Stepping Into Character — and Into Courage

Recently, I had the chance to be an actor-facilitator in a powerful series of workshops with Feliz Consulting for Jardines — and it reminded me just how transformational embodied practice can be.

These weren’t your average soft skills sessions.

They were alive. Messy. Dynamic. Real.

Participants weren’t just learning about empathy, feedback, or courageous conversations — they were thrown straight into them. In character. In role. In the moment.

And I was there to meet them in it.

🎭 Acting, but Make It Real

My role as an actor-facilitator wasn’t about performance — it was about presence. I stepped into characters that challenged participants to respond authentically. To stay in the discomfort. To practice speaking up or holding back, giving feedback or receiving it — all in a space that felt both safe and unpredictable.

It was deeply human. Sometimes funny. Sometimes tense. Always revealing.

And behind it all was a quiet invitation:→ What would it take for you to show up more honestly — even when it’s hard?

🪞Coaching Skills, Practiced in Character

Even though I wasn’t “coaching” in the traditional sense, my coaching skills were active the entire time:

• Reading subtle shifts in energy.

• Noticing what wasn’t being said.

• Holding space for reflection between scenes.

• Adjusting my character’s responses to bring out something deeper in the participant.

It’s a kind of deep listening that goes far beyond scripts.

And I walked away from each session reminded that people want to grow — they just need the right kind of container to do it.

🌱 What Made It Meaningful

The most memorable part? Watching people surprise themselves.They’d say, “I didn’t know I could handle that,” or “I didn’t think I had it in me to say that out loud.”They’d laugh, cringe, recover, and try again.

It wasn’t theoretical learning. It was felt experience. And it sticks in a different way.

🙏🏼 Gratitude

Huge thanks to Feliz Consulting for creating such thoughtful, emotionally intelligent programming — and to everyone at Jardines who brought their full selves to the room. Your willingness to explore discomfort with curiosity (and humour) made this work so worthwhile.

I loved every moment of it. Acting. Facilitating. Witnessing. Practicing.

Because honestly? Courage gets easier — and more fun — the more we do it.

🧭 Want to bring coaching-informed roleplay or experiential learning to your organisation or team? Let’s talk →