Podcasts about workshops work

Send us a textAnd that's a wrap, folks! After 355 brilliant, beautiful, mind-opening conversations about facilitation, life, and everything in between, I can now confidently say that I have found the magic ingredients that make workshops work.Join me, myself, and I for a final farewell episode of Workshops Work, before I retire this guise of the podcast from the airwaves. I reflect on the beautiful journey of almost 7 years, where my curiosity has led me, and why it's now time for the start of something new.Next week, Workshop Works shapeshifts into a new chapter, a new direction, a new podcast! Unprofessionalism is set to air on the 7th January, as I begin to explore the real stories, shadows, and inspirations that can help us to celebrate our most human, unguarded selves.But for now, a wholehearted thank you for being a part of this journey with me.Find out about:The evolution of the Workshops Works podcastWhy my curiosity has shifted from that of the facilitator, to that of the participantThe new Unprofessionalism podcast – what it's about, and what you can expectThe podcast club that I am hosting, to deepen our facilitation learnings togetherConnect with me:LinkedInJoin the Podcast Club on Substack by subscribing to the workshops work Substack: https://substack.com/@myriamhadnes/postsSupport the show✨✨✨You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/

Send us a textWith a PhD in Behavioural Economics, Dr. Myriam Hadnes describes herself as a Facilitation Evangelist – a practitioner obsessed with uncovering why some facilitated experiences spark curiosity while others send people scrolling.Through her boutique agency Workshops.Work, Myriam and her team deliver over 200 workshops each year to help multinational organisations turn collaboration from a buzzword into a lived experience.Myriam has hosted the ‘Workshops Work' podcast for more than 300 episodes, publishing a new conversation with facilitation experts each week. During the pandemic, she founded the NeverDoneBefore Festival and community — an international online experiment where facilitators co-created and delivered hundreds of “never done before” workshops between 2020 and 2024.As a long-distance runner and soon-to-be author of ‘Unprofessionalism', Myriam believes the future of work isn't about being more polished, but about daring to be more human. [3:44s] Myriam's journey into the world of Economics [08:34s] All things facilitation [25:35s] The ‘Workshops Work' Podcast [32:39s] On her upcoming book: ‘Unprofessionalism' [50:03s] RWL: Read ‘Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!' by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff; Listen to Myriam's podcast ‘Workshops Work'  Connect with Myriam on LinkedInConnect with Vinay on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! podcast@c2cod.comSubscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together'. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

 In this deeply reflective conversation, Myriam Hadnes, facilitator, podcaster, and founder of Workshops Work, joins Chedva to explore the intersection of facilitation, belonging, and authenticity. Growing up with an Israeli father and German mother in Germany, then living across continents, Myriam embodies the intercultural perspective she brings to her work. They discuss how facilitators often begin as children trying to make everyone feel included, the tension between belonging and authenticity, and why corporate "professionalism" might be the cage we need to break free from. Myriam shares her journey from discovering she's a facilitator while reading Priya Parker's book to writing her own choose-your-own-adventure book about unprofessionalism—because sometimes the most professional thing you can do is be human. Key Topics: Facilitators as the observing, sensitive children who make everyone get along The physical reaction to exclusion and the urge to include everyone Creating psychological safety in multicultural corporate teams The tension between belonging and authenticity (Gabor Maté) Why "going through the motions" of emotions can heal Remote work and the lost art of kitchen gossip Unprofessionalism as reclaiming our humanity at work The difference between fixing ourselves and accepting ourselves How modeling comfort gives others permission to be authentic Why corporate professionalism no longer fits our times Notable Quotes: "I think we very early unconsciously start facilitating our families. We are often the children... observing, very sensitive to what's going on, very sensitive to what's not outspoken." "I have this inner urge to include everyone, to listen to people, to not teach them and tell them, but help them develop their own thinking." "What they very quickly realize is what they need is a little bit more compassion to themselves and to each other." "The most disarming moment is to feel seen. Not the superficial kind of hello and tap on the shoulder... but really feeling seen and heard." "If we can see it, we can do it." "We've forgotten that the world of work is not about being professional. It's about being human." "If we continuously feel like we're not good enough... we'll start pretending just to cover it up... And then we'll end up as imposters pretending that we are someone who we're not." Myriam's Powerful Question: "What would you do if you were not afraid?" Resources Mentioned: Workshops.work - Myriam's boutique agency "The Art of Gathering" by Priya Parker Gabor Maté's work on belonging vs. authenticity The Curiosity Lab - Concentrated strategy container Chedva's newsletter - Weekly musings and questions  

Listeners, what an adventure it's been! 300 episodes. 300 guests. 300 soulful, wise, curious, facilitation-affirming conversations - each one, a gift! To celebrate my podcast tercentenary, I sit down with my microphone for an introspective, behind-the-scenes episode, just me, myself and I, to reflect on the years as a podcast host and facilitator.Episode 300 is a celebration - of facilitation, of journeys, and of learnings. I share my story, the things I'd tell my younger podcast-self, and the wisdom nuggets I've collected along the way.Thank you for sharing this journey with me!Find out about:My motivation for starting the Workshops.work podcast and its evolutionThe key to selecting brilliant podcast guests - and my selection criteriaMy growth as a podcast host and why I shifted my focus to celebrate human dynamicsWhy engaging conversations lie in chemistry, gut feelings and authentic curiosityTo become a better facilitator, we must never stop participating!Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Myriam Hadnes:LinkedInWebsiteSupport the show✨✨✨Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a free 1-page summary of each upcoming episode directly to your inbox, or explore our eBooks featuring 50-episode compilations for even more facilitation insights. Find out more:https://workshops.work/podcast✨✨✨Did you know? You can search all episodes by keyword to find exactly what you need via our Buzzsprout page!

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.—Hannah is a UX researcher with over a decade of experience helping product teams make smarter, faster decisions. She has a thing for working on public sector services, the grittier, the better and nothing is grittier than healthcare (especially women's health). Hannah worked her way up the chain to be head of research, but she just couldn't keep away from the hustle of a product team. Instead, she focused on scaling down UX research methods so even the leanest teams can get some insight.Her mantra? Good research comes in small packages. In our conversation, we discuss:* The importance of bridging the gap between research and business decisions* Challenges of getting research used by teams and keeping it actionable* The value of workshops in facilitating collaboration and decision-making* Tips for structuring workshops in an agile, time-constrained environmentAny links to courses or somethingSome takeaways:* Research doesn't end with analysis. To ensure your findings are applied, you need to facilitate discussions that help teams translate insights into actionable decisions. After completing research, schedule a workshop where key stakeholders (designers, product managers, and developers) collaborate to prioritize insights based on business needs and feasibility.* Workshops are vital for creating alignment between cross-functional teams. Hannah emphasized how they enable everyone to share perspectives and make collaborative decisions, ensuring that research gets implemented. Start by introducing short workshops (like assumption mapping) into existing meetings, ensuring that decisions are made as a group rather than individually by stakeholders.* In agile teams, traditional long-form research methods can be broken down into smaller, digestible tasks spread across multiple sessions. This makes them more manageable and ensures participation without overwhelming the team. Use methods like problem clarity vs. risk mapping in agile sprints by integrating them into existing meetings like retrospectives or standups. Limit activities to 10-15 minutes to fit the team's schedule.* A well-structured workshop ensures that participants stay focused and engaged. Timeboxing each part of the workshop, as Hannah suggested, keeps discussions on track and maximizes productivity. For every workshop, clearly define time limits for each activity. Use visible countdowns to ensure that no one person dominates the conversation, allowing equal participation from all team members.* The misconception that workshops must be long or formal is outdated. Short, frequent sessions can be just as effective in driving decisions and maintaining momentum. Create “minimum viable workshops” by breaking a larger activity into smaller chunks across multiple shorter meetings. For example, instead of a three-hour workshop, spread exercises across a two-week sprint, completing small tasks during existing ceremonies or standups.Where to find Hannah:* LinkedIn* WebsiteFor inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email nikki@userresearchacademy.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit userresearchacademy.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Myriam Hadnes, Founder of Workshops Work, shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship and the creation of her companies NeverDoneBefore.org and Workshops.Work. She discusses the challenges she faced in transitioning to entrepreneurship and the importance of building a community and creating a safe space for collaboration. Myriam also explains her facilitation agency model and the value of investing in branding and design. She emphasizes the power of understanding human behavior and communication in facilitating workshops and building successful businesses.This podcast is powered by LeggUP, the only accelerated platform with a holistic approach to professional development that guarantees and nurtures the growth of employees. Click here to learn more: https://www.leggup.com/Subscribe to the Talent Empowerment Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TomFinnovation

Next Thursday, Dr. Myriam Hadnes, Founder of Workshops Work, shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship and the creation of her companies NeverDoneBefore.org and Workshops.Work. She discusses the challenges she faced in transitioning to entrepreneurship and the importance of building a community and creating a safe space for collaboration. Myriam also explains her facilitation agency model and the value of investing in branding and design. She emphasizes the power of understanding human behavior and communication in facilitating workshops and building successful businesses.This podcast is powered by LeggUP, the only accelerated platform with a holistic approach to professional development that guarantees and nurtures the growth of employees. Click here to learn more: https://www.leggup.com/Subscribe to the Talent Empowerment Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TomFinnovation

