How can you use humor to build self-confidence when speaking in public?

Make a list of your best go-to stories or anecdotes you tell friends & family that get laughs. The stories don't need to be related to your topic. Then, after you've written the boring (no humor) version of your talk, see if there are places you can add a couple of those stories in. The key is to use the story as a way to help the audience remember a key point. It could be something funny your toddler or pet did like when your dog found the birthday cake that was for your kid’s party and ate the whole thing. Then connect some meaning from the story to a key point of your talk. "... and much like the birthday cake my dog found and devoured, we can't just leave our retirement portfolios unattended & hope for the best"

One must be willing to be a clown. The difference between trying to be funny and using the technique of a clown in public speaking, is that a clown is an expert at holding up a mirror to society. When one laughs at the clown, who is willing to be exposed for a moment, one is actually laughing at one’s own prejudices and shortcomings. The whole process of laughter is like medicine and we need to laugh more. Current trends in media limit the topics that are accessible for jokes, and what remains then is to be willing to laugh at oneself and in the absurdity, the truth is revealed and inner healing can begin, both for the speaker and the listener. “The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2

Accompany your humor with visual aids. Memes in particular can go a long way in capturing your audience's attention and arousing their favorable response, in addition to breaking the ice and easing the tension.

Growing up by the sea in southern Italy, our humour was as warm as our summers. Moving to London, I traded sun for sarcasm. Both humours have their charm, but let's just say, it's been an amusing ride.

In my experience I have found if you know your subject well then you can allow your organic self shine. And this can be via the technique already suggested. Most importantly remember 2 things be yourself and you are doing what most people can not do. So if they are negative remember they are possibly jealous. Keep going and keep reading and adjusting to your audience. We all improve with experience. Enjoy what you are doing and you will do well

Offensive, derogatory, or insensitive humor can potently destruct the rapport with the audience, sometimes in ways unmendable. Remember that humor is only one of the ingredients of a great talk, while offensive humor can ruin it altogether.

Tailoring your humor to the audience can be difficult if it's an audience you don't know very well or you aren't considered part of the "in group." Here is a model for the lowest risk to highest risk & lowest skill to highest skill for using humor... Low risk/low practice & skill required = humor about you & your experience. Moderate risk/moderate practice & skill required = humor about shared experiences with the audience. High risk and highest amount of skill & practice required = humor about others and others' experiences. It is important to know your audience, and sticking to humor about your own experience at first is always much safer. If you aren't sure if something may offend... when in doubt, leave it out.

Knowing your audience can sometimes be difficult. Knowing what you’re talking about, however, is not. As you know your topic and the contents of your speech, it is pretty safe to add in a joke or two about yourself or own experience. These types of jokes usually land pretty well and make you more aprroachable!

Depending on the audience's age , diverse appearance and social economic background I tailor the story. It really depends on how long I have to speak and what I have access to add to the story.

There is nothing stale about the opening joke concept - just needs to be personalized to the audience and if possible self-mocking (you just got a big introduction letting people know you are a big cheese); Refer to the community you're in, joking about what you think are its attractions and your own ignorance of them. Close with a joke too, or at least a funny remark. "Leave 'em laughing."

My point about humour is that if you need to practice it before, it means you're not at ease with it. And if you're not at ease, I don't recommend using it. Humour is supposed to be one of the most natural reactions in the human being. So if it looks awkwards, it will feel awkward.

Rehearse your speech thoroughly, integrating humor naturally. Timing and delivery are key, so practice helps you feel more confident and polished.

Sometimes humor comes in wordplay. You can’t really reheard specific word play, and at least for me, using creative language comes pretty naturally. If you are hesitant about your humor or delivery, it might be a safer choice to just stick to the topic and leave out any excess jokes. You don’t want to stress about the part that’s suppose to seem the most natural!

I disagree. Some of the best uses of humor in commentary come from improvisation. It’s the natural delivery of the quip that gives it weight. If you have to practice jokes and rehearse inserting comedy into your conversation, then maybe impromptu speaking isn’t your forte and you should find an alternative style. Which is completely fine!! To each their own.

I am a retired professional Educator and a Coach. I have presented 30000 plus hours and been in rooms with some of the most famous people in the world.

Don’t overdo it; sprinkle humor strategically throughout your speech. Use it to break the ice, lighten the mood, or emphasize key points.

The timing of humor is just as important as the actual humor. There is a right time and place to deliver humor to get the point across.

You can easily change your tone when you make a statement or emphasize a point or tagline. And do it while smiling. "Now, go work your magic!"

Embrace the humor in your presentation and don’t take yourself too seriously. When you enjoy the process, it boosts your self-confidence and makes you more relatable to your audience.

Don't "try" to be funny. If forced, you'll annoy people. Be yourself. When humor feels forced or insincere, it often falls flat and can even alienate people. Instead of trying too hard to be funny, focus on being genuine, and if you're not funny, that's alright. By being authentic to yourself, you'll naturally attract people who appreciate your sense of humor and connect with you on a deeper level.

Every great speaker has had their share of low days until reaching perfection, and so will you! But, through careful rehearsal, passionate enthusiasm, and continuous refining, you'll be a master practitioner of humor in your speeches, and it will be worth all the effort!

Continuously gather feedback and learn from your experiences. Analyze what jokes or anecdotes landed well and what didn’t, and refine your comedic skills accordingly.

Dont be afraid to laugh at yourself. Its a great way to break ice and shows people that you are down to earth. Once you break down that initial barrier of formalities, it can help foster more honest dialogue and building stronger connection with others

As a Health Coach, I know that laughter has many health benefits like strengthening your immune system, boosting mood, diminishing pain, and protecting you from the damaging effects of stress. In my experience, laughter is one of the best tools to use to bring my mind and body back into balance when I’m feeling nervous about public speaking.

Using commonplace concepts or words with a new meaning adds both wit and retention to speeches. Yesterday, for an induction batch of 1000 students @Hindustan University eg I used Einstein’s formula e=mc2 where e is excellence, m is the multiplier of motivation, first c is career choices squared into second c our life choices or values. Now the audience will never forget this formula or it’s new meaning ….

The easiest target of your jokes is yourself. It is a tool that disarms the group in front of you, allows people to relax, and for the most part you know the content very well because you're just making fun of yourself. And its likely that people will be able to relate to you easily from this content. I find "Dad jokes" and simple puns work well in public speaking.

The sense of Humour and the ability to express it improves the sense of worth and self esteem of any individual . When you laugh together with others , you feel safe and connected with others . This safe connection makes you more confident and fearless. Being safe in an environment is the foremost survival need . Adding humour to the imperfections helps a person to be more more aware and accept the flaws which can help a move forward without regrets . Humour has an ability to remove stress which makes a person work with full potential . Being daringly silly adds a lot to removing personal ego which helps a person to resolve the concerns without bias .