It was back in 2021 when I first entertained the idea of using the Gogglebox format in an L&D setting. Here’s the video I published at the time.
In the context of Gogglebox, I present the idea that storytelling is an evolutionary development that has enabled humans to live in larger groups and therefore to achieve dominance over other primates. This is why storytelling is gut-level enjoyable.
But, when people think of “storytelling” they, (and previously I), usually think of a novel, the hero’s journey and formalized story design. The point is that storytelling is most enjoyable when we join in. And we do this instinctively every day in the form of chat and gossip. This informal stream of communication is how groups create values and meaning without conscious attention. Put a group of people together and codes of behaviour will spontaneously arise.
I’ve taken this idea and woven it into my Drama for Change method. Of course, you can’t just ask people to talk unless you give them something to talk about. And you can’t have a Gogglebox without a drama, so drama is obviously at the core.
We create video drama about the issue we are tackling. People making tough decisions is almost the definition of drama. Our videos showcase decision-making about a workplace issue.
The question we want to stimulate is, “What would I do in that situation?” Think about this when you next watch a TV drama, second guessing the character’s decision-making is a natural reaction.
“Don’t go in there, there’s a monster!”
“Why didn’t she just tell him? He’s going to find out anyway.”
“That is going to end badly.”
So, a short drama gets people thinking about a problem and then, without having to push them, gets them talking about it. The videos are delivered in a campaign to facilitate and stimulate that discussion. The presence of a campaign signals that management encourages discussion about the issue. The campaign also provides spaces and channels to facilitate discussion and to moderate it.
Gogglebox comes late in the campaign – re-running excerpts from the video clips packaged with candid comments and pearls of wisdom from selected audience members. Watching your peers discuss decision-making delivers not only the principles involved, but ties it up in a package with emotion and social approval. Plus, it models further discussion and keeps that ball rolling.
When I show one of our Gogglebox-style videos to someone in management the penny drops. This stuff is super engaging!
So, Drama for Change is a form of storytelling but one in which most of the work is done by your audience. That’s why the learning and awareness spreads and is embedded.
What forms of social learning do you use?
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