Using Humour as a Teaching Tool

"You're a comedian?......tell me a joke! That is a line I have consistently heard over the 26 years that I have worked as a comedian. Despite the crippling 1/2 hour days, it's a rewarding job because you get to bring laughter to people and are constantly creating new ideas, but ironically, rarely are there any "jokes". There are many other things that bring amusement and laughter: stories, concepts, wordplay, sarcasm, exaggeration, body language, facial expression, but for most comedians, it's seldom "jokes". This is interesting because it points out just how little we understand about the mechanics of humour. For decades I have been taking it apart like a watch and examining all its giggling bits and it has been a fascinating process.

 It has also been a process that has been extremely valuable in the communication skills and public speaker training I do. One of the reasons that I was hired on to coach the Coca Cola Olympic Torch and Olympic Site teams in 2010 was the natural match between humour and their catch phrase "Open Happiness". Humour helps to grab people's attention, hold their attention, introduce novel concepts and leave them wanting more. It is a form of communication that lends itself beautifully to teaching and at the moment I am very interested in exploring that relationship. I want to hear stories from teachers, coaches and managers about how they have used humour effectively (or ineffectively) while giving instruction to their groups, teams or classes.

 Humour is a uniquely human process, a universal aspect of our ability to communicate that predates the spoken word. The health and social benefits of laughter and smiling, the creation of a relaxed cooperative classroom environment, the decline in authoritarian teaching methods, the ability to increase student engagement and the positive framing of the educational experience effected by humour are all well documented but there are less considered points that are of great practical value:

 1 - Humour began as a system that enabled human beings to become aware of breaks in patterns. At
it's root it is a pattern recognition system that helps us to organize our world. Fuelled by the psychological, physiological and social rewards of laughter and smiling it solidified itself as a cornerstone in the the development of our processes of learning.

 2 - While humour predates speech and the written word, it adapted to them and became a method of examination and criticism. Humour functions, deliberately or accidentally, as commentary. To look at something in a "funny" way, is to look at it from a different perspective. Humour reframes our outlook on a subject and, as a result, gives us a broader and more complete understanding.

 3 - Humour does not reside entirely in "jokes" and does not have to be a distraction or diversion from the subject being taught. It should, instead, be combined with the subject and used as a tool of examination and understanding that has the added benefits of engaging students and making information more memorable.


 4 - Humour has the potential to be instructive on the subject of emotional intelligence. To begin with, the teacher is put in a position where they have to learn to empathize with the students in order to utilize humour effectively. The assorted psychological motivators in aggressive, racist, sexist etc, humour are also more easily understood when humour's fundamental mechanisms are taught because the students are able to see the different reasons why people think of something as "funny".

 The roots of humour have a fundamental relationship it has with communication, bonding, and the organization of knowledge. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the nature, functions, and methods of humour educators can create a more positive, productive and progressive learning environment.

So let me hear your stories!!! I would love to hear how you have used or seen humour used by others as a tool in instruction. Real life examples of the connection between HAHA! and AHA!. Comedy as revelation and revealer, as the ultimate trickster teacher. Please do pass this along to as many people as you can who you feel might be inclined to contribute.

A million tiny thanks.........Christopher

Christopher MolineuxHumour Expert / Coach / ComedianLaughLearnLead.com

How comedy can change your life ...... episode 3

I ended the last blogpost by mentioning that I provide the participants in the workshop with a series of questions and get them to present the answers so I can find out more about them and observe how they assemble and communicate their ideas. I typically ask about 8 questions which are taken from a wide selection that I am always adding to. The questions are not of a skill testing nature; there are no wrong answers and there is little preparation required.

 

 Some of the questions ask for direct information about the person:

 

 “What nicknames have you had and what is the story behind them”

 

Some of the questions are more abstracted:

 

“What inanimate object would you most like to be”

 

Some of the questions are designed to elicit attitudes and opinions:

 

“What’s the most frustrating thing about the modern world”

 

 

The answers are to be presented rather than simply read out. While no-one is expected to turn the presentation into a full-blown comedy extravaganza there should be a little verve put into it, all depending, of course, on the personality of the person who is answering the questions. In some cases the raw information given with each answer is of value, and sometimes the method of construction and/or the style of delivery is more important. While there is too much involved this process to give a complete summary of it here, I will use the three cited questions to help give you some idea of what can be involved.

