Faced with over ambitious performance targets, unpopular budget cuts, demoralised staff, feuding councillors and a hostile local media, in the demanding and stressful working environment that is today's local government it is all to easy for a senior management team to become dysfunctional. Research by NASA can help. 

The more serious the situation, the more challenging the mission, the greater the need for laughter to ease the tension. That's what the latest research from NASA has concluded.