Faculty
Professor James G. Rice
Objectives
Overall Objective
Theater is heightened communication. Since the beginning of human culture, theater as an art form has been a crucial element in intellectual, emotional, and spiritual cultures worldwide. Theater communicates great ideas and inspires action. The actor is the instrument through which the message of the play is communicated. Therefore, it is the actor’s communication skills—developed through arduous training in use of the voice, body and expressive language—that determine whether the message of the play actually reaches and affects the audience. The task of the actor is to be present, and with that unique ability, to capture the heart, mind, ears and eyes of the audience through galvanizing communication. The leader whose responsibility it is to persuade, inspire and motivate must possess similar abilities. The difference between the two pursuits is that actors dedicate themselves to the acquisition of those skills; leaders all too often do not have that opportunity.
This course will be an active examination of what it is that comprises “presence” in communication. It will utilize a practice of certain actor-skills and behaviors to facilitate an ability to walk on the “stage” of everyday academic or business life with a strong communication capacity that projects energy, confidence, clarity of thought, and physical and vocal expressiveness. Each session will build on a progression of physical and vocal techniques incorporated in weekly spoken exercises intended to establish and reinforce the qualities of the leader as an energetic, active communicator.
Some Course Objectives
1. To understand the benefits and applicability of the actor’s discipline to professional and authentic communication.
2. To improve presentation skills, including use of voice and body, focus, spontaneity, energy, flexibility, and overcoming fear, inhibition, lack of confidence and worry.
3. To increase awareness of communication as a context-based action involving intellect, body, voice, imagination, and emotion.
4. To improve interactive communication skills, including awareness, listening,
and the ability to feel and express appropriate emotion.
Specific Learning Goals
1. The instrument: A method to prepare and relax the body/mind/voice for expressive, confident speaking
2. Working “in the moment:” The importance of flexibility and the skill of improvising
3.Deconstructing empathy: Understanding and reaching out to those in your sphere
4. Energy: Always a choice, always essential in active communication
5. Articulated vision: Development and delivery of a compelling message
6. Intention: The desire, the need for your message to be received
7. Storytelling and life stories: Making the group whole
8. Trust and credibility: Where does it come from?
9. Pleasure in speaking: How do I get there?
10. Application: Use of these techniques in your academic and professional work
Requirements
Weekly:
1. A short prepared spoken presentation or individual spoken exercise will be presented and evaluated in each class session. These will serve as practical applications to the ongoing progression of techniques to free the body and voice of restraints that result from tension, habits, and other restrictions to clear communication, as well as to incorporate skills of effective speaking.
2. Maintain a Course Notebook to include:
--A written journal of self-observation and personal evaluation for each class session
--Written responses to each required reading
--Response to assigned “Practice” work in Halpern and Lubar text
--A list of quotes supportive of, and useful to, your work in Leadership Presence. Sources may be course readings, discussions, etc, open-ended
3. Creation and practice of a personal relaxation routine.
End of term:
1. A final spoken presentation utilizing the techniques and training presented
in the course, a simulation of an actual--and challenging--speaking assignment the student could imagine him/herself, either in academic or corporate context
2. A 5-7 page self-assessment based upon a term of self-observation and participation in a progression of exercises and activities
3. Submitted Course Notebook containing all journal entries, responses to the course readings, quotes and Practice work
Abstract of a Typical Class
Each session will be divided into 4 segments:
1. Physical and vocal awareness: Practice of techniques to relax and reduce tension in the body, incorporate breath in vocal production and strengthen the voice
2. A group exercise to stimulate energy, confidence and interaction (“ensemble”) among the participants
3. Individual spoken exercises and evaluations
4. Group interaction to process, feedback and reinforce
Materials
Readings in course pack:
Linklater, Kristin, Freeing the Natural Voice (Second Edition) Drama Books, 2006.
McKee, Robert, “Storytelling that Moves People,” HBR#RO306B, 2003
Goleman, Daniel, “Leadership That Gets Results,” HBR#R00204, 2000.
Bollaro, Beverly, “Six Ways to Grab Your Audience Right from the Start,”
HBR#CO306E, 2003
Conger, Jay A, “The Necessary Art of Persuasion,” HBR#98304, 1998
Urch Druskat, Vanessa, and Wolff, Steven B., “Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups,” HBR#620x, 2001
Textbooks:
Halpern, Belle, and Lubar, Kathy, Leadership Presence: Dramatic Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate, and Inspire, Gotham Books, 2003
Rodenburg, Patsy, The Right to Speak, Routledge, 1992.
