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