 

“What nicknames have you had and what is the story behind them”

 

The answers given to this question sometimes relate only to simple rhyming words but more frequently they will give information about the person’s personality and/or interests, how other people perceive them, and their reactions to that perception. Nicknames can sometimes be indicative of another side of someone’s personality and background, and having a group share nicknames, not only brings them greater understanding and familiarity, but it often has an amusing side as well.

 

“What inanimate object would you most like to be”

 

This is a much more psychologically driven question. Some of the most typical answer categories are:

1 - the kinaesthetic: a bean-bag chair, a pillow

 

2 - the logical: a satellite, a television (“so people want to see me and I can be entertaining and different all the time”)

3 – the sexual: a bra, Mel Gibsons saddle

4 – the poetic: a rock, a tree

 

This is a very short list of possible types of responses and the answers to this question are unavoidably revealing of a person’s character and the nature of their value systems. This is directly relevant to the way they construct ideas and speech. Someone who is very logical will relate very differently to a subject than someone who is very poetic and/or kinaesthetic etc. etc..

 

“What’s the most frustrating thing about the modern world”

 

This is a question that revolves around emotion and it gives people a chance to show how they express emotion. Some people are frustrated about ideological things, others are frustrated by very specific things. Some people will relate to actual events, some will be very impassioned and others very logical and, ironically, almost devoid of what one would call “frustration”. Emotional content can be a defining and powerful aspect in communication skills and comedy in particular. Attitude and emotion can create comedy with very little script and knowing how people deliver emotional content gives a clearer picture of what type of comedy someone may be suited to writing and presenting.

 

 

 

There are many other questions which intended to shine a light in many directions. After seeing the answers to a series of questions delivered I can determine what type of constructions and deliveries people are most inclined towards. Some should write construct things logically – idea based comedy full of observations and examples. Some should relate things through experiences and characters. Some should use emotion, some should use abstraction and often people will have a blend of many things.

 

Aside from what is gleaned from the content, there is also the more basic analysis of the way each person moves, uses facial expressions, how they use their voice, noticing if they relate to things through story and/or character, how they make and use eye contact and much more. The factors that make up each persons communication style and technique are numerous, but they can be isolated and identified which helps to show people the tools and traits they are working with. Reading and assessing these characteristics and potentials is, quite honestly, one of the great joys I have in my work. Students can be aware of some of the things that are pointed out but there are always things that are new and surprising to them and seeing people light up from recognizing and understanding these aspects of themselves is both fun and rewarding for myself and the other students.

 

Once this analysis is completed I can guide students as to how to write and present comedy in a way that will suit them and, thus, be more real and effective in front of a crowd. It is fairly self evident how the process I have been outlining translates into better communication/public speaking skills and in some ways the main question that may remain in the mind of the reader is “where’s the funny part?”. The reason that you haven’t been reading a lot of funny examples in this blogpost is because the funny is different for each personality and for each group. The focus is on comedy and it comes out consistently as all the other learning takes place but I can’t relate exactly what it is to you because it is different every time. Humour is the most human of activities and this workshop is intended to examine and enhance this human element which for the benefit the individuals as well as the group.

 

Any questions?

www.laughlearnlead.com

http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

How comedy can change your life (part 2)

To those of you who read part 1, welcome back! To those who have not, please do take a look at that as well, but do feel free to read the second part first.

The comedy workshops that I put on are designed to achieve three main objectives in an enjoyable and engaging way:

1 – To fundamentally improve each participants public speaking skills
2 – To strengthen the bonds and mutual understanding of the group
3 – To enable people to identify and enhance their creative potential

I like to work with groups between 4 and 10 people, so I can really focus on everybody individually. I begin by discussing some basics of comic theory which provides some structure to start de-mystifying what comedy is and shows how humour can be used to illuminate or to obscure. Some of this material examines what stand-up comedy is not.

