"Say something funny!" an unidentified caller exclaimed recently. He announced that he had visited my Web site and felt that I, as a motivational humorist, should be able to liven up the conversation. He also informed me that 15 people from the company were listening in over the conference room speaker phone.
Oh, the hazard of humor. But humor can be a useful tool when used properly. So let's evaluate how humor can be used to its best advantage during presentations.
What are the different kinds of humor and delivery possibilities?
Jokes embody a short, to-the-point commentary with a punch line. They are delivered quickly and are geared to generate as much laughter as possible in a short period of time. This is the realm of the consummate comedian. Comedic styles range from innocent stares and monotone delivery (Rita Rudner) to manic energy that bounds off the stage (Robin Williams).
Humorists utilize anecdotes, which are stories or parables of life that have humor interjected into the story. Ultimately the story must offer a moral or life lesson. I consider Bill Cosby a master who delivers his stories with a twinkling calm, bringing the audience in on the joke with his "I'm one of you" technique. Frequently, his shows have him sitting on stage for the entire performance, simply having a chat with his closest friends. Now that's style.
The level of energy used by the speaker to elicit a laugh from the audience depends on what type of response you want.
How do we know when something is funny?
We don't until we've said it or acted it out in front of an audience. Whether something is funny or not boils down to timing and appropriateness. I've heard speakers share an off-color joke which resulted in audience members feeling uncomfortable. It's very important to know your audience and adjust your material accordingly. You can use the same stories and jokes from keynote to keynote, but relate them to the world your audience knows. Engineers, surgeons, or administrative assistants are all human and face the same issues every day. By keeping your comments inoffensive and true, you will not only win respect, but be rewarded with genuine laughter and audience involvement. It's a matter of caring enough to make it special for each group you speak to.
When is the appropriate time to use humor?
When it's relevant or moves your talk forward in the direction you wish to go. Often, spontaneous remarks from the audience will give you excellent fodder from which to develop genuinely funny responses. If you are not fast on your feet mentally, then stick to the practiced, well-placed stories and comments in your material. If you are not comfortable venturing outside of the established "script" then don't even try.
Humor comes from our genuine selves. The rueful look, screwed-up eyes, or pouting mouth all project our feelings and thoughts in a manner that can easily be related to.
It doesn't always work, but when it does . . . be ready to clutch your sides.
Karel Murray of Our Branch, Inc., is a motivational humorist known for her straight talk in keynotes, seminars, and sales training. You can reach her at [email protected] or (866) 817-2986.