The 4-A Way. Structuring the Action of Your Performance.

The 4-A Way of Communicating

You’re preparing a critical message.  How do you structure it?

After watching hundreds of actors on theatrical and corporate stages, I realize that some of these performers could use a dose of structure.  Why?  Because something is amiss in the successful delivery of their message.  Or, in admiring their performance, things are right on track!

How do they do it?  What formula are they using dazzle, or perhaps, disappointment their audiences?

I created the “4-A Way of Communicating” to help business actors craft and debrief their critical communications.  It’s an easy checklist of key components that make up a successful performance.  Communicators work through the areas of Audience, Atmosphere, Action and Actor to get the best take on their message.

In each area, the actor asks key questions:

Audience – What do they want from me?  What do I want from them?  What do I know/not know about my audience?

Atmosphere – What is the energy I want to create for this audience?  What is the current dynamic?  Do I leverage it, avoid it, transform it?

Action – What do I do to help my audience get what they want?  How do I structure my story?  But mostly, what am I actually doing to this audience to help us all get what we want?

Actor – How is my energy in body and voice?  What am I doing to help or hurt my message?  Am I even aware of how I “come off”?

Notice where you first navigate to in the 4-A Way.  What gets your attention?  This area is probably where you haven’t asked yourself these types of questions, where you haven’t yet considered giving some thought.  That’s what I notice when coaching—there is usually an area that needs some focus and I help actors look at that.

A suggested route through the 4-A Way is to start with Audience and move clockwise around the 4-A Way as Audience is always the first consideration.  Don’t worry—you’ll get to you, the Actor and your amazing energy that will bring the thing home!

Want to actually work out with the 4-A Way and get to the most active, effective Actor you can be?  Contact me about a customized workshop where you’ll gain awareness and get actionable feedback on the nuance of your performance along with your fellow Actors.  It’s a great way to get started on your path or polish your performance as a seasoned pro.

It’s your stage.  Your performance.  And with the 4-A Way to help, you’re on!