Neil Humphreys is Singapore’s best-selling author. From a broken home in East London to writing 30 books in Asia, Neil knows how to write for any audience. In Singapore, he is the only author to feature on all three national best-seller lists: fiction, non-fiction and children’s literature. In a 30-year media career, he has produced award-winning works for newspapers, magazines, TV, radio and podcasts. He specialises in humour writing and believes that it is the most powerful communicative tool, as long as it’s used correctly.
Neil recognises that business and political leaders, employers and employees must walk a tightrope in their communications and presentations. Should they use humour? How should they use humour? What are the positives and pitfalls in different cultural climates? As a British writer living in Asia, Neil is uniquely positioned to show how humorous writing, pitches and presentations can be so effective in any environment.
Moreover, as the proud son of a single mother from an East London housing estate, Neil also shares funny and uplifting stories to demonstrate the value of risk-taking, resilience and sacrifice to achieve one’s personal and professional goals.
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Speaker topics
1) Humour writing in communication
Given his expertise in publishing humorous social commentaries across three decades, Neil demonstrates the power of humour writing in communication. Combining funny stories with examples from his own work, Humphreys will offer clear and concise tips on developing witty, engaging narratives. He will also show which kinds of humour often work – and why a certain type of humour really doesn’t.
Takeaways:
*Citing stories and real-life examples from his own work – with clear and positive outcomes, Neil shows how to develop an empathetic relationship with one’s audience.
*Greater confidence
*Effective formulas for engaging, humorous presentations
2) Risk taking to achieve one’s goals: From broken home to best-selling author
Neil was raised by a single mother, in a rough East London neighbourhood and went to the worst school in the UK (a true story and while he was submitting his university applications, too.) So he’s often asked the same question: How does a kid from a broken home become an international bestselling author on the other side of the world? Neil reveals all with outlandish stories and inspirational examples of risk-taking and perseverance. He demonstrates the value of clearing cultural and societal obstacles to follow the own path that matters.
Takeaways:
*Learning the value of risk-taking
*Putting the internal voice first
*Ignoring archaic prejudices to succeed
*Deny cynics and sceptics the chance to say, ‘no’.
3) Maintaining a relevant media voice in the age of AI
AS AI transforms the media landscape, three core skills are going to vital for survival: adaptability, relevance and originality. Across three decades, Neil has managed to maintain all three. In the media, he moved from print to online media, then from news to TV, and then radio to podcasts. The changes made him adaptable. The different platforms sustained his relevance. But the pursuit of an original voice is always the greatest challenge. Standing out in a crowded media field is essential and Neil shares his experiences and examples to show the incomparable value of an empathetic voice
Key takeaways:
*Understanding audience analysis
*Speaking with and for an audience – not at them
*Developing an empathetic voice
*Focusing on one’s skillset