Humor is a powerful tool to engage your audience, build rapport, and reduce tension. But how can you use it effectively without losing sight of your main message, alienating your listeners, or sounding unprofessional? Here are some tips to help you incorporate humor into your speeches without detracting from your message.
The first rule of humor is to know who you are speaking to. What are their backgrounds, interests, expectations, and sensitivities? What kind of humor will they appreciate and relate to? What kind of humor will they find offensive or inappropriate? Do some research, ask for feedback, and tailor your jokes to suit your audience. Avoid humor that is too obscure, controversial, or self-deprecating. You want to make them laugh, not confuse, insult, or embarrass them.
Knowing your audience and being willing to make fun of yourself - and your experiences in the same context as your audience - has always been a great source of humor. In addition, when done well, it is a way to demonstrate your knowledge of their environment, as well as get the audience engaged in what you have to present.
Humor in a personal story and often at the beginning of a speech is a great way to use humor effectively. Self deprecating humor also brings yourself down to the audiences level and can show authenticity in the process. Make sure to pay attention to the environment and audience you are sharing with as that will impact the appropriate level of humor you want to introduce. You also want to align it well with the type of person you naturally are or it will come off inauthentic.
If you have to plan Humor into a presentations to this degree, you definitely should not be including humor. This is the sort of 'humor' planning a professional comedian does & you are not one (presumably) so don't try to be. It's hard enough to make a good presentation, an inspiring, informative speech; don't complicate it by trying to be a part-time comedian. Focus on making your talk the best it (and you) can be. You'll know when an appropriate opportunity comes up for you to 'be humorous'; if your presentation has been good up until that point, if you can 'feel the room' & know it's been going well then take that spontaneous 'funny moment' ... unless of course, you are not known in your personal life as being remotely funny.
To me this is the most important part. You have your own tone and personality to stand by, as it’s your brand, but also leave room for flexibility. Adapt your humor so that it speaks to the audience, read the room, and keep testing and seeking feedback from your listeners.
Knock knock. Who's there? A bunch-a A bunch-a who? A bunch of LinkedIn people unironically writing about how to incorporate humor into things in upsettingly unfunny ways.
The second rule of humor is to know why you are using it. What is the main goal of your speech? How does humor support that goal? How does it fit into your overall structure and flow? Humor should not be random, irrelevant, or excessive. It should serve a specific function, such as breaking the ice, illustrating a point, creating contrast, or reinforcing a message. Humor should not distract, disrupt, or contradict your main message. It should enhance, amplify, or complement it.
Knowing your purpose as a speaker is hugely important in helping you develop your content. It gives you a guiding direction for the types of experience you're trying to create. I recommend speakers choose 2-3 experience types to aim for. Examples are: motivational, entertaining, actionable, transparent, controversial, inspirational, etc. Personally, I aim for entertaining + actionable, and I use this to step back and look at my presentations to check that I have a well balanced spread of those moments throughout my talks. If there's a 10 minute gap in the middle with no entertainment, I focus on adding something funny there. Define your purpose & your desired audience experiences and you'll build a catalogue of consistency in your work.
I don't think I'm very funny, but I can tell humorous stories. I have a serious topic, though... I teach people to live and work safely and securely, and I talk about AI cybersecurity. So I walk a fine line. I get my humor from storytelling. If I can recount a related story that may be funny, that is a way to add humor to my presentations and keynotes. I also keep the "laugh lines" in each presentation. I know what gets a laugh, so I will repeat them in each presentation. Why re-invent the wheel? The bottom line is that humor is a great way to entertain even during serious presentations.
The first and the foremost thing when it comes to giving your presentation is to know your "PURPOSE". You need to be very clear as in who your audience is. Only then do you realize if humor needs to be added or not. The main intent is, humor should not be a separate entity of the speech. Remember that, even if you decide to include humor, it's essential to strike the right balance. Too much humor can distract from your message, while too little can make your speech dull. Ensure that your humor is relevant to your topic and doesn't overshadow your main points. The key is to be mindful of the context and purpose of your speech and to use humor judiciously to enhance your message.
