--- title: Cranfield Executive Development Blog | Dr Diana Theodores description: "Diana Theodores is an Associate at The Praxis Centre for Leadership Development, Cranfield School of Management. She is a joint Programme Director for the Beyond Presentations: Speaking to Inspire and Impact and Influence open programmes and is also a Visiting Faculty in Leadership Development at Cranfield’s Centre for Customised Executive Development. Diana is an international performance coach, executive educator and facilitator specialising in Communications and Leadership Presence. She is a Senior Consultant at the Banff Centre in Canada and the Center for Talent Innovation in New York. Applying her years of experience in professional theatre Diana promotes the principles of ‘great performance’ on the world stage for business leaders, teams and individuals. Her dynamic approach to coaching offers an irresistible invitation for people to connect with their unique force and capacity to step into a ‘bigger self’ and put their leadership learning into action. Diana has lived and worked in many countries and cultures, her diverse board level clientele are from industries in oil, banking, insurance, media, engineering, technology, legal, sports and automotive. A native of New York and resident of London, UK Diana has over 25 years’ experience in the performing arts, university teaching, research, performance coaching and executive education. She holds a Ph.D., Trinity College, Dublin, an MFA, York University, Toronto a BA, Bennington, College, Vermont, USA and is a certified Coach from the NLP and Coaching Institute of California." --- [![Marques-SoM](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Marques-SoM.png?width=85&name=Marques-SoM.png)](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som)   - [Home](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge) - Featured - [CEO Summit](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/ceo-summit-2021) - Categories - [Changing World of Work](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/changing-world-of-work) - [Digital Transformation](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/digital-transformation) - [Economics](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/economics) - [Entrepreneurship](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/entrepreneurship) - [Finance and Accounting](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/finance-and-accounting) - [Implementation](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/implementation) - [Leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/leadership) - [Logistics and Supply Chain](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/logistics-and-supply-chain) - [Organisational Behaviour](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/topic/organisational-behaviour) - [Organisational Resilience](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/topic/organisational-resilience) - [Strategic Marketing and Sales](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/strategic-marketing-and-sales) - [Strategy](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/strategy) - [Sustainability](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/sustainability) - [Executive Development](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/executive-development) - Content - [Articles](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/article) - [Whitepapers](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/whitepaper) - [eBooks](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/ebook) - [Podcasts](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/podcast) - [Webinars](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/webinar) - [Videos](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge/tag/video) - Programmes - [Open Programmes ↗](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/open-executive-programmes) - [Customised Programmes ↗](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/executive-development/consultancy-and-custom-solutions) - [MBA Programmes ↗](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/cranfield-mba-programmes) - [Master's Apprenticeships ↗](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/management-and-leadership-masterships) - [The Blog](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev) ### Subscribe to our blog for exclusive insights. # The Blog ## Actionable insights from across the Cranfield network [![BECOME A MEMBER](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/417879/b9b69d4d-7ced-4ee8-bd11-b66d3bd4d1b7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/417879/b9b69d4d-7ced-4ee8-bd11-b66d3bd4d1b7) - [Recent Posts](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev) - [Leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/leadership#topic) - [Small business](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/small-business#topic) - [Skills](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/skills#topic) - [Reflections](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/reflections#topic) - [Mentoring](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/mentoring#topic) - [Coaching](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/coaching#topic) - [Impact](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/impact#topic) - [Influence](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/influence#topic) - [Management](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/management#topic) - [Conversations](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/conversations#topic) - [Talent](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/talent#topic) - [Career](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/career#topic) - [Back to Knowledge hub](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/knowledge#topic) ![From theatre director to the corporate world – business lessons from the stage](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/IAI_Blog_Image_DT.jpg) ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Diana%20Theodores.png) By [Dr Diana Theodores](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/author/dr-diana-theodores) ## [From theatre director to the corporate world – business lessons from the stage](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/from-theatre-director-to-the-corporate-world-business-lessons-from-the-stage) **Great performances make me want to jump from my seat and applaud. They make me feel more awake, more passionate, more motivated,...** *( read )* Tags: [leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/leadership), [influence](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/influence), [impact](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/impact), ![Key Practices of Presence](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Why-The-Art-of-Being-Present-Matters.jpg) ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Diana%20Theodores.png) By [Dr Diana Theodores](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/author/dr-diana-theodores) ## [Key Practices of Presence](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/https/blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/key-practices-of-presence) **Presence is about being present** *( read )* Tags: [leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/leadership), [featured leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-leadership), [featured sidebar all](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-sidebar-all), ![The Challenge of Business is the Business of Theatre](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/PTFL_People_on_programme.jpg) ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Diana%20Theodores.png) By [Dr Diana Theodores](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/author/dr-diana-theodores) ## [The Challenge of Business is the Business of Theatre](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/the-business-of-theatre) The pioneering management guru Charles Handy once said “If you want to be successful in business think theatre.” Enter Theatre 4... *( read )* Tags: [Cranfield School of Management](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/cranfield-school-of-management), [featured learning](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-learning), [featured leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-leadership), ![To Inspire and Influence Think Perform, not Inform](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/ED%20Blog/ED%20Images/OEP/Praxis/IMG_2838.jpg) ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Diana%20Theodores.png) By [Dr Diana Theodores](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/author/dr-diana-theodores) ## [To Inspire and Influence Think Perform, not Inform](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/speak-to-inspire-think-perform-not-inform) **If you want to inspire and influence people then take a tip from the pioneering management guru Charles Handy who once said,** ***...*** *( read )* Tags: [leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/leadership), [featured leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-leadership), [featured sidebar all](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-sidebar-all), ## Talk to us about your world Call us on [+44 (0)1234 754500](tel:+441234754500) [Talk to us ↗](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/executive-development/contact-us) [![cranfieldexecutivedevelopmentlogo](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/cranfieldexecutivedevelopmentlogo.png?width=300&name=cranfieldexecutivedevelopmentlogo.png)](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/executive-development)   - - - - - - © Cranfield Management Development Ltd - **[execdev@cranfield.ac.uk](mailto:execdev@cranfield.ac.uk)  ·  [+44 (0)1234 754500](tel:+44%20(0)%201234%20754500)**  ·  [Privacy Policy](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "contentUrl" : "https://417879.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/417879/Knowledge%20Hub%20%2B%20Blog/CED_KH_v6.mp4", "dateModified" : "2023-05-12T11:14:23.676Z", "description" : "", "duration" : "PT1M13S", "height" : 1080, "name" : "CED_KH_v6", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Knowledge%20Hub%20%2B%20Blog/CED_KH_v6.mp4/medium.jpg", "uploadDate" : "2021-07-08T10:07:25.171Z", "width" : 1920 } ```