Gaining belief in communications

Georgie Russell, Associate Director at Bladonmore, explores what Konstantin Stanislavski can teach us about communicating more effectively.

‘I don’t believe you,’ said Konstantin Stanislavski to just about everybody that he coached.

The 20^th Century Russian director was after an authentic performance. Often referred to as ‘the father of acting’, he was insistent that gesture alone wouldn’t cut it. He wanted theatre audiences to experience what he termed living characters.

Driven by a constant dissatisfaction in his own acting abilities, Stanislavski craved a system or method that would help actors get into character more successfully – and he dedicated his life to creating one.

Initially, his approach centred on the human psyche. He asked his students to build their performances by looking inwards and drawing from the well of their own experience. Things got very deep. By all accounts, rehearsals were prefixed by long cast chats about subtext, leading to painfully self-indulgent performances, sometimes bordering on hysteria.

But his system evolved, bringing the audience’s needs back into the equation. And what came next was the establishment of seven questions. To get into character, actors were to ask themselves:

• Who am I?
• Where am I?
• What time is it?
• What do I want?
• Why do I want it?
• How will I get what I want?
• What must I overcome to get what I want?

By asking his actors to consider these questions, Stanislavski was able to extract a more meaningful performance from them. Why? Because the cast had a clearer idea of why they were on stage. Their acting was better informed. And as a result, the spectators were receiving much-needed context, making it easier for them to relate and form connections with the drama.

As a communications coach, I find it fascinating to see Stanislavski’s steadfast belief that successful acting was something that could be learned. At Bladonmore, we too believe that well-designed and executed coaching and training can unlock a more impactful performance.

We may not ask clients to consider all seven of Stanislavski’s questions when preparing for a high stakes engagement but we will certainly urge them to start by identifying their intention. Knowing why you are in the room and what your audience needs from you are critical success factors.

Using your own language and a properly differentiated set of proof points matter hugely, too. The alternative is to take refuge behind the safety net of a corporate script, reeling off high-level strategy, undifferentiated pledges and forgettable values.

And I think we all know what Stanislavski would have to say about that approach.

He’d say, ‘I don’t believe you’.

If you’re looking to inject authenticity into your communications, get in touch.