How do we facilitate a workshop that actually works?  What are some key facilitation strategies that turn your meetings from boring to extraordinary?   Myriam Hadnes, facilitation expert and the host of Workshops Work podcast, joins Rob Kalwarowsky from Elite High Performance to answer these questions and more. Check out Rob Kalwarowsky's TEDx talk - How to Handle a Bad Boss Have you ever had a bad boss?  Are you working for an a**hole?  Check out, executive coach and mental health advocate. Rob Kalwarowsky's brand new TEDx talk, How to Handle a Bad Boss! -   The talk covers: Signs of a Bad Boss 6 types of A**hole Bosses The Mental Health Impact of a Bad Boss Strategies to Deal with Your Bad Boss Find Myriam Hadnes https://workshops.work https://www.linkedin.com/in/myriam-hadnes https://www.youtube.com/c/workshopswork https://www.instagram.com/myriamhadnes/ https://open.spotify.com/show/7jZ2y0z0nOD6uRB7520w4u?si=97a8c9b2930f4446  Find Rob Kalwarowsky, World-Renowned Leadership Coach & TEDx Speaker, at the following links:  https://www.howtodealboss.com/howtodealwithanassholeboss  https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kalwarowsky/ https://www.instagram.com/bosscoachrobk/  https://www.tiktok.com/@bosscoachrobk 

Join Ally Dommu, Director of Service Development, and Dr. Myriam Hadnes, facilitator, and founder of Workshops Work, as they discuss the power and importance of facilitation. Discover steps facilitators can take to harness benefits and create respectful and inclusive spaces.

Tänases saates on Andres Kostivi külaliseks Tiina Hiller, pikaaegse turunduse- ja personalijuhtimise kogemusega ekspert, kes täna tegutseb Futuristi töötubade fasilitaatori ja digiteenuste arenduse projektijuht.    Tänases episoodis võtame Tiinaga vaatluse alla fasiliteerimise kui strateegilise tööriista, mis aitab meeskondadel ja organisatsioonidel paremaid otsuseid teha, tulemusi saavutada ning kiiremini kohaneda.   Saates tuleb juttu:  Fasiliteerimise olemus ja tähtsus: Tiina selgitab, mis on fasiliteerimine ja miks on see tänapäeval nii oluliseks muutunud.  Fasiliteerimise mõju: arutleme, kuidas fasiliteerimine mõjutab positiivselt tiime ja organisatsioone, tõhustades koostööd ja suurendades kaasatust.  Fasiliteerimine juhi tööriistana: Räägime sellest, kuidas fasiliteerimisoskused aitavad juhtidel meeskonna potentsiaali maksimeerida, otsustusprotsesse kiirendada ja meeskonna ühtsust tugevdada.  Millal kasutada fasiliteerimist: Tiina jagab näpunäiteid olukordade äratundmiseks, kus fasiliteerimine on eriti kasulik.  Olulised fasiliteerimisoskused: Käsitleme vajalikke oskusi efektiivseks fasilitaatoriks olemiseks ning Tiina jagab ka soovitusi ja fasiliteerimisoskuste arendamiseks ja täiendamiseks.    Soovitatud materjalid:  Raamatusoovitus: The Art and Science of Facilitation: How to Lead Effective Collaboration with Agile Teams, autorilt Marsha Acker.  Blogisoovitus: The Workshopper blog by AJ & Smart).  Podcasti soovitused: Workshops Work (kuula siit) ja First Time Facilitator (kuula siit).  Kiiresti muutuvad turutingimused ja tehnoloogilised uuendused nõuavad ettevõtetelt pidevat kohanemist. Fasiliteerimisoskused aitavad organisatsioonidel ja tiimidel tõhusamalt kaasata oma liikmeid, struktureerida arutelusid ning jõuda kiiremini innovatiivsete ja efektiivsete lahendusteni.    Kuulake meie viimast episoodi ja avasta, kuidas fasiliteerimisoskused võivad sinu tiimi ja organisatsiooni aidata.

A deep and insightful conversation with Myriam Hadnes, a self-described facilitation evangelist and the host of the 'Workshops Work' podcast. Myriam shares her journey from an academic background in behavioral economics to embracing facilitation as her superpower, aiming to help others learn and apply it effectively. She highlights her experiences living and working in different parts of the world, emphasizing the role of travel in gaining insights into diverse cultures, which she finds crucial in her work. The conversation delves into the essence of facilitation, contrasting it with coaching, and explores its application in making group processes easy and engaging. Myriam also shares practical tips and strategies for effective facilitation, including dealing with disruptive participants and designing workshops that create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants. The episode concludes with resources and ways to connect with Miriam for those interested in learning more about the art and science of facilitation.00:00 The Journey of a Facilitation Evangelist04:03 Embracing the Digital Shift in Facilitation05:20 Cultural Nuances in Facilitation08:02 The Essence and Impact of Facilitation10:40 Navigating Group Dynamics as a Facilitator16:13 Designing Effective Workshops18:50 Managing Disruptive Participants22:41 Exploring Facilitation Techniques and Ground Rules24:00 The Art of Icebreakers and Energizers27:49 Engagement and Attention Span in Meetings28:25 Effective Session Lengths and Participant Engagement30:16 Innovative Facilitation Techniques and Tools33:03 Virtual Facilitation and Preferred Platforms36:46 The Power of Listening and Authenticity in Work38:07 Connecting with the Facilitation Community39:05 Personal Insights and Closing ThoughtsMyriam HadnesFacilitation Evangelist: "An expert in the field of facilitation who actively promotes its importance and benefits. This person is passionate about the power of effective group collaboration and aims to spread the word, advocating for the adoption of facilitation techniques in various settings.https://workshops.work/⚡️ In each episode, Paddy Dhanda deep dives into a new human Superpower to help you thrive in the age of AI.

There is an art to facilitating workshops, especially if you wish it to be impactful. Today's guest is Myriam Hadnes, who founded Workshops Work to support individuals and organizations to grow their facilitation skills. She shares her thoughts on helping clients create a smoother workshop, drawing from the best practices she has learned from navigating and growing as an expert in the field. What is more, Myriam adds some tips for facilitators to avoid mirroring negative effects in the workshops. Tune in to this exciting episode as Myriam joins Michael Zipursky to share more about designing a workshop that truly works.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.consultingsuccess.com/podcast

Welcome to Yoga Boss episode 164, "How to make your workshops work." Not all workshops are created equally. Not all workshops will help you create more paid students in your business.  Maybe you are using workshops to market your business...but you are spending more time teaching and delivering without seeing students convert.  Listen to this episode to learn how to distinguish between a workshop that sells and a workshop that doesn't. Listen to this episode to turn on the money flow in 2023. In this episode we cover the following: -The Profitable Yoga Boss Group Monthly Bonus workshops-The Workshop Workshop March 24th, 2023 -The Profitable Yoga Boss Group OPEN Apply now-Exact outline for workshops that create more paid students  -Workshops are not all created equal. -Apply for The Yoga Boss Group now to get the workshopAs mentioned in the episode:www.theyogabossgroup.com/apply

Hi everyone.Are you a good listener? A person who doesn't need to be in the limelight to shine? Someone who's interested in helping workgroups achieve their best possible outcomes? Perhaps you're considering making a career change, or maybe looking to improve your facilitation skills? If so, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode, #107, of Looking Forward: Opportunities for Job, Career, Business and Investment Seekers.My guest expert, Dr. Myriam Hadnes, will share her expertise on such things as: (1) what facilitators do, (2) what kinds of facilitators there are, (3) who uses facilitators and where, and (4) why she believes the need for facilitators will continue to grow. And, in true Looking Forward fashion, you'll hear about the steps you can take to become a facilitator, such as how to find a job in that field, or to improve your facilitation skills so you can flourish within your profession.Myriam Hadnes is a Ph.D. behavioral economist by training, the host of the “Workshops Work” podcast by passion, and a facilitator by profession. Motivated by the vision that we can change the world, one workshop at a time, Myriam curates the global "NeverDoneBefore" community that explores the edges of the art and craft of facilitation. In her work, Myriam applies scientific insights about human behavior and group dynamics- along with her learnings from experts on her podcast-- to improve collaborative work. You'll find out more about Myriam and how to connect with her at the end of this episode. You'll find more information about my business by visiting www.jeff-ostroff.com There you can also contact me about the various marketing and communications services we offer, such as (1) podcast hosting, creation, and consulting, (2) professional voice overs and B2B/B2C interviewing, and (3) live, interactive webinars featuring some of our "All Star" Looking Forward guest experts.** If you enjoy this episode, please be sure to tell your family, friends, and other members of YOUR network about it… and encourage them to listen to it, too. Also, please give it a "like" and/or a good review.Looking Forward is THE podcast about the OPPORTUNITIES created by global trends, now and into the future, and how YOU might capitalize on those: Think... jobs, careers, business start-ups, ventures, investments, life enrichment.Guests are experts in their field, and most are C-suite executives, household names, authors, and/or from prestigious universities or similar organizations.Looking Forward is a great source for media outlets, podcast producers, telecom companies, audio publishers, etc. to include as part of their content. This is what MTN, the gigantic telecommunications company in Africa, is doing.To discuss revenue-sharing opportunities to distribute our content-- which can be customized and reformatted to meet your needs and those of your target audience-- please contact us at www.jeff-ostroff.comLooking Forward also offers a smart and affordable way for advertisers to promote their products or services, especially given its positive spin and informative, entertaining, and wholesome content.

