Drama-Based Learning: A Safe Space to Challenge Perspectives

Drama-based learning creates a unique and safe environment for people to explore different perspectives, challenge assumptions, and reflect on their behaviours. By bringing scenarios to life, it allows employees to test new ways of thinking and acting without fear of judgement or real-world consequences.

Picking Up Where We Left Off

In our previous blog, We Need to Talk About What Gets Left Unsaid, we explored the risks of psychologically unsafe cultures; where people stay silent, avoid risk, and hold back valuable insights. That blog highlighted the consequences of unspoken concerns: lost creativity, unmanaged risks, missed perspectives, and barriers to asking for help.

But awareness is only the beginning. The question now is: how do organisations move from theory to practice? How do leaders create spaces where employees feel able to experiment, speak openly, and challenge the status quo? We believe the answer lies in drama-based learning.

What Is Drama-Based Learning?

Drama-based learning (DBL) uses live, interactive scenarios performed by trained facilitators/actors (and don’t worry, no acting is required of session participants!) to explore workplace dynamics in a way that goes beyond theory.

Unlike traditional training, which can feel static and abstract, DBL immerses participants in recognisable situations and invites them to observe, reflect, and even engage with our actors by advising on best next steps themselves. The learning happens in real-time, and our actors put their learning to the test by portraying the outcomes of their advice.

For example, instead of reading about psychological safety, participants might watch a scene where a manager dismisses an idea too quickly, then discuss the impact on the team. They can replay the moment, test different responses, and see the ripple effect of changed behaviour. This blend of emotional engagement and practical reflection creates a safe but powerful environment to learn.

According to Harvard Business Review, experiential methods like these live scenarios are some of the most effective ways to surface hidden dynamics and build the trust needed for psychological safety.

Strategy 1: Holding a Mirror Up to Culture

One of the most valuable features of DBL is its ability to act as a mirror. Fictional scenarios can reflect real workplace behaviours in a way that feels both authentic and non-threatening. Participants see “someone else” model behaviours that might feel uncomfortably familiar such as shutting down an idea, excluding a colleague, or avoiding a difficult conversation.

Because the scenarios are fictional, people are less defensive. It’s easier to reflect honestly when you’re not being directly accused, and the safe distance creates room for participants to recognise patterns, name behaviours, and start imagining alternatives.

This mirror effect is particularly effective for senior leaders. When decision-makers see the unintended consequences of their actions played out on stage, it can spark far deeper reflection than a written report or employee survey ever could.

Strategy 2: Making the Invisible Visible

Many workplace challenges are invisible until they are acted out. Psychological safety, mental health, and subtle power dynamics often slip under the radar, yet they shape organisational culture in profound ways. DBL surfaces these hidden dynamics. By bringing them into the open, participants gain a shared language to talk about them.

A dismissive tone, a poorly timed interruption, or a casual joke at someone’s expense can be hard to describe in abstract terms, but when you see it performed, its impact becomes plain and undeniable.

This visibility is the first step to change. Once a behaviour is recognised and named, teams can begin exploring how to respond differently.

Strategy 3: Encouraging Safe Experimentation

DBL offers something few other approaches can: the chance to “press pause.” Participants can stop a scene mid-action, step in, and try out different responses. They can practise asserting themselves in a difficult meeting, challenge a colleague respectfully, or test new leadership behaviours, all within a safe and controlled environment.

This ability to experiment without real-world consequences builds confidence. Employees learn how to speak up, push back, or show vulnerability, and they can see and feel what it’s like when those behaviours lead to better outcomes. Over time, this practice translates into greater courage, openness and overall improved psychological safety in day-to-day work.

Strategy 4: Building Empathy Through Perspective-Taking

Empathy grows when people experience life through someone else’s eyes. DBL makes this possible by showing workplace situations from multiple perspectives: the leader, the team member, the client. Participants are invited to reflect on how each person might feel, what assumptions they are making, and what pressures they face.

This perspective-taking challenges biases and reduces defensiveness. For example, a manager may suddenly understand how intimidating their style feels, while a team member might gain insight into the difficult trade-offs leaders must make. In this way, DBL promotes empathy and mutual understanding, cornerstones of psychological safety.

Strategy 5: Creating Lasting Conversations

Perhaps the most powerful outcome of DBL is the conversation it sparks. Watching a live scenario together creates a shared experience that participants continue to reference long after the session ends. Teams gain a common language for talking about sensitive issues. Whether it’s “what did you think about that scene…” or “that part reminded me of a time when…”

These conversations often extend into the workplace, influencing real interactions and encouraging more open dialogue. In other words, drama-based learning doesn’t just raise awareness for a single day; it plants seeds for ongoing cultural change.

Linking Back to Psychological Safety

When employees witness behaviours, name them collectively, and practise responding differently, they start to build the felt permission for candor that Amy Edmondson describes as psychological safety. The result is not only healthier teams but also more creative, resilient, and high-performing organisations.

DBL provides a practical route to embed psychological safety into everyday culture. It translates abstract ideas into lived experiences and equips people at every level to challenge perspectives constructively.

Conclusion: Moving From Silence to Dialogue

In part one, we asked what happens when things are left unsaid. The answer was clear: we lose ideas, overlook risks, and weaken wellbeing. In this part two, we’ve explored how drama-based learning provides a safe space to challenge perspectives, making the invisible visible and equipping people with the courage to speak.

If organisations truly want to unlock innovation, diversity of thought, and long-term success, they cannot afford to let silence win. They must invest in practical, experiential ways of building psychological safety. Drama-based learning offers exactly that: a stage where new perspectives can be tested, voices can be heard, and change can begin.

To learn more about how drama-based learning can help you and your organisations needs specifically, contact us for more information or to book a discovery call!