the importance of being illogical martyn dorey senior consultant psolve
TRANSCRIPT
The importance of being illogical
Martyn Dorey
Senior Consultant PSolve
Introduction
Based on work by – John Vorhaus –The comic toolbox– Kim Jonson - Truth in comedy– Risk working party
Apply techniques to– Speech writing, column writing– Verbal communication
If you try these tools….
Exercise 1: Image
Work lightly
Work Seriously
Self lightly
Self seriously
Churchill
Hitler
Boris Johnson
Simon Cowell
Michael Howard
Industry Captain
Part time comedian
Surgeon
Actuary
Barrister
Someone innovative
Follower
Leader
Psychotic
Hubris
Good with people
Dale Carnegie
How to win friends and influence people (24 points) Fundamental techniques in handling people
– Give honest appreciation– Make a fault seem easy to correct– If you must criticise talk about your own mistakes first
Ways to make people like you– Smile– Be a good listener– Talk in terms of their interests
How to win people to your way of thinking– No one wins an argument– Dramatise your message
Be a leader
Jokes ≠ levity
When we are relaxing, we’re at our best We’re listening recycling information and making
connections Levity is about connecting to people Humour arises out of situations Jokes that do not connect are primitive
Exercise 2:
Do something you’ve never done before What have we learnt Surprise is a source of levity Break old habits
– Learn to paint– Play a new instrument– Run a soft skills session on levity
Truth & Pain
Revealing a truth, particularly an emotion creates surprise
Is it enough to be a surprise?
ComedyPainTruth
Truth & Pain
What’s the truth? What’s the pain? When would you deploy this humour?
100 men go to heaven.. St Peter at gates.. How do you make God laugh? A man falls off a cliff…
Audience Perspective
Sex, death, religion, common elements to levity What do you get when you cross a Jehovah’s
witness with an agnostic? Someone who rings your doorbell for no particular
reason. Truth - strive for religious enlightenment Pain - some never get there Jehovah's witness wouldn’t buy the truth If you are an audience, rather than take offence can
you identify the comic perspective
Audience Perspective
“How many solipsists does it take to change a light bulb?”
Who wants to know?
Integrate
dCabin
Cabin
1
Connection=F(Comedy,Audience knowledge,Processing speed)
Audience Perspective- a cautionary tale
An actuary said to a Trustee board Here’s the news, ‘your schemes under-funded.
Basically you’re fucked.’ Who laughed & why? (Knowledge, T&P, Processing speed)
Don’t make accidental jokes
Sense of humour
I sent a v. rude email to my stag party, and was subsequently suspended.
Was it that HR didn’t have a sense of humour? They didn’t have the sense of humour of my stag
party Who can tell a joke about being French? Generally anyone except a Frenchman Who can tell a Jewish joke? Ruby wax.
Can anyone be humorous? Develop a sense of what’s funny Will to risk, what’s funny
Comic genius
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 6.0 7.5 9.010.512.013.5
Not enough
truth Too m
uch pain
Risk
Levity Actuary
Exercise 3: Humour hit rates
What’s the truth & the pain of being an actuary? Generate 10 actuarial firm names
The comic premise Skewed points of view Peanuts Anyone
– “I haven’t had sex in a year”– “Celibate?”– “No, Married”
Real worldComic world
What are the characters?– “I Work in Truro”– “Blimey that’s further than Timbuktu?”– “Actually it’s about three hours”– “Yes, Quite right Timbuktu's more Bristol.”
Structured minds find this approach easier Develop tension by increasing conflict between the
real world and the comic world
The comic character
Key to levity, can you deploy or convey a comic character?
A character is a vehicle to deliver a comic premise
Strength of character
Levity
Filter any subject using BOLD EXAGERATION Take it to the end of the line
Comic character
Virginal schoolboy Newborn Baby Extreme actuary Testosterone poisoning Deaf shouting attack
Filter the world
Exaggeration
Exaggeration allows people to recognise you are adopting a comic perspective & a comic character
Joyful Manic Thrill seeker Adrenaline junkie Boring Train spotter Dogmatic Scary
Comic character: Traits
I like him he’s like me Flaws Positive human qualities
Flaws
Positive human qualities
Exaggeration
Comic perspective
Exercise 3: Conflict
Global Interpersonal Inner
Exercise 3: Conflict
Global (bad airplane food) Interpersonal ( Hostess an old girlfriend) Inner (Agoraphobic) Think of an actuarial comic premise?
Comic toolbox
Clash of context– Nun inheriting a convent– A pickup truck with a Laura Ashley interior– What’s a clash of context for an actuary
Juxtaposition– Honest Larceny– Genuine fake– Drowning in the fountain of youth
Comic toolbox
Wildly inappropriate response– Mourning Widower: “She was a wonderful wife”– Family friend: “And great in bed”
Comic toolbox
Comic opposites– Vicars and Tarts– Nun and a prostitute– An actuary and …
Comic toolbox
Telling the truth– “You’ve got the attention span of a two year old.”– Actuarial truth
The only thing we know is our assumptions will not be borne out
Telling a lie– “I only want you for your mind”– Actuarial lie
You will live precisely 52.3 more years
Comic Toolbox
Tension & release, “positioning the payoff” = Passive writing/speaking style.
Put the key word last Right :
– If the universe is expanding why can’t I find a place to
park Wrong:
– Why can’t I find a place to park if the universe is expanding
Wrong:– Tell God your plans if you want to make him laugh
Comic Toolbox The rule of three Set up, set up, payoff Introduction, validation, violation Three classic tunes Handel’s Messiah Mozart’s Requiem Bon Jovi’s Slippery when wet
Coffee Tea Ricin
Why not 4?
Comic Toolbox
Mix with the inappropriate response… Three things you should never say to a grieving
widow:– He looks so peaceful– He’s gone to a better place– He was great in bed
What three things should you take to an actuarial exam?
Comic toolbox: Doorbell effect
Doesn’t work without a warm up. We’re absolutely fine unless the doorbell rings I’m a nervous wreck
Comic toolbox
Eyebrow effect
Doing a valuation ….. Building fell down
Comic toolbox: avoid clichés
Marry in haste repent at leisure Recruit in haste repent in Reigate A fool and his money are soon partying Making financial sense of the future….
Give your audience information
I’m not saying….. but….
I’m not saying that my boss doesn’t support my work with the profession, but right now he thinks I’ve nipped out for a coffee.
Comic toolbox Jeopardy
Tension + Release = Levity Combine with exaggeration It’s the last 2p I’ve got You’re the last friend I have in the whole world It’s not much but rhythm is all I have left
Last thoughts
Everyone fears the fraud police Don’t fall in love with your humour It’s OK to offend part of your audience if you
connect with another Leaplets Make notes/records of humourlets
– Bleeding edge… Shaving edge I don’t have a razor sharp mind, but it’s enough to shave with
in the morning.
– Kolmogorov-Smirnov test a vodka based statistic
Motivation creation revelation
Dale Carnegie
Enlighten
Degrade
Mock Inform