Humor Use

Humour is one of the most powerful tools in a public speaker's arsenal — and one of the most risky. When it lands, it breaks down barriers, makes an audience feel warmly toward the speaker, and creates the kind of shared experience that makes a presentation genuinely enjoyable and memorable. When it falls flat — or worse, offends — it can derail an otherwise strong speech and permanently colour the audience's perception of the speaker.

This subtopic explores how to use humour in public speaking with skill and judgment: the types of humour that tend to work in professional contexts, how to build and time a joke or amusing observation so it lands, how to recover gracefully when humour does not get the response you expected, and what to avoid — including the common mistakes that turn would-be wit into awkward silence or inadvertent offence. You will find guidance on self-deprecating humour, observational comedy, and the use of funny stories and analogies, as well as on how to calibrate your use of humour to different audiences and occasions.

You do not need to be a natural comedian to use humour well. These articles help you find the light touches that make your speaking more human, more relatable, and more effective.