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Course Description

Effectively using humor to win or gain influence can make you a more effective leader. In this course, you will identify situations and environments where utilizing humor may help you gain influence, and you will identify situations where you should avoid attempting humor. You will develop skills in constructing jokes that suit specific scenarios or audiences and deciding which medium is most effective for the joke. This course also provides strategies to course-correct when a joke doesn't land well so you can safely defuse any incidental tension a joke might cause if the delivery was inappropriate or ineffective. You will review examples and stories translated from ancient Roman philosophy on using humor for influence, and you will be guided to draw parallels between ancient and modern scenarios where humor can be applied.

You will be required to purchase a copy of "How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor" by course author Mike Fontaine.

Faculty Author

Michael Fontaine

Benefits to the Learner

  • Identify when telling a joke would be beneficial
  • Construct a joke to match/suit a specific scenario
  • Decide what medium would be appropriate for a joke (Zoom vs. public vs. email, etc.)
  • Course-correct for a joke gone wrong

Target Audience

  • Individual contributors
  • Managers
  • Executives
  • Communications professionals
  • Entrepreneurs

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

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Enroll Now - Select a section to enroll in
Type
2 week
Dates
Nov 20, 2024 to Dec 03, 2024
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Jan 15, 2025 to Jan 28, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Mar 12, 2025 to Mar 25, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
May 07, 2025 to May 20, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Jul 02, 2025 to Jul 15, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Aug 27, 2025 to Sep 09, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Oct 22, 2025 to Nov 04, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

Type
2 week
Dates
Dec 17, 2025 to Dec 30, 2025
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Contract Fee $0.00
Section Notes

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

 

This course requires the purchase of “How to Tell a Joke: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Humor” by Professor Michael Fontaine. The book is published by Princeton University Press and is widely available for order in either hard-copy or electronic format. Please purchase the book prior to your course start date as the professor will refer to the book throughout the course. 

 

If you wish to purchase via Princeton University Press, here is the link: 

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691206165/how-to-tell-a-joke

 

If you wish to purchase via Amazon.com, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Joke-Ancient-Readers/dp/0691206163

 

This course includes a year of free access to Symposium! These events feature various live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore today’s most pressing leadership topics. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending a Symposium is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

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