When you tell a story, try to escalate it and surprise the other person. Exaggeration works only if you take your interlocutor by surprise and turn your story around unexpectedly. Then, be as specific as you can. When you introduce elements such as colors, details about a place, a smell, a sound, or anything else that can give life to your tale, you make it easier for your readers to understand you, as you’re building up a mental image for them.

Exaggeration

<ul><li>The stand-ups: usually into dark humor and they like expressive forms of entertainment, such as roasts, for example.</li><li>The magnets: they are naturally funny and they’re fun to be around. Usually, they’re the ones to make the crowds laugh and spread positivity. </li><li>The sweethearts: they are more on the innocent side. They like to joke around only when the situation permits. They want people to feel good and they would never make an offensive joke.</li><li>The snipers: they are sarcastic and aggressive with their jokes. They like to serve punchlines and one-liners. </li></ul>

Four types of humor

Compare something from your story to an outrageous example. Have your story stand out by making relatable, easy-to-get analogies. This will give your interlocutors a sense of deeper understanding of your tale and it will also entertain them better.

Use analogies to your advantage

List two expected things and a third unexpected element. Since our brain is used to patterns, it will automatically pay closer attention to something that doesn’t follow one and stands out.

The rule of three

Tap into the real things that happen to you and bring a little bit of humor into it. People will appreciate that and relate to the situation. Doing this will create beautiful, shared moments between you and them, as they will identify themselves more with you and drop formal behavior, allowing a closer bond to form.Make sure not to force anything when it comes to joking around. Frustration can easily build up when you’re mocking real-life situations

Shared truths create the foundation for humor

“Humor charms and disarms. Even small gestures of levity are powerful in negotiations, in part because they spark human connection—and when we connect as people, we often get more of what we both want.”

"Laughter is good for thinking because when people laugh, it is easier for them to admit new ideas to their minds.”

"Many people understand humor's power intuitively. But when it comes to using it with intention, far fewer know how. As a result, humor is vastly underleveraged in most workplaces today ... In fact, research shows that humor is one of the most powerful tools we have for accomplishing serious things. Top executives know this, which is why 98 percent prefer employees with a sense of humor, and 84 percent believe these employees do better work ... In [this book, the authors] draw on findings by behavioral scientists, advice from world-class comedians, and stories from real-life business leaders to reveal how humor works and--more important--how you can make greater and better use of it"--

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WALL STREET JOURNAL, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER • Anyone—even you!—can learn how to harness the power of humor in business (and life), based on the popular class at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.   Don’t miss the authors’ TED Talk, “Why great leaders take humor seriously,” online now. “The ultimate guide to using the magical power of funny as a tool for leadership and a force for good.”—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive We are living through a period of unprecedented uncertainty and upheaval in both our personal and professional lives. So it should come as a surprise to exactly no one that trust, human connection, and mental well-being are all on the decline.   This may seem like no laughing matter. Yet, the research shows that humor and laughter are among the most valuable tools we have at our disposal for strengthening bonds and relationships, diffusing stress and tension, boosting resilience, and performing when the stakes are high.    That’s why Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas teach the popular course Humor: Serious Business at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where they help some of the world’s most hard-driving, blazer-wearing business minds infuse more humor and levity into their work and lives. In Humor, Seriously, they draw on findings by behavioral scientists, world-class comedians, and inspiring business leaders to reveal how humor works and—more important—how you can use more of it, better. Aaker and Bagdonas unpack the theory and application of humor: what makes something funny, how to mine your life for material, and simple ways to identify and leverage your unique humor style. They show how to use humor to rebuild vital connections; appear more confident, competent, and authentic at work; and foster cultures where levity and creativity can thrive. President Dwight David Eisenhower once said, “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” If Dwight David Eisenhower, the second least naturally funny president (after Franklin Pierce), thought humor was necessary to win wars, build highways, and warn against the military-industrial complex, then you might consider learning it too.

JENNIFER AAKER

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