Workshop preparation requires a lot of work and can be frustrating, but if done correctly, can lead to magic. There are several reasons why personas should be updated often, including new insights into customer needs and motivation.: Assuming your data model is already well along, influencing it in the early stages can save valuable time and money. Follow Ivy on Twitter (@ivyquinz3l) Follow Paulo on Twitter (@paulofonseca__)--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/designerdao/message This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.designer-dao.xyz

In today's episode, Pilar talks to Myriam Hadnes, facilitator and host of the Workshops Work podcast and founder of the Never Done Before festival.  Myriam first realised she was a facilitator after she read Priay Parker's "The Art of Gathering". Her perception of facilitation has broadened since then: she now thinks more of having the mindset of a facilitator as she's doing less and less pure facilitation, and more training and nurturing of facilitators. Maybe it's more a question of identity and how you do what you do eg in a conversation, being present, listening, making sure the other person is heard etc. Myriam has created a home for facilitators. The Never Done Before festival grew out of a feeling that there was nothing new in the events that Myriam attended. In 2020, Myriam set up the festival, online, with the only “rule” that those leading sessions had to do something they hadn't done before. She invited previous podcast guests to run sessions.The festival went on for 24 hours and everything that could go wrong, went wrong! However, there's a beauty about creating a space for a group into a session that might fail, because it's never done before. It creates a strong sense of connection.  (And there was even some impromptu singing at some point, sparked by some things going wrong…) There was even an “afterglow”, later in the year when some of the facilitators repeated their sessions. A participant suggested an “advent calendar” type event to follow up the festival. Everyone who had run a workshop could run the session again under the label “Done only once before”. The ongoing experience of meeting every day brought people even closer together. Two years on, the community is becoming stronger and doesn't need Myriam to curate and do everything for them, but provide the ecosystem and “give permission”. They have just run The Testival, a testing festival, 100% co-created by the community.  For the next Never Been Done Before festival, it will be the community that organises the event, which feels strange to Myriam. She's going through similar stages to giving birth and bringing up children, and it's an emotional process. To hold a space safe enough for everyone to take risks and show unpolished work to other facilitators is Myriam's main role now. They're now in the process of thinking about who else can join in, at the same time as protecting the community. Inclusivity (eg global) while being exclusive (eg it's a paid community) is a difficult balance to strike. One of the ways in which they're addressing this is through adjusting the price to purchasing power, so the price varies depending on where you are in the world.  21.30minsThe community also has a mentorship programme. They have adapted the Hero's Journey as a development programme for new facilitators, and it ends with mentees running a session in the festival. The next intake is in September 2022. They have two homes online: one for asynchronous communication, and they also have a community garden on Welo https://www.welo.space/. This space is open all the time, for people to hop in, meet others, and even run their own sessions.  Creating the habit for people to use this space has been interesting. First they called it a co-working space, but very few people would drop in. It finally kicked off when they started to schedule sessions there, and rename it to and design it as a “community garden”. 28.00minsMyriam realised that the facilitator community shares everything, except their fees. She also noticed that many struggle to price their services. She hosted a mastermind session for the NDB community and realised how good it felt to have an open conversation about money. Someone suggested carrying out a survey - mainly whether there was a difference between what people charged online vs in person.  The results: at the beginning of the pandemic, many clients expected online events to be cheaper than in person, or even free - now this has changed, and the rates are more or less the same (sometimes online is more expensive). Geographically, the rates in the US are higher than everywhere else.  Now that the world has woken up to the power of facilitation, and understands the value of a well facilitated workshops, the overall rates seem to have gone up. Value is a much better parameter to cost around than hours.  Myriam believes you can actually go deeper when you run sessions in the online world, because breakout rooms are truly private spaces, rather than the group work done in person, where many groups still share the same physical space in practice. As facilitators, we need a mindset shift: clients don't want a “workshop”, they want specific outputs. (And will these be achieved with one workshop?)  Myriam hosts a show called “Workshops Work”, and she's now past the 170 episodes. https://workshops.work/podcast/ If you would like to guest on Myriam's show, she is now looking for “the edges”, what is a different angle on workshops? What have workshop leaders learned from their career before running workshops, that they bring to the work?Myriam holds a chemistry call with potential guests, where she assesses whether she and the person “click”, and whether there is enough “flesh” - the moment Myriam gets curious and the questions start coming to her, that's where the chemistry call ends, and the recording date is set. (And if you want to find out more about Myriam as a podcaster, check out this conversation in Adventures in Podcasting: https://www.adventuresinpodcasting.com/ep-21-adventures-with-myriam-hadnes/ )   The next Never Been Done Before festival will run on 18 Nov 2022. https://neverdonebefore.org/

Ellen Wagner ist Diversity-Coach und arbeitet in den USA und Deutschland. Die 41-Jährige spricht im Podcast über die Suche nach ihren leiblichen Eltern, Rassismus in queeren Spaces und Homophobie in der Schwarzen Community – und darüber, warum sie sich bei Workshops manchmal auf den Boden schmeißt. https://ellen-wagner.com/ (04:30) Passkontrolle (08:55) Bewerbungsgespräch (Rubrik) (12:25) Klischee-Check (15:20) Wurzellosigkeit & Paradiesvogel im Senegal (31:25) Anderssein: Homophobie in Schwarzen und Rassismus in queeren Communities (49:05) Suche nach den Eltern: Gentest und Halbgeschwister (1:01:00) Diversity-Coaching: Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe und Heilen (1:17:40) Wie man mit Post-Its auf Rassismus reagiert Diese Folge ist Teil der "Work-Edition" mit dem Schwerpunkt Arbeit. Sie wird unterstützt von LinkedIn. Hört auch rein in die Work-Edition des Kopfsalat-Podcasts: https://www.frnd.de/kopfsalat/ Der Halbe Katoffl Podcast ist eine Gesprächsreihe mit Deutschen, die nicht deutsche Wurzeln haben. Moderator ist der Berliner Journalist Frank Joung, dessen Eltern aus Korea kommen. Es geht um Themen wie Integration (gähn), Identität (ah ja) und Stereotypisierungen (oha) – aber eben lustig, unterhaltsam und kurzweilig. Anekdoten aus dem Leben statt Theorien aus dem Lehrbuch. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-joung-76-fjo/ Website: https://halbekatoffl.de Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halbekatoffl/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HalbeKatoffl Twitter: https://twitter.com/HalbeKatoffl

Kelvy has been a scribe for almost 30 years - there are few people better placed to share insights and reflections on the discipline and its impact on collaborative work.Scribing is far more than ‘just' drawing pictures or transcribing speech, as Kelvy explains with perfect clarity and engaging spirit in this episode.Join us as we plumb the multi-sensory depths of her work. We explore what it means to listen without seeing, to participate without influencing, and to join art and information for the benefit of the group (and beyond).Find out about:What scribing is and how it enhances our collaborationWhy ink and pencil marks are only the tip of the iceberg in the multi-sensory world of scribingHow perception, knowledge, and drawing come together in scribingHow Otto Scharmer's four levels of listening translate to scribingWhat feedback looks like when we accept that no drawing can be ‘bad'Why Kelvy recommends for anyone interested in exploring scribingDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and AnswersPart two [01:28] Can one be taught to read non-linearly? [04:30] Do you ever feel frustrated at a group for going in a different direction than you expected? [08:24] What makes a workshop fail - and how does it feel as a scribe to witness?[11:01] You've written books about scribing. Where do you start when teaching it? [17:39] How do you avoid anticipating the movements of a group? Do you have to hold yourself back?[22:27] Though we agree that there is no such thing as a bad scribe, what would you recommend to someone who wants to improving their scribing?[26:39] What's your favourite exercise?LinksWebsiteUpcoming programsScribing Essentials course, in OctoberGenerative Scribing bookMedium profileConnect to Kelvy:LinkedInTwitterInstagram

Kelvy has been a scribe for almost 30 years - there are few people better placed to share insights and reflections on the discipline & its impact on collaborative work.Scribing is far more than ‘just' drawing pictures or transcribing speech, as Kelvy explains with perfect clarity & engaging spirit in this episode.  We explore what it means to listen without seeing, to participate without influencing, & to join art and information for the benefit of the group.Find out about:What scribing is and how it enhances our collaborationWhy ink and pencil marks are only the tip of the iceberg in the multi-sensory world of scribingHow perception, knowledge, and drawing come together in scribingHow Otto Scharmer's four levels of listening translate to scribingWhat feedback looks like when we accept that no drawing can be ‘bad'Why Kelvy recommends for anyone interested in exploring scribingSubscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Download the free 1-page summary, to keep key points of this episode to hand.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and AnswersPart one [01:08] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator - if you do? [04:09] What did you have to leave behind from your education in art to become a 'real' scribe? [05:57] Can you explain the difference between scribing and graphic facilitation? [11:03] How do you perceive your impact on the group - does scribing change the course of a workshop?[13:28] How do you represent silence, pauses, and the unspoken? [16:43] Can you read other scribes' work in ways that participants can't? [23:01] What's the difference between reading body language in-person and online? [25:46] Has there been a particular moment when you've felt proud of the group's reaction to your drawings? [29:59] More emotion comes through in drawings, does that make them more memorable than traditional minute-taking? [31:21] Where is the line between art and information in your work? Do the two merge[32:56] How do you retain independent creativity whilst trying to meet the expectations of the client? [36:20] What I'm hearing is that you may feel you've lost some sharpness, but gained more 'sensing'? [38:25] Could a university professor use a scribe to capture their first iteration of a lecture and then use those drawings as their presentation in the future? [45:24] Could you imagine a museum or gallery for scribes? [49:34] Is the sense of care and depth of listening a way to distinguish between a good scribe and a bad scribe? Is there such a distinction?LinksWebsiteUpcoming programsScribing Essentials course, in OctoberGenerative Scribing bookMedium profileConnect to Kelvy:LinkedInTwitterInstagram

