Read the original at Lenny’s Newsletter ↗lennysnewsletter.com · subscriber post
By Lenny Rachitsky · lennysnewsletter.com · @lennysan on X · YouTube · LinkedIn
A guest-written post by storyteller Matthew Dicks argues that humor is a learnable skill rooted in surprise, not a fixed talent. It walks through seven practical strategies (nostalgia, exaggeration, one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other, definitions, specificity, stating the obvious, and the unexpected) with examples and explains how humor helps leaders build trust and be remembered.
Subscriber post — summary only01Key takeaways
- Humor is a learnable skill, not a fixed talent, built on strategies that create surprise.
- Laughter shifts brain chemistry toward dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins, aiding attention, empathy, and mood.
- Specific word choices, such as concrete brand names or odd details, make statements more memorable and funny.
- Placing the funniest word or detail last in a sentence delivers the surprise that produces a laugh.
- Humor is a low-risk way for business communicators to stand out, build trust, and be remembered.
“Humor is the strategic assembly of specific words, spoken in a specific way, to create a surprise that produces a smile or a laugh.”Matthew Dicks · Lenny’s Newsletter
02Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.