# Why CEOs who can laugh at themselves lead better

> A bleeding lip onstage and Mark Zuckerberg's awkward beer sip reveal why humor matters in leadership.
- Title: Why CEOs who can laugh at themselves lead better · Fortune
- Summary: A bleeding lip onstage and Mark Zuckerberg's awkward beer sip reveal why humor matters in leadership. Leaders who use humor and show vulnerability build…
- Keywords: leadership, humor, vulnerability, mark zuckerberg, tim cook, warren buffett, richard branson, ceo culture, CEOs, laugh, themselves, lead
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/10/16/mark-zuckerberg-guinness-ceos-laugh-at-themselves
- Author: Diane Brady
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: leadership, humor, vulnerability, mark zuckerberg, tim cook, warren buffett, richard branson, ceo culture
## A bleeding lip becomes a lesson
During an onstage interview with Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, the author's lip began bleeding. Rather than hide it, she cracked jokes and called it their Halloween special.

> If you can't hide it, ride it!
## Vulnerability opens doors to connection
The incident gave Advaithi and the author a chance to discuss being vulnerable and Advaithi's public battle with breast cancer as a CEO. The mood became warm and the interview had more levity than expected.
## Zuckerberg's awkward Guinness moment
Mark Zuckerberg winced while sipping a pint of Guinness on John Collison's Cheeky Pint podcast. When the clip went viral, Zuckerberg replied on X: "That's just my face."

> That's just my face
## Humor is an underappreciated leadership trait
Richard Branson and Warren Buffett have long used humor. Tim Cook pokes fun at himself, replacing his last name with an Apple logo after Trump called him "Tim Apple" at a White House meeting.
## CEOs using humor across industries
ADP CEO Maria Black and the author laughed onstage about what their Gen Z kids said at a Fortune CEO Initiative dinner.
## Marissa Mayer's wry take on Silicon Valley
Marissa Mayer, the former Yahoo CEO who just launched Dazzle AI, has a wry take on some of the men now spouting doomsday rhetoric in Silicon Valley.
## Mostafa Tolba's lesson on connection
As a student at the University of Nairobi, the author wrote speeches for Mostafa Tolba, then-executive director of the United Nations Environment Program.

> No, Diane. Don't joke about serious subjects. Joke about me.
## Humor builds human connection first
Tolba explained that before solving tough problems, people must connect as human beings. This advice shaped how the author views leadership and the role of humor in building authentic relationships.
## Key takeaway

Leaders who use humor and show vulnerability build stronger connections with their teams and audiences, turning embarrassing moments into opportunities for authentic engagement.