We all hope to facilitate breakthroughs - those “a-ha” moments when participants have a lightbulb over their heads, ideas synthesise, and new ideas emerge.But we can't legislate and plan for them, can we?Of course, there are no guarantees... but Kimberly Wiefling (and her approach to facilitation) is as close to a guarantee as you can get!Join us in this episode as we discuss failure, emergence, workshop design, behavioural economics, language, and many more topics by way of some deeply personal reflections and storytelling. It's a wondrous episode!Find out about:How to facilitate for breakthroughs to occur, rather than leaving it to chanceWhere physics and facilitation intersectWhat a workshop of breakthroughs looks like - before, during, and afterWhy sharing a space and experience is critical to a workshop's successHow to use clothing to influence your creativity (and mindset in general)How using contracts (signed by employee and manager) can codify workshop outcomesDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!Questions and AnswersPart two [02:45] Might we use the CEO as leverage to create a more innovative company culture? [09:16] How do you help groups prevent the 'workshop hangover', to maintain their learnings? [14:08] Examples of designing our environments to embed change. [16:48] Asking questions, posing possibilities, and how facilitators can introduce the idea of change. [20:53] Using overeating as an example to look at self-soothing, comforting, and avoidance. [23:36] How time moves differently when we're energised or burned out. [27:47] Facilitating transformational experiences. [29:36] Inviting co-creation by assigning roles in a workshop. [36:57] The disempowerment we create as facilitators when we 'take control' of a workshop.LinksKimberly's websiteKimberly's teamKimberly's businessTwo pages full of Kimberly's free videos, articles, and templatesKimberly's booksConnect to Kimberly:On LinkedInOn Twitter

We all hope to facilitate breakthroughs - those “a-ha” moments when participants have a lightbulb over their heads, ideas synthesise, and new ideas emerge.But we can't legislate and plan for them, can we?Of course, there are no guarantees... but Kimberly Wiefling (and her approach to facilitation) is as close to a guarantee as you can get!Join us in this episode as we discuss failure, emergence, workshop design, behavioural economics, language, and many more topics by way of some deeply personal reflections and storytelling. It's a wondrous episode!Find out about:How to facilitate for breakthroughs to occur, rather than leaving it to chanceWhere physics and facilitation intersectWhat a workshop of breakthroughs looks like - before, during, and afterWhy sharing a space and experience is critical to a workshop's successHow to use clothing to influence your creativity (and mindset in general)How using contracts (signed by employee and manager) can codify workshop outcomesDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!Questions and AnswersPart one [01:13] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator - if you do? [02:00] When was the moment that you realised you are a facilitator, not a trainer? [05:05] What have you learned from physics about facilitation?# [09:55] How can we detach our own expectations and open our minds up to new possibilities and different realities within a group? [11:13] Can you tell us the story of the Chinese horse farmer? [14:10] Can we re-engineer confirmation bias to help us find silver linings?[16:25] Using first-person narrativisation to reframe our experiences as positive. [19:07] How can we use negatives as fuel to change the narrative?[22:40] Kimberly shares a perspective-shifting exercise. [25:38] What makes a workshop fail? [28:53] How can a facilitator turn up, do nothing, and still make things happen?[36:35] What is the one step we can take to make the impossible possible in organisations plagued by 'learned helplessness? LinksKimberly's websiteKimberly's teamKimberly's businessTwo pages full of Kimberly's free videos, articles, and templatesKimberly's booksConnect to Kimberly:On LinkedInOn Twitter

Supporting employee self-development isn't a sacrifice for organisations. In fact, it is often a precursor to the organisation's own growth and progress.In Kristiaan Hartman and Wouter Smeets, we have two of the best people possible to discuss self-development in the workplace - and its impacts throughout organisations.As the founders of Prototype You, Kristiaan and Wouter have been facilitating self-development programmes within organisations since 2018. Safe to say, they have plenty of insights to share about how facilitation can help us design better (perfect?) roles, workspaces, and even careers!Find out about:Why employees' personal growth so often generates organisational growthHow to create a culture of shared development, based on inner valuesThe story of Kristiaan and Wouter's business - Prototype You - and why they started itWhy skillset and mindset are equally important in personal developmentHow the duo recruit facilitators to deliver the programme - and what they've learned through the processDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners! You can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork.Questions and AnswersPart two [01:40] Is your service - your product - still in prototype? Or is that phase complete? [03:05] As you have external facilitators deliver some of your programmes, is each session codesigned with them? [04:33] How do you recruit your facilitators? [08:42] Is it scary to have other facilitators out there delivering "your" work? [13:32] Discussing the arrogance inherent in assuming that we see things that someone else doesn't and theorising about "what might have happened". [20:20] It sounds like your facilitators need to be highly skilled and mature - in their own practice but also in your programme? [21:59] How do you balance the personal learning styles and speeds of participants with the need for the group to make shared progress? [25:05] Do you have a favourite exercise?[30:18] What would be your one-word description for each other? [33:25] What is the one thing you want listeners to take away from this episode?LinksConnect to Kristiaan and Wouter:Wouter on LinkedInKristiaan on LinkedIn

Supporting employee self-development isn't a sacrifice for organisations. In fact, it is often a precursor to the organisation's own growth and progress.In Kristiaan Hartman and Wouter Smeets, we have two of the best people possible to discuss self-development in the workplace - and its impacts throughout organisations.As the founders of Prototype You, Kristiaan and Wouter have been facilitating self-development programmes within organisations since 2018. Safe to say, they have plenty of insights to share about how facilitation can help us design better (perfect?) roles, workspaces, and even careers!Find out about:Why employees' personal growth so often generates organisational growthHow to create a culture of shared development, based on inner valuesThe story of Kristiaan and Wouter's business - Prototype You - and why they started itWhy skillset and mindset are equally important in personal developmentHow the duo recruit facilitators to deliver the programme - and what they've learned through the processDon't miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.And download the free 1-page summary, so you can always have the key points of this episode to hand.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners! You can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork.Questions and AnswersPart one [01:43] When did you start calling yourselves facilitators? [02:46] What's the difference between a coach and a facilitator? [07:52] Why did you call your company Prototype You? And why not Perfect You? [11:41] Is prototyping a skill to learn or a mindset to adopt?[14:42] What is Prototype You, then? What is the process behind it? [17:05] This sounds reminiscent of a retrospective in Scrum? [23:57] Do you focus on our self-responsibility for our work experience? [29:07] Could the next step be to develop a version of Prototype You for families? [31:01] Discussing failure and different perspectives on it. [34:55] What role do managers play in the Prototype You process? [41:51] How would you deal with a manager realising that they've overpromised something as part of an employee's prototyping? [45:10] Do you have a checklist or a process to vet companies? How do you spot red flags?LinksConnect to Kristiaan and Wouter:Wouter on LinkedInKristiaan on LinkedIn

Facilitation is a lot of things: we'd all agree on and understand it as a verb. Many of us would identify it as a profession. But how many of us understand it as a business?Mireille Beumer wasn't always in the business of facilitation. Yes, she was a freelancer offering facilitation services, but it took a little while longer for her to step into entrepreneurship and create her facilitation business.It might seem like pedantic semantics, but it's a crucial difference.Learn what it means to create a facilitation business, rather than being a solo facilitator in this episode... and learn how Mireille did it herself! Find out about:●       Mireille's journey of turning facilitation from a verb to a profession to a business●       The building blocks for creating a facilitation business●       Why asking for help brings success, but uncritically accepting advice doesn't●       How a freelance facilitator operates differently to a facilitation business●       Why it is a folly to try and sell your 'human' services to businesses●       What Mireille recommends if you aren't sure where to start with entrepreneurship Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners you can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork. Questions and AnswersPart two[01:09] What's your process for deciding pricing?[04:03] Why is it that you don't share your preparation time?[09:38] The need to compensate ourselves for training and education.[11:56] What is one thing you wish you had known before starting?[13:42] Coping with uncertainty.[18:03] What's the difference between being a freelance facilitator and having a facilitation business?[22:59] What can you share about the back office of your business? With whom do your work?[25:50] Where is your business heading - more co-facilitators? Automated sessions? Or are you happy with how it is right now?[27:21] What makes a young business fail?[28:58] What are your thoughts on 'competitors'?[34:46] Avoiding falling into the same traps our clients might call us in to help them out of.[35:32] What is the one thing you would like the audience to take away from this episode?LinksEpisode 30 - featuring Mireille!Mireille's websiteConnect to Mireille:On LinkedInOn Instagram 

Myriam Hadnes (workshops.work) joins Phil to discuss; - The importance of leaders role modeling vulnerability - The work before the work, assessing the needs of your clients - Why doing things you have never done before can enhance your facilitation skills Connect with Myriam - myriam@workshops.work Learn more about Myriam's work - http://workshops.work/

