How can humor help you influence stakeholders and build rapport?

3 Tips for using humor

Using humor effectively and appropriately as an administrative manager requires some skills and sensitivity. To ensure you use humor wisely, consider your audience, purpose, timing, and style. You should think about who you are talking to, what their preferences and expectations are, what their cultural and professional backgrounds are, and what their mood and goals are. Additionally, consider why you are using humor, what you want to achieve, and how it aligns with your message and objective. Additionally, think about when you are using it, how it fits with the flow and tone of the conversation, and how it impacts the attention and interest of your audience. Finally, consider how you are using it, how it reflects your personality and values, and how it matches your delivery and body language. Avoid using humor that is inappropriate, insensitive, irrelevant, distracting, contradictory, too frequent, too long, too late, too forced, too fake or too inconsistent.

4 Examples of humor

Humor can be a powerful tool for influencing stakeholders and building rapport as an administrative manager. For example, when presenting a proposal or report to a client or boss, you can use humor to grab their attention, highlight the benefits of your solution, and address potential objections or concerns. This might involve using a funny anecdote, relevant analogy, or humorous comparison to make your point. Similarly, when leading a team or project, you can use humor to motivate and inspire colleagues, acknowledge their contributions, and resolve conflicts or issues. This could include using a funny compliment, playful challenge, or humorous feedback. Finally, when negotiating or collaborating with a partner or supplier, humor can be used to build trust and rapport, express expectations and interests, and overcome barriers or difficulties. This might involve using a funny icebreaker, witty remark, or humorous concession.