Doing what comes naturally!
Humor comes easily to me. Maybe it’s because I used to watch, obsessively, old time comedians like Jerry Lewis, Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason, George Carlin, Buddy Hackett, Don Rickles, and Milton Berle, to name a few. Maybe it’s just how I’m genetically programmed. Whatever the reason, I’ve never had to spend much time thinking about how to be funny.
Unfortunately, when my clients have asked me if I can make them funny, I can’t tell them that I’ve never learned a process on how to be funny. Many have gone so far as to ask me to write jokes for them. I go by this rule of thumb: “If you need to ask me to make you funny, most likely you are not a naturally funny person.” I know that sounds harsh, but you don’t have to be funny to be a terrific speaker. This particular topic can really puzzle people, so let’s demystify the subject of humor, and at the same time, dispel a few myths. I’d like to start by telling you this:
‘Humor is the most overrated approach to holding an audience’s attention.”
It’s astonishing to me that this still seems to both confuse and shock people. Some of the greatest orators in history were not considered “funny” people. These orators were known for their ability to fascinate and hold the attention of every audience they spoke to, and humor was not part of the formula. That list includes some of our greatest Presidents, leaders, and visionaries.
So the question remains: Why do so many people want to be funny when they’re giving a presentation? The reason is because they are concerned about gaining and holding the attention of their audiences, and that is a valid concern. I’m not saying that humor isn’t an effective approach to sustaining interest within a presentation, but it’s way overrated. I’m here to remind you that there are many ways to accomplish that goal, and most do not include humor! When I work with speakers, I present them with over 25 ways to sustain interest within a presentation. The vast majority of those ideas have nothing to do with humor. Here are five examples:
- Participating Activities – This can be a number of different activities, such as case studies, small group exercises, or exercises you can create for as few as two participants. The fact is that the more the audience is involved in meaningful activities during a presentation, the more that audience enjoys you and your presentation.
- Anecdotal Stories – These are stories that relate to your subject, and they are effective in illustrating key points. If you can spell it, you can find it on the Internet, and that goes for some wonderful anecdotal stories that can bring you, your topic and your audience to life.
- Mobility – An excellent way to create and sustain interest is simply to move! You need to move away from the lectern and use the entire room that you are presenting in. Not only will this simple tactic keep your audience engaged, but just by moving around the room, you will add energy to your delivery.
- Non-Verbal Cues – These can take many forms, but the most important cues are from our facial expressions and/or gestures. Not only will this create interest within your presentation, but it has been proven that the emotional impact of any presentation is greatly enhanced by a combination of the right words and the right non-verbal cues.
- Varying Your Methods – Mixing various speaking techniques, such as lecture and facilitation, will add interest to your presentation. No matter how talented a speaker is, the audience may eventually lose interest if you don’t change delivery methods at least once during your presentation.
Another reason so many fixate on the use of humor is because it’s so easy to observe. When you see someone who is funny, which means that he or she is utilizing that skill to hold the attention of an audience, it’s hard to miss it. However, when you use other skills well, they are subtler and therefore the audience is often not even aware of what you’re doing to make the presentation interesting and enjoyable. What they are aware of is that they are interested in what the speaker is saying, and they are learning a lot. Isn’t that the purpose of most presentations?
Can I make you funny? Well, I suppose I can try, but there is nothing more uncomfortable than watching someone attempt to be funny when it just isn’t coming easily to that person. Why don’t we change the question to this: Can I make you more interesting? That I can do! There are dozens of other ways to make you more interesting, and the key is to look for the ways that fit comfortably within your style of delivery. There are options that will feel right for you.
Take it from a guy who has used humor from time-to-time: Humor is simply one of many ways to hold an audience’s attention. By tapping into any number of other techniques, you will be surprised at how successful you can be at your next speaking opportunity. Remember to practice and practice some more, commit to interest sustaining techniques that fit within your natural approach to delivery, and then knock your presentation out of the park!
Rob – you didn’t mention #6 – cookies. People love cookies and they are funny too.
That’s an inside joke BLArticle® nation. Patrick is a good friend of mine… and easily amused!
I guess if the request would be, “Make me taller,” you’d have a tougher time with that request over “Make me funny!” Your BLarticle is 100% correct. I think disguised in the “make me funny” request is the desire to get and hold the crowd’s attention. Your points are great. I find involving the audience in small exercises, keeping my program moving, adding video and moving through the audience all good ways to keep their attention. You’ve been at this many more years than I have Rob, and I appreciate your confirmation that my stuff is moving in the right direction.
