EdX

Just Be Yourself: The Art of Acting in the Workplace (edX)

Just Be Yourself: The Art of Acting in the Workplace (edX)

This course will help to channel the best version of yourself for the various settings you encounter in the workplace environment while ensuring that you are always being true to your authentic self. You’ve heard it many times before: you have a nerve wracking presentation coming up, and a well-meaning friend tells you you’ll be fine as long as you “just be yourself.” The advice might overwhelm and confuse you, causing you to deliver a tense, awkward performance during which you feel anything but yourself.

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The truth is that we play many honest versions of ourselves, and we need training to figure out how to best adapt to the most effective version for the moment. After all, who we are as a friend is very different from who we are as a parent. Who we are as an individual contributor is very different from who we are as a manager or leader.
With its focus on finding authenticity in any number of roles, the craft of acting provides the techniques you need to “just be yourself.” This course will examine a variety of in-person and remote settings, giving you essential training as you strive to be your most authentic self regardless of the environment. As opposed to a college Acting I class, which studies how to be other people, think of this course as an Acting 0, where the ultimate goal is to figure out how to genuinely play yourself.
This course is part of the The Authentic Human in the Global Workplace Professional Certificate.

What you'll learn

  • Gain practical application of workplace conversation techniques through the lens of unscripted roundtable discussions with a diverse group of leaders.
  • View unscripted sessions of students discussing the various elements of workplace communication to gain valuable insights from their diverse perspectives.
  • Acquire the tools necessary to rally the support of teammates, especially those who don’t report directly to you, for new initiatives or projects.
  • Be prepared for a variety of interactions with colleagues, clients, partners and leaders.
  • Identify how you “perform” based on audience, status, confidence, and setting, embracing which role to play and when.
  • Practice new techniques tailored for live, in-person settings, such as board rooms, one-on-one meetings, and larger gathering spaces.
  • Practice new techniques tailored for virtual, remote platforms, both live and pre-recorded.
  • With a deeper understanding of and confidence in yourself, you will be able to speak up more in meetings, share your unique ideas, and act with integrity in challenging situations.
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