One area that I have been working on is incorporating humor into the presentations that I deliver.
Why add humor?
Humor is a powerful tool in public speaking—it builds connection, increases engagement, reduces tension, and makes messages more memorable. Even light humor can warm up a room, and help you, as the speaker, feel more at ease, and encourage more audience engagement as they listen to your message.
Here are additional reasons why humor matters:
- Humor Builds Rapport: Humor enables the speakers to be more relatable and likable.
- Humor Encourages Openness: When people laugh, they’re more open to new ideas or perspectives.
- Humor Eases Tension: Humor can diffuse a serious or emotionally charged topic, helping difficult information to be more easily understood.
- Humor Increases Retention: Audiences are more likely to remember content when it’s associated with laughter or enjoyment because humor makes an emotional connection with an audience.
Here are guidelines for incorporating humor into your speech:
1. Know Your Audience
Tailor your humor to your audience. Age, culture, setting, and values all play into whether your audience will appreciate your humor. Humor may go over well with a general audience, but not in a meeting with senior leaders.
Be careful with offensive or polarizing jokes—what’s funny to one group might be cringey or inappropriate to another.
2. Be Authentic
Use humor that feels natural to your personality—don’t force it. Sometimes dry wit or subtle sarcasm can be effective if it matches your authentic style.
3. Use Stories
Personal anecdotes with humorous twists are relatable. Even self-deprecating humor (done lightly) can build trust without undermining credibility.
4. Incorporate Observational Humor
Commenting on shared experiences, like the weather, current events (mindfully), or quirks of everyday life, brings you and the audience onto the same wavelength.
5. Use Timing, Pacing, and Plot Twists
Don’t rush through jokes—timing is everything in comedy. Pause after a punchline to give people time to laugh.
Using the rule of “3”, with the third item being unexpected or incorporating a story with a twist, is a technique that often surprises and delights an audience.
6. Practice, Practice, Practice
Try humor in front of trusted friends or colleagues first. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t, and adjust accordingly.
The Art of Humor
Adding humor to your presentations can elevate your performance and further engage your audience with your message.
Are you willing to spice up your presentation with touches of humor?
Enter your name and email below to grab my FREE Speaker Checklist to feel fully prepared and confident to deliver your very best.
Leave a Reply