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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. 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:
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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.”
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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.
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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? High level decision makers often have had several
divorces. 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.
At Speechworks we help our clients learn how to communicate in a way
that connects and persuades. If you’re interested in becoming a
great communicator give us a call at 404-266-0888 or check out our
website at
www.speechworks.net. |
