Image: IMG_4937 courtesy of jeaneeem

If you’re new to this series, you may want to go to this article to learn how this all started. In this last article of a 6-part series, I will describe in detail why really showing your audience that you appreciate their support is an important part of being a super start that people love; and will use a couple of examples from Michael Bublé’s concert on the 31 May, 2008 to illustrate it.

The importance of giving back

So you’re now a Super Star; all those fans that adore you and idolise you constantly make you feel you are invulnerable. But remember: you too are human. After all, we all start from the same place; an innocent, naked bundle of cries and love who is totally and utterly dependent in others (especially Mum) to survive in this world.

You may think that you are where you are because of what you have done; and that is partly true. But it is equally true that if it had not been for all the help you received along the way, it would have been impossible for you to reach Stardom. You may simply not have been alive for long enough to reach Super Stardom had your mother not cared for you, protected you in those early days, and nurtured you. If you also reflect back to those days when you were an unknown artist, you will remember just how desperately dependent on the help from others you were. Someone discovered you and trusted you and took a risk on you just to see-if-you-had-what-it-takes to get to where you are now. Other artists decided to give you a break and call you for a supporting act that skyrocketed you into the limelight for those few but critical minutes. And at some point, your fans decided to support you by shelling out their hard-earned-cash for your music, one CD at a time.

As you reflect on the long chain of events that made you a Super Star, you will find that despite your own perceptions of grandeur, it was mostly through the generosity of others and the trust they put in you that you finally made it. Now that you are on stage, in front of tens of thousands of the very people that propelled you towards stardom, you might want to consider giving back. Acknowledge the role they played; give them their five seconds of fame by acknowledging the critical role they have played in helping you be there tonight. Remain humble and honest while you say it, for your fans will spot a cursory or even fake acknowledgement, and will hold that against you for a long time.

Be creative in how you say Thanks!

Have you ever noticed how many people have developed the habit of saying Thank You when it is deserved? Not many. Our modern world pushes us from one responsibility to the next without letting us take that 5-minute break we need to stop, think about who should we thank for their contribution, and actually say it like we mean it. Yet not all is lost. A slow movement is taking the world by storm to show us that slowing down to reflect; smell the roses; and connect with others is a worthwhile activity. More people are acknowledging the value of slowing down every day, and as a result more Thank You’s are being dished out on a daily basis.

Yet we must remain alert; it is too easy to fall into the trap of thinking there’s only one way of saying Thank you. A look back at our own lives often reveals a hundred ways of creatively saying Thank You without even using those words:

1. Give a present. By carefully observing the likes and dislikes of the person you want to Thank, it is easy to choose a small and inexpensive gift that will be appreciated by the other person.
2. Give a card. We all do it at birthday time, don’t we? Just remember that the not-so-glossy card hand-drawn by your 3 year-old is more memorable than the super-sized farewell from “the mob” at your last work’s farewell. Remember that expensive is not always better, and making it personal and unique makes a big difference.
3. Just Say It. Yes, you can always use the words. You can do it in 2 seconds: just say Thank You and move on. Or you can do it in 2 minutes: say Thank you for…. and proceed to explain what are you’re grateful for and why. But why not do it in 5 or 10 minutes? Do what the professionals do, and tell a story that illustrates how the actions of the other person made a massive difference in your life. Using stories to say Thank You gives you the opportunity to be creative with your words; weave a strong emotional plot in the story; and connect with not only the minds but also with the hearts of your audience. Reach out into their souls and touch them gently; you will be giving them something they don’t get as often as they could: the attention and time of someone who cares.

How did Michael say Thank You?

He used all three techniques described above. First, he told us a story of how he grew up; and how he had a tough up-bringing. He related to us by saying he understood that many of us might be going through hardship, and made an effort to shell-out the cash to come listen to him singing. He also said he really appreciated the effort we have made in making babysitter arrangements; travelling from another city; or giving away a night of being with friends, in our efforts to come and listen to him. He explained that this meant a lot to him, and explicitly Thanked Us, his fans, for making his career and professional life possible.

He then used the light & sound crew he had at his disposal to make a magnificent Than You card: in what was the most effective use of large backdrops I ave ever seen in a concert. While singing Home, Michael got his crew to project images of Sydney and Australian icons in the back of the stage (take a close look at the photo of his concert that opened this article; that image at the back is from our beloved capital, Canberra).

He then closed his performance by giving us a wonderful present: he came back out onto the stage, and invited his supporting act to perform one more song for us. The emotional power of hearing Michael perform his last song with such an incredibly talented vocal group was a wonderful gift; a golden brooch, some might say.

