Performing Brilliantly in Business

• Have you got gravitas?
• Can you command a room?
• Have you presence?
These were some of the questions posed by Lisa from Rada Business at the Insurance Institute Liverpool Master Class on the 27 March 2019.
Previously RADA was seen as a little elitist but twenty-five years ago Rada Business, established as a social enterprise, has ensured that talent from every walk of life is recognised and celebrated.
Lisa has worked for over twenty years with executives and at grass roots level. Her aim to train and developing participants to have a voice and be the very best person they can be using RADA business methods.
With Lisa’s performing background, it was no surprise that her training was EXTREMELY interactive. As an NLP Master Practitioner, Lisa was able to understand her audience as she put her students through their paces
After introducing the theory, from getting from good to great and then from good to brilliant. (Jim Collins – take note) exercises ensured that students were able to understand their body language. With first impressions, taking 1/10th of a second, the way we stand and hold ourselves is critical. Do we make ourselves smaller or use our inner cord that holds us up high and pulls us towards the ceiling making us stand tall. This Alexander Technique not only adds to our deportment, but makes us look confident and adds to our gravitas.
Students were asked to visualise what gravitas looks like. Students suggested; -
• Holding eye contact
• Calmness
• Tone of voice
• Use of pitch - keeping an audience engaged
• Smiling, but not so smiley that you appear needy
• Using appropriate body language
• Articulate and concise - no rambling allowed
• Volume of voice and clarity of speech
• The importance of the “pause”
……..and finally the power of clothes
Lisa talked about role models such as the Obama’s or Bill Clinton

She then put the audience to work - Amy Cuddy poses were not only described, but enacted. The power pose- raising your arms over your head in a “V “shape held for two minutes and the opposite – the lower power poses were enacted to great hilarity.
The power pose increases testosterone and reduces cortisol. Standing powerfully, walking and talking with energy, the importance of breathing and resonance were all demonstrated with participation from students.

Lisa demonstrated how to walk and talk with gravitas, telephone confidence, and how to sit and act in a telephone conference call. She taught students how to breathe and project their voice with lots of practical hands on exercises, using a cork to practice speech was one of the more unusual exercises.
Lisa finished her Master Class by handing out a useful reminder card. The content is detailed below: -
Reminder notes for powerful women and men
Hold a 2-minute power pose!
Make memorable first impressions.
• Release your breath when you make an entrance to avoid holding tension.
• Keep your eye contact gently with each person for a few seconds to connect with them.
• Pause before you speak and at key points to allow yourself time to breathe and the audience time to digest your message.
Physical workout to take your space
• Move between heels and toes to find centre of body weight.
• Imagine feet with roots sinking into the earth. Pull up your strong resonance from the Earth.
• Unlock knees, rotate hips, shoulder swings, neck stretches and spinal roll.
• Imagine you are a puppet on a string.
• Use mid plane gesture to express yourself and heighten your message.
Vocal workout to make your impact
Belly release: Release breath on a “shh” and feel your belly pulling inwards. At the end of the breath, let the stomach muscles go and belly release. Count and say the days of the week.
Amplifier: Blow out 10 candles and feel that outward push just beneath your breast bone. Repeat on “pst”, days of the week and the spoken word.
Rib Stretches: Side and back rib stretches. Feel your breath releasing and ribs collapsing on “ssh” as you breathe out. Breathe in and feel your ribs expand. Practise counting from 1-10.
Projecting your intention: Throw your javelin of intention to the furthest point in a room using your ribs, belly and vocal amplifier.
Range: Siren to open your pitch range on an “ng”, “ah” and “ee”. Find your centre note.
Speech Exercises: Over-articulate the words in your message. Feel the stretch in the jaw and the work of your tongue. Now speak normally and feel the clarity of your speech.
Remember:. Land your statements with power & confidence.
Finally, if you are to attend one of Lisa’s sessions, be prepared to work hard, take flat shoes and thoroughly enjoy yourself!
Thank you Lisa, the insurance institute will now walk and talk with gravitas and confidence.