January 7, 2024
The Impact of humour: How Top Motivational Speakers Use Laughter to Inspire
As a professional speaker who has spent years exploring how innovation happens, I have long been a fan of motivational speaking: the power of a well-framed message to inspire individuals and change lives – and, yes, transform businesses, too. While the topics of my keynotes are wide ranging, from innovation to problem solving to leadership, I have found it increasingly useful to open each with a point that makes people laugh. I do this not simply to entertain but as a means to open up the room, to remove barriers, to get people to listen, learn and then act.
Here is an example:
I strongly believe in the process of ‘focused daydreaming’ which allows people to be truly creative but in a focused way. It can be viewed as a fluffy subject to some, so I like to break the ice by asking the crowd:
“How many of you like to daydream?”
All hands will go up.
“How many of you have already had a daydream today on your way into this conference?”
All hands will go up.
“And how many of you have been daydreaming whilst I’ve been speaking?”
This will always induce laughter from the audience, especially as one or two people will undoubtedly raise their hands – to which I respond “… well done, we all need to daydream more!”
In this article, I’m going to look at the hugely important role that humour plays for the motivational speaker. Why is it useful? How do the best do it? And – most crucially – how can you harness its power in your presentations? Whether you aspire to be a speaker, or just want to communicate more powerfully, understanding the power of humour could hold the key to being able to inspire others.
The Importance of humour in Motivational Speaking
To begin, let’s define what I mean by humour. I’m not talking about stand-up or comedy for the sake of it. humour in the context of motivational speaking is using wit and playfulness and a certain levity in the experience to earn your right to be heard, to make the intellectual content of your message more palatable and memorable.
The benefits of incorporating humour into motivational speeches are numerous:
It breaks the ice and puts the audience at ease
It helps to maintain attention and engagement
It makes complex or challenging topics more approachable
It enhances memory retention of key points
It creates a positive association with the speaker and their message
I’ve noticed that when I myself use humour in a talk – sometimes a playful story, sometimes a witty observation – the energy shifts for the better. People lean in, they smile, and most important of all, they become more open to the ideas I’m conveying.
Another example, in my workshops I’ll often start the ‘busy fool syndrome’ module with a funny story about myself often being very busy, but not achieving much. This often gets a knowing laugh, and suddenly the slide makes sense – and in the group’s eyes – we’re on the same level. We can work on the solutions together.
Characteristics of Good Motivational Speakers
What constitutes a good motivational speaker? From what I have observed, most good motivational speakers share a number of characteristics.
Authenticity
Passion for their subject
Strong storytelling abilities
Empathy and connection with the audience
Clear and compelling message
Ability to inspire action
But there’s one last trait that I believe separates the true greats: a master’s sense of humour. The best motivational speakers of all time use humour not as a side dish, but as an ingredient of their communication.
It’s not about being a comic – it’s about being able to find a lighter side to every situation, to use self-deprecating humour to connect, and to use the unexpected levity to underscore important points.
Famous Motivational Speakers Known for Their Use of humour
How many of your favourite popular motivational speakers are comedians? It’s no accident that many of the most popular speakers and bestselling authors are funny. Consider Tony Robbins. His upbeat presentations are filled with jokes and playful audience interaction.
There is another, lesser-known example of this kind of talk: Brené Brown’s renowned presentations on vulnerability and courage. She is a deeply serious thinker on the subjects of shyness and shame, but she makes audiences laugh with her own self-mocking humour about her foibles and flaws. This laughing at and with ourselves can be a powerful force for delivering an important message.
And even in the corporate world, where you’d perhaps expect business owners to be a bit more serious, humour is paramount. Richard Branson, perhaps the most inspiring entrepreneur of our era, is famous for his playful way of doing business and living his life. His speeches tend to be full of mirthful anecdotes about his successes and failures in business, making difficult and often boring business lessons fun and memorable.
How humour Enhances the Message of Motivational Speakers
So what’s with motivational speaking – why does humour work so well in that genre? I’ve found that three things are particularly important:
Capture: Humour arrests attention. If people are laughing, they’re listening.
Relationship: Joking forms a bond between speaker and audience. It tears down walls and creates connections.
Memorability: Laughter enhances memorability. People can’t always recall the exact words you used, but they will remember how your words made them feel – and they will remember that funny story you used to illustrate your point.
Tips for Using humour in Motivational Speaking
If you wish to be more playful with your own speaking, here are some parameters I find useful:
Be yourself: Use humour that reflects your personality and speaking style. Don’t pretend to be something that you are not.
Know your audience: What’s funny to one demographic might be a bomb among another. Tailor the humour to the listeners.
Make it on-point: Your funny story should bolster your message, not detract from it.
Then practise timing: Learn timings and delivery.
Expect the unexpected: Sometimes the funniest situations are the ones you didn’t plan. Be prepared to improvise.
Don’t pound it: If a joke doesn’t work, let it go. Don’t dwell on it or apologise.
Don’t go overboard: Use humour to complement your message, not to replace it. You’re a motivational speaker, not a stand-up comedian.
Conclusion
The heartwarming and inspiring nature of motivational speaking cannot be overemphasised: and in the motivational speaking world, humour goes well beyond the comedic appeal, and serves instead to help motivate and inspire. It is therefore understandable that the most effective motivational speakers wield a judicious sense of humour to improve their message and emotionally connect with their audience.
In fact, humour makes people more amenable: it can lower people’s guards, make concepts easier to comprehend, and help to leave a lasting impression. Whether you are a beginner presenter or a seasoned professional, humour can take your impact to the next level.
So as you gear up to deliver your next speech or presentation, think about how you might use humour to create connection and ensure that your key messages are heard. You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian to take a comedic approach. Just be authentic, know your audience, and ensure that your humour is aligned with your key message.
Ultimately, the aim is to motivate change and action, and a smile and laugh might be just the ticket. The next time you’re preparing a talk, don’t shy away from adding a little levity. You just might be the funniest, and most impactful, one in the room.
