San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks Master's Theses Master's Theses and Graduate Research Spring 2013 The Actor Within: An Exploration of Present Moment Awareness in Business Presentations Billie Shepard San Jose State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.edu/etd_theses Recommended Citation Shepard, Billie, "The Actor Within: An Exploration of Present Moment Awareness in Business Presentations" (2013). DOI: https://doi.r3z3-ggsb https://scholarworks.edu/etd_theses/4313 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Master's Theses and Graduate Research at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@sjsu.
THE ACTOR WITHIN: AN EXPLORATION OF PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS IN BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Theatre, Radio-Television-Film, Animation & Illustration San José State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Billie Shepard May 2013 © 2013 Billie Shepard ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Designated Thesis Committee Approves the Thesis Titled THE ACTOR WITHIN: AN EXPLORATION OF PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS IN BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS by Billie Shepard APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE, RADIO-TELEVISION-FILM, ANIMATION & ILLUSTRATION SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY May 2013 Dr. Alison McKee Department of Theatre, Radio-TV-Film, Animation & Illustration Dr. Kathie Kratochvil Department of Theatre, Radio-TV-Film, Animation & Illustration Dr. David Price Terry Department of Communication Studies ABSTRACT THE ACTOR WITHIN: AN EXPLORATION OF PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS IN BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS by Billie Shepard This thesis explores incorporating the use of acting skills in business presentations using present moment awareness techniques.
Present moment awareness is defined in this study as the use of improvisation, intention, voice, and body/sensory awareness and is drawn primarily from the theoretical work of Patsy Rodenburg. The research project followed nine adult student-participants through a five-week course of study in business presentation methods, which incorporated the present moment awareness acting techniques. Data were collected throughout the five weeks and included a pre and post survey, participant journaling prompts, a researcher journal, peer reviews, and participant interviews. The study concluded that the practice of present moment awareness has great potential in offering business speakers very specific tools to calm their nerves, improve their focus, connect fully with their audience, and deliver their message successfully.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge my advisor, Dr. Without her continuous support, enthusiasm and herculean efforts, this thesis would not have been possible. I am forever indebted to her. I would like to thank the rest of my thesis committee: Dr.
David Price Terry, for believing in this project from the beginning, and his insightful comments. Alison McKee, for her unending support during my entire graduate experience, and her direct feedback. She could be counted on, always. Thanks also to Dr.
David Kahn, who became a mentor by example, and was ever supportive. I thank my graduate school colleagues, especially Kimberly Peterson and Elissa Mondschein, for sharing their individual talents, expertise, and support so generously. I wish to thank Dr. William Starbuck for his insights, solid support, and devotion.
Last but not least, I thank my family and friends, most especially my extraordinary daughters Brenden and Kendall, my loving sisters Patty and Carol, my father who taught me to be brave, and my friend Heidi. These people gave me a consistent, solid place to land while completing this project. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES. viii LIST OF FIGURES.
ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION. Statement of the Problem. Purpose and Significance. Inspiration for this Study.
Structure of Thesis. 9 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW. Business Presentation Trainers. The Elements of Present Moment Awareness.
23 Body/Sensory Awareness. Present Moment Awareness in Other Fields. 33 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY. Approach to the Study.
Role of the Researcher. Site Selection for the Study. Course and Course Curriculum. Data Collection and Analysis.
45 Pre and Post Surveys. 46 Participant Journal Prompts. 46 Researcher Field Notes, Observations/Journal. 50 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS.
Pre and Post Survey Results. 55 Case Study Participant 1: Imee. 55 Case Study Participant 2: Chun. 58 Case Study Participant 3: Karen.
61 Case Study, Participant 4: Jane. 63 Case Study, Participant 5: Alicia. 70 Case Study, Participant 6: Chandra. 73 Case Study, Participant 7: Robert.
78 vi Case Study, Participant 9: Katarina. 85 Case Study, Participant 10: Analyn. 88 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. Body/Sensory Awareness.
Conclusion and Recommendations. 102 APPENDIX A: Pre Survey. 108 APPENDIX B: Post Survey. 110 APPENDIX C: Participant Journal #1, Improvisation.
111 APPENDIX D: Participant Journal #2, Intention. 112 APPENDIX E: Participant Journal #3, Voice. 113 APPENDIX F: Participant Journal #4, Body/Sensory Awareness. 114 APPENDIX G: Participant Journal #5, Culmination.
115 APPENDIX H: Field Notes Protocol and Format. 116 APPENDIX I: Participant Peer Evaluation Form. 117 APPENDIX J: Interview Protocol. 118 APPENDIX K: Pre and Post Survey Results.
120 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Improvisation as an Element of Present Moment Awareness………………….34 Table 2: Intention as an Element of Present Moment Awareness……………………….35 Table 3: Voice as an Element of Present Moment Awareness……………………….35 Table 4: Body/Sensory Awareness as an Element of Present Moment Awareness…….36 Table 5: Course Structure to Explore the Five Elements of Present Moment Awareness…………………………………………………….43 Table 6: Average Overall Changes from Pre to Post Survey……………………….55 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Pre and Post Survey Results………………………………………………….54 ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION I. Statement of the Problem In California’s Silicon Valley, there is a high concentration of engineers and tech- industry professionals who are often called upon to share their knowledge verbally. While the business environment in Silicon Valley affords great opportunities for these professionals to create and use innovative technical presentation tools, by nature, the engineers and technicians who are required to speak are often introverted, poor at verbalizing, and have difficulty communicating (Capretz 214). Consequently, these speakers may struggle with speaking publicly in an effective, calm, and clear way.
