BY JESSIE WANG (LEAD WRITER, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AWARENESS)
There is no doubt the music industry is competitive. And when that competition is coupled with COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, arts professionals can be left feeling more directionless than ever.
So how you even begin to cope with the changes COVID-19 has brought? Do you change industries altogether, even though you’ve worked hard for so many years? Do you try to ignore the negativity from the news? Do you diversify your offerings? If so, how?
While these are just a few of the questions you might ask yourself, it can feel impossible to answer them without self-doubt or unhelpful comparisons taking over your thoughts. This is when a coach steps in.
There tends to be a preconceived idea that coaches are motivational speakers who are extroverted and give you advice on where your life should be heading next. But Vivien Fantin, who started Next Act Coaching, believes that your story is already there – you just need someone to spot your blind spot, and help you manage your career.
Hi Vivien, thanks for chatting with us here at CutCommon. Tell us a bit about what Next Act Coaching does.
I work as a personal or life coach for people in the music and creative industries. The main things I help people with are managing self-doubt, perfectionism, procrastination, imposter syndrome, and carving out some balance in an unstructured industry often filled with scope creep.
I help people identify their strengths and values so they can work with them, rather than against them. This year, there’s been extra emphasis on helping people foster resilience and figure out ‘what’s next’.
I am also a comms coach. In this role, I help people define and refine their message, and find authentic ways to communicate their story to an audience. I never, ever put words into anyone’s mouth! The story is already there, but together I work with clients to explore what might be the most compelling aspects of their life.
Sounds like you’re a multi-skilled coach! But can you clarify for us: How is performance coaching different to, say, seeing a psychologist or using peer mentoring?
Coaching is future-focused and goal-oriented, and the basic principle is that the client is ready to make some positive changes and has the capacity to do so. Sometimes the change is obvious, other times less-so, which is where coaching can help.
A coach can help identify any blind spots and work with a client to help overcome these pesky derailers. But coaching cannot replace psychological therapy. Mentoring is also wonderful, but is usually steeped in offering advice. A coach’s role does not include consulting or giving advice.
Different roles, and equally important. You mentioned that you offer personal coaching and comms coaching — what’s the difference, and why is it important to separate them?
Interestingly, these two aspects of my work are often combined. After I completed my coaching certification, I realised how useful combining those skills would be.
I work with a lot of music artists who are trying to find their voice and summon the courage to tell their story to a wider audience. This can be a vulnerable and frightening process. The inner critic often gets involved and creates all sorts of unhelpful commentary that serves as a handbrake. So, in the comms space, my work is often less about the approach to interviews and communicating, and more about finding strategies to help manage self-doubt, low confidence levels, unhelpful comparisons to others, and imposter syndrome. The external noise of the internet can be frankly terrifying for some artists.
Without spoiling too much, can you tell us what a session may look like?
It’s not very mysterious! Before we even get to a session, my first priority is to ensure that the client and I are a ‘right’ fit. It’s important to have a connection with the client and clarity on what they’re seeking. For example, I am not a business or executive coach, so would never work with someone in that capacity. I aim to create a safe space for people to be able to share, as a lot of personal things — goals and hopes — come up during sessions. These have often never been stated out loud, so my sessions are 150 per cent confidential to ensure a level of trust.
The sessions themselves are a focused conversation with an outcome. Sometimes, the session leads to an insight, at other times the work is to formulate goals and then figure out the specific action steps required to help the client reach those goals. There are plenty of questions, a lot of listening, coaching exercises, and reflection. And yes, there’s homework! All for the greater good, of course.
You offer coaching both online and in-person. How would a session differ when it’s face-to-face versus when it’s online?
I work a lot via Zoom, and did so before COVID-19 came along. I’ve been very busy on Zoom this year!
Other than limiting my ability to be able to physically observe body language, the sessions are very similar, and not negatively impacted by being online.
Why do you think there’s such a dire need for coaching for those in the arts sector?
I think creative people need as much support as possible, and that support should be varied. We’re often limited by blind spots that we can’t necessarily spot in ourselves. A coach can help identify those without judgment, and come up with a strategy for managing those limitations.
A coach provides accountability, which can be lacking in the creative industries, especially when you’re a sole trader trying to manage on your own. This year in particular, it’s been harder to navigate the external challenges that life has thrown at us. As we emerge from COVID-19, mental health support in the form of counselling and psychological services, along with coaching and mentorship, will become even more essential.
I totally agree with you – these kinds of support are finally being recognised as essential services. At the same time, there is still such a need for mental health support and coaching from people who specialise in the music industry. When and why might someone in the arts sector transition into a career in coaching?
I can only speak for my own transition, which ironically was designed to help me escape the music industry! I was totally burnt out — just utterly spent. My physical and emotional resources were so limited that I had to completely rethink the demands being placed on me.
After some recovery time, I thought of ways to diversify my offerings. One was to become a comms coach, to help artists communicate their story. Being in a ‘helping’ profession had always appealed to me too, so I decided to retrain and went back to study to become a personal coach. I decided to focus my coaching practice on the industry I know and love.
I love that, and I wish there were more coaches in the music industry. What advice do you have for musicians wanting to transition into a coaching career?
I think it’s essential to have training via an accredited college or institution. Coaching has a framework and structure, and important guiding principles that need to be followed. Coaching is not giving advice. Look into certification that is right for you, take the time to study, keep up professional development, and seek supervision opportunities to make sure you’re on track.
Any additional comments for the arts community as we’re gradually coming out of the COVID-19 restrictions and this weird — and hopefully wonderful, in some moments — year?
A big recurring theme for this year with my clients has been about coping with the changes heaped upon us due to COVID-19, but also the creation of change — finding new ways to do things.
There’s no denying the challenges of managing change when the ground beneath us is constantly shifting. But I do wonder, even among the difficulties we face, if we can find opportunities to make personal and wider changes to the way we operate in the industry so that we are more resilient when COVID-19 has finally left the building.
Learn more about Vivien’s help for arts professionals on her Next Act Coaching website, or follow on Facebook.
What does this story mean to you?
If you like, you can shout Jessie a coffee for volunteering her time for Australian arts journalism. No amount too much or little 🙂
Images supplied. Vivien captured by K Holmes.
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