The art of communicating and building trust
a Resilient podcast
How do performers connect with their audience to build trust? And how is risk used to create an advantage? Jeff Raz, Stand & Deliver senior director, Clown Conservatory founder, author, and resilient performer shares unconventional wisdom about performing—and its remarkable similarities to risk management.
In this episode of Resilient, Jeff Raz talks about the inherent resiliency performers must develop to excel at their craft. He shares advice for executives on the art of communicating, presenting confidently, and building trust. Jeff also discusses insightful parallels between risk executives and performers—from taking calculated risks to learning from mistakes.
Spotters, flyers, and risk executives
In order to grow as a performer, you have to take risks. Not blindly, but with confidence. Looking at the risk executives’ role through the same lens can be a strategic tactic to help grow their companies.
Jeff compares risk management to the risk-taking in acrobatics. A spotter, the person on the ground, helps the flyer, the one performing the high-wire act, elevate the performance by taking calculated risks.
The spotter is there is so the flyer can go higher. You wouldn’t have a spotter for tricks you already know. You bring the spotter in when you’re trying to do something new, higher, wilder, or longer.
Testing bias and foreseeing risks
Many times, risks manifest because of bias or beliefs that are reinforced by an individual’s or group’s own worldview. Only by testing those biases can risks be fully rooted out. In the theater, bias can potentially create unforeseen risks as well.
As a performer, you want to get out there in front of an audience a lot. It’s how we mitigate bias of overconfidence or bias that my sense of humor is everyone’s sense of humor.
Making a friend out of your mistakes
A high-stakes presentation derailed by a technology glitch is a surprisingly great way to reset and reconnect with your audience. Tuning out the negatives and seeing the opportunity can help us all captivate our audience.
If you experience a mistake, it’s ok. Mistakes are the little rip that allows you to connect with your audience.