Ifyouintendusinghumorinyourtalktomakepeoplesmileyoumustknowhowtoidentifysharedexperiencesandproblems.Yourhumormustberelevanttotheaudienceandshouldhelptoshowthemthatyouareoneofthemorthatyouunderst

　　Ifyouintendusinghumorinyourtalktomakepeoplesmileyoumustknowhowtoidentifysharedexperiencesandproblems.Yourhumormustberelevanttotheaudienceandshouldhelptoshowthemthatyouareoneofthemorthatyouunderstandtheirsituationandareinsympathywiththeirpointofview.Dependingonwhomyouareaddressingtheproblemswillbedifferent.

　　Ifyouaretalkingtoagroupofmanagersyoumayrefertothedisorganizedmethodsoftheirsecretaries;alternativelyifyouareaddressingsecretariesyoumaywanttocommentontheirdisorganizedbosses.

　　HereisanexamplewhichIheardatanurses'conventionofastorywhichworkswellbecausetheaudienceallsharedthesameviewofdoctors.AmanarrivesinheavenandisbeingshownaroundbySt.Peter.Heseeswonderfulaccommodationsbeautifulgardenssunnyweatherandsoon.Everyoneisverypeacefulpoliteandfriendlyuntilwaitinginalineforlunchthenewarrivalissuddenlypushedasidebyamaninawhitecoatwhorushestotheheadofthelinegrabshisfoodandstompsovertoatablebyhimself."Whoisthat?"thenewarrivalaskedSt.Peter."Ohthat'sGod."camethereply"butsometimeshethinkshe'sadoctor."

　　Ifyouarepartofthegroupwhichyouareaddressingyouwillbeinapositiontoknowtheexperiencesandproblemswhicharecommontoallofyouandit'llbeappropriateforyoutomakeapassingremarkabouttheinediblecanteenfoodorthechairman'snotoriousbadtasteinties.Withotheraudiencesyoumustn'tattempttocutinwithhumorastheywillresentanoutsidermakingdisparagingremarksabouttheircanteenortheirchairman.YouwillbeonsafergroundifyousticktoscapegoatslikethePostOfficeorthetelephonesystem.

　　Ifyoufeelawkwardbeinghumorousyoumustpracticesothatitbecomesmorenatural.Includeafewcasualandapparentlyoff-the-cuff(即兴的)remarkswhichyoucandeliverinarelaxedandunforcedmanner.Oftenit'sthedeliverywhichcausestheaudiencetosmilesospeakslowlyandrememberthataraisedeyebroworanunbelievinglookmayhelptoshowthatyouaremakingalight-heartedremark.

　　Lookforthehumor.Itoftencomesfromtheunexpected.Atwistonafamiliarquote"Ifatfirstyoudon'tsucceedgiveup"oraplayonwordsoronasituation.Searchforexaggerationandunderstatement