I went to see Keane play in Nottingham at the weekend. I’m not a lifelong fan of the band but, as the evening went along, I found myself on my feet clapping, dancing and singing along. It was not simply that the group has excellent musicians and a strong songs — what turned the evening from an enjoyable concert to a
memorable event was the role played by lead singer, Tom Chaplin.
From the start Chaplin came centre stage, stood tall and sang with real emotion. Arms outstretched, covering the whole of the stage and diving into the crowd he immediately got us all involved, engaged and on our feet. Between songs he made some brief but personal comments that carried a high level of integrity and even humility.
The crowd’s response was to go from being warmly enthusiastic to something closer to ecstasy. Of course everyone wanted to have a good time — they hadn’t paid for the tickets or travelled through the snow to be bored.
But it took Chaplin to unlock the crowd’s energy and create a level of euphoria. When the bass player tried to strut across the stage and come out on the walkway into the crowd the response was muted.
The difference between Chaplin and the bass player was body language. He used open hand and arm gestures and was positive to the point of theatricality. He gave the impression that he really believed in the songs, that the crowd’s involvement genuinely mattered to him and that he didn’t want to be anywhere else.
The bass player’s body language was more hesitant and more defensive. He lacked the energy and positive “shape” of Chaplin and the crowd reacted to it. He may have held the same beliefs as Chaplin, but he seemed unable to take the risk to show it.
In work we all have potential fans — co-workers, staff and customers — who want to hear what we have to say and are who are looking for ways to get engaged and involved. When you’re working with your teams, what does your body language tell them about how you feel about your work — your tone of voice, how you stand or sit, your hands and how much you maintain eye contact? Does it unlock their energy, enthusiasm and commitment?