There were also a lot of small gestures; too many to be mentioned here in detail. But it was evident that Michael made a real effort to show his appreciation for his audience; as already related, he kept it humble, real, and very human; and in doing so he connected with our hearts in a way that I have not seen many artists connect ever before in a stage. Well done, Michael; you had previously won our hard-earned-money. Tonight, you earned something that is much more valuable: a special place in our hearts, and a memory that will never fade. May you keep going on to bigger and better things. Oh, and please keep singing: we love your rendition of Jazz on- and off-stage!

Closing thoughts

If you have followed this series, you know now from observing Michael Bublé in action that there are five things you can do be the type of super star that people truly love:

1. Engage your audience
2. Appreciate the artists from your band and supporting act by acknowledging in public their unique contribution
3. Show you too are human
4. Have a sense of humour and use it – have some fun while you’re in that stage!
5. Appreciate the effort & support of your fans

I thank you for staying with us, and wish you the best in your future performances. Put these lessons into practice, and you too will be able to become a super star that people truly love!

Image: IMG_4887 courtesy of jeaneeem

If you’re new to this series, you may want to go to this article to learn how this all started. In this fourth article of a 6-part series, I will describe in detail why having a sense of humour – and using it! – is an important part of being a super start that people love; and will use a couple of examples from Michael Bublé’s concert on the 31 May, 2008 to illustrate it.

The difference between humour and sarcasm

How many times have you been around with the gang around the water cooler, and listened to someone criticising another friend with impunity, just because he did this by disguising his attack as humour? We all know that is not humour. When you have a sense of humour and use it, you make others laugh and feel better; you lighten up their days. When you are sarcastic, you make at least one other person feel embarrassed, hurt or upset, and you will find that it makes others around you feel uncomfortable.

The sad reality is that many of us never developed a sense of humour when we were young; and as life went by, learned instead to use sarcasm as the next-best-replacement. Big Mistake. Not only do we hurt others with our misguided attempt at being funny; we end up hurting ourselves.

Warning: Misuse of sarcasm can be harmful to your personal brand

How can that be? Psychologists have proven that human beings will avoid situations and people that make them feel uncomfortable (unless you’re a masochist!). Every time you use sarcasm, some of your audience will feel uncomfortable or hurt, and will avoid your company in the future. This may all happen at a subconscious level, so no one may be aware of what is happening; but it is a law of human behaviour: you can be certain it will happen.

But that’s their loss, not mine, I hear you say. Wrong again. For you to perform well, you almost always will need (and want!) an audience. And having an audience that likes you is the first step in having a network that recommends you and endorses your work. Whether you are a musician, a politician, a business analyst or a hairdresser, your livelihood and success depends greatly on your own personal brand. And every time that you use sarcasm and turn someone else off, you are slowly eroding the value of your personal brand.

How to have a Good Sense of Humour and use it

We typically have not developed the skills to be funny; rely on its poor cousin (sarcasm) in an attempt to be liked; and instead cause great harm to our audience and ourselves. Do we really have any hope? The answer is a resounding Yes. You too can develop a good sense of humour and become a Super Star that people truly love by consciously and consistently applying the following principles:

1. Keep it balanced. The easiest way to instantaneously go from being someone with a good sense of humour to the class-clown is to joke all the time. Have you noticed just how many class-clowns become Super Stars? It happens, but not that often. Keep it in balance, and use your sense of humour sparingly. There is, after all, such a thing as ‘too much of a good thing’.
2. Focus on yourself. When you make fun of others, the joke really is on you: No one likes to be laughed at, and your attempt to make others smile will likely cause the opposite reaction. Start to develop your sense of humour by making fun of yourself; not only will you learn which jokes actually feel good to the person that is being made fun of, it will also make others around you feel that you too are human.
3. Learn to laugh yourself. Do you have an infectious laugh that is genuine and warm? If you don’t, it will be difficult for others to laugh with you. Don’t despair if you don’t; Remember: Practice makes Perfect. All you need to do is search your local newspaper for comedy festivals and stand-up comedy acts, and buy tickets to at least one show every week over the next month. By the end of it, you will have loosened up your funny muscles and be able to laugh in a more natural way (or at the very least, you will have had a great time!)

