“To create a deep connection through humour, one needs to be its most authentic self and not be afraid to reveal its own vulnerabilities.” Dr Vanessa Marcie
Authenticity is a bit of a buzz word. Everybody speaks about authenticity or wants to be authentic. In truth, vulnerability and authenticity go together because being authentic means to be real, genuine, and true to yourself. Authenticity inspires trust because you are transparent and are not afraid of sharing your vulnerabilities.
Humour is an important component of emotional intelligence
Humour is an essential component of a critical skill for leaders: emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence promotes empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Sharing means you will need to show your vulnerabilities. After all, you are a real person, not just a leader with many responsibilities. If you want to trigger a genuine laugh, you need to be vulnerable and authentic. It wouldn’t be possible for me to make people laugh on stage if I didn’t give 100 % of myself. Comedians reveal a considerable part of themselves on stage. Our stories are about ourselves, our lives, and people we love or hate, so it’s very personal. Making people laugh is a risky and emotional business for us, too.
Embrace failure
Every time we are on stage, we take the risk of being rejected or failing. But, we also make the process as an opportunity to learn about ourselves and our audience. There is so much of ourselves in our show that we have learned to distance ourselves from the outcome, to face our deepest fear of failure, and to shut off the loud voice in our mind that says we are not funny. Comedy taught me to embrace failure and not to take it too seriously. I know the next time I’m on stage, I’ll be better. People will laugh, and this is the best, most beautiful feeling in the world.
Create a real connection
I don’t necessarily always feel comfortable being vulnerable, but my best jokes are rooted in my vulnerabilities, and when I am my most authentic self. When I understood the power of sharing vulnerabilities, sharing personal stories, and being true to myself, that is when I became a good speaker. In acknowledging the person you are with all your imperfections, you are both exposing and freeing yourself from the judgment of other people. It is the path to gain confidence and becoming the best version of yourself. Try it! Everybody around you will benefit from you being your most authentic self. Don’t hesitate to be vulnerable. Don’t wait to share jokes about yourself because that’s how you will create a real connection.
In brief:
- Don’t be afraid to be yourself
- Use your vulnerabilities as a strength
- Don’t fight failure, embrace it
- Authenticity is critical to create real connections
Leading With Humour is an innovative consultancy and learning & development company. We are dedicated to developing leadership and emotional intelligence through humour. We offer a variety of training and coaching programmes and business services dedicated to leading and living with humour and laughter. To discover YOUR sense of humour and how to laugh your way to success, take our FREE Humour & Leadership Quiz