Perhaps I’m losing the plot? In this first of 2 articles on how to create better business stories, I’m about to extol the character development lessons speakers can acquire from the world of improv comedy!

That’s right. Despite my constant advocacy in this blog and elsewhere that it’s downright foolhardy to ‘wing’ speeches (because it’s a recipe for creating less coherent, meaningful or memorable audience experiences AND can lead to embarrassment where things go wrong)…

…There is a great deal business speakers can learn from a theatre art form that’s based on making plots, characters and dialogue up on the spot.

And this is especially true when it comes to better character development and ways in which you can use structure or form to add oomph to tales you tell.

I’ll start with the former this week.

Create Characters That Help Your Business Stories Soar – Lessons From Improv

Before talking specifically about improv comedy hacks for storytellers, here are a few truisms about winning stories:

• They tend to cause audiences to care about what’s going on and to who (FYI if something doesn’t happen to someone or many people, chances are you won’t have much of a story), and
• Audiences delight in forming their own views about characters – wondering what kind of people they are, trying to figure out why they do or don’t do things, and then anticipating (not always correctly) what they or others might then do as a consequence.

And central to these tenets are the notions that:

1. Stories tend to soar when audience invest (not necessarily like) in the story characters and their journeys, and
2. People get more from stories where the meaning they get comes more from how they interpret what a storyteller shows or reveals to them ahead of what they’re flat out told.

Interesting? You bet.

And as a warm up/appetiser to today’s expert interview on how comedy improv can help you to achieve these ends, here are a few quick things you should know about what successful improv stars do to connect with their audiences…

…They focus on:

• Establishing and revealing characters (their truths and relationships) as quickly as possible
• They build upon and commit to their characters – who are made more interesting by ‘heightening’ who they are and what they do (with nary a brake in sight)
• They completely back up their partners (there’s that commitment idea again) as they work to collectively create, develop, and play off other characters that emerge in the scenes that evolve
• They have fun doing it (hint: if you don’t, your audiences will feel much the same way!)

And if that sounds good, it is. But there’s so much more – courtesy of having had the opportunity to chat with improv performer and teacher for Second City, iO improv comedy club theatre, The Annoyance, DePaul, all in Chicago; and The University of Chicago, Susan Messing when she visited Dublin recently.

Lean in as we delve into improv secrets that could help you to discover and share more engaging characters in your stories.

Speaking Tips: On The Power of Discovering and Revealing Characters in Stories

Listen in as we discuss:

• How a spot of bother with Shakespeare and Chekov led to a life of honing a powerful art
• Why thinking physically helps you to instantly transport audiences into worlds you create
• What actors can teach you about the power of joyful immediate creation
• Why it pays to focus on specificity – helping audiences to discover meaning
• The dangers of stereotypes: On saying no to a meal of Pringles and yes to technicolour instead
• The importance of focusing on richness and potential ahead of trying to be funny
• And more

And Speaking of Bringing Your Speaking  to The Next Level…

I’m delighted to announce that ‘How to Make Powerful Speeches 2nd Edition – A Step-by-Step Guide to Inspiring and Memorable Speeches’ is now available on Amazon: Click Here

Photo credit on video: Alex Gallardo Ginesta