I agree your presentation is the focus, the key. Professional comedians 'plan' humour. For the rest of us, it most certainly is (in the main) random and spontaneous. That's usually why it's funny. I think considering 'humor' as part of your planning of a presentation, is a recipe for disaster. Especially for inexperienced presenters and speakers. Look for some really helpful tips 'n tricks to making a successful speech, there are lots on LinkedIn along with lots of experts ... this particular article is likely to get you into deep & dangerous water
Good humour always has a message, you are just underlining something with it. It works best, when you know why you are making a joke.
The third rule of humor is to know when and how to deliver it. Humor is all about timing, tone, and expression. You need to practice your jokes, test them out, and refine them. You need to pay attention to your pace, pause, and pitch. You need to use your body language, facial expressions, and eye contact. You need to gauge your audience's reaction, adjust your style, and improvise if needed. Humor is not a script, but a skill. You need to master it, not memorize it.
Subtle changes in facial expression, voice inflection and cadence, even something as subtle as such as an eye roll or a hand gesture like gesturing to the audience with open arms, a slight smirk, four fingers to to forehead to salute or scan the audience. Body language can impart a lot. Are you coming to a key phrase or think you may not have full attention of the group? Drive home bullet points with body language . Gauge how well you have your audience’s attention and use subtle ways to flatter your audience or put emphasis on a phrase. Practice these and develop some signature moves. Some of mine are a a barely perceptible, conspiratorial wink to show that I don’t take myself too seriously,. if response is enthusiastic, I curtsy.
Along with timing is the density of humor in a presentation. If it's joke after joke, you may lose some of your audience who genuinely came for the purpose of the message. Pacing yourself and giving time to your audience to digest jokes is also crucial when you're trying to drive home a point. Examples: - Commenting on the absurdity of so many responsibilities of a single person, that the audience can relate with, followed by a pause. - Leaving a relatable meme or image on screen without comment or engaging the audience to describe it Delivery is not always about what you say, but the environment, your posture and the reaction that make humor successful.
Like a good Cross-Examination, don't jump headlong, rather tiptoe into the water slowly - armed with the "big picture" and well-versed to mine light, contrast, colour, suspense, and pathos to help paint the scene for the “jury”, so they can nail the …. (What would U say here?) Depends on warmth, trust, rapport, amount drunk by the “jury of peers”, and timing. Keep them waiting too long and then nail one, that might lead to 1 more peer – is there an obvious solution? Depends! Avoid this pist-fall by action verbs, onomatope, physical gestures and pregnant pauses -- to test the water before taking the plunge. If that works, keep flowing, if not move to #2 – “If you can’t dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your need to go!
I find that the most important thing about humor is pace. It you allow yourself to slow down, speed up - and even pause to let it sink in, its impact go from good to great.
The problem with timing is the content is usually written in the paragraph form. Remember when you are writing jokes you are writing words to be said not read so write the material as dialog like you would see in a screenplay and use this formula (Set Up) <Describe the Situation> {punchline} [Tage line] and rehearse each part and know that once it is broken out you can work on timing, cadence and delivery. Own those words. I don't use the word memorization I use the word command and that is what you should have. Don't just memrize the words, own them. Create content to be said vs. read you can easily see the wasted motions, words that don't need to be there. Eliminate those wasted motions that are easy to see when written as dialog.
The fourth rule of humor is to know what you can and cannot do. Humor is not for everyone, and not for every occasion. You need to be honest with yourself, and realistic with your expectations. You need to assess your strengths, weaknesses, and comfort level. You need to respect your boundaries, and those of your audience. You need to balance your humor with your credibility, authority, and professionalism. Humor is not a substitute, but a supplement. You need to use it wisely, not recklessly.