Oh you’re moving in the right direction alright. You nailed the theme of this BLArticle®. Presenting is about getting and holding the attention of the audience and there are dozens of ways to accomplish this that do not involve being funny or being taller! Thanks for the post Doug.
Did you hear the one about The Rocket?
It was out of this world!
I know, I know…… A for effort?
A for effort and for posting! The odd thing is for those of us who do use humor, we use it in different ways. I’m not sure I’ve ever actually told what could be considered a joke on stage in my career. Rather, my form of humor is found in story telling, and reacting to what is happening in front of me. Great hearing from you Kerry!
FYI — Your BLArticle just wasn’t funny… lol! Thanks once again for sharing of yourself!
You bet. Although not funny, I do think the BLArticle® was interesting – which proves my point! Thanks for the post Will!
Very well said, and much appreciated.
Weill I appreciate you sir as I appreciate any reader. I hope it shoots confidence through your system knowing you don’t have to force that humor. Just dig in, grab a handful of creative interest sustaining ideas, and be one with that audience. Thanks for the post Tom.
As usual, your comments were very interesting as well as informative. You write well and I continue to enjoy reading them. Thank you for your thoughts.
That’s kind of you to say coming from a man who has no trouble holding the attention of others. As I mentioned above, I’m grateful to those who take a moment, and read the BLArticle®. Much like getting and holding the attention of an audience, I’m thrilled when I can get and hold the attention of a reader. So glad you posted Victor – thank you.
Rob,
I guess we often want to be what we are not. You are a funny guy Rob and always have been entertaining to people. My “humor” has to be based on the subject matter and circumstances as I am not good or comfortable telling jokes. I agree that humor is only one aspect of a good presentation. Thanks for such interesting topics. It’s always fun to read Rob.
Bob
Now there’s a man who is a subject matter expert on Rob Jolles humor. Bob and I were close friends in high school! As I remember, you left the humor side of things to me. But I always – always remember be interested in what you had to say Bob. We are who we were. I’m quite sure you are interesting to your patients. Quite frankly, I’m not sure I want my dentist to be too funny! I’ll take interesting over funny while in the chair my friend. Always a treat to read a post from you Bob.
Being funny is great, specially if you could get your audience to ‘exhale’ water out of their noses….if you drop your funny line wen they’re drinking! …..another inside Rolles joke.
So let’s out that joke. It started with my cousin Steve when we were in elementary school. If you could time a joke just as someone was drinking, and it caused them to cough, you got a point. If it caused them to actually “exhale” water from their nose, you got two points. My wonderful Egyptian friend Sherif learned all about this counting system from a well-timed joke in Cairo one day. I earned two points! A thrill to hear from you Sherif. Let me know when you’re back in the states so I can try and earn a few more points!
OK..like you, I think I am genetically programmed to be funny. In fact, sometimes I say I am in hie world “for comic relief”. I do think that laughter is the shortest distance between two people. BI would encourage people to actually watch for what makes THEM laugh and collect those instances… you can never tell when one of those instances might have relevance to a story. Building a funny bone takes time–we all have them. It;s just that some folks have bigger bones than others
I LOVE this post! You are hearing from Eileen, a real pro, and what she just said should be a BLArticle® in itself. As I mentioned, I’m not a joke teller, I’m a story teller. Most professional speakers are. Because we aren’t writing jokes, we often don’t know where the laughter will be coming from… until we stumble into it. For the first few years of my career I would smile and tell myself, “I’m going to remember that.” Like trying to remember a dream, all I could remember later was that I was funny in a presentation or something funny happend. Then I started doing exactly what Eileen has said, I began collecting those instances. Some during actual presentations, and some during actual life moments. The key is to collect. Gold star for you Eileen. Wonderful post.
Hi Rob,
Thank you for a great blarticle. I agree, presentation is important and on so many levels. The way you present yourself has an effect similar to Newton’s third law and your presentation is in other words an instrument. Humor expels a well-known effect although it is only one of many catalysts. If being funny was your only tool for causing an effect, you would inadvertently and constantly be limited.
Obviously laughter is important, but I’m gonna have to agree that there is potential for so much more. Thank you Rob!!
