Executive Humor at Meetings

I don't encourage managers to wear funny hats, appear in self-deprecating skits, or otherwise emulate Saturday Night Live in an attempt to manufacture an image as, "Look, folks! I'm just one a' the guys!" If clients insist, I do what I can to help. I want the money. But it's not usually such a hot idea.

I know it's done. Frequently. And I read reports of the exhilarating effects created by executives who deliver call-to-action keynotes dressed as a gunfighter or sumo wrestler. I notice, also, that these reports are usually written by those who work for the speaker, or by meeting producers retained by the speaker's company.

A field sales force may see their management only once or twice a year; usually at the annual sales meeting. They need to know that those running the store have a clear vision of where the company's going, and what it will take to get it there. And giving them Bozo the clown doesn't do a hell of a lot to convince a sales force their future is in good hands.

Conventional wisdom tells us the confident and secure executive isn't compromised by a little benign buffoonery. Well, maybe. In my experience, however, confident managers are secure enough to bypass situations that often succeed in converting respect to ridicule. It's usually the uncertain manager who clutches at these moments in an attempt to create a public charisma that personal performance has never provided.

The bottom line for the executive comic? Don't get beaten by your own shtick!

http://www.thewritingworks.com

John Mackenzie has been creating award-winning corporate communication elements for 30 years. He's also co-founder of The Writers Roundtable, a group of self-employed business communication writers who met (occasionally) at the Writers Guild of America in New York City. During 15 years of operation, The Roundtable maintained a standing door prize for any writer who had a client that paid in 30-days. The prize was never collected.

---

Test Your Hiring IQ

The purpose of any selection process is to discriminate (albeit... Read More

10 Ways To Work Through A Business Slowdown

In running any kind of business, it's inevitable that sometimes... Read More

Management - Mary Poppins Style!

Mary Poppins describes a style of management which has for... Read More

Why Outsourcing Could Be The Best Thing You Do For Your Business

While it's probably not true to say that the traditional... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Structure

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Punctuality in Business: What it Says About You

"Nothing inspires confidence in a business man sooner than punctuality,... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management :- Thought Leadership

Leadership is only sustainable when leaders consistently come up with... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Look For Sponsors And Solution Owners

Look for sponsors and solution owners rather than problem owners.Everyone... Read More

Performance Management Made Easy

Performance Management is a process that both employer and employee... Read More

Why Training Fails

Sometimes when I conduct my workshop on Effective Meetings, one... Read More

Presenteeism: The Hidden Costs of Business

(prez.un.TEE.iz.um) nPresenteeism, a relatively unknown concept, is the complement of... Read More

Team Motivation - Tough Enough to Care

Sir Alex Ferguson has just celebrated his 1000 game in... Read More

Creating a Team Working Environment

TEAM DECISION MAKING: Managers who invite participation believe that people... Read More

3 Keys to Being a Fearless Executive

In my work with business executives, I have come to... Read More

The Three-category Approach to Performance Management: Effort, Ability, or Environment

Performance Management is the act of managing personal or organizational... Read More

The Four Key Steps In Hiring And Keeping Top People

"When you hire the best, the rest is easy!" We... Read More

Having Your Phil

February 2nd, at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time on Gobbler's... Read More

Eight Key Steps to Building B2B Major Account Client Alliances

Audiences who saw the fabled Broadway musical, Chorus Line, marveled... Read More

Operating on Perpetual Overload?

Check Out Your E-HabitsAnother week has ended. And, despite moving... Read More

Business Leadership Skills - Managing the Human Being Behind the Business

Managing the Human Being Behind the Business It's... Read More

Uncommon Common Sense ? Know What is the Most Important Thing in Your Business

Over 3 of my meetings with 3 business owners last... Read More

Working with Hearing Impaired Employees - Giving Them a Fair Go

Hearing impaired people often encounter difficulty at work because their... Read More

Employees Commit Corporate Fraud

Imagine the following scenario; Ten years ago you decided to... Read More

Top 5 Services Your Company?s Accounting Department Should Outsource

Accounting is one area which every company has to maintain... Read More

Lone Rangers Suffer without Tonto

A lone ranger is someone who prefers working in solitude... Read More

Allan Kempert Discovers That Truly All You Gotta Do Is Ask

A year or so ago, I met Allan Kempert. Allan... Read More

Lead to Succeed: The Seven Essential Steps to Work Leader Success

In my book "You're In Charge?What Now?" I use a... Read More

Understanding How Change Has Changed

There seems to be an assumption that change is a... Read More

The Crisis of Modernity

Since the beginning of the industrial era our world has... Read More

Can You Sleep While The Wind Blows?

Let me repeat a story I heard many years ago... Read More

Setting Direction Within an Organization

FINDING DIRECTION: An organization can't succeed without direction. Direction means... Read More

Building Bridges of Communication

Building a 'bridge of understanding' between parties is... Read More

Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Have SMART Goals

The first step in planning an agenda is to identify... Read More