I’m a really funny guy. I’m not joking – I’m truly hilarious.

I have developed very successful strategies for making people laugh. I fully understand the dynamics of the chortle. When I tell a joke I deliver the key elements perfectly every time. Without fail.

I lay the foundations and set the scene so perfectly that when I deliver the punch line it has everyone laughing their heads off.  And if I don’t deploy the element of surprise, I’m a master at dropping in a spot of exaggeration or a beautifully observed piece of irony. Believe me, I really am very funny.

Convinced? No, of course you’re not.  You think I’m a bit of a twat who thinks he is funny and is clearly anything but.

The moral of my story? If you want to make people laugh, don’t keep telling them how funny you are, start telling jokes.

OK, let’s change the question a little. How do you make people feel engaged?

Can you see where I’m going with this?

If you want to make people feel engaged, don’t keep telling them what a great employer you are, start engaging them.

Precisely how you do that will differ from person to person, office to office, city to city, and country to country. You probably don’t want to start telling Jewish jokes in downtown Tel Aviv or Irish jokes in deepest Dublin.

However, there are some universal truths in employee engagement, like respect, trust, openness and recognition. So don’t keep telling people you are going to trust them, or treat them with respect. Just do it.

Q:  When is the worst time to have a heart attack?

A:  When it’s your go in a game of charades.