Ifyouintendusinghumorinyourtalktomakepeoplesmileyoumustknowhowtoidentifysharedexperiencesandproblems.Yourhumormustberelevanttotheaudienceandshouldhelptoshowthemthatyouareoneofthemorthatyouu
Ifyouintendusinghumorinyourtalktomakepeoplesmileyoumustknowhowtoidentifysharedexperiencesandproblems.Yourhumormustberelevanttotheaudienceandshouldhelptoshowthemthatyouareoneofthemorthatyouunderstandtheirsituationandareinsympathywiththeirpointofview.Dependingonwhomyouareaddressingtheproblemswillbedifferent.
Ifyouaretalkingtoagroupofmanagersyoumayrefertothedisorganizedmethodsoftheirsecretaries;alternativelyifyouareaddressingsecretariesyoumaywanttocommentontheirdisorganizedbosses.
HereisanexamplewhichIheardatanurses'conventionofastorywhichworkswellbecausetheaudienceallsharedthesameviewofdoctors.AmanarrivesinheavenandisbeingshownaroundbySt.Peter.Heseeswonderfulaccommodationsbeautifulgardenssunnyweatherandsoon.Everyoneisverypeacefulpoliteandfriendlyuntilwaitinginalineforlunchthenewarrivalissuddenlypushedasidebyamaninawhitecoatwhorushestotheheadofthelinegrabshisfoodandstompsovertoatablebyhimself."Whoisthat?"thenewarrivalaskedSt.Peter."Ohthat'sGod."camethereply"butsometimeshethinkshe'sadoctor."
Ifyouarepartofthegroupwhichyouareaddressingyouwillbeinapositiontoknowtheexperiencesandproblemswhicharecommontoallofyouandit'llbeappropriateforyoutomakeapassingremarkabouttheinediblecanteenfoodorthechairman'snotoriousbadtasteinties.Withotheraudiencesyoumustn'tattempttocutinwithhumorastheywillresentanoutsidermakingdisparagingremarksabouttheircanteenortheirchairman.YouwillbeonsafergroundifyousticktoscapegoatslikethePostOfficeorthetelephonesystem.
Ifyoufeelawkwardbeinghumorousyoumustpracticesothatitbecomesmorenatural.Includeafewcasualandapparentlyoff-the-cuff(即兴的)remarkswhichyoucandeliverinarelaxedandunforcedmanner.Oftenit'sthedeliverywhichcausestheaudiencetosmilesospeakslowlyandrememberthataraisedeyebroworanunbelievinglookmayhelptoshowthatyouaremakingalight-heartedremark.
Lookforthehumor.Itoftencomesfromtheunexpected.Atwistonafamiliarquote"Ifatfirstyoudon'tsucceedgiveup"oraplayon