No, this is not about RPG, or Role Playing Games. This is a learning methodology where experienced and skillful actors assume functional positions in a company.
Traditionally, role-plays are used extensively in sales training. As a sales trainer, I have learnt to accept that many of my clients expect their sales professionals to undergo lots of hands-on, role-playing exercises. The conventional way to approach these, face-to-face exercises is to have three participants (students) in a three-way (triad) learning group: Customer, Salesperson, and Observer/Coach.
Impromptu is one such company, based in the UK that provides experienced role-players for corporate training. They also write scripts based on the client’s requirements, industry, and nature of business. The key selling points of this company are credibility, flexibility, and feedback. Having worked with them, I appreciate how the actors add value with their feedback on how well the students approach their ‘target audience’. These role-players (who study and research the industry they work in) also know when to stretch the students, or ease back on the realism and level of difficulty.
As a methodology, a well-executed role-playing session can be a great simulation before a major sales presentation, performance appraisal interview, executive-coaching session, and mentoring session. On a business perspective, role-playing can help strategic selling teams prepare for a diversity of scenarios. Sometimes, you get professional role-players who are real-life executives in major corporations, or even business-owners and entrepreneurs. Role-plays can be useful devices for leadership training and development, as well as people-orientated management.
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