It doesn't get more human than humor. It is my contention that we were all born funny and being "funny" around our fellow humans is the most human and natural thing we can do. Children laugh 400 times a day, adults laugh 3 - 15 times. I think shifting that mindset is the first step. The second is understanding the variables like why you are there and how humor fits into the situation. Is it a as a learning tool. People only remember 10 - 20% of what they hear, but if you embed the message with humor it goes up to 50 - 60%. So that is the reason and opportunity. Humor can defuse tension and laughter is release of nervous energy. I would also try and distinguish between humor the art form and humor the most human part of the human experience.
Balance humor with the tone and context of your speech, ensuring it enhances your message rather than overshadowing it. Practice and feedback are vital to refine your comedic timing and connect with your audience effectively.
If you must use humor in your speech, always remember to punch up, not down. Avoid topics where emotions may run high, like politics, religion, identity, or culture. Always keep in mind that in a hyper-connected world, whatever we say in a group of a hundred people can easily spread to thousands. So use humor responsibly.
Once I met a CEO who started the layoff speech with a dad joke. When I asked him why he did that he said that he was once at a training where he was tokd to always start with a joke… I’ve never heard such a dumb advice in my life. (Disclaimer: it wasn’t my training :)
I coach that there is a difference between jokes and humor. When you find yourself writing jokes that will be shared with a professional audience, run it by at least 3 people who are able to say 'no' to you. When you are adding humor to your presentation, understand it's role. Humor is light, and appreciates the moment and the context.
The fifth rule of humor is to know where to find it. Humor is everywhere, if you know how to look for it. You can draw inspiration from your own experiences, observations, and opinions. You can use anecdotes, stories, and examples. You can borrow from books, movies, shows, and podcasts. You can adapt from jokes, quotes, and memes. You can create from wordplay, irony, and exaggeration. The key is to be original, relevant, and appropriate. Humor is not a copy, but a creation. You need to make it yours, not someone else's.
I deliver live events and a key topic for me is authenticity. I am a positive person who takes a fun view on everything around me. Above all i will always be myself. So there will always be humour at sessions with me. A lot of it at my own expense. Developing a growth mindset is also a key area i co -create on, so sharing the funny mistakes and learnings i have made along the way can be both illustrative and amusing. if you are comfortable in yourself and fun and humour is your bag, then be true to yourself and use it. If not, do what works best for you in conveying your message and don't spoil it trying to get belly laughs when its not your bag. Be honest, open and authentic and if that creates fun, great. Most of all , enjoy.
The sixth rule of humor is to know how to improve it . Humor is not a one-time thing, but a continuous process. You need to seek feedback, evaluate your performance, and learn from your mistakes . You need to listen to your audience , ask for their opinions, and thank them for their support. You need to watch your recordings, analyze your strengths, and work on your weaknesses. You need to keep learning, practicing, and experimenting. Humor is not a destination, but a journey. You need to enjoy it, not stress over it.
It is verynecessary to include humor. I was speaking on a topic called "Evil of Alcohol". Two old people were sitting at a bar and discussing which is better. Parkinson or Alzheimer. One man said "Parkinson is better.. Idont mind spilling a little whisky rather than remembering where I kept the bottle.
There is nothing more authentic to a person than their own sense of humor. It is something that should come naturally to you, as your own way of expressing yourself. If you feel you have to read some rules about it, you're in trouble - don't do it, people can see through scripts and memorizations.
The first two rules I learned in my short lived foray into stand up comedy: “Truth is funny” and “You can’t tell someone else’s jokes - they have to be yours or it feels inauthentic.” What makes humor powerful is that it’s your experience or story to tell. That authenticity is endearing and when it makes people laugh, you’ve established a strong emotional connection.
Pause. Be comfortable with silence. Humor requires space to process and pauses and silence create those spaces. Use them wisely and timely.
Humour can help deliver a message, but it has to be appropriate and non- denigrating/offensive to others. Best way is to use yourself as an example around the humouring. Understanding audience culture, context, and religious sensitivities is also important, because what you may think is humour could be offensive to part of the audience.
Know but do not memorize your material. You want to be ready for when the magical moment arises (an unexpected interruption, tech issues, etc.). The unplanned opportunity for humor may only come up once during the entire presentation. Be spontaneous and personable enough to seize the moment.