A secret to Using Humor in presentations, or one on one is by learning to use tone, inflection, and emphasis when speaking. Just as a magician uses misdirection in order to make his tricks work, we must use our voices in order to make our message understood.
I come from a theatre background in general and improvisational theatre in particular. One of the skills we all had to develop, if we were to improve, was the ability to hear ourselves.
As strange as it seems, most people do not listen to themselves.
I suppose, since we all know what we are going to say, why bother listening?
It can actually be one of the most profitable things you do. The ability to hear yourself means you are saying what you mean to say in the way you mean to say it.
If you have ever wondered why someone didn’t accept what you said, or took offense at something you thought was OK. It may be because your tone of voice belied your words.
Do you sound mad when you don’t mean to?
Do you sound sincere when you are?
Do you …
Listening is an art that is disappearing it seems, and the ability to listen to ourselves is a sub-skill even rarer.
Here’s a quick exercise: Take the sentence: “I would like to go to the movies with you.” and practice saying it with the emphasis on a different word each time.
“I would like to go to the movies with you.”
“i WOULD like to go to the movies with you.”
“i would LIKE to go to the movies with you.”
“i would like TO go to the movies with you.”
“i would like to GO to the movies with you.”
“i would like to go TO the movies with you.”
“i would like to go to THE movies with you.”
“i would like to go to the MOVIES with you.”
“i would like to go to the movies WITH you.”
“i would like to go to the movies with YOU.”
Do you hear the difference in meaning that comes from emphasizing the different words? It can be everything from a demand to a seduction.
If you didn’t hear the difference, try it again. Try it again as you drive in the car and then practice repeating a short line on the radio. Once you can hear the difference, you are on the road to hearing yourself.
on Aug 28th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Wow, you have such a good point here that could be used for anything we say to anyone…emphasizing certain words makes a big difference in meaning! I think this is why sometimes when writing it can be a little more trickier, since you don’t have that ability to emphasize as much. Great post!
on Aug 28th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Thanks Chelle. My Dad always sounded mad on the phone when I spoke with him. He wasn’t, but he couldn’t hear how he sounded. It does make a difference. Thanks for your comment.