In a week when London marks the passing of a defining prime minister of the twentieth century, Fidelio attends drama school. Indeed Baroness Thatcher had an acute understanding of the importance of impact, delivery and presence to drive home the well-honed word. Leaders in politics and in business have much to learn from the theatre.
Gillian Karran-Cumberlege
As one of the top management team at a German multinational, I benefited from media training, presentation training and had a personal coach qualified in the dramatic arts. I even learned that there was a disconnect between my (English) body language and my spoken German. The thespian within has always responded eagerly to such opportunities and so I was delighted to attend the UK’s leading drama school, RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), to refresh my skills.
While much of business life is theatrical, there is something inherently cool about drama school. I may be an aficionado of media and presentation training but the poise, confidence and charisma of the third year RADA students assures me there is much more to be learned.
We are all familiar with James Borg’s assertion that human communication consists of 93% body language and paralinguistic cues, while only 7% of communication consists of words. The precise breakdown is much debated; the importance of non-verbal communication is not. Therefore, like an actor, a business woman benefits from (re)learning to stride on the stage with confidence, enunciate with clarity and hold one’s ground with poise.
There’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look out/At every joint and motive of her body
– William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, IV:V
Leaving aside the impact on the audience, there is evidence that the protagonist, or humble business executive, performs better when adopting proven techniques for the stage. Professor Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School delivered a high impact TED lecture in June 2012 which can be summarised as “Fake it till you become it”.
Non-verbal behaviour described as “power poses” influences hormone levels. By assuming a pose that takes up space and exudes strength the dominance hormone goes up and the anxiety hormone declines. This in turn leads to more confident and optimistic behaviour which is desirable in most business situations. In interviews, pitches, and critical speeches feeling and behaving “powerful” can swing the outcome. More pithily Sir Laurence Olivier exhorted “act dear boy, act!”
The same TED lecture referred to well qualified female students underperforming their male peers in the MBA programme which lays emphasis on classroom participation. Women may well know the answers and have views which deserve to be heard; but the MBA classroom arguably favours male certitude over female nicety. In this regard the MBA classroom is a pretty good training for life.
Women will need to succeed in institutions which have been developed by men over the decades and are unlikely to reform overnight. This is true of the Boardroom and Margaret Thatcher certainly found it to be true of the House of Commons.
Women are not infrequently told that they need to exhibit greater gravitas and to be more presidential. There is undoubtedly an argument to be had about who is defining “presidential”. However based on the research above, and my afternoon at RADA, there may well be merit in side stepping that particular debate and focusing instead on projecting an air of confidence, competence and leadership.
Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.
– Charles Dickens, The Wreck of the Golden Mary
This is clearly important for the career development of the individual female executive. It is also important for the institution, including the Boardroom. There is recognition that Boards need to be more diverse. Diversity will mean little if new entrants do not feel sufficiently confident or empowered to challenge. Challenging the Executive and also at times fellow Non-Executive Directors is part of the role description. As such Professor Cuddy’s “Fake it till you become it” or Laurence Olivier’s exhortation to act both contribute to improved corporate governance.
Famously Baroness Thatcher listened to trusted advisors and took voice coaching that left her better able to deal with the House of Commons and Prime Minister’s Questions. We are not unsympathetic to the argument that institutions that have failed to reform should be compelled to become more open. But that can be a glacial process and for those who are impatient to get on, whether male or female, a trip to RADA may be the answer.
Researched by Emilie Paine
Coming Up…
Overture explores how talent drives valuation. Future editions of Overture will explore
• How Boards keep on learning
• Building leadership teams for new markets
• Measuring the value of IR
Please contact us with comments or for more information on Fidelio Partners at info@fideliopartners.com.