1 – It is not about trying to make people laugh – comedy should be predicated on you, not the crowd. Define your own sense of humour and figure out how to make the most of it.

2 – It is not about trying to find what is funny – usually comedy material is written about things that interest you for whatever reason……and you learn to make them funny. Nothing stifles comedy creativity faster than “looking for stuff that’s funny”

After this I discuss how to take control of the environments people speak in; covering printed materials, taking control of room layouts, stage setups and introductions

(for more on this see my blogpost: “Before you’ve even said a word” http://psworkbench.blogspot.com/2009/03/before-youve-even-said-word.html )

The issues of making the most of lighting and the advantages that can be gained through understanding sound systems are also given consideration.

After this point the workshop takes on a far more interactive dynamic. The participants answer a series of questions that are given out in advance. The answers are given in a presented format rather than just reading them out. This gives me a chance to find out more about the people involved and see how they present themselves. In this section I am able to find out how people move, how they use expressions and body language and how they actually put their ideas together and express them. Each persons’ presentation is reviewed afterwards by myself and by the others in the group, so the insights that are gained are shared amongst all those involved. It’s also important to remember that this workshop revolves around comedy so the mood is always positive, observational and constructive without a harsh critical edge. Having worked as a comedian for so many years means that even the most involved of subjects is granted levity and this makes for a truly fruitful teaching environment.

What are these questions and what types of things can be learned from the presented answers? Well… that my friend, will be part of what will come to be known as “part 3” – stay tuned and thanks ----- please do feel free to post any comments or questions.

   www.laughlearnlead.com

http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

How comedy can change your life - (part 1)

Comedy is a mystified thing. When people find out that I teach stand-up, the standard question posed is: can you really do that? It has been said by some that attempting to disassemble and understand comedy is like doing the same with a frog: you cannot capture it's essence and it dies in the process of trying. If that sentiment was originated by a city dweller than it can safely be called an urban myth. While humour is subjective and each individuals' sense of humour unique, it can most certainly be understood and to a great extent defined. I have decided to write this blog-post in order to make clear some of the benefits of understanding how you create and express comedy and how my comedy workshops can be of great value to your company or group.

I began working as a stand-up comedian in 1986, and have had the good fortune to work with people such as Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and Ellen Degeneres and have performed across Canada, the U.S., the Carribbean and the UK. In 1998 I began teaching stand-up and I realized fairly quickly that I was, essentially, teaching people how to put together their ideas and express them in public so I made the transition to coaching people in public speaking, just purely, the art of public speaking. For years people had suggested that I speak on the subject of "humour in the workplace" but I felt no desire to tell people that if they gave their photocopier a name and wore a Hawaiian shirt every third Thursday they would enjoy their soul-draining job. Let it be said that what I do does not fall under the traditional category of  "humour in the workplace". 

The finest joke that humour plays is that is disguises itself as something unimportant; as a joke. It is a most effective disguise, and aside from a handful of theorists and those in the world who simply revel in being positive about everything there are few who gain from the all the value that humour has to offer. Aside the the positive and much publicized effects of laughter and social bonding there is the reality that comedy is an examination, an investigation, a method of understanding the world. If I choose to write a joke about something I am examining the subject in a uniquely personal way and often that examination can yield interesting results. In Arthur Koestler 's outstanding book "The Act of Creation" he draws parallels between scientific discovery, poetic revelation and comic punchline - all three use an original perspective to come to a "eureka!" moment. This point of view flies in the face of comedy as a "joke" and it presents a wealth of opportunities for those willing to take them.

What I am interested in is the idea of getting people to understand and harness this potential for something powerful and productive in life and/or business if indeed, business can be described as something distinct from life. By watching people live and on video I seperate the strands that make up who they are, comedically and in other ways as well, and help to give them a sense of what specifics can be controlled and used to maximum potential. In a group setting there are added benefits that come from  camaraderie and mutual understanding. In the next blogpost I will go into the structure of the comedy workshops that I offer and how they can fit in with and benefit your own situation. In the meantime I welcome any and all questions on the subject ....... hmmmm?

