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Are We Having Fun Yet?
During tough times, corporate speakers and presenters usually feel they should avoid humor like the bubonic plague (which, as of press time, isn’t yet cause for concern). But humor and satire are powerful tools for speakers and business leaders — if handled with care.
The old saw about how laughter heals is never truer than in times of high anxiety. Comedy connects us and brings us together. It also bridges gaps, bonds people and relieves the stress associated with down times and bad news.
Of course, not everything is funny. If it were, we wouldn’t need laugh tracks on sitcoms. But satire allows people to laugh at common experiences, problems, challenges and issues. It also helps them realize these challenges are not as big as they might seem.
LIGHTEN UP
If you’re thinking of using humor to make a point in a corporate meeting or convention, consider the following important tips.
Not all Funny is Created Equal.
Being funny is good. Being funny and relevant is even better. It seems obvious, but many people overlook the need to keep their jokes relevant to the audience. Sometimes the latest “horse-walked-into-a-bar” joke is funny, but maybe not at a 1,000-person conference if it is out of context with the purpose of the meeting or the presentation. Make sure the speaker you hire can link the humor to a broader point (the state of the company, a recent gaffe, the latest water-cooler rumor).
Be the Audience.
Executives talking to the rank and file will benefit by being a little more like their troops, by reducing the us-vs.-them dynamic of rank. The wise use of humor can reveal a leader’s humanity and empathy for the audience. When helping them prepare for the speech, encourage executives to consider the viewpoint of the audience and examine issues from their perspective. The audience needs to relate.
Don’t Forget the Solution.
While stand-up comics can get away with comedy drive-bys, business leaders usually can’t. If you’re planning to use humor, don’t use it merely to ridicule and mock. That’s too easy and unnecessary. Instead, use it to enlighten and inspire. Humor also works to illustrate a problem or an issue, perhaps to get people to accept a challenge, embrace a solution or enact change. Humor is great for demonstrating how to connect better to customers or to introduce new sales methods. Got a product launch or a merger that didn’t work? Acknowledge it with humor to gain acceptance, and then propose a new way forward.
Play it Smart.
Don’t hinder your message or jeopardize your credibility by using cheap jokes or moronic antics — and don’t go blue. Foul language or sexual jokes might be fine in a comedy club, but it’s never wise to be off-color in corporate settings. Make the funny moments feel integrated into the overall meeting by including rich anecdotes or empathetic, situation-based humor. You want people talking about how funny the presentation was and also how it rang true for them.
ENLIST A PRO
Is all this easier said than done? Not really, if you remember to be authentic, accessible, and if you look for common ground with the audience.
But not everyone is funny — and not everyone is willing to risk failing to be funny. If humor is a foreign concept for you, reach out and involve professionals in the brainstorming and production of something humorous — and make sure they know how to help you pull it off.