Facilitation is a lot of things: we'd all agree on and understand it as a verb. Many of us would identify it as a profession. But how many of us understand it as a business?Mireille Beumer wasn't always in the business of facilitation. Yes, she was a freelancer offering facilitation services, but it took a little while longer for her to step into entrepreneurship and create her facilitation business.It might seem like pedantic semantics, but it's a crucial difference.Learn what it means to create a facilitation business, rather than being a solo facilitator in this episode... and learn how Mireille did it herself! Find out about:●       Mireille's journey of turning facilitation from a verb to a profession to a business●       The building blocks for creating a facilitation business●       Why asking for help brings success, but uncritically accepting advice doesn't●       How a freelance facilitator operates differently to a facilitation business●       Why it is a folly to try and sell your 'human' services to businesses●       What Mireille recommends if you aren't sure where to start with entrepreneurship Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners you can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork. Questions and AnswersPart one[01:46] What has happened since you were last on the show, late in 2019, and how have you navigated the pandemic?[05:05] How did you come to build your facilitation business? What comes next?[06:56] Would you consider LinkedIn as the main source of your work?[11:36] Who are the clients you attract? And how did this shift in the pandemic?[17:05] How did you first get started as a facilitation business owner? It can seem so huge and impossible to begin, from the outside.[21:44] Did you purposefully create your personal brand and niche, or did it emerge naturally over time?[26:41] Staying consistent and coherent with your branding.[28:20] The need for education, innovation, and evolution rather than revolution.LinksEpisode 30 - featuring Mireille!Mireille's websiteConnect to Mireille:On LinkedInOn Instagram 

What will the most successful teams look like in the future of work? How is consultancy changing? How can businesses improve their knowledge management and sharing?Believe it or not, Marilyn Zakhour and I manage to fit all of these topics (and several more) into this episode.Marilyn is a fascinating person - from her multi-hyphenate career to her ease of conversation.Since 2020, when she left her role as Head of Dubai Opera, she has been working with top executives to help them step into the future of work and prioritise collaboration over co-location.Our wide-ranging conversation about big ideas felt more like a casual chat with a friend - and there are plenty more seats at the table for you to join us.Find out about:●     Why consultancy is increasingly about change and project management●     How the best remote teams embrace newness, rather than replicate tradition●     Why context is an essential precursor to outcomes in a workshop●     What happens when participant hear you use buzzwords and acronyms●     How Marilyn designs her workshop debriefs to encourage long-lasting behavioural change●     What great information management looks like in businesses (including facilitation ones!)Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners you can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork.Questions and AnswersPart two[01:07] Can you share the story behind your company's name - Cosmic Centaurs?[05:44] What are the key ingredients that can make a remote team fail?[09:49] How can an organisation design a work interface that is instantly ‘gettable'?[16:25] What would you say is a quick win or starting point for knowledge management?[19:15] If you were creating the perfect remote team from scratch, how would you start?[23:58] The irony of excessive acronyms in a profession that prides itself on simplification and creating clarity.[27:36] The relevance of friendships in our workplace communication.[30:43] Why disagreement is healthy when we have a connection.[32:11] What's the future of work?LinksCosmic Centaurs websiteCosmic Centaurs LinkedIn pageAion Teams websiteConnect to Marilyn:On LinkedIn

What will the most successful teams look like in the future of work? How is consultancy changing? How can businesses improve their knowledge management and sharing?Believe it or not, Marilyn Zakhour and I manage to fit all of these topics (and several more) into this episode.Marilyn is a fascinating person - from her multi-hyphenate career to her ease of conversation.Since 2020, when she left her role as Head of Dubai Opera, she has been working with top executives to help them step into the future of work and prioritise collaboration over co-location.Our wide-ranging conversation about big ideas felt more like a casual chat with a friend - and there are plenty more seats at the table for you to join us.Find out about:●     Why consultancy is increasingly about change and project management●     How the best remote teams embrace newness, rather than replicate tradition●     Why context is an essential precursor to outcomes in a workshop●     What happens when participant hear you use buzzwords and acronyms●     How Marilyn designs her workshop debriefs to encourage long-lasting behavioural change●     What great information management looks like in businesses (including facilitation ones!)Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners you can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork.Questions and AnswersPart one[01:35] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator - in fact, do you?[03:57] What's the switch been like between management and facilitation?[09:24] How do you help clients bridge that gap between knowing and doing after a workshop?[11:56] Do you find that all managers receive well the prompt that they've forgotten something?[17:11] When do you determine that a project is finished? And when did your consulting business become an 'interim management' business?[19:23] This sounds a lot like change management - would you say that's accurate?[22:22] How many people affected by the outcome of a workshop can you legitimately include in said workshop? Isn't there a tipping point?[25:44] What makes a workshop or project fail?[27:19] What's the cost of a failed workshop?[27:59] What would your advice be to a facilitator whose workshop has just failed?LinksCosmic Centaurs websiteCosmic Centaurs LinkedIn pageAion Teams websiteConnect to Marilyn:On LinkedIn

Myriam Hadnes is the host of the Workshops Work podcast, where she talks to guests about facilitation and collaboration. We also talk about the role the podcast has taken in developing her business and community, sponsor breaks and how she uses a visual map to guide people into her show. Workshops Work was part of her business communication, and a year and a half into her podcast, she actually changed the name of her business to match the podcast. Her first guest was her mentor, who also introduced Myriam to workshops. She then reached out to her close community and friends. The show structure has become freer now - Myriam has gone from scripting all her questions and following the script, to sending some questions through to give "the illusion of preparation" and be able to follow the conversation. 17.50 minsThrough podcasting, Myriam has also learned "the art of taking space", a concept she came across through improv. By being vulnerable and sharing her own perspective, she supports her guest helping them to play with the content, instead of being responsible for creating the content for the episode. Being of service to the other person is also something that comes from facilitation. Myriam edited the first 25 episodes herself, which is important to do to get a real sense of your own presence and the conversation dynamics. "We don't want a thinking break to be confused with a tech issue." She used to take 4 hours per hour of episode. 27.30 minsWhen conversations are long, the episodes are split into two shows, as Myriam asked her audience about their preferred length - they said 40 minutes and that it would be good for longer episodes to be split into two. This shows there's all kind of preferences, and it's worth asking your audience. 32.36 minsA few years ago, Myriam went to a conference and was so dissatisfied that eventually, after being prompted by a guest, she set up her own conference. She invited her guests to do something at an event, where they would do something that had never done before. The first 24 hour festival took place in November 2020, and now it's evolved into this whole thing, the Never Done Before community and events: https://neverdonebefore.org/40.50minsMyriam talks about how she decided to get her listeners used to "sponsors breaks" since the first episode so that, if at some point she could sell sponsorship onto the show, the audience would already be used to it.46.50 minsMyriam has a wonderful visual map on Mural for her episodes. You can find it here: https://bit.ly/podcast-map ,  Finally, Myriam talks about what she likes best about having her show: those moments when her and the guest forget that they are recording a show and have memorable, or incredibly fun conversations. Some of her favourite moments are her conversation with Meg Bolger, and Howard Gray.You can connect with Myriam on LinkedIn, and also check out her site Workshops Work. If you want to hear from me (Pilar) in between episodes, you can sign up to the Adventures in Podcasting newsletter here: If you're thinking of starting your own podcasting adventure, I recommend Buzzsprout as host - click here for my affiliate link, which also gets you a little discount, and Riverside FM for recording, which you can access through this other affiliate link.

If you think of adventure education, do you imagine rock climbing, swinging from trees, and kayaking down flowing streams?For Phil Brown, Lead Trainer at High 5 Adventure Learning Centre, it looks more like overcoming vulnerability and supporting one's peers.Adventure education is facilitation in action - literally. The act of exploring and adventuring stretches far beyond the physical experience and challenges us emotionally and socially.Phil joins me in this episode to share the facilitation lessons he's learned from a career in adventure education. Find out about:●       Why adventure education is about far more than physical challenges●       How to encourage risk-taking when you've worked hard to establish trust and psychological safety●       Why collective and individual growth happens when we share novel experiences●       How we each need different support structures around us to take risks - and how we can facilitate them●       What it means to be vulnerable in a shared space and the things it can teach us Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary. And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners you can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork. Questions and AnswersPart two[00:44] Phil shares a story of how different personalities require different types of encouragement and empowerment.[07:56] How do you make adventure education to a person with a physical disability?[16:48] Can adventure education translate to digital spaces?[19:56] What's the difference between an adventurous experience and a vulnerable experience?[24:21] What happens if we stop asking people to be vulnerable and, instead, ask them to be adventurous?[27:18] Do we apologise for our emotions because we are not comfortable in them ourselves?[31:08] Is it worth evaluating workshops immediately after they finish?[33:42] What would be your advice to a facilitator who wants to be a little more adventurous?LinksVertical Playpen - High 5's podcast hosted by PhilHigh 5's websiteConnect to Phil:On LinkedIn 

