What are some of the advanced techniques for storytelling and humor in your speech?

I like to use true, historical stories that the audience will want to Google for themselves after the talk. I don't like talks with stories that are too personal/anecdotal because if I enjoy the talk and learn from I will want to read up the story myself.

'Too personal' is subjective. Whenever I share stories about learning to swim as an adult, it clicks with my LinkedIn community. I've even polled them on what content they want to see more of and they've requested to learn about the parallel with entrepreneurship and race. I also think controversy is needed to influence change. So starting with the why will help deliver a good story.

Always strt evry day..wyt what ifs..hav plan A B C.or more. Bak up is progressive solution less stress make those in control & contacts ..positive always..jokingly..yeah smiles outweighs tears.or frowns....deep breath u gott thys

I love sharing my life stories and the lessons I've learned from them. When I write or speak, I add humor and vivid details to make my audience feel like they're right there with me, experiencing the same moments and emotions. My goal is to connect with my readers and listeners on a personal level, bringing my experiences to life for them.

Research your audience and ensure your way of telling the story is compelling, with the right level of intellectual complexity and avoiding formulaic, "cookie-cutter" approaches when possible. 5-year-olds may need linear storytelling, but your colleagues could potentially appreciate unforeseen events, recurring themes, or any of the aforementioned devices

While I generally agree there is a linear approach to storytelling which is "tried and true" ... I would use caution in trying to make a story fit a particular narrative framework. The best way to render a story is the way it actually unfolded -- preferably the way you personally lived it. This maximizes authenticity and makes the story accessible and relatable. When done effectively, this will allow the audience to feel what you and others in the story felt ... and people remember feelings you create within them much more dependably than rote information you conveyed.

Humor can be very subversive, which I like. One of the nicest compliments I ever had was from someone who said that I had put forward profound points "disguised" as jokes.

One of the most important things that aid humor are body language and the speaker's confidence level. In most cases when I am using humor I always start making jokes about myself to avoid offending anyone it also reflects my confidence in myself. Language is important, so always be mindful because you want to be funny while maintaining professionalism.

This applies to humour but also storytelling in general: use the callback. Also known as an internal allusion or an inside joke, this is a reference to a joke or statement made earlier in the presentation. Don’t worry if you’re not a standup comedian. It can be as simple as “Remember when I said ‘BLANK?’ Well, now listen to this!” It can help underline major points while rewarding those who were paying attention and creating a sense of community during the event.

Incorporating quotations into a speech offer a creative way to verbalize different sides / views of the same topic, without necessarily owning the thoughts as your own. I like to add humor to stories or speeches by choosing opposite types of quotes on the same topic. It is also fun to choose a wide range of the types of people quoted. Sports Figures, Poets, Politicians, Presidents, teenagers, toddlers..... The opportunity for humorous anecdotes to surface can be created in an organic and spontaneous way when referencing a wide range of people and ideas.

I find that self-deprecation is an effective form of humour in speech-making. Poke fun at yourself. Paint yourself as unwitting or foolish or pratfallen in an illustrative scenario or vignette -- in my case this is easy to do without having to dig too far into the memory banks. (See, I just did it right there). This is a subtle and entertaining form of demonstrating humility with your audience. When you do this, you're establishing intellectual equality with them, which is subtly empowering and positive. It makes a nice contrast with the prevalent style of painting yourself the cleverest in the room, which is a more frontal and coercive means of opening their minds to your message.

Not everyone is a comedian, or an engaging storyteller, or a good public speaker. Human beings are always looking for a way to connect with one another on a deeper level to satisfy our need for belonging. This is usually achieved through mutual or shared ideas or an understanding of mutual experiences we all encounter. Because of current trends in society we are all experiencing the same things and acknowledging this can be the perfect way to make a connection with an audience. Whenever possible apply the Rule of Three: This rule states that concepts or ideas presented in threes are inherently more interesting, more enjoyable, and more memorable. It's used widely in storytelling and comedy.

If you want to give a great talk, you need to own the stage. You need to make it yours. You need first of all to not take your audience for granted - they have given up time, which is their most valuable asset - and you need to deliver for them. Secondly, you need to actually deliver some useful material to them! Delivery cannot substitute for lack of content.

Preparation is key for a few reasons. First, you need to find and fix any gaps in content or flow of ideas. No degree of showmanship will make up for hollow or disjointed content. Second, you want to develop enough familiarity with your core ideas that you can free yourself as much as possible from notes or slides and instead connect directly with your audience. You'll be much more compelling when your eyes are up and not reading from a document. Finally, by preparing you will grow in confidence, and the more confident your stage presence, the better your delivery. Prep is about empathising with your audience to ensure they enjoy what you deliver. But don't overdo it ... too much practice and you make come off scripted rather than natural.

I know more than one person who has gone on a stand up comedy course in order to improve their presentation skills, not to learn how to be funny (although that does help) but in order to learn how to manage the stage and be confident.

Like any craft, presentation skill improves with experience. There's no need to rely on only your own accumulated experience when you have that of others to draw upon. In addition to the branded "masters" I would also recommend the masters walking among us every day ... pastors, trial attorneys, local politicians, local musicians, small-time stage actors in travelling companies. These are deep wells of less heralded but amazing expertise, and these individuals often have a "touch" with everyday people their more prestigious colleagues don't quite carry with the same strength.

Being a financial services industry story teller, I always focus on relating topics with the real time instance. Structure of the story telling can be different based on the audience and yet the impact would be the same. If I am connecting with early stage professionals I would add humour and my backbencher stories as this helps them to relate with their college life. If I am connecting with mid stage industry professionals, I would stick with the process and product, I will use examples which are easy to understand and can be related. In industry leaders conversation, I would be more focused on the numbers and relevant information which they are inclined to listen within short span of time . As they are always occupied. Cheers Syed

So many people use cuss words these days to add humor to their stories. But this is absolutely hollow and irrelevant. As an audience, we shouldn't appreciate this scenario everywhere. Humor should be used as a tool to enlarge our knowledge periphery and storytelling abilities rather than attention-grabbing schemes.

One thing I’ve found incredibly powerful in storytelling is to be relatable. This is done by showing up as your authentic self. The more you align with the essence of you, the deeper you stand to connect with your audience. The goal of storytelling is to achieve a depth of connection that allows your audience to feel and experience emotional depth through your experience. If your listeners can put themselves in your shoes, then you have successfully met the mark in resonating with them. People will remember your message when it evokes feeling or emotional connection.

We all face a significant amount of noise in our daily lives. When speaking at an in person engagement, I think it is important to engage the audience throughout the storytelling or speech. I like to offer the opportunity for audience members to share a story of their own vs just the Q&A at the end of session, when most are ready to head out the door. Polling the audience can also be an effective way to engage people, such a "how many of you in the room feel..." , or "have experienced...". This seems to pull people into the storytelling journey as an active participant.