--- title: The Challenge of Business is the Business of Theatre description: Great performers inspire us because they practice and prepare. They do this so that they can perform at their best in the moment. This blog by Dr Diana Theodores at Cranfield School of Management explains what you can learn on our Impact and Influence Programme image: https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/PTFL_People_on_programme.jpg --- [![Marques-SoM](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/CGMD%20Blog/Images/CGMD%20Images/Logos/Marques-SoM.png?width=1&name=Marques-SoM.png)](http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som) [![Marques-SoM](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Marques-SoM.png?width=85&name=Marques-SoM.png)](http://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) [![JOIN THE KNOWLEDGE HUB](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/b9b69d4d-7ced-4ee8-bd11-b66d3bd4d1b7.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/b9b69d4d-7ced-4ee8-bd11-b66d3bd4d1b7) ### Subscribe you blog for exclusive insights. ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/PTFL_People_on_programme.jpg) read # The Challenge of Business is the Business of Theatre By Dr Diana Theodores ![PTFL\_People\_on\_programme](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/PTFL_People_on_programme.jpg?width=615&name=PTFL_People_on_programme.jpg)The pioneering management guru Charles Handy once said “If you want to be successful in business think theatre.” Enter Theatre 4 Business… The driving passion behind my work and brand is the evidence-based belief that the world of theatre offers elegant and critical lessons for business leaders, teams and organisations for radically improving performance. What are these lessons? There are many but today we’ll start with communication. Great performers inspire us because they practice and prepare. They do this so that they can perform at their best in the moment. Great performers want to be with their audience, making something happen, something of value and meaning. They connect to their words with their voice, body, belief, energy and commitment. They care about communicating. When you care about communication great things can happen: - That’s when you connect with your customers and build relationships more effectively - That’s when your team feels motivated and empowered - That’s when those talented women in the organisation’s pipeline raise their visibility - That’s when you can climb out of your default zone and recharge your presentations when they’ve become “stale, flat and unprofitable” - That’s when you can go off script and think on your feet with flair - That’s when you and your team can unlock more creativity, recharge the vision and reinvest in the messages. - That’s when you and all your stakeholders are seen, heard and valued and can play your fullest part in the bigger story. ## Find out more information on Cranfield's Impact & Influence programme. [![Download a course brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/7a76fb20-7a7a-483b-b254-9fb7789c2b65.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/7a76fb20-7a7a-483b-b254-9fb7789c2b65) 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), [learning](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/learning), [featured sidebar leadership](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-sidebar-leadership), [featured sidebar all](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-sidebar-all), [praxis centre for leadership development](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/praxis-centre-for-leadership-development), [featured sidebar learning](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-sidebar-learning), [featured all](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/featured-all), [exec-feature](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/exec-feature), [influence](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/influence), [impact](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/impact), [executive development](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/executive-development), [influence management](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/execdev/topic/influence-management) ### Related Articles ## 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