If you think of adventure education, do you imagine rock climbing, swinging from trees, and kayaking down flowing streams?For Phil Brown, Lead Trainer at High 5 Adventure Learning Centre, it looks more like overcoming vulnerability and supporting one's peers.Adventure education is facilitation in action - literally. The act of exploring and adventuring stretches far beyond the physical experience and challenges us emotionally and socially.Phil joins me in this episode to share the facilitation lessons he's learned from a career in adventure education. Find out about:●       Why adventure education is about far more than physical challenges●       How to encourage risk-taking when you've worked hard to establish trust and psychological safety●       Why collective and individual growth happens when we share novel experiences●       How we each need different support structures around us to take risks - and how we can facilitate them●       What it means to be vulnerable in a shared space and the things it can teach us Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary. And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Exclusive offer from Facilitator Cards for workshops.work listeners you can get 15% off your entire purchase at shop.facilitator.cards by using code workshopswork. Questions and AnswersPart one[01:03] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:05] What advanced facilitation skills did you learn that changed your mind?[05:20] Why Phil struggles with a 'traditional' educator mindset.[10:06] Can you explain what adventure education is?[15:05] What happens if the physical challenge is entirely within a person's comfort zone?[21:15] When does the trust start to build - on the ground or in the air?[23:38] Can playful contexts teach us serious skills?[26:35] How do you find the right 'amount' of risk? How do you determine that balance?LinksVertical Playpen - High 5's podcast hosted by PhilHigh 5's websiteConnect to Phil:On LinkedIn 

Sara Huang's ‘three R's' of facilitation make for a reliable North Star in workshop environments.And, in our age of sometimes-online-sometimes-in-person-sometimes-hybrid meetings, having a reliable and familiar formula to fall back on can be a huge relief.This episode is, ostensibly, about online facilitation and how things have changed since Sara and I last spoke (episode 60) at the outbreak of the pandemic. But, as is common with this show, we end up touching the edges of so many challenging and energising topics.We explore the thin line that divides honouring our authenticity and finding agreement, fight or flight reactions in the face of discrimination, and the societal structures that influence workshops.So, if you're looking for an episode to warm your cockles, brighten your spark of inspiration, and push you to step further into growing as a facilitator… Enjoy! Find out about:●       Why a black and white view of online vs. in-person events is reductive and harmful●       The three ingredients that can make or break online workshops●       How Sara prioritises the ‘three Rs' of facilitation in her workshop●       Why we need to be mindful of organisational and societal pressures at play in all workshop●       How to combine digital tools to create a flow of sensitive and emotive information Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[02:27] Over the last two years, what has emerged for you about facilitation? Has anything changed?[05:48] How do you bring everything together and clear the distractions when facilitating online?[10:23] How do you choose or moderate your energy for a group - do you decide straight away or is it responsive?[12:04] Is this energetic modulation instinctive, or is it something you've learned?[15:50] Sara shares an incredible - and personal - story about experiencing and negotiating hostility and a 'heated' discussion.[23:33] How and where do you draw your line of personal autonomy and authority vs. the rest of the room?[28:14] How did you handle this situation in what was a relatively new online space (Zoom)?[34:19] How do you negotiate an environment in which everything is welcome, but certain behaviours aren't accepted?[38:47] What was the reaction when you questioned this person on their tone?[43:29] What would you like to carry forward from the last two years into the future of facilitation?[48:31] Was there anything else you wanted to share that we haven't discussed yet?Linkswww.bureautwist.nl/englishConnect to Sara:On LinkedInOn Instagram 

In this episode Pilar talks to Penny Pullan, Director of “Making Projects Work” and author of “Virtual Leadership: Practical Strategies for Success with Remote or Hybrid Work and Teams”, just out in its second edition, and in 2021,  “Making Workshops Work: Creative Collaboration for Our Time”. Penny explains that Making Workshops Work was originally contracted and due to be published in 2016 but then the pandemic hit and she focused on writing the book to help people, not necessarily certified professional facilitators, who needed to collaborate. Penny talks about seeing her role as a catalyst for collaboration, making it easy for groups to do the best work they can do. They move on to talking about when Penny first called herself a facilitator.  Penny explains that it began when she was running a session for a group where a Senior person said in front of everyone, they were going to leave at lunchtime if the session didn't improve. Penny opted to give the group a break and admitted to this senior person that she felt out of her depth.  They gave her some hints and tips that worked and Penny realised that there is such a thing as facilitation. Penny recalls that what changed in that workshop was that whereas she had always been in a position of giving her perspective as an expert, in facilitation the focus is always about the group and that's where the spotlight is.  The experience of that first workshop was helpful as she realised the importance of learning facilitation skills.  They move on to talk about why Penny wrote “Making Workshops Work”. Penny explains that while she's written other books, she realised that a book for those that come to her facilitation skills courses would be useful.   Next they talk about how Penny got into virtual and hybrid facilitation.   It began when Penny was working as a Global Programme Manager. The kick off meeting in her first programme was due to be in New York but then 9/11 happened, planes were grounded and the kick off moved to virtual.  Penny had just been training in facilitation meaning that she could focus on how to apply the principles of facilitation virtually. Penny ended up writing guidelines on virtual facilitation in the company and then leaving to set up her own company including helping people work in virtual and hybrid ways. Pilar asks about the principles Penny focuses on most that can be applied in person, virtual and hybrid.  Penny feels many of the principles are the same, what differs is thinking about the environment and technology.  In any session, you need a clear purpose, shared understanding of the goals, a time plan, knowing the roles of the people taking part.  In person but more so in virtual is knowing “how are we going to work together today?” and working out what's right for that session. In hybrid the key challenge is that it's not a level playing field and as a facilitator it's thinking about how to adjust to that. Pilar asks how Penny decided what to include in the book.  Penny says that as she has worked with so many people over the years they helped her to understand the things that other people find tricky and the things they find most useful.  She's recognised the things that develop confidence as well as competence. They talk about real rather than fake confidence. Penny says she didn't put facilitation in the title of her book as the people she works with are people who need to run workshops but don't have training in facilitation.  For them, building competence builds confidence. Pilar pulls out from the book a list of things great groups have.  Penny explains she did some work with Dale Hunter's company Zenergy in New Zealand.  The list is in Dale Hunter's book “Handling Groups in Action” (UK title).  In it they bring out 16 qualities and Penny realised they are the things that great groups have.  It starts with simple things like Purpose, Culture, Safety and Trust but then moves on to things that are present when a group is really working well. Pilar reflects on how the list is very specific and helps to think about how she can help and role model the behaviours.  Penny highlights this is something that Hunter focuses on particularly in her book. Pilar asks Penny to share a favourite activity.  Penny picks out using an affirmation. She asks everyone to take a sticky note for each person and share a great thing about that person.  It can sound cheesy but it can help people feel really encouraged and this helps them to build confidence. They finish by talking about Penny's journey.  She now has the title “Master Facilitator” and is studying a Masters in Theological Studies.  Pilar asks what the title means to Penny and why she's doing the MA.  Master Facilitator came from when Penny put in for her CPF renewal she needed to resubmit it and the Master Facilitator option had opened up and she decided to go for it. The Masters degree is because Penny has been doing some training with her Church and she wanted to really understand some of the subject matter.  She's studying ethics at the moment and her next assignment is on comparing the ethics of COVID responses in the UK and New Zealand.  Penny is also learning Greek of 2000 years ago so she can read the Bible in its original language, and is about to start an anthropology module.  She is sure that some of the thinking particularly around ethics, will feed back into her facilitation.  Penny will be sharing some of her thinking. To connect with Penny: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennypullan Website: https://makingprojectswork.co.uk/ Her book is “Making Project Work Creative Collaboration for Our Time”.

David Mead is made for this podcast - and not because he's a speaker, consultant, and communicator...David's commitment and insights into leadership have taken him across the world, where he coaches teams and leaders towards closer relationships, stronger cultures, and genuine trust.In this episode, we explore what it means to build trust, create consistency, and stepping up into our responsibilities.David is an inspiring professional speaker on company culture and leadership today - and you get to enjoy an hour of his wisdom for free.  Find out about:●       How dissonance between our words and actions sow the seeds of distrust●       Why leaders need to double down on integrity and responsibility●       How to design workshops that set and meet your participants' expectations●       The three character traits we display that signal we are trustworthy●       What it means to "show up to give" and why this changes everyone's experience of your workshop●       How to find inspiration and prompts to implement behaviour change Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary. A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[01:10] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:26] Does your facilitation practice sit alongside your work as a trainer?[03:50] What (and when) was it that changed your mindset from trainer to facilitator?[06:08] What do you think the 'old' you as a salesman could learn from you as a facilitator?[07:44] And is there anything you've learned from training and sales that applies to your facilitation?[10:41] What's the story behind your interest in 'the trust gap' - what actually is it?[17:07] How do you approach bridging the trust gap? Lowering expectations or doing the hard work?[28:48] How do the traits of leadership apply to facilitation, if we feel our workshop has not delivered on its intentions?[33:00] Where do you draw the line when it comes to taking responsibility for a workshop's success?[37:49] What makes a workshop fail?[40:09] Can we train ourselves to carry more leadership traits, or is it a matter of maturity and time?[44:43] Do you have any exercises that someone can practice to develop these leadership traits?[49:11] What is your 'why'?[49:30] What would be the one piece of advice you'd give to facilitators, leaders, and coaches about bridging the trust gap?#[52:14] Was there anything else you wanted to share that we haven't discussed yet?LinksDavid's LinktreeConnect to David:On LinkedInOn TwitterOn Instagram 

