We explore your organisation’s most important resource – Your People.
1. Vodafone needed improved Stakeholder Mgmt & Community Relations
Issue – Vodafone needs communications towers for their network, and work with internal and external teams, local communities, authorities and other stakeholders to build them. A diverse group of partner companies (including competitors), head office project managers and local teams had been brought together under one roof. Some personnel knew other stakeholders and various community groups, others did not.
Brief – Vodafone wanted to bring people together to share ideas and expertise in order to improve stakeholder relations.
Solution – Playback Theatre worked with Vodafone to develop a bespoke program to have their teams’ stories heard, and to have the alternative scenarios and outcomes role-played.
Client Feedback – We needed something to help our people learn, share and then reflect as they moved through their projects. Playback Theatre Sydney delivered just that. With an astonishingly small brief, they grasped our issues and scenarios with ease and played those back to the group with humour and sensitivity. Sarah Whittington, Community Relations & Energy Manager / This is the best demonstration of stakeholder relations and issues that I have seen in 15 years working in this space. / The performers worked really well helping is to really demonstrate the complexity of the issues and stakeholders.
2. Medibank Private needed Staff Motivation during Culture Change
Issue – MediBank Private was undergoing numerous corporate changes. Management wanted to bring personnel together to communicate the change journey so far, and to encourage and challenge staff to keep moving forward positively. At the offsite conference, they wanted to create an experience that was more than a mere management ‘show and tell’.
Brief – Medibank Private needed something that actively involved all staff in the event and demonstrated to everyone how important each person was to the changes being rolled out successfully.
Solution – Playback Theatre Sydney provided the perfect vehicle for their needs. Working with over 100 staff and management, Playback brought the issues faced by everyone to life and allowed the quieter voices to be heard. It allowed the group to acknowledge the changes, and gain perspective on them, having released fears, anxieties and questions. Ultimately the group could process their emotional responses to change and were able to celebrate their achievements.
Client Feedback – Playback Theatre really delivered and our staff saw themselves and the roles they played, both positive and negative. It was the perfect vehicle to then launch the discussion about ongoing change, and the continuing journey – Brioney Buchan, GM NSW, MediBank Private Ltd.
3. Catholic Education needed Peer Learning for New Personnel
Issue – Every year Catholic Education provides training to their first year teachers and for the past five years have programmed a Playback Theatre session into their training schedule. The performance permits newcomers to hear about what it’s actually like teaching out in the classroom and allows them to reflect on what they are learning through the Playback show.
Brief – The aim was to draw out common experiences, themes and stories and to find out what surprises new teachers may encounter when they come face-to-face with a class, what excites them and what they can learn.
Solution – Playback Theatre ran a theatre presentation to elicit stories, themes and experiences. The presentation was a huge success for several reasons – teachers were able to view their own stories and see how these stories are in fact universal; the teachers realized they are not alone or different from anyone else, and that everyone has similar issues; they were able to see the events and stories objectively – to ‘see the forest for the trees’. This performance investigated their lived experience, and helped gain understanding and perspective.
Client Feedback – Excellent, really meaningful and a great ice breaker / It was great to see a ‘mirror’ being held up to our experiences and knowing that I’m not alone / Great way to reflect on experiences / Really supportive – I realised that I am not alone on this journey / Fantastic learning experience.