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TRAINING TIP 14: Humor

By Edwin Pauzer posted 08-17-2017 09:05

  

Ask people what they like, and you will often hear them say, “I like to laugh and have a good time.” The truth is we all do. It releases endorphins in the brain that add to our feelings of well being.

If you are successful at using humor in your class, the participants will be attentive and engaged. (Note we said humor, not telling jokes). They are likely to retain more from a positive and enjoyable learning experience. If you use inappropriate or offensive humor you might subject yourself to a mortifying training experience you will never forget.

Speaking of mortifying, I remember many years ago sitting in a class in Infantry Hall in Ft. Benning where I was undergoing officer training with 200 other candidates. The room was huge with an ascending order of rows so the whole class could see the stage where a staff sergeant was our instructor. He had the reputation as one of the nicest people in the building. Unfortunately, he told a joke that I thought was innocent enough and not insulting—about the pope. Officer Candidate Green of 2nd platoon stood up and complained to him in front of the whole company that she did not appreciate his humor. The sergeant apologized profusely and was obviously shaken by her rebuke. He tried to continue his instruction, only to pause several minutes later, and apologize again. Again he started, paused, and apologized a third time. Those remaining 30 minutes must have been agonizing for him.

To this day, I cannot remember the topic the sergeant was teaching, but I do remember his mortification, so here are some hard and fast rules regarding humor:

1.  Never poke fun about where people come from, their politics, their religion or gender.

2.  Be mindful of your language. What you might find innocuous, someone else might find vulgar or profane. 

3.  Never poke fun at any of the participants. It is okay to poke fun at yourself. That often puts people at ease. 

4.  Humor should be natural and not in the form of a joke: “I just flew in from Cleveland and are my arms tired, but seriously folks I want to talk to you about domestic violence.” This kind of “humor” is contrived and out of place. 

5.  Use humor only if it fits your personality and is appropriate to the instruction or exercise.

6.  Since you might find participants returning to future classes, always keep your humor fresh and new rather than repetitious.

If you’re inclined to tell a joke and you don’t know how it will go over, just recall the story of the good staff sergeant.

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