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The Magic Behind Success: What Can Business Leaders Learn from Magicians Regarding Creativity and Communication?

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The Magic Behind Success: What Can Business Leaders Learn from Magicians Regarding Creativity and Communication? BY John Duke Logan ADVISOR • Michael Roberto _________________________________________________________________________________________ Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation with honors in the Bryant University Honors Program APRIL 2016 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan Table of Contents Abstract…………………………..……………………..…………………………..…6 Introduction ...……………………………………………….…………………...…..7 The Importance of This Research …………………………………................10 Credentials……………………………………….……...…………………….11 Disclaimer About the Following Research. ………………........………….....13 Method for Collecting Data ...…………. …………………….………….,………. 14 The Importance of Innovation ...…………..………………………………………17 Innovation Within the Magic Industry ...…………………….……...………...….19 Background: The History and Taxonomy of Magic………………….............19 Principles of Magic…………………….........……………………......20 Trick Classifications…..…………………..........……………….…….21 The Importance of Innovation within the Magic Industry................................30 How Psychology Helps with Magic Innovation…………………....... 31 Notable Creative Magicians Throughout History………….……....... 32 Creative Television Tactics to Enhance Transparency with Non-Magicians...38 The Importance of Communication ...………………………….………...……… 43 Verbal v. Non-Verbal Communication....…………...…………...…….......... 43 Non-Verbal Communication: How You Speak ………………............ 44 2 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan Non-Verbal Communication: Body Language…………..................... 44 Breakthroughs in Communication …………….........……………...... 48 The Shift of Communication in Modern Business …….....……………......... 49 Challenges in Communication for the Modern Business World ..........51 Communication in Magic …………….…….……………………………………... 52 How Magicians Take Advantage of Communication as a Process………......53 Physical and Psychological Noise ………………...……….……….. 54 How New Communication Methods Impact Magicians……………...…….. 55 The Importance of Communication Within the Magic Industry ………...…..57 Creating a False Reality Using Communication Strategies...……......57 Misdirection and Attention Control……………...…………………...58 The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey……………………......…...…….….….60 Creativity for Both Magicians and Business Leaders………………...………60 Creator v. Performer …………………………...……………………………..63 The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey: Stage 1: Brainstorming…...….....…..65 The Importance of Brainstorming……………………..…………………..….65 Brainstorming Strategies……………...…...…….……….....…...…….…...…66 Create a Think Tank……………...…...…….……………...….…...…66 Opposite Object……………...…...…….……………..............…...….67 Talk to Other Industries and Have Other Interests…….......………....69 3 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan Do Not Overthink………………………………………………….….72 Ask Questions…………………………………………..………….….73 Look for Alternatives, Not the Correct Answer…….…..………….….74 The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey: Stage 2: Prototype Generation.….....75 The Importance of Prototype Generation……...….....................……….….…75 Prototype Generation Strategies……………...….........……...…...…….….…75 Product Placement……………...…...…….…………..…..….….…...75 Create a Lifestyle……………...…...…….……………...…......…......76 It’s All About Them……………...…...…….……………...…...…......77 Tell a Story.……………………...…...…….……………...…..….…...79 Build a Brand Around Your Strengths........……………...…..….…....82 The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey: Stage 3: Communication…………....83 The Importance of Communication……………………………...………..….83 Verbal Communication Strategies……………...….........…….…....……...…85 Learn How to Improvise……………...…...………….…..…...….…...83 Do Not Memorize……………...…...…….………....…....…………...86 Let the Audience Connect the Dots......…….……………...…….........88 Non Verbal Communication Strategies……………...….....….…...…...….….89 Act Confident, Feel Powerful……………...…...……...…..….….…...89 Be Aware of Your Facial Expressions…………...…...…..….….….....92 4 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan Eye Movement Can Control Attention……………...…...…..…..…....93 Learn How to Fluctuate……………...…...…..……………....……....94 The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey: Stage 4: Feedback….………………..96 The Importance of Feedback………………………………………………….96 Feedback Strategies……………………………………………………….......96 Non-Verbal Should Match Verbal………………………………….....96 Listen to Your Audience……………………...………...…………..…98 The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey: Stage 5: Brainstorming: Tweaking...99 The Importance of Tweaking……………...