The art of putting on a good show: Bublé’s stand up musical comedy

So let’s take a look at how Michael Bublé used humour in an effective way to put his audience at ease. During the performance, Michael…

• …was happy to play the clown by allowing a fan to grab his ass after he offered a hug like a good gentleman
• … set up a small comic routine with one of his trombone players, where he stormed out of the stage; and his band member decided that since Michael was not going to sing any more, he would (hint: take a close look at the photograph at the top of this post; the person singing is not Bublé!)
• … finished this staged-impromptu act by pretending to play the trombone better than his band member (only to be ‘discovered’ when he took the trombone off his lips, and the sound continued – with a quick beam of light being directed to another trombone player who had been playing all along)
• … invited his audience to get “close and personal” and made fun of it by saying the security crew will love you for that!

In short, Michael Bublé played the clown a few times during his concert, sometimes whilst engaging the audience; other times whilst acknowledging his crew. Have you noticed how fluid Michael was in his execution of these techniques? He moved from one to the other; mixed them all up; and made it all look very natural. Yet I am sure there was a lot of thought and preparation behind it all. The good news is that you too can learn to do all this, and pretend to be a natural (who knows, with enough practice you may in fact become a natural at it!).

Stay tuned for the next article in the series, and you will learn the last technique that you can apply to transform your next performance from Good to Great: Thanking your audience.

Links to articles in the Michael Bublé series

• Introduction

1. Engage your audience
2. Appreciate your crew
3. Show you are human
4. Have a sense of humour (this article)
5. Thank your fans

Image: IMG_4844 courtesy of jeaneeem

If you’re new to this series, you may want to go to this article to learn how this all started. In this fourth article of a 6-part series, I will describe why it is important for Super Stars to behave like vulnerable human beings if they are to be truly loved by their audience; and will use a couple of examples from Michael Bublé’s concert on the 31 May, 2008 to illustrate how you can do it.

The shallow veneer of a Super Star’s mask

When we first come in contact with a Super Star, we put them in a pedestal. They are obviously gifted in some aspect of their lives, which is why they have become famous. Yet behind that perception of perfection is just another human being who, like us, has his strengths and weaknesses.

This shallow veneer of perfection is scratched on a daily basis, fuelled by a persistent itch on the part of print and TV media outlets. Look at any entertainment magazine or TV show, and you will find that a large proportion of the stories are devoted to exposing the trials and tribulations of our favourite stars.

When was the last time you criticized a competitor?

The urge to make us feel better by criticizing those around us who are successful is as old as humanity. Some call it envy; others jealousy. I call it confusion. We seem to believe that to feel better about ourselves, we ought to compare our lives to those of others, and prove that we are better off than them. But this approach is sadly misguided. It lacks heart and it lacks compassion. We diminish others when we downplay their achievements; and we hurt ourselves when we lower our expectations of what we can achieve. The easiest way to combat this malady is to swing the other way, and compliment those who have achieved excellence, whilst maintaining our aspirations for excellence.

Having the courage to expose yourself

As a Super star, you can take one of 2 paths: You can either ignore your weaknesses and flaunt your skills like as if you were perfect, or you can admit your own humanity to all by sharing your insecurities with your audience; remaining proud of your achievements whilst acknowledging those of others; and overcoming your fears by sharing your whole self with your audience. In another word, stop pretending to be Super-Human, and give a glimpse of your real self to your audience.

In the case of Michael Bublé and his concert in Sydney, he did this very effectively in 2 ways. First, he engaged his audience as ‘equals’, coming down to their level (in a physical sense – that is, coming down from the stage into the actual audience), and talking, shaking hands, and hugging others. Second, he shared some of his story towards the end of the concert, where he explained the background he comes from, some of the challenges he has faced in life, and showed his appreciation for the same difficulties that some of us would have gone through as well.

Coming next: Having a sense of humour (and knowing how to use it!)

By now you have learned three techniques on how to perform in front of an audience and be truly loved: We have explored how you can engage your audience; Appreciate your crew; and show you too are human. If you want to learn how to use your sense of humour and thank your audience, stay tuned for the last 2 articles in this series!

Links to articles in the Michael Bublé series

• Introduction

1. Engage your audience
2. Appreciate your crew
   
3. Show you are human (this article)
4. Have a sense of humour
5. Thank your fans

Image: IMG_4872 courtesy of jeaneeem

If you’re new to this series, you may want to go to this article to learn how this all started. In this third article of a 6-part series, I will describe in detail why appreciating your crew is an important part of being a super start that people love; and will use a couple of examples from Michael Bublé’s concert on the 31 May, 2008 to illustrate it.

The importance of your crew

Most rock concerts start with a supporting act that warms up the audience for the main act; Like an entree to a great meal, it opens up your taste buds for what comes next. Supporting acts create a win-win-win situation: The supporting artist wins by getting the exposure to thousands of fans, something they usually need as a rising star; The main artist wins by having the audience primed and ready for the main event, with energy levels on the rise; and the audience wins by learning about yet another artist that they probably had never heard of.

