Some people believe that humour has no place in public life, but nothing could be further from the truth. Spicing up a serious topic with a well-timed anecdote will keep your audience riveted as opposed to asleep. Any expert can stand up and deliver the cold hard facts, but a great public speaker keeps everyone actually interested in said facts. Good communication skills are vital for any business executive and humour plays an important part in effective communication. There are many benefits to using humour to get your point across, but here are a few specific ones.
- You’ll quickly gain and keep people’s attention.
- Using humour in your speech makes you more likeable. You’ll be able to connect with the audience in a very real way.
- It gets your point across without creating hostility. This is especially important if you are presenting new ideas and policies that may not go over well with some individuals.
- Using humour shows that you don’t take yourself too seriously. This can also help overcome overly flattering introductions. No one likes to sit and listen to a snob who obviously thinks too highly of himself.
- Humour easily lightens up heavy material and makes the information you do relate much more memorable.
- It is almost guaranteed that if you will make a very positive impression and even be asked back.
- Humour helps to paint a picture in people’s minds. A well-constructed illustration can often explain a point more clearly than mere words.
- Perhaps the best benefit of all is that your audience will leave happy. You’ll have got your point across and they’ll have a good laugh. Everyone wins!
Even if you think that you are simply not a “funny” person, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use humour to illustrate a point. If you’re not good at telling jokes, then try some self-deprecating humour or simply use a witty one-liner to grab everyone’s attention right off the bat. The key is to find what works for you. The last thing a public speaker wants to be is forgettable. You naturally want your audience to hang on your words and remember what you had to say long after you’re gone. People remember a good laugh. A point made with humour will linger in their minds and you will have effectively done your job.