I was practicing a very serious speech for the first time in front of a
co-worker. It was very personal and emotional. However, in a couple
of spots, I attempted to add some levity, to ease the seriousness of the
message. I saw no reaction to my attempts at humor. After the speech,
I asked my co-worker if it was inappropriate, ill-timed, or just not
funny. She said she thought it was funny but she wasn’t sure, given the
heavyweight of the message, if she was allowed to laugh.
The speaker needs to give some indication, whether it is a wink or
a smile or some other kind of non-verbal or verbal “permission,” for
the audience to come along on their journey. A well-placed pause, for
example, with an emerging smile, may be enough to connect with the
audience and let them know it’s okay to laugh.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
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