Some might not expect an introverted, neurodivergent woman like Sharon Leigh to ‘fit' with facilitation. But anyone can access, practice, and succeed with it – as Sharon knows from personal experience. In fact, Sharon doesn't just fit with facilitation – she excels at it.Together, we cover a huge amount of ground in the world of facilitation, taking in the sights of inclusion, digital spaces, and holding space for facilitators.We also take some unexpected roads and unmapped routes, traversing the hitherto uncharted territory of workshops and neurodivergence, collaborative living, and knowing how to give someone a mood-boosting hug through a computer screen.This episode is a perfect summary of why I started the podcast. We uncover some incredible insights around the practice of facilitation, but we get there by looking deeply at what it means to be human and how we can connect with each other in simple, meaningful ways.Find out about:●     What it takes – and why it's so important – for facilitators and coaches to have their own space for reflection●     Finding gold among the heavy rocks and fast flowing waters of the pandemic●     Why going online can make meetings, group work, and connection more accessible to all●     What Sharon has learned about facilitation, boundaries, and communication from collaborative living●     Why great workshops don't provide great content or solutions, but ‘brain vacations'●     How a pared-down agenda leaves space for the real magic of your workshop to come throughDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and AnswersPart two[02:12] How would you go about ‘yanking people off the cliff-edge' of emotional vulnerability and risk-taking – in a group setting?[07:38] What was the structure you followed for starting your collaborative household?[09:47] What's a learning you would pass onto someone considering collaborative living/a shared household?[13:12] Can you give me a few examples of the boundaries you've set?[18:09] What makes a workshop fail?[23:56] What's your favourite way to build trust and go deep quickly? [26:38] Is there a maximum number of participants you'll work with in a workshop?[30:47] Are there clues or hints that you'd look for in a workshop as to the participants readiness, relaxedness, and openness?[37:20] What are the three things people can pay attention to if they want to learn to read the room better?[41:50] How can we design workshops that are neuro-inclusive?[45:20] Do you have a process you follow for debriefs that is slow enough to hear all voices, but doesn't get too ‘messy'?[49:02] Would you agree that one of the facilitator's superpowers is synthesis? ConnectOn LinkedIn 

Some might not expect an introverted, neurodivergent woman like Sharon Leigh to ‘fit' with facilitation. But anyone can access, practice, and succeed with it – as Sharon knows from personal experience. In fact, Sharon doesn't just fit with facilitation – she excels at it.Together, we cover a huge amount of ground in the world of facilitation, taking in the sights of inclusion, digital spaces, and holding space for facilitators.We also take some unexpected roads and unmapped routes, traversing the hitherto uncharted territory of workshops and neurodivergence, collaborative living, and knowing how to give someone a mood-boosting hug through a computer screen.This episode is a perfect summary of why I started the podcast. We uncover some incredible insights around the practice of facilitation, but we get there by looking deeply at what it means to be human and how we can connect with each other in simple, meaningful ways.Find out about:●     What it takes – and why it's so important – for facilitators and coaches to have their own space for reflection●     Finding gold among the heavy rocks and fast flowing waters of the pandemic●     Why going online can make meetings, group work, and connection more accessible to all●     What Sharon has learned about facilitation, boundaries, and communication from collaborative living●     Why great workshops don't provide great content or solutions, but ‘brain vacations'●     How a pared-down agenda leaves space for the real magic of your workshop to come throughDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and AnswersPart one[01:24] Before I hit record, you were telling me about a book you'd like to write called “COVID Conversations: Not About Covid, But…”[05:42] Do you think we can keep the extra space we've developed for questioning and connection?[07:22] You say that the work from home mandate has been “your time”, what do you mean by that exactly? How have you benefited?[10:37] What's an applicable truth that you'd share with a neurotypical person, that you've learned from trying to ‘fit' in the world as a neurodivergent person?[17:31] How can we, as facilitators, reach out to include others who might not be so comfortable with being themselves?[20:27] How do you facilitate self-care?[25:23] As coaches and facilitators, how much can we be in service to our loved ones?[31:08] Learning to check in and ask permission, determining the difference between giving someone space to vent and space to have their problems solved.[42:12] What's the digital equivalent of reaching out to give someone a reassuring, serotonin-boosting hug?[45:54] Do you think this fear of judgement comes from our proclivity for projection?[47:11] How can we change this mindset of judgement, if at all?ConnectOn LinkedIn 

Being a facilitator is one thing, but Stephen Berkeley is on a mission to live a facilitative life.This idea is incredibly intriguing - can it be done? How do we walk the line between staying curious and ‘coaching' our relationships? Is it possible to use silence as a tool in our day-to-day lives?Stephen joins me in this episode to explore all of the above and much more. We wind our way through the edges of facilitation and find ourselves at the heart of what it means to be human, to hold space for others, and to be present in every situation we encounter.Find out about:Understanding the difference between facilitating and being facilitativeThe special things that happen when you start a workshop in silenceThe three-question process Stephen follows to reflect on his workshopsWhy a ‘bad' or ‘failed' workshop is a matter of perspectiveHow to nurture our natural curiosity so it easily extends into all facets of our livesStephen's advice to anyone who is curious about living a more facilitative life Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[01:16] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[03:51] What is the difference between being facilitative and being a facilitator?[07:02] How can we detect our innate facilitative skill?[11:37] What does it mean, to you, to live a facilitative life?[13:02] How can we avoid ‘overfacilitating' non-workshop situations and creating friction?[18:32] Is there a possibility that having experienced such high-intensity crises, you risk underestimating crises in a workshop?[21:47] What three questions do you answer to help you reflect on a workshop you've delivered?[24:52] Have you ever come to the conclusion that a workshop failed?[32:38] Do you use silence in other areas of your life or work?[37:08] What happens if we apply more silence in our daily conversations?[43:12] As facilitators, we listen and reflect all day. Does our capacity to listen outside of our work diminish as a result?[46:07] How can we nurture our facilitative nature so that asking questions, being curious, and listening come naturally to us and don't require us to put our ‘facilitator hat' on?[51:01] If someone in the audience would like to start living a more facilitative life, what would be your advice to them?LinksLink to the book including Stephen's chapterConnect to Stephen:On LinkedInOn Twitter 

A nickname like “The Box Guy” belies Jimbo Clark's effervescence and brilliance. In fact, Jimbo has spent many years trying to help us open the boxes we put ourselves in (or put over ourselves). And this mindset shift sits at the heart of our conversation in this episode - understanding the boxes we operate in and under, exploring what it means to step outside of them, and seeing what changes when facilitators adopt an unboxing mindset. Jimbo is an exemplary facilitator and a wonderful podcast guest, bringing light and charm in abundance to accompany his razor-sharp expertise. Find out about: ●       Why we need to look at, in, and around our own ‘box' before we ask anyone to look at theirs●       The importance of taking what's on the inside and displaying it on the outside●       How to help a group visualise their own box and physically create it – so they can escape it●       The many reasons why facilitators need to have an ongoing relationship with self-awareness and self-development●       Why we can't lose sight of the client's purpose in a workshop – and how that can present difficulties●       What facilitators have in common with midwives Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary. And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and AnswersPart two[02:59] How can we put a value on the work of facilitation – is it possible?[05:25] Talking about pricing for facilitation services.[13:16] What makes a workshop fail?[17:21] To whom (or what) do we have a responsibility in a workshop?[23:25] What would change if the title of ‘facilitator' become divorced from the specific role? (In the way that ‘leaders' don't always have to be CEOs.)[32:32] Do we have to do big things to have big impacts?[36:35] How can we make the best choice when it comes to platforms that enhance the experience of a workshop?[39:41] What would you like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksJimbo's Business: box.innogreat.com Connect to Jimbo:On LinkedIn 

A nickname like “The Box Guy” belies Jimbo Clark's effervescence and brilliance. In fact, Jimbo has spent many years trying to help us open the boxes we put ourselves in (or put over ourselves).And this mindset shift sits at the heart of our conversation in this episode - understanding the boxes we operate in and under, exploring what it means to step outside of them, and seeing what changes when facilitators adopt an unboxing mindset.Jimbo is an exemplary facilitator and a wonderful podcast guest, bringing light and charm in abundance to accompany his razor-sharp expertise. Find out about: ●       Why we need to look at, in, and around our own ‘box' before we ask anyone to look at theirs●       The importance of taking what's on the inside and displaying it on the outside●       How to help a group visualise their own box and physically create it – so they can escape it●       The many reasons why facilitators need to have an ongoing relationship with self-awareness and self-development●       Why we can't lose sight of the client's purpose in a workshop – and how that can present difficulties●       What facilitators have in common with midwives Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary. And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and AnswersPart one[01:23] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[03:06] What makes Larry Philbrook your facilitation ‘godfather', rather than ‘mentor'?[07:21] What makes a ‘world class' facilitator?[12:11] So, what makes you ‘The Box Guy'?[15:48] What do you take from leadership's reaction to ‘boxes on heads'?[20:41] At what point does the magic occur with this exercise – is it through the process, or at the end result?[25:23] You used the phrase “open box” not “outside the box”[27:05] What is ‘reboxing'?[30:58] How do you facilitate the ‘me to we' moment?[38:03] A recent experience of mine has been to ask what I can do less of – to reduce and delegate.LinksJimbo's Business: box.innogreat.com Connect to Jimbo:On LinkedIn 

