Chapter 6 Harnessing Humor

Chapter six covers areas of humor in a presentation from the beginning Burmark mentions that we need neotenous pranks, usually during a presentation the audience tends to get real bored when a presenter present a boring presentation and usually the audience tends to walk away during the presentation so to get the audience attention the presenter must do things like play pranks “pranks-full of youthful exuberance-that can lure students and the audience members alike to tune in rather than drop (or walk) out” (pg. 96). Burmark mention during a presentation the presenter must guide the audience towards one path and then surprising them by doing something else “You think you are going down one path, and then suddenly, at the last moment, it takes a detour: (pg. 97). One of the biggest things Burmark mentioned in the chapter is how do you want your audience to remember you like, do you want the audience to remember as a boring presenter or do you want the audience to remember you as one of the best “How do you become that teacher, that presenter whose name alone suffices to make people smile and whose content remains forever unforgettable?” (pg.103)

Burmark, L. (2011). They Snooze You Lose: The educator’s guide to successful presentations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass