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Applying comedy
in
professional
life
basic principles

Gerry Maguire Thompson is an author, comedian and training facilitator. He is founder of Positive Comedy Training, which offers courses and workshops using comedy and improvisation for personal and professional development of individuals and organisations.

 

Comedy in business

• Humour and comedy can put people immediately at ease,
  dispelling tension and inspiring trust. People like people who are funny.
  
  
• Comedy is a powerful aid to crossing barriers of language, culture and understanding. More universal types of humour and points of reference work best.
  
  
• Comedy keeps an audience alert and interested; it's the perfect
  antidote to the kind of presentation that has the eyes glazing over and
  the heads nodding (aka Slow Death by Powerpoint).
  
  
• Working with comedy adds persuasiveness and wins people over to your point of view.
  
  
• Comedy is a valuable tool in business 'status' games. On the one hand, it can be used to establish higher status or leadership; on the other hand it can be employed to creatively express a lower role which may be equally important in the hierarchy.
  
  
• Shared comedy is terrific for team-building.
  
  
• Many delicate or controversial subjects that are impossible to address directly can be dealt with through sensitive use of humour.
  
  
• Standalone 'jokes' are a high-risk option, and don't work nearly as well as humour that is integrated into your material, or arises naturally from a situation.
  
  
• The human brain working in 'humour' mode is at its most imaginative and spontaneously inventive - a powerful tool for cultivating the habit of professional creativity.
  
  
• Laughter is terrific for health and happiness - and your staff will do better business if they're healthy and happy.
  
  
• But comedy can also be applied destructively; it's generally best to use humour in a positive way. Self-deprecation is fine when used judiciously - a much wiser strategic option than mocking a 'third party'.
  

Please feel free to contact us with queries, to give feedback, or to order training:

This material is copyright Gerry Thompson 2005

For further info in UK call 01273 463611 or 07986 561860

Email: info@positivecomedy.com

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