The main artist will know that the other band gets a lot of exposure from this opportunity; yet it is important for him to also recognise just how important the supporting act is. It would be easy to dismiss them as not that important; second rate; someone you are doing a favour for. Yet without this warm-up, the concert itself would be a far lesser experience for the audience, and ultimately, for the main artist himself.

The invisible crew

In addition to the supporting act, there is another crowd who deserves credit for a great show: I call them The invisible crew.They are the light & sound engineers; the ushers; the cleaners; the marketing department back at head office; and everyone else who put some effort behind the scenes to make it all happen. Sometimes even the musicians from the band on stage become invisible to us, because we came here to listen to the singer. Yet without all these people, the concert would be an impossibility. It is through the dedication and hard work of this crew that the great show we all enjoyed was possible.

Appreciating your crew: The art of saying “Thank You”

Even when the artist is fully aware of the importance of his crew, and truly appreciates their efforts, he sometimes fails at expressing his feelings. He is ‘The Star’ after all, isn’t he? Yet truly great artists make sure that their crew is not only visible to his audience, they make a point of saying Thank You in the most visible way. In the case of Michael Bublé, he ensured that each musician from his band was introduced to his audience, and given the opportunity to shine. How did he do this? By giving each musician a chance to have their own minute of fame whilst playing a difficult solo; or in some cases, by telling us a personal story about that band member. He also made sure that at the end of the show everyone knew how much he appreciated the work done by The invisible crew.

Saying Thank You can seem like a small thing to do, but it usually means a lot for those that spend their time in the shadow of a shining star. To be truly loved by your audience, you need to transform saying Thank You into an art itself. Here are a few ideas you too can use to take saying Thank You to the next level:

1. Make it personal. Whenever possible, use the name of the person you are thanking. John, your efforts in coordinating the light crew made all the difference tonight goes much further than Thank You for the great job done by the light crew.
2. Be specific. A specific example of how their work made it possible is better than a general statement.
3. Keep it short. Be careful that in making it personal and specific you don’t spend too much time actually saying Thank You. At the end of the day, your audience came to listen to your act, not to a long litany of ‘Thank You‘s to everyone who worked with you. (This is particularly true for wedding reception speeches!)
4. Stay real & be humble. A fake Thank You will be spotted by your audience in a split second. Stay true to your feelings and remain humble. You may be the shining star, but you would not be noticed if it wasn’t for the work that your crew put on for you.

Who is your supporting crew?

The advice above is totally obvious for artists who perform in public: musicians, actors, and dancers, to name a few. Yet the same advise applies to a diverse range of situations: That important presentation you will give to the company’s shareholders; The speech you will give at your sister’s wedding reception; That celebration back at the office after the successful closing of a sale. There will be plenty of opportunities instances when you will be performing for an audience. The problem is that we often fail to acknowledge them as performances, and therefore stumble through them without grace and poise. Now that you know, take some time to think it over: Who is your supporting crew? How do you owe part of your success to them? When and how should you share your appreciation, not only with them but also with your audience? I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below.

Stay tuned for the next article in the series, in which I will explore the third of these recommendations: Show you too are human.

Other articles in this series

• Introduction

1. Engage your audience
2. Appreciate your crew (this article)
3. Show you are human
4. Have a sense of humour
5. Thank your fans

Image: IMG_4979 courtesy of jeaneeem

If you’re new to this series, you may want to go to this article to learn how this all started. In this second article of a 6-part series, I will describe in detail why engaging your audience is an important part of being a super start that people love; and will use a couple of examples from Michael Bublé’s concert on the 31 May, 2008 to illustrate it.

Developing a strong relationship with your audience

It’s all about connections. Whether you’re a musician, actor, keynote speaker, or CEO, your public performances will grow from good to great when you reach out into the audience and truly connect with them. In the case of a musician like Michael, it’s not just about the emotive states that are created by the music and the lyrics;it is also about how much does he make you feel that you have in common with the performer on stage.

In the case of Michael, he engaged his audience in a very active way. He talked to us; got off the stage and walked around his fans; even allowed a lucky woman to hug him (who then proceeded to grab his ass!). On that night, Bublé displayed that rare ability to make us all feel as if we were with him in an intimate gathering at a small jazz club – despite the fact there were 10,000 of us in a crowded sports arena!