………………………………….99 Tweaking Strategies……………………………………...….…….……......100 Change One Word/Thing………………………………….....….......100 Summary of The Magician – Entrepreneurial Journey……………………........104 Other Business Applications……………………………………………………....105 Value is Positively Related to Likeability………………………...…105 Pick Your Market Carefully………………………………...……….106 Simplify……………………………………………...………………108 Future Directions for Research ……………………………………..……...….....109 Closing Remarks…………………………………..…...……………………..........110 References and Appendix …………………………………...……………….........111 5 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan ABSTRACT The following research demonstrates the connection between the art of magic and the world of business. More specifically, it explores the overlap between the innovation and communication techniques magicians use when creating new ideas, developing a routine, performing, and a parallel comparison on what it takes to run a successful business. The capstone will first look at what the "magician" is including the types of tricks they perform. It will then analyze the entrepreneurial magicians and their creative process behind developing new routines. Finally, it will examine the verbal and non-verbal communication techniques magicians use to connect with their audience members when performing. In the end, readers will learn that even though sleight of hand is an important factor in becoming a magician, creative thinking and effective communication strategies are more important in order to have the greatest impact on your audience and have a successful show – or in an entrepreneur’s case, a successful business. 6 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan INTRODUCTION “We often forget that all of these performers, no matter what their specialty, must have at least two things in common if they want to be good magicians and sensible artists. First, they must posses the ability to create an atmosphere of the incredible, performing seemingly impossible effects; and second, they must be able to communicate to the their audiences.” – Juan Tamariz, The Five Points in Magic Imagine yourself as an entrepreneur. You want to create the new product or service that will be the “next big thing.” You want to create the new product or service that will help people with their day-to-day lives. You want to create the new product or service that will change the world. But you don’t know where to begin. You can’t seem to think of something that has already been invented. You can’t seem to think of a problem you want to solve. You can’t seem to wrap your mind around a solid idea. In other words, you’re stuck in the “entrepreneurial block” and don’t know how to get out. Have you ever thought about talking to a magician? Think back to a time when you were amazed by a magic trick and try to answer the following three questions: (1) Do you remember how the trick made you feel? (2) Do you remember what the trick was? (3) Do you remember the magician’s name? Most likely, your memory became more vague from the first question to the third question. Why does this occur? Even though sleight of hand manipulation and misdirection may be important characteristics to achieve the “trick”, what is more important is how magicians connect with people and bring them together. Creativity and presentation are critical elements for a magician to effectively communicate with audience members, regardless if a performer is an expert in sleight of hand. 7 The Magic Behind Success Senior Capstone Project for John Duke Logan There are two main strategies magicians use that help them create a certain perspective so their audience wants to see more: (1) They are constantly thinking of new and innovative ways to show their audience tricks the spectators have never seen before and; (2) They use effective verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to make these tricks the best they can be. The way a magician’s mind works is unique and creative. Magicians are constantly looking for different and new ways to solve problems and always want to leave a lasting impression for their audience. Magic is not just a performing art - it’s a tool that can bring people together (who probably have never met before) to create a sense of excitement, wonder, and curiosity about what is possible and impossible in this world. And that is exactly what business leaders and successful businesses should do as well. “Thinking out of the box” is a phrase people hear all the time in order to generate new ideas. But how does a person “think outside the box?” How do you get out of the box? Where do you go? How do you get back into the box? What is this “box” to begin with? Giovanni Corazza explains in his TedTalk in 2014 (called Creative Thinking: How to Get Out of the Box and Generate Ideas) that
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