![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Picture-091_2.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo by Paul Natkin – Chicago 2006<\/p><\/div>\n
I came across this quote, some time ago, and have been moving the note around on my desk, collecting coffee stains, re-copying it and moving it again, ever since\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are natural storytellers. Our brains create complex visual journeys for us to take. We average <\/i>2,000 daydreams per day<\/i><\/a>, each lasting an average of 14 seconds. That\u2019s a lot of imagination. While there is no inherent problem with this\u2014it is who we are\u2014when we use our inner world as an escape for what the outer world is presenting, we\u2019re not dealing with the challenges right in front of us. If we crave security, we\u2019ll find it by dealing with what confronts us. Running from challenges into the inner world of thoughts will never provide the security we seek.\u201d<\/i> – Derek Beres<\/p>\n Mr. Beres, while quoting the above, is writing about the Art of Loneliness, and the reference (and link) is to what I found is a compelling article on Jonathan Gottschall\u2019s \u201cThe Storytelling Animal.\u201d<\/p>\n Maria Popova, in that article, posits, \u201c\u201cThe universe is made of stories, not atoms,\u201d poet Muriel Rukeyser memorably asserted, and Harvard sociobiologist E. O. Wilson recently pointed to the similarity between innovators in art and science, both of whom he called <\/i>\u201cdreamers and storytellers.\u201d<\/i><\/a> Stories aren\u2019t merely essential to how we understand the world \u2014 they are how we understand the world. We weave and seek stories everywhere, from <\/i>data visualization<\/i><\/a> to <\/i>children\u2019s illustration<\/i><\/a> to <\/i>cultural hegemony<\/i><\/a>. In <\/i>The Storytelling Animal<\/i><\/a>, educator and science writer Jonathan Gottschall traces the roots, both evolutionary and sociocultural, of the transfixing grip storytelling has on our hearts and minds, individually and collectively. What emerges is a kind of \u201cunified theory of storytelling,\u201d revealing not only our gift for manufacturing truthiness in the narratives we tell ourselves and others, but also the remarkable capacity of stories \u2014 the right kinds of them \u2014 to change our shared experience for the better.\u201d\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Everything I say or write in this space is about my ongoing quest for compelling, resonant, experiential storytelling\u2026 Sometimes it\u2019s about thought process, at others about practical, real-world processes and disciplines\u2026<\/p>\n To wit:<\/strong><\/p>\n Prevent Details from Becoming Tasks<\/strong>…sometimes, it\u2019s better and more productive to Just Do It. I have an acquaintance who spends up to an hour each day, making lists. Gradually, I watch that list become oppressive to him and watch as so many things that were originally simple tasks become Projects.<\/p>\n The real-world metaphor for this can be found in this same guy\u2019s kitchen. He can\u2019t bring himself to wash a dish until the sink is completely full – which can easily take days. Rather than spending 20 seconds to quickly scrub and rinse a plate from breakfast, he sets it in the sink; and this happens until that sink contains an ugly (and smelly) pile of dirty dishes. This makes something that could easily be a completely negligible routine become a Job; not only does washing that sink full of dishes take actual Time, now, but each dish – now dried and crusted with days-old whatever – takes longer to clean, in and of itself.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an accurate metaphor. Don\u2019t let things pile up. Do them, or delegate them; but get them off your \u201clist.\u201d<\/p>\n Responsiveness and Spontaneity<\/b>. Hold these qualities close. While it\u2019s good to have a plan – in fact, imperative to plan – do not eschew the possibility of changing direction on discovery or revelation. The plan is not sacrosanct; the Vision is the Thing.<\/p>\n As a Director, Creative Director or Producer, I am leading my team of professionals toward the realization of something – a vision or mission or goal – to which I have (hopefully) inspired all to strive. They trust me. They trust and respect me more for flexibility, responsiveness, humility (and the ability to accept and admit as I make mistakes or change direction based on new information or simple collaborative revelation) and fairness far more than would be elicited were I to exhibit an unwavering grip on a previously proscribed pathway or method.<\/p>\n Be open to Hear and willing to Change.<\/p>\n Keeping the Speeches Short<\/b>. You know what I mean. Nobody likes a filibuster and a monologue is only good in theatre. When building a program for a launch or gathering of any kind (and in this case, we\u2019re speaking more to those who create one-off events, ceremonies and celebrations), one of the most egregious sins is that of losing control of one\u2019s speakers, resulting in the dissipation of audience attention – which, of itself, usually heralds the departure of Interest on the part of the suffering audience.<\/p>\n …and, there is consequence to making an audience suffer.<\/p>\n \u201cFive minutes\u201d sounds short. It is not. Hold your breath for one, full minute [I\u2019ve said this, before] and see how long that feels. There\u2019s your Rule of Thumb. Further, telling a speaker \u201cfive minutes\u201d generally results in twice that…or more. Telling a speaker \u201cone minute…okay, 90 seconds,\u201d and then negotiating an additional 30 seconds will impress on the speaker that you mean what you say and result in a better speech, embraced far more receptively by the audience than would likely have been, otherwise.<\/p>\n Winnowing one\u2019s speech to less than 3 minutes, more often than not, results in the most powerful, clear, compelling and resonant delivery of Message.<\/p>\n In 2011, I worked with an organization and their signature event in massaging and evolving the \u201cprogram\u201d part of the evening into a tight and powerful 17 minutes. This 17 minutes included ALL speaking parts (welcome, acknowledgements, thanks, introduction of honoree, honoree) as well as the entertainment component which, of itself, was 4 minutes long. In that 4 minutes, by the way, the audience was taken deep into their hearts, fell absolutely silent, then transitioned to standing and clapping and cheering.