The “illusion” of communication between two people, or within groups, can become problematic on many levels. George Bernard Shaw once said that, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” (Bowden 1). Missed, misunderstood, or misinterpreted information in a business environment has the potential to cause repercussions affecting personal relationships, management effectiveness, and even company success or failure. Ineffective presentations can also reach beyond the business environment, affecting local communities and even politics.
In his book On Politics and the Art of Acting, Arthur Miller compares the poor acting skills of George Bush and Al Gore with the masterful skills of Bill Clinton, John F. Kennedy, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Miller’s examination of the acting techniques used by these presidents offers prime examples of presenters in positions of leadership and power whose job it is to deliver information effectively. Arthur Miller reminds us 1 that although Ronald Reagan may have been the first professional actor to transition to the role of president of the United States, “President Reagan was by no means the only actor to occupy the White House in modern times” (Miller 1001).
Outside of the realm of politics, the use of acting techniques to improve public speaking skills has been shown to be promising (Gottesman, Taking 2). However, except for a few notable authors who examine this relationship, the research in the field is limited, and the acting references are often discussed in general terms. Predominant authors who have approached this relationship include Deb Gottesman and Buzz Mauro. Gottesman and Mauro opened their acting school in Washington D.
They found that most of their students were lawyers, politicians, and business people. These students enrolled in the acting class in order to improve their presentation skills (Gottesman, Taking 1). Patricia Fripp is a prominent author of presentation skills books and CDs including Presentation Superstar and 12 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make in Their Presentations. On her Public Speaking Superstar CD, Fripp encourages the application of “story-telling” techniques used by actors in the business presentation process.
In “Acting Techniques for Public Speaking,” an interview conducted by speaker-trainer Ed Bradow, Fripp suggests that speakers include acting techniques such as improvising, being theatrical, and having a strong drive (Bradow 3). Fripp does not define in any specific way what she means by “being theatrical.” She does mention improvising, but she does not give specific methods of achieving it. 2 In his book PowerSpeaking, speaker-trainer Frederick Gilbert instructs his presenters to watch actors and performers because these professionals communicate for a living and know how to hold an audience’s attention. He cites actress and former stockbroker, Therese McNally, who comments, “Every time a business person makes a presentation or gives a speech, he or she is indeed performing” (Gilbert, PowerSpeaking 72).
Gilbert also encourages his speaking skills students to take acting lessons. Purpose and Significance Although current research suggests that there are benefits of using acting techniques to improve business presentation techniques, this research is limited in that it does not thoroughly examine the application of specific acting techniques, such as improvisation, intention, voice, and body/sensory awareness, in the context of business speaker training. Therefore, the purpose of this research study was to further examine the relationship between specific acting techniques and business presentations in a significantly more specific manner. Multiple authors such as Viola Spolin, Alan Arkin, and Patsy Rodenburg address the idea that one of the key ingredients needed in both a successful business presentation and the work of the actor on stage is the ability to make authentic reciprocal connections with the audience.
In his book Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds suggests, “The biggest item that separates mediocre presenters from world class ones is the ability to connect with an audience in an honest and exciting way” (Reynolds 185). Many acting teachers and coaches over time have attempted to define and develop specific techniques in order for actors to achieve this authentic connection. 3 Patsy Rodenburg, who is both an acting teacher and a prominent voice in the business presentation world, has developed a concept that describes present moment awareness in an attempt to codify the relationship between actor and audience. Rodenburg argues that to achieve present moment awareness the actor or presenter must maintain a relaxed but aware state of consciousness, along with an energetic state within which the performer’s energy is focused.
More specifically, the actor or presenter is actively experiencing present moment awareness “as the energy moves out toward the object of your attention, touches it, and then receives energy back from it” (Rodenburg, Second Circle 19). Or to describe it another way, an actor in present moment awareness would have the ability to incorporate specific techniques such as the ability to improvise in the moment, speak clearly and loudly, focus on his or her intention, and use his or her body to communicate effectively. There are indications that the practice of present moment awareness (as defined by Rodenburg) is a useful way to convey information clearly and effectively, whether in the context of acting or in the context of business presentations. This thesis therefore attempts to apply more specificity to general discussions regarding the application of acting techniques to the concept of Rodenburg’s present moment awareness, using the related acting theories of Viola Spolin and Alan Arkin, in order to answer the following research question: To what extent does the practice of present moment awareness, using improvisation, intention, voice, and body/sensory awareness, affect presentation skills for business speakers? 4 The findings of this study could potentially assist companies in professional development endeavors and offer Human Resources (HR) professionals techniques to help company employees communicate more effectively and efficiently.
The findings could also provide information on the effects of applying present moment awareness to all manners of personal communication, including presentations in university settings, particularly in departments of engineering, communications studies, theatre, business, law, and accounting.