By Glynn Cosker
Online Career Tips Contributor
Along with my writing endeavors, I’m also a seasoned actor (albeit at the community theater level). At aged 10, I got a starring role in a school musical and I never looked back. There was something about being onstage that took this quiet and shy boy out of his shell.
Playing a character that is a million miles from the real me is something that I can do comfortably, happily and—I hope—effectively. Speaking in front of dozens of my colleagues? That’s a little different. I get by, but I’m not nearly as relaxed as when I’m onstage. For many people, speaking in public (let alone acting) is a major struggle; for others it’s just sheer terror.
When I’m giving a speech in front of a lot of people, I think back to my improvisation (or “improv”) days for help. I’ve attended many improv classes and workshops and, as strange as it might seem to some, they helped me with public speaking. It’s all about letting go of one’s inhibitions.
Anybody who was a fan of the British and American TV show Whose line Is It Anyway in the 1990s and early 2000s has a strong understanding of improvisational comedy. The audience gave the show’s participants a few random words or scenarios, and the actors would perform on the spot—often with hilarious results. No lines; no memorization; no rehearsal; in front of a crowd—that’s improv in a nutshell–and it has a business application.
Relax and Find your Voice (and Other Stuff)
The improv classes I’ve attended have all helped with the following attributes—all of which are vital when speaking in public:
- Better diction and voice projection
- The development of stage presence
- Improvement of eye contact
- Creating an engaging narrative
- Connecting with an audience
- Spontaneity; which is a key trait to develop in the business world!
Just as terrified of attending an improv class as you are of giving a speech? Don’t be…There are no ways to look like a fool or be embarrassed at improv classes—anything goes!
Think Outside the Box
When you improvise, you learn to break outside of conventional wisdom and just perform on the fly, almost in a playful way. You lose the need for exactness and instead speak before thinking too much. From that comes creativity and an engaging speech or presentation—mental blocks are obliterated. Improv taps into a person’s ability to act on the spot and that can be utilized in a conference room or at an annual meeting.
Change Direction on the Fly
Certain improv games involve the actors starting out a scene one way, only for it to go off in several different directions, depending on the audience’s suggestions. Honing in on this skillset during a business meeting is helpful—there’s nothing worse than being caught in a moment of extended silence when someone injects something you’re not ready to deal with. Improv classes helps you to react to anything that’s thrown at you.
Classes are advertised all over the U.S., and there’s probably one near you. By the end of the classes, you’ll likely be more confident in front of colleagues in public speaking settings; you’ll be more in tune with your body language and your tone of voice; you’ll have a newly found spontaneity and you’ll be ready to adapt on the go. To me that’s a win-win-win-win. And, without my improv classes, I never would have dreamed about ending this article with “win-win-win-win.”
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