Who Should Attend?
CEOs, Executives, Business Owners and Community Leaders
The ability to lead with confidence and humility has never mattered more. In The Serious Side of Humor, our guest speaker Jerry Corley explores why humor isn’t a distraction from strong leadership—it’s a powerful leadership advantage.
Drawing from decades as a professional comedian, keynote speaker, and thought leader on communication, Jerry reveals how self-aware humor builds trust, lowers defenses, and creates authentic connection. The most effective leaders, he argues, don’t use humor to diminish others—but to humanize themselves. When leaders can laugh at their own missteps, they signal emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and confidence without ego.
In this engaging and insight-rich conversation, Jerry will show how:
- Leaders who don’t take themselves too seriously inspire stronger loyalty and engagement
- Humor can diffuse tension, navigate conflict, and open the door to honest dialogue
- Self-deprecating humor (used skillfully) increases credibility rather than undermines it
- Laughter becomes a strategic tool for influence, resilience, and culture-building
Blending humor, storytelling, and real-world leadership insight, JerryCorley delivers a message that is as entertaining as it is impactful—reminding us that the leaders people follow most willingly are often the ones who are confident enough to be real, relatable, and human.
Perfect for CEOs, executives, and business owners who understand that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating connection, trust, and momentum.
About Our Speaker:
Jerry Corley is a veteran stand-up comedian, former writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, screenwriter, and leading expert on the science of humor and communication. With over 30 years in comedy, Jerry specializes in translating professional joke-writing techniques into
practical tools leaders can use to connect, influence, and lead with confidence.
Through his work, Jerry teaches executives, speakers, and teams how humor strengthens leadership—improving trust, clarity, emotional intelligence, and engagement under pressure. His
approach is structured, strategic, and grounded in psychology, showing leaders why humor works, not just how to be funny.
Jerry is the founder of Stand-Up Comedy Clinic, where he offers online courses and private coaching focused on humor, communication, and leadership presence for professionals. He is also the author of Breaking Comedy’s DNA, a book that breaks down the mechanics of laughter
and the systems behind effective humor.
Jerry’s 13 Comedy Structures are referenced in Steve Martin’s MasterClass on Stand-UpComedy as essential tools for mastering joke writing—frameworks Jerry now applies to leadership communication, presentations, sales, and high-stakes conversations. His work has been trusted by organizations including Kaiser, Dignity Health, ESPN, John
Hancock, Deloitte, and others, helping leaders improve soft skills such as leadership presence, team communication, patient-doctor interactions, and persuasive messaging—using humor as a
powerful, humanizing leadership skill rather than a risky add-on.
Universities such as Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard School of Business have built the foundations of their Humor in Business Courses from his book “Breaking
Comedy’s DNA.”
About BOAR
A Courageous Community Creating Personal and Professional Greatness
Founded by professionals passionate about bringing authenticity into the boardroom and strategic outcomes into individual lives.
BOAR is both inspiration and a path for action. The animal is fearless and headstrong, symbolizing truth, courage and confrontation. In the wild, the boar nature is to uncover what lies beneath the surface. They demand attention. They respect their senses. These qualities influence our values.