WARNING: Despite the title this is not about POLITICS (or ART); it is about LIFE!

In a world where LIFE often imitates ART I find myself asking; “what if I am Art and not life?” What if people are just watching me and my life is a form of Art or Entertainment for the enjoyment of others?

Then I realized this concept has already been done in the “Truman Show” (1998) where Truman Burbank (a/k/a Jim Carrey) an insurance salesman/adjuster realizes his life is really a TV show.

Politicians live this life every day! Why can’t we? I remember vividly a time where my boss asked me on a Thursday to put together a proposal and present it on the following Tuesday. My response to this daunting challenge?– “Why don’t I just present the proposal tomorrow morning?”

My bosses reaction; “There is no way you can have it ready tomorrow!”

“Yeah, well there’s no way I can have it ready on Tuesday either and I don’t want to ruin my weekend!” (WARNING: I relied on my reputation as being funny coupled with genuine effort and a history of results as apposed to a reputation of being a goofball or slacker. Don’t try this at home—or at work—unless you have a similar reputation).

Here is the beneficial twist of humor.

My artful response broke the tension and we both chuckled.

This brief moment was all we needed. My boss let me make my proposal the next morning even though we both knew it would not be ready.

In a case of Life imitating Art (or Politics) let’s call this morning meeting the BAILOUT PROPOSAL.

This premature BAILOUT PROPOSAL allowed us to clarify some misdirection and miscommunication that would have wasted precious time. We then negotiated a new deadline that was more realistic for the real proposal.

When our Nation faced a similar challenge they did the same thing. There was no way THEY (and I mean all of them; on both sides of the isle including those standing in the isle or trying to straddle the isle or remaining on an Island to avoid the isle; this is not political!) could make a decent proposal in the time frame allowed. THEY basically put something on the table so it wouldn’t ruin THEIR weekend!

Time will tell whether it was a good or bad proposal.

Here is how to live like a politician. Let’s call it the ART of being humorous without being sarcastic.

Let us return to the question of Life imitating Art and visa-versa.

As a humorist, audience captivator and self-described EnterTrainer (motivational speaker is no longer in vogue) my career intentionally blurs this line because I must repeatedly  call attention to myself. You frequently hear me talk about the “beneficial twist” of humor; here are a few tips of how to avoid the “crash and burn spiral” of humor gone bad.

First; establish a reputation of applying genuine effort to problems and achieving results so you can lean on this reputation. Second; lean away from the person you are using your humor on!

Had I said, “there is no way I can get this done by Tuesday either…” while leaning or stepping toward my boss the comment would have been taken as aggressive. Then to follow it with “and I don’t want to ruin my weekend!” would have sounded sarcastic and disloyal.

Often being humorous means being direct; if you are being direct with your comments and observations you should be indirect with your body language.

Softening your facial expressions and shifting your emphasis to the side or even leaning back to “accept” or “absorb” any potential or unintended harsh bite goes a long way towards being viewed as humorous rather than sarcastic.

Humor is soft and indirect; sarcasm is harsh and direct. Lean on your good reputation and away from your target and always smle!

We are all too serious!

Occasionally give yourself permission to act like a politician and treat life like a stage. Act as if your actions are merely entertainment for others and just play your role. Play it well but play it knowing it is just an act; that the curtain will go down and your LIFE will go on!

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Lon Kieffer, author of “Get Out of Bed and Go to Work!”, Speaker, Consultant and expert on Workplace Culture Change and Generational Conflicts, gives seminars, keynote and plenary addresses, runs annual sales meetings, and provides Common Sense Consulting at:  www.LonKieffer.com. He can be reached at:  (302) 462-6748 or via email at:  Lon@LonKieffer.com