From the first expulsion of air into our lungs, to the last exhale on this planet – we communicate with each other. From parent to child, friends together, work colleagues, customers, the local shop owner – at every moment we are exchanging messages about ourselves through the vessel that is our mind and body.
And it’s complex. It must be to have over 8.15 million books* written on the art of communication skills. We – as humans – are diverse, complex creatures who spend a large portion of our lives wondering ‘Did I do that right? Could I have managed that better? Is there something more I can do?’
It’s this human curiosity that led us both into our fields. Kate, as a communications strategist eager to improve the workings of a business by putting less onus on process and more respect when dealing with staff and clients, and Trudi, an incessant urge to uncover how people tick through story-telling and performance as an actor.
Both of us realising a simple truth: Each human is very different. Each human has their own ‘communication kit’. Most humans look for external advice rather than taking the time to create an awareness of how they work, what they do and how they can change things.
And that’s where the real teaching lives.
We have been raised in a traditional learning social environment. Read. Listen. See. Absorb. But time and time again, this has proven ineffectual to longer lasting results.
But role play changes this. Successful role play has the ability to transfer the participant from a passive observer to a pro-active self educator as they utilise the skills they have within them and then adjust them accordingly.
And it’s exciting to see. It’s remarkable to watch as people realise they physically avoid confrontation, or mumble when they are under pressure, avoid eye contact if they feel powerless or use a barrage of negative words when nervous.
And this is the power of role play done successfully. It transforms people and opens their eyes to their own possibilities. It empowers people to make changes that help them both professionally and personally and it opens up a channel for them to start to understand their own unique communication make up.
So it made perfect sense to join our diverse backgrounds for a common goal. We are passionate about helping people communicate clearly by watching them discover themselves. And with each personal discovery – we learn a little bit along the way.