William’s top takeaway:
When giving a speech or delivering an after-dinner talk, Hague says that your message is like a building. Build your talk with a structure that your audience can follow and use humour to bring them along. Read the room and inject a jest when appropriate.
William Hague has had a hell of a career in the Houses of Parliament. As former Foreign Secretary, Hague has hosted and humoured the World’s most headstrong (and sometimes humourless) leaders. Hague knows that the best speakers and politicians alike can use humour to support their message when appropriate. Hague is a firm believer that humour can create a connection across cultures.
Hague uses humour in his creative process as well. By imagining an absurd scenario, Hague says the door to a more serious idea is slammed open. Once you determine the craziest scenario, every other idea seems more doable.
“Humour is very good at creating serious thoughts, it actually helps your brain on to other matters. It encourages lateral thinking, really, particularly when you’re in a group of people.”
The current member of the House of Lords says that levity is the lifeblood of creativity. Whether your solving global crises or growing your business, allowing the laughter to flow can increase the creativity of all involved. Humour can connect people and allow them to create more freely.
“Creativity is often assisted by humorous creativity, as long as it is lead in the right way. Secondly, I would say humour is important for creating more mutually supportive bonds between people.”
As an avid after-dinner speaker, Hague also knows the importance of humour when captivating an audience. Engaging your audience with appropriate humour can be difference between delivering a memorable message and flopping with a forgettable farce. Find out how the former Foreign Secretary forged a funny footprint this week on The Humourology Podcast.
William Hague’s interview marks the season finale of the Humourology podcast.
Thank you for all your wonderful words of kind support. We will be back in a couple of weeks with the start of season two. It will once again be filled with a galaxy of interesting, exciting and humourous interviews with a star-studded lineup from the fields of business, sport, politics and entertainment.
For the next couple of Tuesdays, there will be ‘Best Of’ shows featuring learning and laughter from stars of the past 26 weeks.
Thanks again for all the kind reviews and shares.
Cheers,
Paul and The Humourology Podcast team xxx
