Speak Into Action Communications

08/27/2024

How much more exciting would day-to-day interactions be if we committed to each like an actor commits to their role on stage?

"But I'm not performing!"

No, you're not "pretending."

You ARE 100% performing.

Every time you talk to your boss.

A client.

Your spouse.

Your kid.

You. Are. Performing.

Ask just about any actor and they'll tell you their goal on stage is not to share some "make believe" story. Their goal is to step into the very real life of another human. To perform actions with the intention of finding love, overpowering a nemesis, or rising in their station. Or maybe they just want to be seen, heard, and experienced by others differently.

Does that sound familiar?

Does that sound like you?

The only difference between an actor's role and your day-to-day communication is you're responsible for the vulnerable, insecure, and sometimes anxiety-inducing task of performing the character of you.

Instead of resisting communication as a performance, consider all there is to learn by showing up and communicating like an actor playing the most important role of their life.

How cool would that be? ;)

08/14/2024

I'm so honored to be interviewed by and share my journey as an artist, creative, and entrepreneur.

Being creative and being perceived as creative has a surprising number of challenges in the business world. Your skill sets are "soft," and sometimes questioned simply because they're grounded in artistry instead of S.T.E.M.

So, thank you Canvas Rebel for promoting creative-driven entrepreneurs and allowing space for individuals like me to share our story to a community of like-minded professionals.

Check out the whole interview here:

https://canvasrebel.com/meet-christopher-peck

  We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christopher Peck a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below. Christopher, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place? I spent decades...

08/05/2024

The way we show up and "perform" an exchange of information is just as, if not more, important than the information itself.

Think about it.

Imagine you see a good friend on the street. They say, "It's great to see you." But they make no effort to smile, or change their inflection, or their body language remains closed off and withdrawn.

How is that going to make you feel?

Will you easily and comfortably accept their words at face value, or will you be skeptical and question their honest feelings?

Consider the last time someone you know misinterpreted your intentions. Why might that be the case? What was your tone, your non-verbal cues, or your actions surrounding your intentions? How did you perform your intention?

Communication is a performance. And your audience will only accept that performance when the performative elements are in alignment.

So, the next time the intention behind your communication doesn't have its intended impact, don't immediately blame your audience for the misunderstanding. Instead, consider the holistic performance of your communication and scrutinize those elements which may have been out of alignment. It's how we grow as communicators--by ensuring the bridge between intention and impact remains healthy and strong.

07/29/2024

Here's the truth of it: I have never once cast an individual in a production who couldn't demonstrate an ability to listen to others on stage.

Never.

I don't care if you're communicating with one person or a thousand. I don't care if people have travelled hundreds of miles to hear you speak. I don't care what perceived value you think you bring.

If you cannot listen, you don't belong on stage.

Want to be a better communicator?

Listen empathetically.

Listen actively.

Listen with interest.

Listen with curiosity.

If you can do that, you can learn to command any arena.

Happy Monday :)

07/22/2024

If given the choice, how would you want to be experienced in your personal and professional relationships?

Often your communication choices are a reaction to the communities, role models, teachers, and parents who influenced your early life.

How they spoke to you, around you, at you and in response to you modeled a communication style you most likely emulated to be accepted as a member of the pack.

Now, years later, you've changed, grown, and evolved. You have new beliefs, ambitions, core values, which you're trying to perform and communicate in your present relationships.

But underneath are the doubts--years of reactionary scripting telling you:

"You can't do that."

"You can't say that."

"Don't trust yourself here, the consequences are too great."

In order to become intentional in your communication, you have to get curious with the reactionary communication you've clung to for so long. Make your peace with that character which once served your needs and then put your trust in the goals, needs, wants, dreams, and desires which motivate the performance you WANT to share today.

Communicating is hard. Make it a little bit easier to clearing up the doubt holding you back from the person you're striving to become.

Happy Monday :)

07/01/2024

What's your script?

If you've ever worked with me, met me, know me professionally, it won't come as any surprise to hear...

I

Love

Scripts!

Because you're already using a script. Your regionalisms, the individuals who have modeled communication for you, mentors, teachers, peers, your social circles, even the television and movies you watch all culminate in a script which you utilize in your day-to-day communication.

You developed the script you use today.

The Big Question: Is that script serving your needs?

Do you desire a more positive outlook, but your self-talk is relentlessly negative?

Do you want to excel in your new sales position, but you don't have the words to ask for a financial commitment?

Do you deeply desire a stronger relationship with your children or spouse, but that depth of relationship was never modeled for you? Do you struggle to find the language to adequately articulate your intentions?

Do you suck at healthy conflict conversations because you just don't have a vocabulary for them?

Change.

Your.

Script.

You have the power to choose the language which will dictate the actions of your life. If you are seeking healthy growth, healthy change, healthy evolution, start with your script.

Get curious with the language you already use in self-talk and conversation with others. Ask yourself, "why this language in this moment?" Then, start rescripting. Practice that script. Put in the work.

You learned your current script.

With practice, you can learn a script which allows you to show up as your favorite version of self.

05/27/2024

In 2014, I directed Arthur Miller's ALL MY SONS at the University of South Alabama. As is the case with everything I direct, I started first with a metaphor to hold the story together.

That metaphor was a pride of lions. I won't go into detail about how I arrived at this visual, but to date it is one of the most exciting and successful containers I've ever used to bind the different elements of theatrical storytelling together.

It provided a consistent vocabulary for communicating intentionally with designers, actors, and technicians.

It was not for the audience to know. There were no lions on stage, or used as marketing visuals, or announced before the beginning of the show. No one came up to me afterward and said, "Cool lion theme."

It was for me and the production team.

And it is one of the most important things you can do as a successful public speaker and presenter.

Choose a theme, a metaphor, or a question which influences and informs your story, content, and action ask. It will motivate your decisions, guide you when you're stuck, and ensure your audience experiences a cohesive message.

Too often public speakers leave to chance valuable moments which are well within your control. The great ones, however, pick a container to guide the work.

Happy Monday :)

05/20/2024

Here's why this all-important performance question matters to you:

We know public speaking requires intention, preparation, and practice before you ever walk on stage. And once we're on stage, confidence, pacing, presence, and tone can be the difference between mediocrity and greatness.

But in between preparation and ex*****on is a crucial time to ensure you're entering the stage feeling confident and capable.

In theatre, the "moment before" refers to the circumstances which took place immediately preceding an actor's entrance. This imaginative homework is critical to the success of the performance. It informs the feelings and actions of the performer as they enter the stage. When this question isn't explored, it can undermine the quality of the performance, as the character may appear uninspired and lacking motivation.

In reality, you always have a moment before. Regardless of the presentation, audience, or space, there is always something that happened to you before walking on stage. A lovely, outdoor breakfast with your spouse. Listening to your favorite podcast or musical genre. Stuck behind a car crash. A fight with a co-worker. And if you believe you're not taking that "moment before" with you on stage, think again.

The circumstances of our lives influence our emotional state. Which means all that preparation and practice means very little if you're not intentional about your "moment before."

Take ownership of these valuable moments to ensure you're in command of the person on stage. Whether its self-affirmations, a deep-breathing exercise, pump-up music, or a favorite inspirational quote, take charge of the last moment before you walk on stage.

It means everything.

Have a great Monday :)

05/09/2024

Take a moment to truly encounter someone today.

Happy Thursday :)