You act all day long at work, but is it the right performance?
A concept first introduced by Jung and commonly agreed in psychology circles, we humans operate a number of different personas. Who we are by day in our work environment is generally thought to be very different from our persona at home with family or out with friends. Although most of us aren’t necessarily inventing a completely new character from one scenario to the next, our professional and personal success will still often depend on how we transition between the two.
To some degree at least, our role at work means we need to adopt a character – or a particular persona – to be successful. We all play these roles, to varying degrees, depending on what is being demanded of us and by whom.
Learning your lines
In today’s crowded commercial landscape, to be successful, your businesses need to tell a story. It needs to be “loud and clear”, and every person in the business has an important part to play in telling that story. To be successful, everyone should be telling the same story, in the same way, and working towards the business’ common goals.
From the founder or owner, who defines and refines the narrative, to the front line staff member demonstrating the company’s values at the front door (literally or figuratively – a social media community manager, for example), the message needs to be unified and authentic. It’s how you build trust, which is how you build a relationship with your customer.
So, “acting” is not confined to the stage. The fundamental skills that actors learn help them convey scripted characters and personas, and it’s no different in the workplace. A small-business owner or start-up entrepreneur who successfully trains their team to really embrace their roles – and so “act” more convincingly – can improve both personal and professional outcomes.
Embracing your collective “why“
Every company, no matter the size, wants its employees more engaged. Team building benefits individuals as well as the business, and even the smallest companies which engage in team building are taking a step in the right direction.
The more everybody in your team speaks a similar narrative, the more authentic and believable your business story is. High achieving businesses know their story: theirs is a high sense of self-belief and a clear understanding of their “why”. with both being conveyed boldly to their customers.
With confidence in your collective “why”, your team will be better equipped with a sense of personal leadership, trust in themselves to convey the message, and connect authentically with clients, collaborators, and co-workers.
Storytelling at work
Regardless – or perhaps even in spite of – the widespread integration of video and other communications technology during 2020, human to human connection is imperative to the success of any business. Communication skills will enhance your or your team’s performance at work, including:
- listening and understanding
- how you interact with others (internally and externally), and
- how you present yourself through body language.
Communication is about the whole story and acting plays a large part in communicating that story.
If employees can collaborate more effectively with each other, they will work more efficiently and efficiency improves individual performance and impacts the team’s overall success. Your people are your storytellers, so the story of your success will be ultimately enhanced by the success of your people.
Glen Hamilton, Course Director, the Academy of Film, Theatre and Television and co-founder, Darlo Drama acting academy
