot lets it pass.
(From the film Never Give Up)
The wise man speaks little, observes much, and acts when the silence of others becomes louder than words.
The prudent man waits—perhaps a little too long, but at least with style.
“In Sicily, when we do something, we do it grandly — or not at all.
That is why we often do nothing.”
(Pino Caruso)
This remark is both self-irony and deep truth: in Sicily (and not only there), there exists a natural aversion to mediocrity.
Doing things “halfway” is almost an insult to one’s own pride.
The paradox is that this drive toward greatness often becomes a trap.
The “all-or-nothing” mindset leads to postponement — waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect means, the perfect conditions — which rarely ever come.
“Marriage is when one person is always right, and the other person is a husband.”
As everyone knows, a successful marriage is simply the art of a man learning to nod, smile, and pretend his opinions matter.
Meanwhile, his wife, blessed with an innate understanding of all things (including his mistakes before he even makes them), gently guides him through life.
“See you between three and five. And please, be on time!”
(Renzino Barbera)
Italian precision — and even more so Sicilian precision — is a form of art.
Forget Einstein: we bent space and time long before relativity.
“Between three and five” is not a time. It is a state of mind.
It is an invitation to enter a temporal zone where clocks follow the rhythm of the heart and the level of post-lunch blood sugar.
What is the difference between a life partner and a terrorist?
With a terrorist, you can negotiate.
This is a classic example of pub humour: a sharp one-liner that aims for a laugh by exaggerating stereotypes.
But if we dig a little deeper, it becomes an interesting metaphor for leadership, negotiation, and domestic life.
There is a scientific distinction between having guts and having balls. I have heard distinguished colleagues (husbands, that is) use the two expressions interchangeably.
They both refer to courage, of course; but do they really know the difference between these two degrees of bravery?
Here is the official distinction; straight from the British Medical Journal: Volume 323; page 295.
After mowing the lawn this afternoon, I rewarded myself with a cold beer by my swimming pool.
The weather was perfect, the grass was short, and the drink encouraged a certain philosophical mood.
My wife walked past and asked what I was doing.
I replied, “Nothing.”
It looks like many of you enjoy playing with exotic insults!
A quick note: insults are not always a single word (…though, admittedly, one sharp word often lands harder than an uppercut).
Some of the finest barbs in history are entire phrases, elegant in their cruelty.
So let us broaden the contest with a few gems you may try to outmatch.
This post is a challenge — against yours truly!
I came across a Facebook post about the art of insults, especially in British English, quoting Shakespeare’s delicious volley:
“You scullion! You rampallian! You fustilarian!”
Henry IV, Part 2 (Act 2, Scene 1)
SOS — Slower, Older, and Smarter
Slower is not delay. It is design.
Older is not decline. It is perspective.
Smarter is not cleverness. It is prudence.
““Lu tempu e la spirienza fannu nasciri la prudenza” — time and experience give birth to prudence, says a Sicilian proverb.
The Sicilian woman, when she is truly angry, grants no reprieve.
She speaks — or rather, shouts — for hours, like a flood sweeping away every obstacle.
It is not merely anger: it is strategy.
Every word, every repetition, every example is a stone laid to build a message that will remain in the listener’s mind.
The cooling of coffee follows an elegant law of classical Newtonian physics — describing how a hot liquid gradually descends towards the “golden zone” of 50–65 °C, perfect for both flavour and the survival of your tongue.
With infusion coffee in a large cup, the curve is predictable: after 8 minutes and 54 seconds it is ideal; after 16 minutes and 50 seconds it is already lukewarm and sad.
Then there is Italy.
First, someone steals my parking spot, then mocks me with a smile, and finally, their stupid car leaves paint on my key