How this course works: the WSPT framework

How this course is built

The course is built in three parts, so you always know where you are and why it matters.

• The introduction sets the theme, lays out our objectives, and makes the case for why business speakers have so much to learn from stand-up comedy.
• The middle is the engine of the course — four modules built on a single, memorable framework: Watch → Setup → Punch → Tag.
• The closing helps you keep going after the last lesson, pointing you toward further reading and practice so your growth isn't confined to the content here.

A familiar framework, borrowed on purpose

Watch, Setup, Punch, Tag is one of the most recognisable structures in the world of comedy — it is how many comedians think about building a joke. We borrow it here for a reason: it gives you an easy memory handle for what it actually takes to be a good business communicator in any setting, whether that is a boardroom, a keynote stage, a sales call, or a quick update in a team meeting.

You do not need to be funny to use it. You need to observe, construct, land, and extend — every time you communicate.

What each part means

• Watch — Pay close attention to people and the room so you notice the shared truths, tensions, and moments worth speaking to.
• Setup — Build your message so it creates a clear expectation and leads your audience toward the point you are about to make.
• Punch — Deliver that point so it truly lands, using timing, presence, and clarity that make it register and stick.
• Tag — Extend the moment with an extra beat, callback, or application that squeezes more value out of what just landed.

The thing to remember

Make it yours

Activity: Write down your expectations. Before you begin Lesson 2, take a few minutes to capture what you want from this course, and keep it somewhere you can return to when you finish.