Sincerely,
Taura
Well thank you Taura. You’ve taken a bigger picture look at this topic and made me sit and reread your words. If we move this topic away from presentations and just look at humor itself, we see the same theme once again. Humor is just one element of the human experience. There IS the potential for so much more. Taura your posts always make me think. Thats a very good thing. Thanks so much for your contribution to this topic.
I put, “can you make me funny?” in the same category with, “can you make me a natural blonde?”. I really appreciate this article. This Blarticle is to love because it brings out another facet of what it means to be authentic and to have integrity. It makes me relax into what I have discovered to be my “own kind of funny”. (huh?) Well, as you are Red Skelton’s and Jerry Lewis’ humor descendant, I’m Jack Benny’s and Mark Twain’s. Also, dealing with depression most of my life has also put a dark tint on it too. Funny will come…if to thine own self thou art true.
You Edia, are one of the truest people I have ever encountered. I get the jack Benny and the Mark Twain, but I’d add some serious Maya Angelou in you. Having read your blogs on LinkedIn I find your ability to write and HOLD our attention amazing. We all have our “own kind of funny” and when you write yours is deep, thoughtful, and true to who you are. Look for Edia’s blogs on LinkedIn and you’ll see what I mean. Keep sharing those words with us Edia… and keep posting here!
Rob,
Just wanted to let you know that this resonated with me – I’m not a naturally funny presenter and have wondered if I should work on that skill. Seems I should continue to focus on what I know best.
Thanks much!
Karen Briscoe
Sorry for the delay. I didn’t see this one! I can assure you that you don’t need to work on that skill. There are so many ways to be interesting and hold an audience’s attention without being funny. Glad we were able to remove this one from the worry pile. Thanks for posting Karen.
Great post Rob.
What is more important than being funny is to understand your audience. They are there to learn from you, be inspired by you, get ideas from you. They want to hear from someone who is natural and human. Not someone who is forcing things that are not really who they are. Presenters should educate, inform, help and share their knowledge. Their enthusiasm for their subject and willingness to share what they know will come across. That is what the audience will take with them long after the presentation is over – not the joke that was told.
Interesting point. When I get booking calls from speaker’s bureaus who say, “We’re looking for a motivational speaker” I often tell them, “I can give you a few names and numbers.” Shocked they mention they were looking to me, and I explain to them that if I could not entertain, motivate, and inspire an audience, I would not be in business, but I’m there primarily to inform. To do this, I have to gain, and sustain interest. Humor is one of over 30 ways I’ve written about the sustain that interest. It works for me, and not for others. Fortunately, I’ve got 29 other ways to sustain that interest. Great hearing from you Lisa!
Rob and Friends,
Wonderful Blarticle and wonderful posts folks. Kudos to those that contributed. It helped me learn more from what Rob presented. When I read it cold without comments from fellow readers, I was thinking to send Rob an email that he should start with a joke. Something like – “So you want to be funny? We need to go shopping… Red Nose – check, Orange Hair – check, Size 50 shoes – check. Abracadabra, you are funny! “. After reading the comments and Rob’s responses, I saw that I missed the point completely. There are a mountain of other approaches than humor to convey a message to your audience. Plus, badly used humor can also be distracting, seen as gimmicky, and even offensive.
Again – Thank you Rob and all posters to this Blarticle!
The reason I respond to every post, (even yours that I originally missed,) is to express my gratitude to those who add their voices. Your post is a classic example of how valuable these posts are. Glad BLArticle® Nation helped drive the point home for you. Thanks so much for the post Terry!
I loved your Blarticle Rob! I also read every single one of the great follow-up posts. It’s great when so many great points can come from a single Rob Blarticle. Story Telling has always worked best for me and I am pretty confident that I have a few for just about any topic. I have always noticed that I enjoy and learn more from a speaker when they do build their presentation around a story that I can relate to. I decide early in the presentation if I like or don’t like the speaker. Every presentation to a group or to an individual –regardless of what side of the presentation I’m on—comes down to “do we like each other”? That’s 75% of the success factor right there! I want to feel their passion for their subject and I want to know they are an expert in their subject. Oh, and if they get me to laugh and exhale water through my nose…that’s bonus points!
Brian – you nailed it. Presentations do come down to, “do we like each other?” Do we like that speaker; can we trust that speaker? Being authentic certainly helps an audience answer that question positively. Knowledge is important, but there’s a BLArticle® tucked away somewhere that tells you I feel it’s a bit overrated. Thanks so much for being one of those, “Great follow-up posts” Brian!