From “Breaking Bad” to Breaking Bad Habits – Part II

How I Use What I Learned as A Casting Director and Acting Coach to Help Executives Present Themselves as They Intend and Add Power, Punch and Passion to their Presentations

Breaking Bad Habit Two

LACK OF SELF-AWARENESS OF HOW YOU APPEAR TO OTHERS

Many people are unaware of how they appear to others. The first step in any improvement or change effort is to know where you are starting. You must be aware of the current state. You must be fully aware of and acknowledge your current reality.

The Paradoxical Theory of Change reinforces this: “Before any change can occur, we must first accept what is.” Definitely paradoxical, isn’t it.

Alcoholics Anonymous utilizes this theory well. AA’s founders recognized that only after a person owns and acknowledges that he is an alcoholic, will be able to stop drinking. Hence at the start of every AA meeting, each person must stand up, say his first name and state, “I’m an alcoholic.”

I support you to become fully aware of the current state of your executive presence by:

• Observing you in action
• Videotaping you when you are making or practicing to make a speech
• Interviewing people who work with you (e.g., boss, direct reports, audience members, media interviewers)

I share my observations and the interview results with you.  We review video tapes together. We collaborate on identifying what you are doing well and which behaviors are distracting from you showing up the way you intend and delivering your message in the most professional way.

I coach you on ways to strengthen your good habits, add more of them, and break your bad habits. We often practice the new behaviors using role playing and re-videotaping.

When possible, I ask the people I interviewed for feedback for additional feedback after the coaching is completed.

Please post a comment on how these tips have worked for you and share other things that have worked for you.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  I love hearing from you!