Mystification and social drama: the hidden side of communication skills training

Training programs designed to help managers and supervisors improve their communication skills often have the covert objective of manipulating the views of participants to ensure that the underlying system of domination is maintained. Three common ways by which mystification and manipulation is achieved during communication skills training are the use of the communication skills learnt to deflect resistance to control, the creation of a social drama to change the participants' interpretations of the nature of communication, and the development of a sense of indebtness among participants. Participant observation of one such training program confirms that there is a hidden side of communication skills training. Six techniques used to manipulate participants during this particular skills training program are also identified and analyzed.