I’m a big fan of James Bond movies, especially the ones with Sean Connery. One thing I like about them is the witty, confident James Bond humor. Being a very analytical person, I’ve been studying it and trying to decode it.

The good news is there are patterns to the James Bond sense of humor, which you can discover and practice. In other words, you can learn how to have a sense of humor like 007. Here’s one piece of James Bond humor, in the movie Thunderball (1965):

What makes his line in this scene witty and funny? Well, the humor is created by a subtle yet powerful verbal technique: using a common expression with an uncommon meaning. When James Bond says “She’s just dead”, he’s actually using this expression with its literal meaning, not its figurative one that a person would expect. And you, the viewer, know it. That’s funny!

Take this technique to create humor and try it various situations, as part of your people skills development. You may find out it’s a great way for you to enhance your sense of humor.