‘If you wish me to weep,

you must first show grief yourself’. Horace.

Top performing actors – own scenes.

James Spader is one actor who does this over, and over again. In relation to the Horace quote, Spader can make the characters he portrays, feel an emotion deeply.

Here is my LINK to a Charlie Rose interview with Spader. Watch the entire interview if you want.

However, the section of the clip I want you to watch is at 23:42 > 25:03 second mark of the interview.

Here you’ll see 81 seconds of acting gold

The section is from the series, The Blacklist. In the scene Spader’s character Raymond Reddington talks to Dembe, his security detail.

Starting on a sombre tone, note at the 24:04 point where Spader makes a seamless shift to an anguished facial expression and vocal tone. This is a tier one performance. I watched the clip yesterday, and it brought tears to my eyes.

Spader makes us feel his anguish, because he first himself, feels anguished.

The point for having you watch the clip is this.

If you want to better ‘sell’ yourself and your message. If you want your peers, reports, seniors, clients and stakeholders to better retain and/or act on your spoken messages – before you deliver them – take a leaf from Spader.

First – feel, reflect and convince yourself on the importance of the message, and of the audience retaining and/or acting on the message

Own the Conversation

Do this. Make an implementation plan to take three minutes prior to an upcoming presentation to feel, reflect and convince yourself on the importance of your message. Note the impact of doing so and/or ask a trusted person to give your feedback

+++++++

p.s. Here is my 6:00 minute interview with ABC Drive presenter Richard Glover that might interest, on the effect of wearing masks on reading people’s facial expressions, and on suggestions for clearer communication with ‘mask’ communication. It’s the first clip on the page.