Theatre Strategies to Develop Emotional Intelligence Skills in Business Communication: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Management in a client-centred industry faces complex interaction within the company structures as well as with several client-related communications. Such interactions span a broad range of skills that extend beyond industry knowledge and require communication abilities such as persuasion, negotiation and presentation, among others. It is argued that one of the core competencies for effective communication is to be found in emotional intelligence (EQ). Enhanced EQ, therefore, evidences enhanced communication skills. This article reports on an exploratory study regarding the development of EQ (leading to enhanced communication skills) within the hospitality industry. As theatre is a form of heightened communication, theatre strategies and transactional analysis (as embedded in the theatre strategies) were used as a means to develop communication skills among managers. Emotional intelligence was used as the basis for measuring the potential efficacy of the skills. Based on the comparison of pre- and post-intervention EQ assessments (as an indirect measure of enhanced communication skills), the study concluded that it is highly possible that the use of theatre strategies in training to develop business communication among managers has the potential to contribute significantly to better EQ.

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Business Communication, Face-to-face, Theatre Strategies, Theatre in Education, Hospitality Industry, Emotional Competency, Thinking Preference, Transactional Analysis, Mantle of Expert, Role-Play