Grading
Presence and participation 50%
Final presentation 20%
Final Paper 20%
Journal & Reading responses 10%
Schedule
04/20/2009
Getting Started
Course Introduction and Overview:
Actor vs. Leader: Why a theater skills-based course in leadership presence?
• The Voice: How it works and why it doesn’t
• Physical and Mental Self-Awareness: Key to the door of relaxation and presence
• The Actor/Audience Relationship
• 90 Second Self-Introduction
Journal:
In an initial/pre-first class entry, take a self-inventory: Why this course? Why now? What is your relationship to your voice and to speaking? As a speaker, what do you see as your best attribute? What are your worst fears about speaking? Define what you would like to accomplish in the course. How can you succeed? How can you sabotage yourself? What is your definition of presence as you begin the course?
Please furnish me with a copy of this entry at our first class meeting.
90 Second Self-Introduction:
Contemplate, for a little while, who and what you are, or would like to be. Your assignment is to prepare a 90 second self-introduction. It should be a way for you to reveal something of who you are in your essence or who you strive to be. It can be a poem, a monologue, a dialogue, a song, an excerpt of narrative, or something totally from your own invention; it could even be a prayer. You may borrow the words or use your own. You may speak in any language, but you must use your voice in the presentation. (You may sing.)
Decide to share something more revealing than normal social exchange or entertainment-based performance. 90 seconds to bring something essential about yourself to life. 90 seconds! Memorized, not read!
Leadership Presence (Halpern and Lubar) Forward and Prologue, xii-xx, "Act I” Ch.1-3, pp 1-76.
Freeing the Natural Voice (Linklater) Introduction-p.25.
04/27/2009
Energy: Using the body, voice, emotion and language
• Reponses to class #1 and “What have you noticed?”
• Physical awareness and relaxation
• Breath: The source of spontaneity and power
• The Voice: Vibrations and streams of sound
• Gesture: Physicalization of our intentions
• Letting go of inhibitions and willingness to play: “Once Upon a Time . . .
• The “inner critic”
• Group exercise “Curtain up—curtain down”
Journal:
Write a considered response to the first class. Be prepared to share self-observations and to discuss “what worked, what didn’t ?” in the 90 Second Introduction.
Include responses to all class readings in your journal.
Leadership Presence Act II, pp 79-127
The Right to Speak, pp Intro-109
Read and familiarize yourself with the “Practices and Exercises” pp 41-48.
Guide yourself through the practices of relaxation and breathing.
Complete the exercise “Transform your Inner Critic.”
Meet with partner and complete the “dialogue” as assigned in class #1.
Optional: Suggested activity: Familiarize yourself with the Practices pp 71-76.
05/04/2009
Reaching Out and Expressiveness
• Warm-up: physical and mental awareness, relaxation, breath and voice
• Response to group exercise “Curtain up—curtain down”
• Personal stories
• Group exercise: Building Empathy
Journal:
Response to class session and readings of the week
Read and explore the Practices at the end of Act II. Use Journal for notations, if you wish. Which practices most pertain to your circumstances at this time? Select and complete 3.
Begin the creation of a personal sequence of activities/exercises that you can utilize in self-relaxation and preparation for speaking.
Leadership Presence Act III, pp 131-190
“Six Ways to Grab Your Audience Right from the Start” HBR#C0306E
“Storytelling that Moves People” HBR#RO3060B
05/11/2009
Shaping and Strengthening the Message
• Warm-up: physical and mental awareness, relaxation, breath and voice
• Authentic and appropriate emotion
• Presentation: “Elevator Speech”
• Expressiveness: Conquering fears, matching voice and body energies, vocal variety,drama in storytelling, heightened language
• Presentation of passionate purpose: “I believe . . .”
Journal and responses to readings
Readings:
“The Necessary Art of Persuasion” HBR#98304
“Emotional Intelligence of Groups” HBR#620x
Preparation of two one-minute presentations: “Elevator Speech” and “I believe.”
Practices Chapter 6 and 7
Continue outside-of-class personal relaxation and breathing routine.
05/18/2009
Putting it Together with Authenticity to reflect YOU
• Explicit values and authenticity
• Presentation: “Leadership Values Statement”
• Conclude Leadership Values Statements
• Course conclusion and closure
Journal work
Leadership Presence Act IV and Epilogue
“Leadership That Gets Results” HBR#8296
Chapter 8 Practices: Life as a Journey (River of Life) exercise and Leadership Values Statement
Create a five-minute talk on your Leadership Values, incorporating the techniques and strategies presented in this class.
Optional: Suggested activity: Reflect on Chapter 9 Practices.
05/25/2009
Final Essay and Course Notebook
Exam
