The picture above is obviously not a well known speaker (even though our neighbors hear her nightly ‘speeches’ to the squirrels, chipmunks, and deer in our back yard).
Itโs our pup, Sky.ย
At first glance, is there anything funny about this picture?
Maybe, but itโs more of a โcute dogโ snapshot.
Adding the Right Words Made It Funny
However, when the following verbiage was added to it, people responded with laugher.
I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I stepped out of the office for a meeting. When I came back, this individual had taken over my seat. She was barking out orders all over the place.
I asked her if we could talk about this. She said, “Sure, I’m all ears.” But, soon after, she was back to her old tricks.
Frankly I thought she was being a little ruff on everyone. After a long paws for reflection, I realized there’s little I can do. I’m going to have to bone up on all the new rules around here, because,
She’s the boss now…..
How did I transform โcuteโ into ย โfunny?โ
The roots of that answer go back 40 years.
It was 1977. I was listening to an interview with Bill Cosby. The interviewer asked, โHow do peopleย make themselvesย funny?โ
After a thoughtful pause, Cosbyย said, โSurround yourself with humor.โ
My 14-year old brain latched on to that advice. I immersed myself in the humor of the day – comedians like Steve Martin, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor. TV shows like Monty Python and Saturday Night Live TV. Magazines like MAD and National Lampoon.
What I didnโt understand at the time wasย that Cosby had planted a valuable idea in my brain. ย Humor, like any other skill, is a habit. By surrounding myself with humor I was training myself to โthink funny.’
This habit tied into my love of entertaining others. Nothing is as powerful as a room full of people laughing with you, because of words youโve said.ย
This skill became a valuable asset when I became a professional speaker.
If you want to be a funnier speaker, here are key points to remember:
=> There is no ONE correct way to be funny. Humor is one of the most subjective aspects of life. Itโs impacted by your personality, your environment, events of the day, etc.
=> Begin each day – even if only for a few minutes – byย listening to humor. This can include:
- Listening to humorous radio shows or podcasts
- Watching DVDs or streaming of favorite TV comedy shows
- Listening to MP3s or CDs of favorite comedians
- Reading humorous websites, books or articles
The list is endless. Pick one and use it consistently. Once youโve established the habit, you can add others.
=> Know your own sense of humor. Some people are dry, some are zany, and others witty. When you know your style, youโll be more comfortable employing humor in your presentationsย
=> Understand what is appropriate to your audience. In America, many speakers are using questionable language and subject matter in their speeches. This humor belongs in comedy clubs. If youโve been invited to be a speaker at a groupย – especially if youโre getting paid – clarify what is and isnโt acceptable to them.
Bottom line: If you have to ask โIs this humor in poor taste or possibly offensive?โโฆโฆย it is!
In next weeks post, youโll pick up a quick 7-step process to evaluate theย humor in your talks.
Until then, remember that humor has become an integral part of being a speaker. It can make your message stand out and leave a lasting impression on your audiences.
The first step to becoming funnier is to follow the advice of comedy mastersโฆ
Surround yourself with humor.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
Storytelling Made Easy by Michael Hauge
HARNESS THE POWER OF HOLLYWOOD STORYTELLING MAGIC
Do you giveย speeches? ย Make sales presentations? Lead meetings? ย
If so, imagine if you could instantly motivate and inspire your audiences, potential clients, readers, team leaders and followers to take action.
You can – by telling more powerful success stories.
Renowned Hollywood script consultant and story expert Michael Hauge offers business leaders, speakers, marketers, consultants and entrepreneurs the secrets of Hollywood storytelling magic. By following his simple Six Step Success Storyโข formula, you’ll attract more clients and buyers by giving them their own emotional experience of success and achievement.
Michael’s six simple steps give you a powerful tool that you can use easily, repeatedly, and profitably.
I highly recommend this book if you want to be a more successful speaker, leader or sales professional.
To get your copy, visit: http://amzn.to/2sBb90d
Michaelโs mission is to help leaders, managers and sales professionals communicate with more confidence, impact, and influence. This passion is born from his own communication difficulties early in his career.
Fortunately, he discovered that public speaking is like riding a bike, swimming or driving a car - itโs a learnable skill. Once he discovered this โsecretโ he became a voracious student of the craft. He took courses, studied some of the worldโs best speakers and storytellers and continues to study presentation and business storytelling skills.
He is hired by companies and organizations, leaders, managers and sales professionals, and TEDx speakers to help them become more confident, impactful and influential communicators.
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