                                       www.laughlearnlead.com

                                   http://twitter.com/chrismolineux

Before you’ve even said a word

Taking control beforehand to make your presentation easier

 

To some degree all forms of public presentation share a common ground with the stage hypnotist. Before you go to a hypnosis show you see posters to advertise it that evoke a certain mood and mindset, when you arrive at the venue it is more dimly lit than usual, the music is of a calming nature, all diversions are shut down/switched off, and the heat is turned up slightly. Even when the hypnotist speaks he does not charge directly into the hypnosis but, in a low, slow voice, gives a pre-amble speech that helps to further reinforce the state of mind and mood that has already been established in so many ways. By the time the hypnosis actually begins the hypnotist has already put you in a state that makes his job so much easier.

 

In public speaking you can often do the same. Here are a few things to consider that could help make things go more smoothly for you.

 

• If you making an important presentation try to make sure that your audience receives information in advance about you and/or your topic. Sometimes having printed material distributed immediately beforehand is useful as well. Things that can be read are things you might not have to say, and it gives them something to refer to before, during and after.
• In a perfect world, every situation we speak in would be problem free but….. until that perfect world arrives it is best to be aware of all the little things.Take control of your aspects of the room you are presenting in where it is appropriate. Make sure your sound and lighting is the best it can be. Simple things like keeping the lights bright on you and dimming them on the audience can really focus your audience on you. Make sure you can be seen and heard.
• Ensure that the area you are presenting in is completely under control in terms of materials you need, podiums, water, etc. and double check anything that’s plugged in. The last thing you need is to have to play Mcgyver in the middle of a keynote.
• Get a sense of who your crowd is beforehand and see that they are seated to maximum advantage. If you are in a big room that isn’t very full and people are all pressed to the back or scattered around try to get them to gather together near the front. Usually people are happy to co-operate and it can make a world of difference.
• Consider exactly how you are introduced and try to make your introduction work to your benefit. It is also advisable to get the most important person possible to introduce you. At times, the job is pre-set and inflexible, but sometimes you can have a say, and if you can get the president of the company to introduce you it raises your level of importance. Your audience has their eyes on you and wants to know what you have to say….. before you’ve even said a word.

                                                       www.laughlearnlead.com

5 reasons why you shouldn’t speak like Barack Obama

On January 20, 2009 1.8 million people gathered on the US Capitol grounds, the National Mall, and the parade route in Washington D.C. for the inauguration of the 44^th president of the United States, Barack Obama. Nearly 38 million Americans watched inauguration coverage on television, the most popular Inauguration Day on TV since Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 which drew 41.8 million viewers. In describing the event beforehand, the media likely used the word “historic” more times than at any other point in American history since the moon landing in 1969. The centerpiece of the proceedings was the inauguration speech, and this article is written in specific reference to this speech, rather than about the speaking style and technique used by President Obama in a more general sense.

   In the days following the inauguration, there was much discussion about the event and about the speech in particular. One comment I saw that referenced the speech was on a social networking site and was responding to a small business owners question about how to improve his public speaking skills. The comment recommended that the person should watch and learn from President Obama’s speech because that was great public speaking. At first glance, this may sound like good advice, but on closer examination it is of little use to someone who has to address small business groups. President Obama’s speech was made by a specific man, for a specific crowd on a specific occasion and to use that particular speech as a model for all one’s own speeches would lead to both tragic and comic results.

