What stand-up comedy taught me about storytelling.
Those who know me, know I like to try new things. One of those things was stand-up comedy.
I loved it. And, unexpectedly, it taught me more about storytelling and public speaking than any other training ever could.
In stand-up, you’re basically telling a story (a funny one, hopefully) with punchlines sprinkled throughout. It’s not that different from other forms of storytelling or even from how we tell our career stories.
Here are a few lessons I took from it:
1. Keep it crisp.
Unless you’re Chris Rock, you’ve got very limited time. Every word matters. You have to cut, trim, and polish until the message is sharp.
2. Find your anchor.
There is nothing worse than when a joke doesn’t land, but there is a simple trick: find your people. There’s always someone smiling in the audience. Connect with them, recentre, and keep going.
3. Make it fun for them and for you.
Even serious stories can be light hearted. Add a line or two that makes people smile. It helps your message land better, and it reminds you that having fun is serious business.
4. Build confidence.
There’s nothing quite as terrifying as trying to make a room full of strangers laugh. After that, corporate presentations, panels, or storytelling nights start to feel like a walk in the park.
5. Script it.
Stand-up looks spontaneous, but it’s not. The best comics write, edit, and rehearse relentlessly. Same goes for any great storyteller. Write in your own voice, practice, refine.
You don’t need a big investment to try it. A local stand-up course in your city, or even on Masterclass.com (Judd Apatow, Kevin Hart, and Steve Martin are my favourite masterclasses)
Who knows, maybe your next great career story starts with a joke.
