Using Humor to Influence - Karyn Buxman

Think about what you’re looking for in a partner or influencer. Odds are you’re looking for someone with a good sense of humor, and if you did, you’re not alone. A sense of humor is on the list of top three traits that someone is looking for in another person. So, why not make sure that you are the person someone else is looking for by being as humorous as you can be!

So, for this video, I want to talk about how you can use humor as a tool to persuade, educate and defuse a situation and make you an overall better human being; basically, I’m going to teach you how to be an excellent influencer. If you’re able to use humor to persuade someone to do something that means you’ve mastered being likable and you’ve also established yourself as someone who has some authority—which is something we should strive for in our work environments, no matter what position you hold.

Not only can humor be a tool to establish authority, but it can also make you more memorable and trustworthy. If you're able to use just a little bit of self-deprecating humor, you're immediately going to be seen as more relatable, and because of this, trustworthy. Not only can you be seen as more trustworthy, but if you use humor efficiently, you'll also be much more memorable, because humor acts as a mental hook, so if you're funny, people are much more likely to remember what you're telling them.

Karyn Buxman is a TEDx speaker, ForbesBooks author, and neurohumorist (she lives at the intersection of humor and the brain.) A pioneer in the emerging science of applied humor, Karyn helps high performers expand their influence, strengthen their relationships, and boost their resilience. From the Mayo Clinic to the Million Dollar Round Table, organizations around the world hire Karyn to educate, inspire, and entertain their audiences again and again. She’s one of 194 people (and only 43 women) in the world to be inducted into the National Speakers Association's Speaker Hall of Fame. Her latest book, Funny Means Money will be published by Forbes in 2019. Karyn is serious about humor!