   To make the point at a simple and ridiculous level I could say that just because President Obama wore an overcoat for his speech, doesn’t mean that you should wear one for yours. This (joking aside) would actually be a valid piece of advice. What can be learned from this approach, however, goes far beyond such a trite example and because this particular speech is so well known, it provides a framework to put forward some valuable points to a large number of people. When coaching people in public speaking, it is important to emphasize that, though modeling other people can be effective, one cannot rely on any one style or system. Instead, it is more important to have a thorough understanding of one’s own style and abilities, combined with knowledge of the material in question, the points that need to be made, the nature of the crowd, and the environment they are in. Technically, I suppose, these are illustrations rather than reasons, but the title “Five aspects of the inauguration speech that illustrate why most people shouldn’t speak in the majority of situations the way Barack Obama did in this one speech ” seemed a bit wordy. At this point I shall be examining the specific style and techniques employed by President Obama in his inauguration speech and by doing so I will, hopefully, shine some light on how to make the most of your own speeches.

1 – Don’t stand behind a wall, a bullet-proof barrier and a lectern.

 

    A speech is about far more than just speaking; movement and body language can help to transmit a great deal of mood and information to your audience. While it is not very often that we have to deal with the first two items in question, the third is not uncommon. A lectern is not without its place; they can be most effective in providing a more serious air to a speech and are quite handy for a script or notes but the majority of presentation situations require a more comfortable and communicative face. It is preferable to be seen from head to toe and, of course, to learn how to express yourself effectively through gesture and movement. While there are some basic do’s and don’ts, each person has their own style of movement. Some people can move around and gesture a tremendous amount and look very comfortable, while others would look horribly nervous doing exactly the same thing. Find out what factors define your own style of movement and learn how to use them to their greatest advantage.

2 - Smile at least once every twenty minutes.

 

   Unless you are at an event that demands an extremely subdued mood, there is no reason to turn your speech into the dour hour. In moderation, smiling helps to put people at ease and creates a more positive mood. How broadly and how often you should smile depends on a number of factors but certainly it is important to consider your subject and your crowd and take into account your own appearance. Some people have a naturally happy look and others possess a natural severity. If you have a face that seems to smile all the time, you don’t have to reinforce it by smiling a great deal and, conversely, making a real effort may be very helpful to someone with a more sour countenance. 

 

 

3 – Don’t write a speech with constant historical references.

 

  When you are making a business presentation your audience wants to know what has just happened, what is happening now, and what could happen in the near future. While some background can be useful to provide context, boost morale, or illustrate a point, talking too much about the civil war will just make you look as though you are ignoring what is important. In this regard, also be mindful of the make-up of your audience. As a general rule, the older the crowd, the more they will relate to the referencing of the past and a younger crowd tends to be more interested in hearing about the future.

 

 

4 – Make eye contact with at least one person in the audience.

 

  Eye contact is a powerful thing. While people tend not to like being stared at, they do appreciate, during a speech, an occasional look to give them the feeling that they are being included. To stare outward in the direction of the crowd, but not actually make contact with any one single person will only work against you. Eye contact can also be used in very specific ways during a presentation. If, for example, you have one table or group that is not paying attention, make solid eye contact with one member of the group; consciously or subconsciously this will help to focus all of them. Eye contact should seem natural and not in a pattern or on a schedule and with some people, it can be balanced with a “thoughtful” absence of eye contact which effectively brings people in.

 

5 - Don’t try to stir emotions and then pause for applause too often.

 

   In small weekly boardroom meetings it’s probably best not to do it at all. Taking oneself too seriously is a quick route to looking foolish and structuring a speech that assumes too great an importance to its statements, especially in front of an audience that is either too small or too casual for it to be appropriate will rob you of all credibility. Humility can be a valuable tool, and genuine consideration of opposing viewpoints can help to give clarity to your point and silence the critics who may be present. To stand rigidly with your chin up and your face stern repeatedly making grand pronouncements is something that should be done only with the greatest of care. For some people, dignity and command are fundamental aspects of the character they always present, for the rest of us, much better to work well with the tools with which we have been provided.

 

 

   I hope that you have found some valuable information in this little list and are able to put it to good use when making presentations in the future. Defining and refining your own style and technique in public speaking is an involved endeavour but with continued observations and efforts it can definitely be done … best of luck!    

                                                         www.laughlearnlead.com