A bear walks into a bar and says to the bartender, "I'll have a pint of beer and a.......... packet of peanuts."
The bartender asks, "Why the big pause?" (a phonological ambiguity)
A grasshopper walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "Hey, we have a drink named after you!"
The grasshopper looks surprised and asks, "You have a drink named Steve?"
Why Humor Works in Coaching
"The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter."
– Mark Twain
Did you ever wonder why people often quote Mark Twain when giving a talk or writing an article? It is because Twain used humor to impart some very elemental truths about people and the human condition; truths that remain as true today as they were more than 100 years ago when he said them.
As for instance, Twain said, "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."
That's funny and yet suggests that he realizes that it was his worrying mind that got him into trouble more than reality provided. We also then begin to ponder how maybe WE do that as well, and while we laugh at him, we begin to lighten up a little about our own issues.
But whether you quote Twain, somebody else, or are just humorous yourself, the funny thing about jokes is that you can use them to get serious in a way that just being serious might not work.
Try this: The next time you are in a situation where you are looking to articulate a point of view and are not certain how to best get it across, ask yourself this question:
"What is this like? What story or joke can I think of that would serve to illustrate my viewpoint while bringing humor to the situation?"
Remember, the brain is a question-answering device and when we ask ourselves better questions, we get better answers.
Want to employ more humor in your story telling or coaching? Ask your unconscious for it and odds are good you'll find it.
The ability to laugh at problems gives you power over them
When a person has enough detachment from their problems that they can laugh at them a very important distinction is created and this can truly be the difference that makes a difference. That distinction is this: You make the shift to you having the problem rather than the problem having you.
This truly can be huge and not just as a first step to healing, but of paramount importance to on-going, self-sustaining mental/emotional health.
Humor Builds Rapport — Starting With Yourself
When one makes oneself the butt of the joke one demonstrates unifying humor. Self-deprecating people build trust, get heard and get ahead. They look comfortable with themselves - an endearing quality:
Here's an example: "All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy."
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COACH'S CORNER
Stories - sometimes Jokes - you can use
Meaningful, metaphorical stories can be golden for a working coach. Here you will find many useful examples.
A young chap decided to visit to a soothsayer to inquire about his future.
Right before his eyes, the soothsayer drew two circles: One in white and the other in black.
He then put a millipede in-between the circles, saying "if the millipede crawls into the white circle, it connotes your future will be great, but if otherwise, then you are doomed! You've lost hope!"
He dropped the insect in-between the circles, and immediately it began crawling towards the white circle.
This chap was super-excited and was thanking his maker.
But all of a sudden, as it got to the edge of the circle, it turned back and began crawling away from the white circle towards the black one.
The boy watched in fear as the insect progressively moved farther away from his desire to his doom.
Then, something happened. Just at a point where the insect was about to reach the edge of the black circle, this chap picked it up and quickly but carefully dropped it in the white circle.
The soothsayer in an abrupt manner, cut in; "why did you do that?"
The boy answered aggressively and said, "I cannot sit and watch my destiny doomed while I can still do something about it and to change its course. After-all, my destiny is in my hands."
He got up and left the scene.
The Essential Coaching Skills Podcast
There was a traveling salesman who was having a rough week.
Zero closes. Meeting after meeting, nothing was working. He called his wife Wednesday night, just to hear a familiar voice.
She told him to sit down. Then she told him they'd won the lottery.
He went out the next day a completely different person. He wasn't desperate. He wasn't needy. He walked into those appointments like someone who didn't need the business. And he closed three out of four.
When he got home Friday night, she made him sit down again.
They hadn't won the lottery. She'd just needed to cheer him up.
His results changed because his state changed.
Not his pitch. Not his product. His state.
This week I'm sharing one of the simplest and most powerful NLP tools I know: the Circle of Excellence. It's a body-mind anchoring technique that lets you choose the emotional state you want to be in — and access it whenever you need it.
Because you are in charge of your state. And once you know how to work with that, everything changes.
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AND - if that link doesn't take you there, you can use this: https://youtu.be/vXPfDR9S5VQ
To Listen to the Audio-only version of the podcast you can hear it here: https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com/podcasts/the-essential-coaching-skills-podcast/episodes/2149172789 - OR wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks for tuning in. See you soon.
Doug
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