For the past few weeks, I’ve been talking about the importance of creating space in our work.
One example came from football. But this week’s example comes from a very different place: comedy.
Groucho Marx, the legendary comedian and host of You Bet Your Life, had a simple trick. When someone said something that begged for a funny response, he would pause… take a puff on his cigar… and only then deliver the line. According to his announcer, George Fenneman, he was buying time.
Those few seconds gave him room to think.
In this short video, I talk about why that small pause can be surprisingly powerful—and a few simple ways we can give ourselves those extra moments.
And if you have your own way of buying yourself a few seconds before responding, I’d love to hear about it. Join the conversation over on LinkedIn.
About the Author, Rick Maurer
