Last Updated (Thursday, 19 April 2012 11:35)

Acting on Change

Stage and Acting Workshop Team Development Programme

‘Acting on Change’ is a team development intervention which focuses on ‘change management’ and how teams and individuals work effectively and positively through periods of organisational and operational change. The intervention is very challenging, fun and dynamic: As well as enhancing individuals and the team’s approach to change it encourages delegates to take on a range of roles, explore their creativity and innovation as well as work collaboratively with colleagues on a unique and inspiring task.

Change exists all around us, and the relative rate or speed of change is constantly accelerating – you only have to look at the advances and impact of technology across almost all areas of business and life to see such change. For many people, periods of change can be seen as a tough challenge and a time of uncertainty, yet for others change cannot come fast enough and is seen as an exciting and rewarding opportunity. Whatever your or your teams approach to change, it is a process that requires a clear vision and drive, firm management, varying levels of sensitivity and support and above all effective and clear communication.

'Acting on Change' can be delivered as a stand alone team development exercise as an introduction to ‘change processes’ or in a period of change to help enhance a team's performance during this time. It can also be facilitated as part of a broader programme of training for change management and the effective development and integration of teams.

Acting on Change Intervention

The challenge set for the team is to script, cast, produce and present a short (typically 10mins) high quality staged theatrical performance …..sounds easy!

At the beginning of the intervention Quest will divide delegates into a number of sub-teams. Each team will be supplied with a detailed written brief. The brief will make the same final requirement of all the sub-teams i.e. after a given period of time they will have to collaboratively produce and present a short high quality staged theatrical performance.

However, each team’s brief will be different in terms of the roles and tasks that they have to perform and contribute to ensure successful delivery of the performance. (The teams will be comprised of varying delegate numbers dependant on the complexity and scope of their required contribution). The teams will be:

• Script writers
• Producers and directors
• Props and staging
• Music and sound effects
• Make up and costume

And just to make it interesting everyone has to appear at least once on stage during the performance!!

The brief also emphasises the great importance of creative interdependency: The fact that the sub-teams will only be able to achieve the final production goal by creatively working with all of the other teams.

Each sub-team will be provided with a range of equipment and material relevant to their brief. For example the script writers will receive lap-top’s, A4 paper, pens, printers, pencils and other stationary and some script reference material; the costume department will receive some a variety of costumes/fancy dress, fabrics, fabric pens and simple sewing materials.

The TWIST - Embracing Change Management

Whilst all of the teams will have common elements in their briefs, unknown to one another, teams will each have some very different requirements made of them. For example the script writers will be asked to prepare for a play based in medieval times e.g. (an abbreviated works of Shakespeare or Black Adder), whilst the costume department will have materials and be briefed to dress the cast for a West End Cowboy Musical.

Once the teams are formed and working, a series of production meetings will be held by QUEST bringing together initially only some of the sub-teams. It will only be during these meetings that the undisclosed differences will be uncovered forcing the teams to adapt and change manage their element of the production. Ultimately, all the sub-teams will meet to plan the dress rehearsal and final collaborative delivery of the polished performance. Additionally, during the production meetings sub-teams will be offered the chance to swap one team member with another team to achieve better task/role fit.

Change and its positive management will be an immediate requirement of the directors, and in turn their teams, as they will need to rapidly re-work their original briefs to ensure that they achieve the very positive conclusion of a successful theatrical production.

Quest will help source venues and if appropriate staging. They will provide all resources and equipment will be provided. In addition, if requested the final performance will be filmed and cut to DVD to be shown back to the team at the end of the programme or for future viewing.

Examples of performances include children's Walt Disney films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Cinderella, musicals such as Oliver or Westside Story, and TV shows like Black Adder. Other alternatives could be The Complete Works of Shakespeare or films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral.