Two Big Lessons From Theatre-Based Corporate Training
According to a recent article in The Economic Times, theatre-based corporate training is becoming a more serious training methodology for frontline managers in India. The article cites many different organizations that are both utilizing and offering this type of training not only in India but all around the world. Here is a very short video that highlights what theatre-based corporate training could look like:
A video produced by Chunky Onion Productions out of Hong Kong.
1. Engage Your Learners.
Research has proven that the more actively engaged we are with our learning, the more likely it is to stick with us. Whether it is physically engaging learners to participate in a group exercise or mentally engaging learners by providing them with a challenging task, it is important to find a way to get learners more involved. If you are unable to easily get your employees together to engage in group activity such as creating a drama or a stage play, an increasingly popular method of mental engagement is the use of games in learning. In a recent webinar on gamification, Karl Kapp shared research that showed playing games with high levels of engagement, can lead to an increase in retention, procedural knowledge and declarative knowledge by between 9-14%.
2. Evoke Emotion in Your Learners.
Traditional methods of corporate training can be extremely boring. Did you notice how many different emotions the employees were exhibiting in the video? Joy, sadness and occasional feigned anger among others. All of these emotions can make an event memorable. Try this little test: Think about the last time you experienced one of these emotions in a strong way and try to recall as much as you can about the event that caused you to feel that way. Now imagine if you were able to create that kind of lasting impact with the training you deliver to your employees.
So the next time you’re thinking about delivering training… consider adding some drama.