Being unscripted is a good thing
I have two stories for you.
My first story is about Madam Secretary.
My first encounter with the drama series, Madam Secretary, was many years ago. It painted the nuances of decision-making and diplomacy in some of the highest offices. I became a fan. The only other series I love more is Big Bang Theory. And that's a story for another day.
Some of my most memorable scenes from Madam Secretary were scenes where Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) gave interesting speeches. What made those speeches interesting also made her team uneasy, made Russell (Željko Ivanek) rage in agony, made Henry (Tim Daly) proud of her, and made her satisfied that she did the right thing. In each of those speeches, she went off-script to say something worth saying - even if it cost her her job.
And it worked! Her unscripted remarks birthed an international collaboration against terrorism. It kept initiatives to support girls’ education alive. It did so much good to the world - as Barbara Hall portrayed in the series.
Each unscripted remark connected with the listener in endearing and authentic ways. It gave rise to better decisions for public good.
The second story is about a 61-year-old speech.
Coach George Raveling has had the paper-copy of the speech in his possession since he was 26 years old. With edits hand-written on this copy, it is one of the most remarkable speeches in history. It was handed over to him in 1963 by Martin Luther King Jnr. minutes after delivering the now-famous ‘I have a dream’ speech.
Those who witnessed that speech have shared about how Martin was reading out the electric speech he had worked on all night long.
Unprepared for what was to come, the gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson shouted at him, "tell 'em about the dream, Martin!". That prompt resulted in one of the most remarkable series of unscripted words in US history.
We don't need a speech to be unscripted. We can, in our daily conversations. People can feel it when you bring a script to the conversation. You sure do when others have a script, don't you?
Some of the most authentic and vulnerable conversations I have had happened when neither of us had a script to perform. We were willing to be unscripted. And connect with our hearts.
This is not an excuse to approach conversations unprepared. We can be prepared and still be unscripted.
Being unscripted implies that you speak from your heart. That you are willing to allow the conversation to flow like a river. Like water carving its path as it respects the container.
And like a dance.
A dance where you can bring your truest best self forward. A dance without pretense. Without trying to be politically correct. A dance without lies.
In a world of scripted performances, be unscripted.