'Nautanki' or Powerful Learning Tools

'Nautanki' is one of the most popular folk theater performance forms particularly in northern India. Before the advent of Bollywood (the Hindi film industry),  Nautanki was the biggest entertainment medium in the villages and towns of northern India (wikipedia)

'Nautanki' is also used as a slang in Hindi speaking parts of India (originates probably from Hindi movies) and means that a person is overtly dramatic - sometimes put across to show that the person could be lying or manipulating.

Many years back, when I was pitching "Drama & Theater in Learning", one of the HR Senior Managers bluntly retorted that he expects learning to happen in the training and not "nautanki".

Over the years, L&D Leaders have mellowed down, and that too because of the feedback from the workshops that I have conducted using drama/theatre/improv measuring more impact vis-a-vis the same workshop without this tool, and when read with participants feedback specifically mentioning how the learning is going to help them in their work especially in Sales and in being a more connected Leader.

Is it that they have completely accepted this tool? Honestly "NO!".

It does take an explanation and many-a-times it is the earlier trust that has been built between me as a consultant and them as a client, that moves the whole workshop forward.

So how can "Nautanki" create a powerful learning experience:

1. Role Plays (often used incorrectly by trainers) - building of scenarios and then setting up a skills-practice triad wherein one role-plays the skill-user in the given situation with another playing role-helper and the third keeping notes as an observer. Rotating the triad roles in next 2 rounds with different scenarios makes each member practice the skill being taught in the program/workshop.
2. Case-studies - creating a scenario and asking smaller teams to explore & discuss characters - their thoughts, emotions and behaviours and how does such behaviour impact in the organisation. The teams can also harvest thoughts on how can they can change their behaviours so that the desired outcome can be achieved.
3. Forum Theater with Facilitator and Delegates as characters - Forum Theater inspired from Boal's Theater of the Oppressed can be used to facilitate deep learnings. In this method a learner/s are invited to support as the role-helper and the facilitator himself plays the skill-user. At certain points the play is Paused and 'behavioural inputs' are solicited from the rest of the learners as to how to proceed further in such a situation. Moving along with their suggestions with the facilitator puppeting suggested actions makes the learners realise what's working and what's not working. Other sub-tools such as Parking, Rewind, Replay makes the "nautanki" move into an simulated experience. Then debriefing the 'behavioural inputs' is the key in harvesting 'thoughts and feelings' that build any behaviour.
4. Forum Theater with professional artistes- Using stage artistes in above situations rather than learners themselves is the difference. Facilitating conversations about how they (the learners) would have managed the situation if they were in the artistes place. Also using sub-tools like Pause, Rewind, Mind-Tap to explore why the artiste behaves / behaved in a particular way. Used usually when the client has a budget and if the learners consists of Senior Management - having them perform in-front of their junior colleagues can be very traumatic to their positions and if it can lead to labeling later in the organisation.
5. Applied Improv - Using #Improv (short form for improvisation meaning on-the-spot) principles and applying it to the context of work situations is something I have been using and experimenting with since last few years. The grounding tools of PLAY - Presence, Leap, Acceptance, Yes ... and, makes one move forward an think & feel on one's feet. It's fast, agile, in-the-moment and fun! Attending the #AIN - Applied Improv Conference in Oxford last August (2016) was an icing on the cake. I see it as a much impactful #Gamification tool.

The amazing part of Applied Improv is that it is an amazing creativity and collaboration tool too.

Ajit Kamath CPF is the Principal Trainer & Facilitator at WizTalks primarily working out of India. He has been in the field of #Lecturing, #Training & #Facilitation since 1993. He delivers programs primarily for senior & mid-level Leadership Teams across industries. He has had experience in the Theater field that he integrates seamlessly into his training & facilitation. He is also a Story Teller and Certified Professional Facilitator using Group Process Facilitation techniques. He can be contacted on [email protected], tweeter: @AjitWiz