Sometimes it doesn’t take much to make someone smile, and often that can create a better communication experience.

There are standard dull, boring messages that usually pop up on your screen when you make a mistake filling in a form online. You know the ones: We are unable to connect with this URL; unable to connect, please try again, etc. Recently I made a mistake while posting something to the social networking site Digg. The message that came up was, “Crikey! Please choose a valid type for your URL!” You can’t help smiling when you see something like that — I’ll bet you smiled too just now, didn’t you?

Making people smile or chuckle doesn’t mean telling jokes or trying to be the life and soul of the party at work. Often it’s just an unexpected response or a different way of expressing a thought. On a flight from Toronto to Chicago, instead of the usual standard welcome aboard message, the attendant announced the flight number and destination, finishing with, “So if travel to Chicago is not on your itinerary for today, this would be a good time to speak up!” Naturally, everybody laughed, automatically lightening the mood among some jaded travelers.

What are some common complaints and negative statements you hear on the job, and what are your standard responses? Take a few minutes and think of what you might say instead that would instantly lighten the mood and create rapport with the other person. Don’t try to be too smart, and certainly don’t be sarcastic, but just create an unexpected, even mildly funny response. Then try them out — you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Oh, and here’s a reminder: my first monthly Wilkie Webinar is next Wednesday, January 13 at 2 p.m. EST. The topic is Helen’s 9 Rules for Better Business Writing, and besides giving you real, practical information you can use right away, I’ll make sure there are a few laughs along the way! If you haven’t signed up yet, you can read details of the session and register online at the Wilkie Webinars page. I hope to “see” you, and perhaps some of your colleagues, at the webinar.