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In this episode of the Flourish Feed podcast, Gillian Stovel Rivers interviews Adam Lazarus, a theater maker and master coach, about the art of communication and the nature of attention. Adam shares insights from his diverse career, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, connection, and the balance between grabbing and earning attention. He discusses the role of pleasure and conviction in leadership, the impact of verbal, vocal, and nonverbal communication, and the significance of empathy in crisis situations. The conversation also touches on teaching principles for engaging audiences and finding moments of bliss in daily life.

Takeaways
🪙Attention is a finite currency that we must earn.
🎭Authenticity is crucial in communication.
🪙The impact of communication is 7% verbal, 38% vocal, and 55% nonverbal.
🎭Embrace failure as a part of the learning process.
🪙Pleasure in what you do translates to better communication.
🎭Effective leaders create a sense of safety and connection.
🪙Understanding your audience is key to effective communication.
🎭Empathy is essential in crisis communication.
🪙Awareness of communication barriers can enhance connection.
🎭Finding joy in everyday moments fosters better relationships.
Quotes

• “Attention is this very finite aspect that we have in our lives. If we’re trying to get it from other people, then we should care about what we’re talking about and really authentically try to connect.”
• “I feel like I am in service of every room that I walk into. Whether it’s to help by entertaining, by offering skills, or helping someone overcome nerves—I’m here to help.”
• “Sometimes we need to grab attention just to wake people up. But earning attention means creating authentic connection based on the people in the room.”
• “I always want to see the actor beneath the character. Just as in leadership, I want to see the human beneath the title.”
• “Verbal communication is only 7% of your impact. The other 93% is how you sound and how you show up.”
• “You don’t get stronger by reading about getting stronger. You have to hit the gym. It’s the same with communication.”
• “If your key message is ‘I want them to think I know what I’m talking about,’ that’s about you. The real question is: how do you want your audience to feel?”
• “Don’t put on the mask of ‘CEO voice.’ If I see you engaging with your own material with pleasure and belief, then we’re onto something.”
• “If Mr. Flop shows up, thank him. Something’s happening in the room. Change your pace, your energy, your attitude—but don’t panic.”
• “Today I was good. Tomorrow I hope to go on. Today I was bad. Tomorrow I hope to go on.”

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Adam Lazarus
01:54 The Nature of Attention
09:36 Grabbing vs. Earning Attention
13:11 The Art of Authentic Communication
15:55 The Impact of Verbal, Vocal, and Nonverbal Communication
19:20 Overcoming Communication Barriers
21:51 The Importance of Engagement in Communication
27:13 Building Trust Through Communication
32:38 Teaching Connection and Attention to the Next Generation
37:20 Embracing Failure and Learning from Mistakes
42:43 Finding Bliss in Everyday Moments
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