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It was a clouded Saturday and I was at an informal get-together with HR and industrial psychology colleagues of mine when the topic of Industrial Theatre arose once again. Although I enjoy sharing about the subject matter, I am always gasping at the ignorance associated with the phenomenon. It becomes all too clear with each misguided question or misinformed comment. A typical conversation looks something like this:
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Ignoramus:
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Industrial Theatre…Is it like a play or what?
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Me:
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Yes, a play, but also so much more than a play!
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Ignoramus:
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Is it if you want to, like, introduce a new product?
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Me:
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It can be used for product launches, but the sky is the limit. With product launches, we attempt to influence consumer mindset and behaviours, with other industrial theatre interventions, we attempt to influence employee’s mindsets and behaviours. Launches are certainly not the only thing Industrial Theatre is good for!
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Ignoramus:
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I heard that it is just for the uneducated and illiterate?
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Me:
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It is very effective when communicating with the uneducated and/or illiterate, but it is certainly not the only way to use theatre. This is probably the most misguided idea (and one of the most FAQ) of Industrial Theatre. People tend to think you have to be at the “bottom of the food chain” to understand a story, but on the contrary, ANYBODY can understand a story and EVERYBODY has emotions and feelings. And stories entice and engage and tell it like it is. Sometimes it is the guys at the top that needs to hear the story.
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Ignoramus:
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I heard it doesn’t really do anything but entertain.
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Me:
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It depends on who does it. Some people only entertain, because they don’t have the business knowledge or expertise in their design and development processes. It’s easy to entertain, it’s more complicated when you attempt to enterTRAIN – to ensure that the audience learns while they are laughing. That is our specialty: to simultaneously delight and instruct…
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And so it goes on. I find myself constantly correcting the misperceptions about this wonderful phenomenon. Industrial theatre is not merely sexy cheerleaders or dancers getting on stage and giving a show, it is fascinating characters that experiences everyday challenges in a familiar and recognizable setting. It is realness wrapped in story, something one can relate to, something one can learn from by watching it. It is a mirror, a slice of life, a way of showing people how they act and think and also showing them that there is a better way of acting and thinking and, most importantly, showing them why the proposed way is better. It is truth in an entertaining form, it is convincing and thought provoking. It is not just a play!
The good thing is that these ignorant questions come from a place of thought, a place of wonder. People are intrigued by the very idea of Industrial Theatre and for that I am ever thankful. It is when the questions, ignorant or not, stop that I will really start to worry. This is it for now, but the ignorance will continue in the next version of “Ignorance is Bliss?”…Until then, have a super day!
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