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“I like to
break the ice with a joke.”
We hear that
all the time. But how does a joke break the ice?
Usually
jokes thicken the ice because they are neither funny, nor
relevant. And sometimes the joke is offensive, turning
off substantial portions of the audience before the
presentation begins.
We have a
pretty strict policy against using jokes to begin a
presentation. But if you must use a joke, then make sure
it passes the Speechworks Acid Joke Test.
The
Speechworks Acid Joke Test
If you want
to use a joke as a hook, the joke better meet three criteria.
The joke better be:
-
Funny.
This first requirement cuts out 95 percent of the proposed
“ice breakers/jokes.” These jokes are almost never funny.
Usually, they are “groaners” or “eye rollers.”
-
Relevant
to the presentation.
We almost never hear jokes that are relevant to a
presentation. The jokes usually consist of a throwaway line
that has nothing to do with the presentation and merely
serves to make the listeners wait an extra minute before you
begin.
-
Tasteful.
The joke must not have a chance of offending a single person
in the entire room.
Passing
the Speechworks Acid Joke Test Ain’t Easy
It’s
extremely difficult to meet all three criteria.
We worked
with an engineer who opened a presentation with the following:
“I’m going to start by telling you what Elizabeth Taylor tells
her husbands: “I won’t keep you long.””
Did the joke
meet the three tests?
First, we
didn’t think it was that funny. At best, we’d call it
“cute.” It’s more of a groaner. But let’s give it a pass on
the funny test.
Second, was
the joke relevant? Absolutely not. In the presentation, the
engineer wanted to persuade the management of a major office
building to reengineer the building’s HVAC, and lighting
system.
Third, could the joke possibly offend? Probably not. But
don’t dismiss this issue too fast. Odd things offend people.
What if there were an Elizabeth Taylor fan in the room? Or
maybe there was a person in the room who had been divorced
multiple times and didn’t find the subject humorous. What if
someone was going through a painful divorce? Is it worth
risking offending someone for a stupid throwaway line that is
not really that funny? Of course not.
Unless the
joke meets the three criteria, skip the jokes and get on with
it.
If you want
to learn how to connect with audiences, call us at
404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net. We’ve been helping business
executives give winning presentations for over 15 years. |