<\/p>\n Four minutes. This can be done.<\/p>\n The speakers had been unambiguously apprised of the importance of keeping the program brief and pithy, and were well aware of their respective constraints. Underscoring the seriousness of the parameters, each could see me in clear view, standing adjacent to the stage and prepared to step onto the stage, take the microphone and thank them, mid-overrun. While this resulted in good-natured ribbing from the lectern, the parameters were respected.<\/p>\n This is your job, as Executive in charge of any such production – ANY production; to ensure the message is delivered and the audience is happy. NO single component or participant in a theatrical production, ceremony, celebration or simple program trumps the importance of the Audience Experience. None.<\/p>\n Your job.<\/p>\n The 2011 event was a huge success; the word on the street for the ensuing year was at the \u201cyou should have been there\u201d level. As a result, tickets exceeded sell-out in 2012.<\/p>\n In 2012, however, that same organization chose to relinquish all parameters and advisories to the speakers, resulting in over 45 minutes of speeches in a 3-hour stand-up event. This, separate and apart from the \u201centertainment\u201d portion of the experience. Nearly 1\/3 of the evening was given over to the presenters and honorees; with the rationale given that the organization\u2019s leadership didn\u2019t want to offend the honorees and the donors, specific them, in the room, that evening.<\/p>\n This may prove to be a very costly capitulation; as the casual reviews of that evening continue to cite the oppressive length of the speeches, pre-empting the \u201c…otherwise, it was fine\u201d more or less tepid reviews. It remains to be seen what the effect will be on future iterations of that event.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should have been there\u201d Versus \u201c…otherwise, it was fine\u201d<\/p>\n Which brings me to Audience Expectation<\/b>. Is Meeting Audience Expectation Enough?<\/p>\n In Exploration of Assumption<\/b>, discerning Audience Expectation is a key part of the methodology. Once we know what the audience is expecting, we can manipulate and exceed that…and, exceeding expectation does not necessarily mean an increase in magnitude. Indeed, it can often mean the opposite. Sometimes, taking a quieter road, one of less (but with standards high) \u201cproduction\u201d and stronger substance, can result in a far more powerful experience.<\/p>\n Never, though, am I happy with simply meeting audience expectation. In many instances and contexts, in fact, audiences subconsciously accept and \u201cexpect\u201d to make excuses for an experience\u2026<\/p>\n And the worst:<\/p>\n Anathema.<\/p>\n None of these are acceptable. This is what Creativity and Commitment is all about.<\/p>\n This. Is. Your. Job. Exceed audience expectation. Respect your audience and never<\/i> give them a reason to excuse what you create; be it a one-off, a theatrical run or a permanently-installed attraction. Audience First.<\/p>\n Okay: some Nickels and Dimes<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTesting…testing\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t smack the microphone. Seriously, that\u2019s not cool. Frankly, it\u2019s amateur. A microphone is a delicate instrument and should be treated as such. To test the instrument, to see if it is working, simply snap your fingers over the head of the mic. It\u2019s classier and more professional. Don\u2019t smack the poor thing.<\/p>\n Digital Note-Taking (see, \u201cknow your audience\u201d)<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s cool and it\u2019s green to take notes, digitally. But, here\u2019s a distinctive nuance. It\u2019s one thing to take notes on your iPad, during a meeting. People see what you are doing and tend to\u2026<\/p>\n …or some combination of the above.<\/p>\n Using one\u2019s laptop, while the keystrokes may be irritating to some (watch your demographics!), seems to be, overall, accepted.<\/p>\n However, taking notes on one\u2019s iPhone (or other smartphone, to be democratic) is likely to elicit a different reaction from others in your presence (again, depending on the demo). Why? Because it looks as though you are texting.<\/p>\n So, imho, my suggestion is, in the absence of an iPad, paper is probably the best option for taking notes in most contexts.<\/p>\n That being said; if you work for Google, Apple, or any of the plethora of Millenial-heavy corporate cultures, that skews all this toward the digital device. Just know your audience.<\/p>\n Lastly: Peevs.<\/strong><\/p>\n Peev #1. \u201cyeah\u201d versus \u201cyay\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n When writing about a cheer, the word is \u201cyay.\u201d When writing about agreement or a response in the positive, the word is \u201cyeah.\u201d The two are pronounced quite differently. A crowd does not cheer \u201cYeah\u201d when their team wins, the crowd cheers, \u201cYay!\u201d<\/p>\n And Peev #2. \u201cNiche\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n last, but not least, the word is pronounced, \u201cneesh.\u201d Sheesh\u2026<\/p>\n My post-it\u2019s are cleared-away. I hope you found something interesting and perhaps enlightening and, hopefully, informative amongst these rants and observations\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cimho\u201d is also the title of my free eBook in the iBooks Library and iTunes; consisting of the first 20 posts of this site, it articulates and demonstrates the key tenets and methodologies of creating compelling experience. Take a look.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Weeks of conferences, speeches, proposals and meetings have filled the time since my previous missive with myriad experiences and exchanges with some brilliant and accomplished minds, with some brilliant, fresh and hungry minds…and the occasional time-waster. During this period, and … Continue reading \n
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