BRILLIANCE IN PERFORMANCE
Or... Competent vs. Exceptional; What's the Deal?
Originally published in ShopTalk on 9/9/98
What is the difference between being competent in your
performance and being exceptional? Nothing like opening a can of worms, I
realize. However, this question surfaces with such regularity I thought it was
worth considering.
It seems that most professionals who focus on
performance-related issues agree that competent talent get the job done -
and well. They are dependable, skillful, knowledgeable and efficient. Thank
goodness for them! Exceptional talent seem to possess both competency and
"something extra". Qualities commonly used to describe this "IT" factor? Energy,
charisma, an ability to "sell" the news and draw us in. We can see it in the
eyes, hear it in the voice, feel it in the energy and the focus of the person.
However, part of what makes a person have "IT" is intangible. Some say you have
to be born with IT, that you can't develop it. Most say they know it when they
see IT, though they don't always agree on who has IT. Sometimes a talent doesn't
seem like they have IT at an early stage of their development, only to show up
later with IT sparkling through the screen. People wonder what IT is, wonder if
they have IT, hope they have IT, are afraid they don't have IT, can't
believe they have IT, don't think about IT, are confused by IT. IT doesn't even
have a name, only ... IT. One thing it does for sure is get people fired up -
altough not necessarily focused on the things that might actually move them
closer to "IT".
IT, er, it... might be useful focus on some qualities
that can contribute to becoming more competent and in moving oneself along that
continuum toward "exceptional".
First of all, while no one has yet managed to distill IT
into topical ointment form that can be applied once a day for maximum ratings
(wouldn't I love to be the first!), one can safely say that we LIKE and TRUST
those who exude it. This equation is an important one to remember. As agent
Steve Caruso puts it, "The viewer has to trust and like you simultaneously and
in equal amounts" or your credibility just doesn't fly. He makes one
qualification, though: "The only ones we MIGHT forgive are male anchors." His
contention is that if we trust a male anchor enough, we might make allowances on
the "like factor" more than we will with female anchors. Sad, but probably true.
It's understanding - and developing - these kinds of
communication "intangibles" that can put you into the top 1 or 2% of your
market. So, it pays to think about them. There are lots of competent
talent about - far fewer exceptional ones. However, it's safe to say that
while some folks might have been born to IT, most didn't spring from the womb
knowing all about how to shine in the broadcast world. They had to learn.
We gather information about others - and convey ideas
about ourselves - in many ways. Some are conscious, some are not. We tend to
describe people we like and trust as warm, real, human, funny, conversational,
energized, engaged and engaging. Taken a step deeper, we could also say these
people seem to be connected, grounded and speaking from a place of truth within
themselves. We may not be so conscious about the latter, but believe me, we
respond to it all the same.
For instance, one of your primary tools for communicating
in radio or on television is your voice - accounting for at least 50% of your
impact in TV; 100% in radio. We know that having a good voice is important...
one of the key reasons young talent is held back from market leaps in the
beginning years is their voice. You have to develop the sound of your
voice, because viewers are out there making quick judgements about how credible
you are based upon your sound. As Don Fitzpatrick puts it: "Your voice is 50% of
your job in television". You might be surprised to know how many seasoned news
directors across the country LISTEN to television audition tapes to tell if they
even want to bother LOOKING at them. If they don't pass the first test... hello,
Circular File.
The electronic medium thins and flattens the
voice. So, it behooves you to learn how to properly use - and take care of -
your voice. It's sometimes surprising to learn how people form bonds of trust
(or not!) based on the sound of a voice. It's almost cellular. Here's a
biomechanical fact: an open, resonant voice is supported by the breath in the
lower abdomen, which is passed through an open throat. It has fluidity,
resonance and a mid-to-low pitch, as a rule. Simple enough.
Then think of this: in many ancient cultures, a good
(open, resonant, unrestricted) voice had direct connection with trustworthiness
in business dealings. If a person had a tight voice, it meant their throat was
constricted. In turn, this meant they were cut off from their lower abdomen
(throats tighten when breath is not supported). In many of these ancient
cultures, the lower body regions were where a person's higher/universal truth
found a home in the body. Therefore, tight voice = tight throat = disconnect
from breath and lower abdomen = disconnect from one's own truth. How can you
trust someone who doesn't know truth? They could be lying and not even know it!
You see, these cultures honored the energies residing in this part of the body
as a center of being and knowing - beyond the mind. On a very deep level and for
similar reasons, we still tend to consider the person whose voice is open, has
resonance and a certain ring to it - as more credible, authoritative and
trustworthy.
Bears some thought!
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