By Candy Campbell, DNP, RN, CNL, CVP, CEP, LNC, FNAP |
You’ve done the sound check. Gone to the bathroom. Drank some water. In a few seconds, you’ll step on the stage and deliver the message you’ve worked so hard to create. You’re excited, pumped…. but you also realize, you’re terrified! (Even seasoned speakers know these feelings!)
This scene has so many possibilities.
Depending on the expected outcomes, presenting in front of an audience of 1,000 – or even one person – can be a daunting task for speakers.
Engaging the audience, maintaining their attention, and effectively communicating your message requires not just preparation but also adaptability and creativity. Applied improvisation, a set of principles derived from the worlds of improvisational theater, music, dance, fine art, and writing, can significantly enhance your stagecraft expertise, making you a more dynamic and compelling speaker.
Based on my experience as an actor and improv researcher, here are the top three tips on how you can incorporate these principles into your professional speaking toolkit and learn to “go with the flow.”
Take a breath and let go of perfection.
For professional speakers, the first step to transforming your robot-like presentations into the sort of living-breathing-normal persona that causes audiences to be on the edge of their seats, is to let go of the pursuit of perfection.
Just acknowledge that you are NOT totally in control of everything and be willing to be vulnerable to whatever does happen, despite your best-laid plans. True, you might lose face or look silly, temporarily. Accept it.
Then, in the moments before you step onstage, remind yourself of that fact, take a deep breath, and it will help change your delivery tremendously.
Case in point: When there’s a tech glitch, or some other problem, afterwards, audience members will tell you how they appreciate the way you flexed and moved on, without interrupting the flow and blaming anyone.
Silence your ‘Inner Editor.’
When you are creating your presentation content, planning the structure, and practicing the delivery, do you sometimes hear that critical inner voice? Have you ever procrastinated writing that book or the next keynote or product you know has the possibility of benefitting many people, as well as your business, because of it?
Listening to that negative voice can be more than annoying, it can positively slow your progress or rerail your efforts.
Addressing how you deal with that nagging little voice inside, the one that keeps you questioning how, when, or if you should even bother to dig in and finish the next project, has a definite effect on your speaking business success.
So, the next time you’re stuck, tell that voice to go take a hike and consider one of the following exercises to switch mental gears.
Try these exercises. They can help you focus and will allow you to move from a state of anxiety to a state of anticipation:
Exercise #1:
- Take a walk or move about the room and re-name objects you see into something they are NOT.
- Call out the words as they percolate up into your mind and don’t judge them.
Example: I see a refrigerator, but the first word that comes to mind is pickle. I say pickle and keep moving. The next object I see is a coffeemaker, but the first word that comes to mind is banana. I say banana and keep moving. (It’s lunchtime, ok?!) I see a cup and I say ladybug. I say ladybug and keep moving, etc.
- Keep doing this for several minutes and you will have triggered a more creative, ‘right brain’ response. Then, begin your project again.
If you’re still ‘stuck,’ especially on a writing project, try the next exercise, with the same caveat… don’t judge it.
Exercise #2:
- Take a blank paper and pen/pencil.
- Open a dictionary or other book and pick five words at random.
- Set a clock for no more than 15 minutes. (Start with 15 and then decrease the time with each iteration of this exercise)
- Start writing a simple story using one of the words on the list.
- Utilize all the words in your story.
- For ultimate results, stand up as you write!
- If you finish early, create a moral or a lesson.
Share your story! I’d love to see what you come up with.
(NOTE: This is important! Do NOT do this with a computer. The behavioral science research shows the link between eye-hand movement and right-brain creativity).
Embrace the ‘Improv Mindset.’
As professional speakers, we pride ourselves on researching a topic and making sure what we say on stage has merit. We want to be precise.
However, in our professional and/or private lives, to connect with others, we aim to build trust, which requires a whole different skillset. To accomplish this, we must practice adaptability.
To facilitate this, try one of the foundational principles of improvisation: the concept of, “Yes, and…” This is a way to choose a positive attitude in conversation by first saying, “yes…” and then, adding to the idea with “and …” rather than shutting down ideas or suggestions. Those simple two words allow for creative imagining and spark innovative solutions.
As speakers, this involves accepting whatever is offered from your audience and building upon it. Adding to your willingness to let go of perfection, when you encounter unexpected questions, changes in the program, etc., instead of getting flustered, use the “Yes, and…” approach to adapt and maintain your composure.
What about the dreaded Audience Q&A?
So many speakers have anxiety about audience Q&A (see points 1 & 2) If you decide to relax (the most difficult part is over!), respond positively, and have fun with the questions, you will create a more engaging and interactive atmosphere.
Think of this as a time to interact and add information. That keyword, interaction, will be a win-win for you, the audience, and the presenters. It can often be the difference between further involvement with that group!
These three tips will help you see that improvisation isn’t just for comedy; it’s a powerful tool that can help you connect with your audience, handle unexpected challenges, and deliver your message with confidence and flair.
So, step out of your comfort zone, embrace the principles of improv, and watch your stagecraft expertise soar.
Candy is a rock star and always has been. She is my Past President of NSANC. Great article.
Candy, thank you for sharing these thoughts. Lots of good tips here. I think “authenticity” helps speakers when they need to use improv skills. Speakers should be the same person on stage as they are off stage.
By the way, walking the room and engaging with the audience BEFORE their session is a form of improv. You have to make small talk, comment on physical and verbal cues they give, and speak off the cuff. I have found that doing this puts the audience at ease, creates rapport, and builds trust that will prevent nerves during the Q/A session.
Again, thanks for sharing!
So agree, Pete! I will add that some ‘peppy’ music (playing several minutes before the session begins) helps lighten the atmosphere of the room and adds a fun way for folks to begin the conversation— with each other as well as the speaker. This ‘schmooze time’ helps set the tone for the group, and certainly helps calm any pre-presentation jitters! 🙂
Nicely done, Candy.