Emotional Leading: How Paul Potts moves us

The next Depp in Castingshow?

On a stage stands a man. He is fat, his shirt is stretched over his stomach. His teeth are crooked and he squints. He looks rather scared into the crowd and to the three jury members. One of them asks him why he is here. He says, "I want to sing operas." Cut.

Different people appear. Young people, older people. A couple watching the program on the bed on TV at home. A young man who sees her on the subway on his smartphone. Everyone has something in common. They are laughing at each other over this foolish-looking man.

Who really makes a monkey?

Another idiot who makes a fool of a casting show. Hurray, something again to enjoy yourself and to feel good. For the people who laugh do not make themselves a monkey. You are much better than him. Cut.

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The first notes of "Nessun Dorma", the aria at the beginning of 3, are heard. Act of the opera> Turandot <by Giacomo Puccini. The stupid-looking man starts to sing. Cut. The people who have just been laughing have fallen silent and are looking spellbound at their devices. The man sings so wonderfully that even a layman who has never heard an opera understands that something very special is happening. Someone singing has a lot of talent. Cut. The man is shown again.

Courage touches

He copes even the most difficult passages of the opera perfectly error-free. Cut. The camera shows the astonished faces of the jury members. They are looking open-mouthed at this man. The only woman in the jury gets wet eyes. Cut. Now many people who have just laughed at the man are starting to cry too. Now all these people are no longer united by the common mockery - but that they are just part of an extraordinary, an exceptionally beautiful moment.

And it unites the fact that they are all touched. Feel strong emotions. Cut. The man finishes the aria and even during the last notes the audience donates thunderous applause. Standing ovation. The woman in the jury has burst into tears and all faces show an expression of deep Respect and humility towards the person and the moment they have just experienced.

Paul Potts

You may already have guessed. I have just described the commercial of a German telecommunications company. The singer in question is the Brit Paul Potts. I often show this commercial during lectures and during training. With this I pursue two goals. On the one hand, I want to trigger emotions in the room, that's why it's so central in my work.

Whether it's ten or three hundred people attending the lecture, there's hardly anyone who does not respond to this short film. I myself, although I've certainly looked at him a hundred times, get goose bumps again and again.

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The 5 basic psychological needs

In addition, with this film, I can illustrate in a very simple way the connection between emotions and basic psychological needs: Whenever you feel a positive emotion such as joy, happiness or pride, one of your basic psychological needs has been or is being met. Conversely, it is the same. Feel a negative emotion such as anger, fear or sadness, was or will hurt one of your basic needs.

It is not about the physiological, physical needs of humans, such as those about food, drink or sleep, but about what people need on a psychological level to lead a happy and contented life.