So what is the connection? American Idol kicked off its 5^th season tonight, and I’ve been thinking - why has it become part of the culture?

It’s all about presentation, and there’s much we can apply:

Drama

Conflict

Talent

Humor

Personality

Why don’t we think of those things when we “present” in business? It might serve us well. Some examples among many …

• Drama – We’re never sure who is going to get picked, even as awful as some of the tryouts are. The last guy got picked when he was gangly, always oddly moving, no voice, barefoot and basically weird. But certainly different. Maybe Paula wanted some variety in Hollywood. Audiences like drama – it is deadly to be boring.
• Conflict – Simon Cowell is Mr. Conflict (and Mr. Rude too.) Yet we always want to know what he’s going to say next. And he conflicts with the other judges too. Think of what Pat Lencioni so aptly says in his “Death By Meeting.” No one likes to sit through a 2 hour meeting because they are so boring, and so often pointless. But we’ll sit through a two hour movie because of the conflict that is always there. It involves us. So add constructive conflict to meetings, says Pat. And it can be added to presentations. Set ‘em up and knock ‘em down. They do it in American Idol.
• Talent – Some really had talent, and you knew it right away. But gosh, I could sing better than some of those contestants (I think.) But to spend all that energy, standing in the rain for three days in Chicago to get a chance to audition – and then they weren’t prepared. Forgot their lines. Look like they never rehearsed in some cases. Too many like to wing it in business – better to be prepared and then be spontaneous. Practice, practice, practice. Then we can allow the muse to come in.
• Humor – we laugh during the show (and it’s two hours!). We laugh with, and at, and in spite of not wanting to – but how often do we laugh in business. Think funny. With a mindset of a light touch, spontaneous humor and smiles will come much more readily. A listener is open to a speaker who is open, not serious and grim. People buy ideas on emotion, and justify with fact – humor and humanization is the way to the heart. And a few contestants who kidded, who had a light touch, and who even teased the judges tended to get a yes vote (even the gangly guy!)
• Personality – it’s really the American Idol experience. The music, Simon Cowell, real talent, real bombs, surprises, suspense, and finally in the voting – involvement. Over one billion votes have been cast in American Idol, can’t we at least find a few ways to involve our audiences? I think so. And we can also look to create our own experience wherever we are – in any presentation, at a meeting, during a meal, in a conversation. Personality is made up of many things, but it is consistent and intentional. Just like American Idol.