In Improv, all we need is a simple prompt - sometimes it's only one word - to initiate characters...and a world...and feelings...and a story. As speakers having a prompt can help us develop a new habit or discover a new idea or trigger a memory. In this series, Alan and I are going to challenge you with one of my favorite prompts: "Why don't you..." Game on!
episodes
Talking Technique Ep 01:
Why don’t you… open your talk with a story?
Our brains are wired to respond to emotional content, so start with story.
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Talking Technique Ep 02:
Why don’t you… allow your audience to FEEL?
Your audience wants an experience worth remembering. You can provide that, and more, if you design your talk to evoke an emotional response for the viewer.
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Talking Technique Ep 03:
Why don’t you… look them in the eye?
Use direct eye contact to make a personal connection to your audience members. Beware though, there's a right way and a wrong way to do this.
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Talking Technique Ep 04:
Why don’t you… follow your fear?
Fear can seem debilitating at times. Yet in truth, fear is one of the best guides you can have on your team. When we choose to follow that fear and move towards it, we can produce some of our best work.
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Talking Technique Ep 05:
Why don’t you… have a love affair with pauses?
You can use pausing in your storytelling. You can use pausing in your lessons. You can use pausing to draw attention to a moment.
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Talking Technique Ep 06:
Why don’t you… tailor your talk to your audience?
Be sensitive to the needs of your audience. Even your signature talk will need to be adjusted to better fit the specifics of the audience at hand.
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Talking Technique Ep 07:
Why don’t you… embrace experimenting?
When we are willing to shift our mindsets and allow ourselves to consider trying something new as an experiment, it actually gives us the permission to fail and reevaluate if need be.
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The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits. An amateur has amateur habits. A professional has professional habits. We can never free ourselves from habit. But we can replace bad habits with good ones.