13. Make ’Em Laugh: How to Use Humor as a Secret Weapon in Your Communication
Summary
Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas discuss the power of humor in communication, particularly in professional settings. They address common myths about humor, emphasizing its role in building trust, engagement, and leadership presence. They provide practical advice on how to incorporate humor authentically and effectively, even if you don't consider yourself naturally funny.Episode description
Humor does more than just make people laugh. It allows you to connect with your audience, diffuse tension, elevate status, and compel others to your point of view. Humor can also help you and your message stand out, yet most of us hesitate to use humor, especially in our professional lives.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford GSB Professor Jennifer Aaker and Lecturer Naomi Bagdonas about when and how humor operates in the work place. “Many believe that humor simply has no place amidst serious work,” Professor Aaker says. “Yet showing your sense of humor can make your peers and your friends attribute more perceptions of confidence and status to us while also cultivating a sense of trust.”
Aaker and Bagdonas are are the authors of Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life, which comes out in October of this year.
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