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Acting Skills for Business Communication and Leadership

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Acting Skills for Business Communication and Leadership

Instructor: Lauren Sage Browning

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Physical Presence: Identify and release tension to develop kinesthetic awareness and reclaim a grounded, natural presence in professional settings.
Vocal Authority: Optimize breath support and tonal range to enhance vocal resonance, ensuring maximum rhetorical impact and clarity.
Professional Intentionality: Use actor-based imaginative preparation to shift from self-consciousness to goal-oriented action in business.
Relational Communication: Master real-time responsiveness and read non-verbal cues through active listening and empathetic curiosity.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

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Add to your LinkedIn profile

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Learn more about Coursera for Business

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There are 4 modules in this course

This course establishes a foundation in practical acting techniques designed to enhance communication efficacy and confidence within professional and global business environments. By utilizing physical, vocal, and imaginative exercises from professional actor training, the curriculum provides a structured approach to managing the "performance" aspects of leadership and professional engagement.

This module focuses on the physical mechanics of professional presence. Participants explore actor-based alignment and relaxation techniques to manage physical tension and project confidence. The curriculum establishes a foundation for using the body as a primary tool for authoritative communication in high-stakes business environments.

What's included

4 videos8 readings4 assignments

4 videos Total 8 minutes

Introduction To Acting As Practical Psychology 2 minutes
Empathy 1 minute
Summary: Is Your Workplace Communication Style as Effective as it Could Be? 3 minutes
Critique Technique 2 minutes

8 readings Total 41 minutes

What to Expect 2 minutes
About CalArts 5 minutes
Acting Terminology 2 minutes
Activity: Reflection 5 minutes
Engaging in Empathetic Curiosity 5 minutes
Activity: Imagining Someone Else’s Experience 15 minutes
Replacing Value Judgements with Observations 2 minutes
Activity: Effective feedback for subjective work 5 minutes

4 assignments Total 34 minutes

Defining your ‘Leader Self’ 20 minutes
Quiz Yourself: Acting Terms 5 minutes
Quiz Yourself: Engaging Empathy in Business Practices 2 minutes
Quiz Yourself: Subjective or Objective? 7 minutes

This section applies the "Objective and Action" framework of professional acting to business strategy. Participants learn to utilize imaginative preparation to define clear intentions for meetings and presentations. By shifting focus from self-consciousness to goal-oriented action, learners improve their ability to drive specific outcomes in professional interactions.

What's included

8 videos9 readings2 assignments

8 videos Total 25 minutes

Objectives 2 minutes
Performance by August Gray Gall 3 minutes
Performance by Symone Holmes 4 minutes
Tactics 1 minute
Interview With Dr. Cindy Molloy (Part 1) 7 minutes
Interview With Dr. Cindy Molloy (Part 2) 3 minutes
Interview With Dr. Cindy Molloy (Part 3) 4 minutes
Obstacles 1 minute

9 readings Total 61 minutes

Introduction: Guest Actor Performance by August Gray Gall 1 minute
Analysis of Performance by August Gray Gall 10 minutes
Excerpt from “Audition" by Michael Shurtleff 20 minutes
Guest Actor Performance by Symone Holmes 1 minute
Analysis of Performance by Symone Holmes 10 minutes
Tactics as Verbs 2 minutes
Introduction: Guest Interview With Dr. Cindy Molloy 2 minutes
Anticipating Obstacles to Your Business Goal 10 minutes
Review: Tactics + Objectives 5 minutes

2 assignments Total 25 minutes

Test Yourself: Tactics + Objectives 15 minutes
Activity: Setting a Business Goal 10 minutes

An investigation into the mechanics of the human voice, focusing on breath support, projection, and articulation. Learners apply vocal exercises to enhance clarity and tonal variety, ensuring their spoken communication is both audible and persuasive. This section bridges the gap between technical vocal health and professional rhetorical influence.

What's included

11 videos4 readings3 assignments

11 videos Total 30 minutes

Breathing Exercises 4 minutes
Summary: The Breathing Technique that Can Make You a Better Leader 1 minute
Body Posture 4 minutes
Physical Postures for Stress Relief and Improved Communication 4 minutes
Summary: Effective Communication in the Workplace - Navigating the Nuances of Language 1 minute
Active Listening 1 minute
The Intent to Understand 1 minute
Performance by Fiona Rose Dryer 1 minute
Interview with Hannah Keeney (Part 1) 3 minutes
Interview with Hannah Keeney (Part 2) 4 minutes
Interview with Hannah Keeney (Part 3) 5 minutes

4 readings Total 22 minutes

Activity: Set an Exercise Schedule 5 minutes
Nuance of Language 1 minute
Excerpt from CYRANO DE BERGERAC 15 minutes
Introduction: Guest Interview with Hannah Keeney 1 minute

3 assignments Total 21 minutes

Test Yourself: Breath Placement 10 minutes
Test Yourself: Mirroring Exercise 10 minutes
Quiz Yourself: Listening and Understanding 1 minute

A deep dive into active listening and the relational nature of communication. This module utilizes improvisation-based exercises to cultivate "empathetic curiosity" and responsiveness. Learners develop the ability to read non-verbal cues and adapt their communication style in real-time to build stronger professional partnerships.

What's included

5 videos6 readings3 assignments

5 videos Total 7 minutes

Preparing for Risk 1 minute
Hold on Tightly, Let Go Lightly 1 minute
Yes, and 2 minutes
Summary: What Improv Can Teach Next-Gen Leaders 2 minutes
Action! 1 minute

6 readings Total 53 minutes

Fail and Share 5 minutes
Team Success 5 minutes
Relaxed Confidence 5 minutes
Respect for Acting 15 minutes
Supplemental Activity: Perform a Monologue 20 minutes
Course Summary 3 minutes

3 assignments Total 47 minutes

Test Yourself: Preparing for a Presentation or Pitch 30 minutes
Quiz: "Fail and Share" or "Hold on Tightly, Let Go Lightly?" 2 minutes
Quiz Yourself: 'Yes, and...' Improv 15 minutes

Instructor

Lauren Sage Browning

1 Course 849 learners

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

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Frequently asked questions

While traditional classes focus on theater craft and character performance for the stage, this course adapts professional actor training into a toolkit for the workplace. The emphasis is on "Performance Psychology"—using physical, vocal, and imaginative exercises to build a "Leader Self" rather than a fictional character.

Yes. This program is specifically designed for professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders who may never step on a stage but must "perform" in high-stakes meetings, presentations, and interviews. It translates creative techniques into actionable soft skills like executive presence and empathetic listening.

Most public speaking courses focus on rhetoric and slide decks. This course focuses on the "Instrument"—your body and voice. By mastering breath, alignment, and emotional intelligence, you develop the ability to adapt your communication style in real-time, which is essential for leadership and interpersonal influence.

The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a world-renowned laboratory for the performing arts, founded by Walt Disney to foster a "total arts" environment where creativity and technical mastery intersect. While a traditional business school teaches the theory of management, the CalArts pedagogy in this course focuses on the "mechanics" of human connection. By studying leadership through this professional acting lens, you aren't just learning "public speaking tips"—you are training your "instrument" (voice, body, and presence) to command a room, navigate high-stakes conflict, and lead with the same authenticity and psychological depth required for a professional stage performance.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.