Using humour is a great way for speakers to connect with their audiences. Victor Hugo said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” When you speak to an audience of dozens, hundreds or thousands, the effect is multiplied.
THE BENEFITS OF HUMOUR
When used properly, humour is a powerful tool in any speaker’s arsenal because it has tremendous benefits:
1. Humour creates a bond with the audience
Speakers who use humour well come across as more sympathetic, more likeable. They put an audience at ease and make people more receptive to their ideas. As British comedian John Cleese has said, “If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas.”
2. Humour energizes people and keeps them engaged
When we laugh, a lot of things happen inside our body. One of those things is that our heart rate increases and that keeps us stimulated and alert.
3. Humour can provide emotional relief for the audience
Some talks are serious and emotionally challenging for an audience. Well-placed humour can give your audience some much-needed relief in these situations. It is important to balance the emotions appropriately.
4. Humour helps the audience remember your points
Laughter has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function. This helps the audience remember your ideas. And after all, isn’t that the whole point of speaking in public?
5. Humour leaves the audience with a good impression of the speaker
American poet, Maya Angelou, said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Read the rest of John Zimmer’s article here: https://mannerofspeaking.org/2020/08/03/humour/