Corporate simulations, strategy sessions, and lectures have all been linked to leadership training. The next generation of leaders, however, is being shaped in an unexpected and incredibly successful classroom: the drama studio. Once thought to be solely artistic, drama classes are now being used to test students’ leadership, empathy, and creativity. Students learn how to listen intently, connect authentically, and lead bravely on stage in addition to performing.
Drama is fundamentally an exercise in empathy. Students start to comprehend feelings, motivations, and viewpoints other than their own when they take on roles they are not familiar with. This process, which turns intangible concepts like compassion and inclusivity into lived experiences, is referred to as “embodied learning” by Dr. Pelin Kohn, a writer on drama-based leadership training. Participants develop an emotional intelligence that data-driven seminars seldom accomplish by experiencing another person’s emotions. In leadership, where an awareness of human behavior is essential to making wise decisions, this empathy is especially helpful.
The core of theater, improvisation, is surprisingly important in developing flexible leaders. Actors learn to embrace uncertainty and build on other people’s ideas without hesitation when they perform unscripted scenes. This adaptability reflects the difficulties leaders deal with on a daily basis, such as managing interpersonal conflicts and navigating unforeseen changes in the market. The “yes, and” tenet of improvisational theater transforms into an openness philosophy that promotes cooperation over dominance. A new generation of leaders who can think fast, act creatively, and inspire confidence even in the face of uncertainty is the outcome.
Pelin Kohn – Key Information
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dr. Pelin Kohn |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Profession | Author, Educator, Leadership Development Specialist |
| Education | Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Development |
| Affiliation | Emerald Publishing Limited |
| Major Work | Elevating Leadership: Innovative Teaching Methods for Developing Future Leaders (2024) |
| Expertise | Drama-based leadership, experiential learning, emotional intelligence |
| Notable Theory | Integration of Kolb’s Experiential Learning and Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence in leadership education |
| Reference | https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-564-320241009 |
Drama education also has a particularly transformative effect on communication. Actors acquire the skills necessary for people who want to lead, such as projecting their voices, speaking clearly, and strategically using non-verbal cues. Theater activities like role-playing and monologue delivery help participants become more assertive and present while teaching them how to command attention without being overbearing. A leader’s ability to read silence, gesture, and tone can be just as effective as any business plan. Drama makes these nuances incredibly evident, transforming reticent speakers into effective communicators.
However, the impact of drama extends well beyond presentation abilities. It cultivates self-awareness, a quality that distinguishes exceptional leaders from mediocre ones. To give convincing performances, actors must continuously assess their feelings and motivations. Students develop reflective habits as a result of this introspection, which enables them to understand how their behavior and attitudes impact other people. Drama, according to Kohn, produces a “mirror effect,” enabling aspiring leaders to perceive themselves as both actors and audiences, with the ability to assess their actions and make adjustments in real time. That introspective process is deeply managerial in nature, not just artistic.
On stage, confidence—often the most obvious sign of leadership—is also fostered. Resilience is the art of maintaining composure under pressure, and performing in front of an audience teaches it. In theater, mistakes are not failures but rather chances for improvisation that transform nervousness into flexibility. When performers learn to turn vulnerability into strength, their self-assurance significantly increases. Such training produces more poised, genuine, and grounded leaders. They realize that presence, even in the face of uncertainty, is what defines authority rather than perfection.
Another essential component of drama education is teamwork. The collaborative nature of theater necessitates shared responsibility, trust, and communication. An ensemble that listens, adapts, and encourages one another’s performance is essential to any successful production. There are a lot of similarities with organizational leadership. Like a director, a leader must balance individuality and cohesiveness while directing a variety of talents toward a shared goal. Students gain firsthand experience with the dynamics of leadership through group scenes and ensemble exercises, where they learn how to motivate, delegate, and mediate.
Business executives are starting to see these similarities. Drama-based workshops have been incorporated into leadership programs at multinational corporations like Unilever, Google, and Deloitte. Participants take part in theatrically designed simulated business scenarios that represent cross-cultural communication, negotiation, and crisis management. These sessions are very effective at developing agility and empathy. In addition to having improved communication abilities, leaders also possess a greater emotional intelligence. They are becoming leaders, not just playing the role.
Children and teenagers in the UK go through this transition at a young age at Theatretrain. Every rehearsal serves as a training ground for accountability, self-assurance, and inventiveness. Young participants are frequently given leadership responsibilities, such as setting up groups, directing scenes, or facilitating improvisation sessions. They naturally pick up responsibility and teamwork from these activities. Ensemble work significantly enhances the process by teaching humility, empathy, and respect for one another. Students are learning how to lead with poise and purpose in addition to performing.
These results are supported by research. Drama-based learning improves problem-solving skills, increases confidence in public speaking, and dramatically improves emotional regulation, according to studies from Emerald Publishing and the National Centre for Arts Research. These abilities have a significant impact on interpersonal relationships, professional efficacy, and academic achievement in addition to the stage. This type of education shapes both character and intelligence, creating leaders who are flexible, kind, and exceptionally productive under duress.
Drama is becoming more and more recognized by leadership educators as an essential component of 21st-century education. While strategy and analytics are frequently given priority in traditional leadership programs, emotional intelligence—the capacity to inspire and connect—may be neglected. That void is filled by drama. It combines strategy with narrative, intelligence with feeling. It produces leaders who possess both planning and persuasion skills, as well as empathy and analysis. Drama, according to Kohn, is “a mirror of life’s complexity,” offering a practice ground for self-expression, empathy, and decision-making.
This movement’s accessibility is its most appealing feature. Incredibly flexible and reasonably priced, drama-based education can be used in classrooms, colleges, and businesses. Only those who are willing to imagine, participate, and reflect are needed; complex stages or scripts are not. Participants gain human insights from role-playing, conversation, and storytelling that textbooks cannot impart. People retain the lessons long after the curtain has fallen thanks to this experiential, emotionally charged learning approach.
This link between theater and influence has been subtly embraced by prominent leaders. Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, attributed her early performance experiences to her capacity to clearly convey complicated ideas. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, has also likened leadership to “an act of storytelling,” a performance that engages audiences through genuineness rather than power. Their observations support the growing consensus among psychologists and educators that drama is one of the most effective leadership tools available today because it can replicate the difficulties of real life.
