Humor in international environments…

Humor is a tricky thing.

You have to be very careful when you use it, especially when dealing with an international environment.

I remember an instance when one of my former bosses, also French, tried to make a joke in a conference call.

We were waiting for all participants to join

He started to tell a joke,

And when the ‘punch line’ came

There was a BIG blank

Everybody was silent

I was the only one who understood the joke

So, when you want to use humor in an international environment, follow these 3 tips:

✅ Make sure you have had a first professional contact with your audience so that people know you a bit

✅ Make fun of yourself

✅ Use the correct expressions (i.e. do NOT translate literally) as the joke may be on you!

Remember to be very mindful and genuine when you use humor when dealing with other cultures or nationalities.

When used correctly, humor is one of the greatest things that can help you build rapport,  improve your relationships and better communicate with people.

#vlvcoach #leadership #communication #diversity