How to engage the hearts & minds of your audience

Remember that communications coach who told you that the first thing you need to do if you want to communicate better is to actively listen? That’s what engaging your audience is all about. The ‘listening‘ part comes in the form of gauging their interest and mood, and adjusting your style until you finally get the sense that they are truly connecting with you. The ‘active‘ part comes from the fact that you can’t just perform your act and expect that your audience will connect; you need to actively get Out There (capital letters) either physically, like Michael Bublé does; or figuratively, like Norah Jones does. Either way, you must actively seek to connect & engage with your audience’s deepest desires and dreams.

Below is a short video clip of Michael Bublé in his Sydney concert doing just what I described; Follow his example next time you have to perform in public, and you will be able to really engage your audience and capture their hearts & minds in the process.

Links to articles in the Michael Bublé series

• Introduction

1. Engage your audience (this article)
2. Appreciate your crew
   
3. Show you are human
4. Have a sense of humour
5. Thank your fans (coming up)

Image: IMG_4949 courtesy of jeaneeem

A quick glance at the cover of any girlie magazine will undoubtedly prove that as a society we have a love/hate relationship with our favourite stars. On the one hand, we admire those that have succeeded at making movies, the music business, and television. As our admiration grows, so does our constant scrutiny of their lives; it is as if we wanted to prove that there is something wrong with them. We simultaneously idolise them, yet yearn for proof that they too are human. The media is particularly nasty in their continuous efforts to put them in a pedestal, only to quickly follow with the order to Ready-Aim-Fire!

Today I am going to talk about a super star that I admire, and recently had the privilege of observing in action. His name is Michael Bublé. I will use my experience of his concert of the 31 May, 2008 in Sydney to describe 5 reasons why people love him. If you are considering a career in the arts, this article will give you a special insight into what it really takes to become a Super Star that people truly love!

If you hang around for the next 5 weeks, you will also get to see Michael in action, as I will continue this article with a series of weekly instalments during which I will describe in more detail each of the secrets Michael Bublé has used to be so famous. In each installment I will use a short video clip taken during the concert to show you by example how he personifies these behaviours every time he performs live. I encourage you to stick around; I know you’ll enjoy this journey.

31 May, 2008 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre: Michael Bublé Live

Let’s go back to how it all started. It was a rainy afternoon, and I was clearing an out-of-control desk. The biggest task was throwing a lot of unopened direct mail that I had received over the past few months. Suddenly, a strange force compelled me to open one of them. It was one of those pesky promotional emails from my credit card issuer, and as I was about to flick it with the rest, something caught the corner of my eye. There, in the middle of the page, was an invitation to pre-book tickets for Michael’s concert in Sydney for the 31st of May. I pulled out my wallet, went to the the appropriate web site, and bought the tickets online. When the tickets arrived a few weeks later, I carefully placed them in a safe location, and very quickly forgot about them.

Months went past. Then last Monday’s morning I remembered about the tickets. As I got ready to wash the dishes after having breakfast with my family, fear crept into my mind: The concert was this Saturday, and I hadn’t organised for a baby sitter yet! A few phone calls later the problem was solved and I once again had peace of mind.

Saturday arrived. My wife and I got all dressed up with somewhere very special to go, and left. We arrived at Sydney’s Entertainment centre early, where there was already a significant crowd gathered at the arena. A young singer was gathering a small crowd in one of the corners of the waiting area; while we watched him sing, we bumped into one of my good friends from work. We loitered for another 20 minutes or so, when we decided to go in, sit down, and watch the show begin.

Two and a half hours later, my wife and I left the show with a deep respect for Michael Bublé. During our drive home we talked about the things that make him unique . As I went to bed that night, I dreamt of his music and the concert. I also dreamt of writing this article, and of the video I would later put together that would show the things we admired about him as a performer. At that moment, the fate of this article was sealed.

How to be a super star that people truly love

There were five characteristics of Michael that make him unique and very lovable. If you’re an aspiring star, here are five things you can learn from him to be the type of super star that people truly love:

1. Engage your audience
2. Appreciate the artists from your band and supporting act by acknowledging in public their unique contribution
3. Show you too are human
4. Have a sense of humour and use it – have some fun while you’re in that stage!
5. Be thankful to your fans

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Yet like many things in life, you can approach these recommendations as something that needs to be done, and do them only half-heartedly; or as something you really want to do, and excel at them. Unless you pour your heart into it, your inner artist will not shine strongly across the stage and into your audience’s hearts.

Stay tuned for the next article in the series, in which I will explore the first of these recommendations: Engage your audience.

Links to articles in the Michael Bublé series

• Introduction (this article)

1. Engage your audience
2. Appreciate your crew
   
3. Show you are human
4. Have a sense of humour
5. Thank your fans (coming up)