How to Craft Compelling Messages using the 4-A Way™ of Dynamic Delivery™

You’re preparing a critical message. How do you structure it?

After watching hundreds of “actors” on theatrical and corporate stages and performing myself, I realized that some of these performers could use a dose of structure. Why? Because something was amiss in the successful delivery of their message. Or other times while admiring their performance, I found things to be right on track!

How did they do it? What formula did they use dazzle, or perhaps, disappoint their audiences?

I created the 4-A Way of Dynamic Delivery to help business actors (authentic communicators who often need to stretch into roles less comfortable as they get things done) craft and assess their critical communications. It’s an easy checklist of key components that make up a successful performance. Communicators work through the areas of Audience, Atmosphere, Action and Actor to get the best take on their message.

In each area, the Actor asks key questions:

• Audience - What do they want from me? What do I want from them? What do I know/not know about my audience?
• Atmosphere - What is the energy I want to create for this audience? What is the current dynamic? Do I leverage it, avoid it, transform it?
• Action - What do I do to help my audience get what they want? How do I structure my story? But mostly, what am I actually doing to this audience to help us all get what we want?
• Actor - How is my energy in body and voice? Does it support or detract from the Action? Am I even aware of how I “come off”?

Which of the above components gets your attention? The area you notice is probably where you haven’t asked yourself these types of questions and could represent a blind spot. That’s what I notice when coaching—there is usually an area that needs some focus for improvement. Having a systematic way to create and assess is helpful. I help speakers first become aware and then with actionable next steps, work to improve.

A suggested route through the 4-A Way is to start with Audience and work through the order above. “It depends on the audience” is almost always the answer when considering what choices to make in delivering your message. Don’t worry that the Actor is last—you’ll get to you, and your unique energy will be what brings the performance home!

Corey Hansen is a coach, trainer, creative and actor who blends strategy and techniques from theatrical and corporate stages to help briefing professionals and business communicators deliver their most confident and engaging performances.