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Where’s the energy?
You might know Bill Kurtis as the host of A&E documentaries like Cold Case Files and American Justice. Or as the narrator of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Maybe you enjoyed his work as the announcer for NPR’s Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me.
If you’re a long-time Chicagoan, you’ll remember Bill’s years at the WBBM-TV anchor desk. CBS Chicago was failing miserably when it came to news, its ratings lagging far behind every other station in town. Until they had a revolutionary idea.
Kurtis talked about it during a program at Deerfield’s Congregation B’nai Tikvah. Veteran media reporter Robert Feder interviewed the legendary journalist about his book, Whirlwind. My Life Reporting the News. (And yes, I was in the audience.)
Back in the ‘70s, management at WBBM-TV brought Kurtis back from four happy years covering the news in Los Angeles. They hoped to rescue their newscast by pairing him with feisty commentator Walter Jacobsen.
That was a revolutionary idea at the time; solo anchors were the standard. And then on top of that, they moved the anchor desk out of its typical studio and right into the newsroom. Why?
As Bill explained, “That’s where the energy is.”
Communication is always an exchange of energy.
In fact, you’ve heard me say many times, it’s all about the energy. That goes for speakers, as well as TV anchors. It made all the sense in the world when I heard Bill Kurtis talk about bringing the cameras into the newsroom and sharing that kinetic energy with the audience at home.
The transfer of energy also makes all the difference in how your listeners receive your message.
Important words, carefully scripted, can still fall flat when they’re delivered in a monotone, or a sing-song lilt, or a mumble. Whether you’re speaking at a conference table, at the all-hands meeting, or at a networking event, you need to bring the energy.
How?
A few suggestions about bringing the energy …
Breathe. A strong voice depends on ample breath; we get it by inhaling deeply and exhaling just as fully. You should feel your rib cage expand as you breathe in and contract as you breathe out … especially if that out-breath is carrying words with it.
You may want to stand up. Some situations have us speaking while sitting down. But most people find their voice is stronger when they’re standing up, partly because our breathing is fuller—our diaphragm can move more easily. If you have a choice, you’re better off to stand up when you talk.
Movement makes a difference. Physical movement frees our energy and allows it to flow. If you’re standing up, that might mean taking a step or two sideways or toward your audience. Not swaying or shuffling but actually picking up your feet and putting them down somewhere new.
Even if you’re seated, you can move your hands and arms. Gestures convey information of course—size, number, distance and other, more subtle qualities. They also animate us, not just using energy but also creating it.
And naturally, your face should be moving too. We communicate information with a smile, a smirk, or a raised eyebrow. And, as with gestures, just the muscle movement helps us stay energized as we speak.
Focus on your audience. Remember that we’re talking about an exchange of energy. Communication is always two-way and it’s always about the energy.
As speakers, we generate energy and share it abundantly with our audience. We also take in energy from our audience. They feel that!
Apart from any wisdom, insight, or information we might offer them, they walk out of the room or away from their Zoom screen feeling something about us and their experience with us.
That feeling comes from the exchange of energy between us.
If we focus on our own words, our fears, or our visual aids, we interrupt that exchange and diminish its value. Not only for our audience, but for us too. When we focus on them, the energy flows naturally. They have a better experience and so do we.
Bill Kurtis was so smart to bring his television audience right into the energy center that was the newsroom. I hope you’re thinking about how you can do something similar.
