Putting Humor in Your Presentations
“Perhaps as important as anything. I learned a lot about humor, a lot about laughter.” George H. W. Bush on Ronald Reagan at his funeral.
We can all learn a very important lesson on how to use humor in our presentations from former President Ronald Reagan. Reagan earned the title of “the Great Communicator” because he was able to use humor to diffuse very tough situations.
When President Reagan was running for his second term as president he participated in a series of debates with former Vice-President Walter Mondale. Mondale was trying to make age a big issue in the campaign. When Reagan was questioned during the debate about age, he replied, “I want you to know that I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” From that moment on age was no longer an issue in the 1984 presidential campiagn.
President Reagan was a master of using humor in his presentations. Remember, a little appropriate humor can help you diffuse a situation when you are giving a presentation.