Writer and actor, Garth Bardsley embarks upon a new journey… offstage.
I have spent my life telling stories. As a writer, actor, singer and director, creating narrative through words, melody, action and imagery is part and parcel of every aspect of my work. And as all art is to some extent an exploration or reflection of the human condition, I have over the years examined and discussed so many facets of what it is to exist in this magnificent but troubled world. Dramatists, librettists, poets and philosophers, over the centuries, have observed and commented upon humankind and in entering their world (offstage and on) I like to believe that I have acquired a reasonably broad and detailed understanding of the messy business of being alive.
The most important skills practised by an artist are to look and to listen. Our work most often comes about as a response to what we experience, to what we see and hear whether it is up close and personal or out and about in the world at large. And as an artist our responses need to be empathetic – you cannot play the role of someone who behaves perhaps appallingly (Macbeth for instance!) if you do not have some empathy towards the character and their individual situation. Another important element of art, especially when it comes to theatre and opera, is the business of reimagining and reframing – recreating pieces that have been produced hundreds of times and bringing back to life roles that have been interpreted before you in a myriad of ways.
A year or so ago, Result CIC asked me to come on board as a sort of advisor – a critical friend if you like – to help with business development, to ask questions as an observer looking in, and to use my skills as a writer in a variety of ways. Over the months, I have witnessed first-hand the fascinating work that Result undertakes - the forensic conversations beforehand, the detailed preparation and professional delivery and, most impressively, the extraordinary results achieved, made evident by the glowing and often moving responses of the participants.
And it got me thinking…
Many of the skills required for life coaching are those that I have developed as an artist and as I have a genuine interest in people, places and things it seemed a very natural step to train to become a life coach myself. And that is what I decided to do and so far, so excellent!
Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to coach a number of artists engaged with Salford’s centenary celebrations. Each of the artists has lived experience of being excluded and the coaching on offer to them has focused on their lives around their art. During our sessions, we have explored in detail the various barriers – some home-grown, some from elsewhere – that seem to be restricting, diverting and/or obstructing the artists’ ability to function fully, productively and indeed happily.
As a coach I cast myself as an audience that listens both attentively and actively – tuning in to repeated mindsets, recurring themes and self-descriptions (too often negative and usually removed from the actual facts). My directing skills come into play as I analyse the information that has been shared and try to make sense of the narrative – reframing and reimagining the situations in which the artists find themselves. My writing and storytelling skills lead me to the use of analogies when reflecting what I have heard back to the client, and I have found that this ‘retelling’ can be incredibly effective in allowing the client to see their problem in a new light. My acting skills allow me to observe the physicality of the artist and if appropriate connect that to our conversation – an audience, whether it is a single person or a crowd of a thousand, listens with its eyes; what we see, we hear. A joyful message delivered with an angry face doesn’t seem so joyful. A message that is meant to inspire confidence coming from someone who is restless, fidgety and unsettled is unlikely to achieve its aim.
The conversation in a coaching session could be seen as one-sided or perhaps more precisely as two conversations happening side-by-side. It’s as if two people are seated next to each other - client and coach – the client shares an issue, the coach holds that information for a moment and then returns it in a slightly different iteration (a translation if you like) to the client. This exchange provokes a discussion that involves the client exploring their own feelings and thoughts about the issue and the way that they may have responded previously. The coach in turn prompts the client to suggest alternative approaches and what tends to transpire is that it is the client themselves who demonstrates not only that they recognise the changes that perhaps need to be made but also how those changes might be accomplished.
Two things I have noticed in my response to such conversations is that at times I find myself wanting to talk about my own similar experiences, as if conversing with a friend and I have to remind myself that unless what I have to say will help the client in some way then it is better left unsaid. The other observation I have made is just how much one learns about oneself in the process and how beneficial it is to the coach to rehearse and explore one’s own approach to complex situations and how reflecting on a client’s situation can shine a light on one’s own.
This is a journey of discovery I am enjoying enormously. I am engaging my brain and my skills in a new way which in itself is incredibly refreshing. Being increasingly able to help others too is very rewarding and as I become more skilled as coach I find I am that much more able to help myself!
So, I shall continue onwards, ear and eyes open, as I navigate the messy business of being alive.
Garth Bardsley Sept 26