The use of Humour in Safety

Humour can be used effectively in formal and informal presentations and in general interaction in business and non-business life.

• Avoid humour that focuses on religion, politics, race, class, sex, age, physical appearance. To use any of these will run the risk of upsetting someone. I hear you asking what the hell else is there that I can use? The only safe butt of your humour is yourself!
• Introduce the humour in the general flow of your conversation.
• For a major presentation rehearse and listen to yourself on a tape recorder.
• Like many things in life humour follows the 7 P rule-Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance.
• Try to use humour that relates to things others see as an annoyance.
• Quotations from famous people are often sources of humour, you can search these on the internet, Laurie Lawrence’s web-site has a lot of quotations.
• Stretching the truth is forgivable.
• If you are a presenter who uses effective humour, presents well and has a relevant message you will be invited back.

For more information Google the topic and look at the paper The use of humour on ohschange.com.au