Theater

You are standing on a stage. There are three people in the audience. One of them is a child, nine years old – bright and attentive, in a theater for the first time in her life, ready and eager to be taken on an unforgettable journey. The second is a banker, here at his wife's insistence. He has no interest in theater, and is thinking only of intermission, when he will have a scotch. The third is a critic. He knows all the tricks of the trade, and is hoping to see them deployed with cleverness and skill. He believes that nothing can surprise him any longer. His notebook is open, and his pen is poised.

What do you do?

I believe I know the answer. Speak to the child. If you can thrill, delight, and transport that expectant child, the other two will sense that you do not need their indulgence or their approval, and they will straighten up in their seats and begin to take notice.

Delight the child. This is not easy. It is not lazy, and it is not pandering. Nor does it mean that you have given up on the banker and the critic. On the contrary, it means that you are taking aim at their hearts.