Circles are everywhere: in nature, our biology, our art. There's something sacred and special about them. So what happens when we introduce them to our facilitation practice?This week, I dive into ‘circle' facilitation with Jonathan Hefter, the Head of Experience Design, Facilitation, & Training at Circl.es.We start by setting a mutual understanding of great facilitation; before diving into the complexities of holding judgements, learning to listen and centre others, and the physical and metaphysical power of gathering in circles; before coming full circle to the tools and tricks great facilitators can use to explore circle workshops.We cover a lot of deep and challenging topics, but Jonathan has a way with words that makes the entire conversation feel easy and accessible. It's no wonder he's finding so much success with Circl.es!Find out about: ●       Defining facilitation and what best practice looks like in circle workshops●       What it means to measure and balance energy and flow in a workshop●       How to help participants own their experiences rather than framing their best-guesses as informed advice●       Why circles – as a physical arrangement and a facilitation practice – can be so effective at unlocking deep connection and conversation●       The impact technology can have on our conversations without us realising●       What the difference is between vulnerability and openness Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[Part 2][00:54] What is it about the circle that facilitates deeper trust, connection, and conversation?[05:26] Can you speak to the power of the literal physical arrangement of the circle, as well as the method?[07:54] How can technology impact our conversations – intentionally and unintentionally?[09:27] What's the online equivalent of changing the temperature or lighting in a room?[11:20] How do you use music and video to create the atmosphere you want?[15:57] Can you explain this ‘U-shaped agenda' in more detail?[21:54] Planning how to start a session in the right way.[23:32] Pulling apart vulnerability and openness and understanding their differences.[27:14] Do you reflect on your own work with the same compassion and curiosity you ask of your participants?[29:01] What makes a workshop fail?[33:08] What exercise would you recommend to someone who wants to try circle conversations?[33:57] And what makes a good prompt?[37:58] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksVideo Platform Circl.es 

Circles are everywhere: in nature, our biology, our art. There's something sacred and special about them. So what happens when we introduce them to our facilitation practice?This week, I dive into ‘circle' facilitation with Jonathan Hefter, the Head of Experience Design, Facilitation, & Training at Circl.es.We start by setting a mutual understanding of great facilitation; before diving into the complexities of holding judgements, learning to listen and centre others, and the physical and metaphysical power of gathering in circles; before coming full circle to the tools and tricks great facilitators can use to explore circle workshops.We cover a lot of deep and challenging topics, but Jonathan has a way with words that makes the entire conversation feel easy and accessible. It's no wonder he's finding so much success with Circl.es!Find out about:●       Defining facilitation and what best practice looks like in circle workshops●       What it means to measure and balance energy and flow in a workshop●       How to help participants own their experiences rather than framing their best-guesses as informed advice●       Why circles – as a physical arrangement and a facilitation practice – can be so effective at unlocking deep connection and conversation●       The impact technology can have on our conversations without us realising●       What the difference is between vulnerability and openness Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[Part 1][01:14] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:11] What's the difference between a facilitator, a moderator, a consultant, and a guide?[06:29] What are the key skills that make a good facilitator?[08:29] How do you distinguish “energy” and “flow”?[16:45] How can we work on ourselves to avoid judging the group for, say, a lack of creativity?[21:45] Why people struggle to take the risk of making conversations not about themselves.[26:08] How can we address and reframe unwarranted advice-giving?[30:20] What was it about your first wilderness experience that changed you as a listener?[33:17] Learning to step out of thinking there are ‘right' and ‘wrong' things to share.LinksVideo Platform Circl.es 

Meg Bolger is a perfect example of facilitation for good, founding and leading multiple organisations focused on promoting DEI and LGBTQ justice, awareness, and allyship.On top of their incredible work towards facilitating a fairer, kinder world, Meg also has plenty of entrepreneurial spark, being the brains behind the wildly successful and much-loved Facilitator Cards. Meg is a true facilitation geek.Our conversation basically became a survival guide for new facilitators and a booster shot for more experienced facilitators. Unmissable.This episode is part 1 of 3, divided as such because our conversation was simply so expansive and interesting that we spoke for far longer than a normal episode of the show.In this section, we explore the foundations of facilitation through education, development, and practice. Meg shares their thoughts on the different mediums for learning facilitation, the merits (and otherwise) of certification, and the key characteristics and behaviours that separate ‘good' and ‘bad' facilitators.Find out about:●       The merits and shortcomings of qualifications and certifications in facilitation●       What the common causes of ‘good' and ‘bad' facilitation are●       Why a ‘failed' workshop isn't always a universal failure●       Meg's favourite exercises, tools, and DIY fixes to common problems●       How to debrief yourself at the end of a workshop●       How and why to shape your workshops according to the energy levels in the roomDon't miss Part 2 and 3: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[01:23] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator – and when did you become a facilitation geek?[04:55] Did you read books and train as a facilitator or was it learning by doing?[12:41] Can I facilitator be too ‘close', too engaged, to the content they are facilitating that they can unintentionally manipulate the group and their outcomes?[20:40] Are books the best way to learn about facilitation?[27:35] Do you believe in certification?[36:32] How would you distinguish a good facilitator from a bad one?[41:52] How important is self-awareness to being a good facilitator? Where does character come into it?Special Discount for WorkshopsWork listenersGet the 3-pack of wet-erase markers that pair with the cards on us with the code WORKSHOPSWORK when purchasing the facilitator cards with this link:  https://shop.facilitator.cards/discount/WORKSHOPSWORK  LinksMeg's Business pageFacilitator self-feedback formArticle on ‘Watching your game tape'Emergent Facilitation videoUnlocking the Magic of FacilitationMeg's facilitator hat (watch the video version of the show on YouTube to understand!)

Fun, connection, acting without inhibition – it's all part of the joy of being human… and it's the subject of Jacques Martiquet's extensive research.I should stress, Jacques goes by another name: Jacques the Party Scientist!Jacques made it his mission to foster moments of deep human connection in public spaces, to bring strangers together in vulnerability and happiness. You might not be surprised to hear that facilitation is at the heart of its successful implementation!Join me and Jacques in this conversation as we explore the mechanics of human connection, the softer side of herd mentality, and what we can do to help people open themselves up to shared experiences of joy and connection.Find out about:Why synchronicity is fuel to the fire of public joyThe steps Jacques follows to facilitate joy in publicWhat an FIQ is and why lowering the barrier to participation can lie in raising the standardWhy the success of a workshop hinges on the way we engage with disengagementHow incremental, progressive actions can unify a group towards a shared experience they wouldn't have thought possibleThe surprising impact physicality has on our self-knowledge, openness, and moodDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[01:40] Would you call yourself a facilitator?[02:40] What triggered you to become a ‘party scientist' and facilitating human connection?[04:52] So what does it take to create human connection when we take away social crutches like alcohol?[09:08] What do you do in public spaces to create a container for people? Is it different to how you'd work with corporate clients?[17:10] How do we move from an individual moment of joy to a collective one?[22:25] What makes a workshop fail?[25:47] What would be your advice for someone working with a disengaged group?[32:08] What is an exercise you use to celebrate participants?[34:29] How do you move a group from understanding the purpose of a workshop to sharing a party together at the end?[38:16] What's your favourite game?[42:05] What would your advice be to someone who wants to bring more joy and ease to their workshops, but doesn't know where to start?[48:34] Where do you get the confidence from to decide to play a song in your workshops?[50:54] What's your ritual to slip into a parasympathetic, positive state of mind?[52:46] What's next for you? What's your vision?[54:02] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksThe Party Scientist's Lab: a newsletter and podcast for 1052 human connectionprofessionalsThe Fun Intelligence Quotient: learn how to embody and facilitate funConnect to Jacques:On LinkedInOn Instagram 

After a year and a half of panicked, rushed remote and hybrid work, we are long overdue a calm presence - a voice of reason. Someone to steer the ship and settle the stormy waters, to help us see sense and chart a path towards a more successful, enjoyable, and thriving hybrid work environment.We need Cliff Pollan!Cliff's been navigating the depths of hybrid and remote work for decades – having penned articles about video calls before Zoom was even a noun and worked in hybrid-first companies before the internet even existed!I invited Cliff to hold a conversation about hybrid work, what we need to take on (and leave behind) to make it succeed, and the role of facilitation in that success.This conversation truly opened up a world of possibilities, perspectives, and positive ideas for me – I hope it will do the same for you!Find out about:The deeper-than-expected roots of hybrid workExamining and overcoming the linguistic traps in “remote work”Why agency is at the heart of successful hybrid teamsUnderstanding hybrid work as a space, rather than just a collection of toolsNavigating the ‘laws' of video calls, visibility, and presenceFacilitation as an essential professional and life skillWhy we need to abandon the idea that the physical space is ‘the centre of the universe'Don't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[01:02] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator, if you do?[01:33] How would you describe the ‘craft' of facilitation?[03:15] What makes a workshop fail?[05:41] Can you explain a little about Welo, the tool you've developed?[11:00] How did you perceive and experience hybrid work pre-pandemic?[16:29] What role does agency play in making hybrid work succeed?[20:13] How do ‘office hours' work in a virtual space?[27:17] Do you have a favourite icebreaker or interaction-promoting exercise?[32:27] What role does video play in hybrid work?[35:58] Did we need to collectively experience ‘Zoom fatigue' to find the right frequency for video calls?[40:23] How important is it to share your reason for having your camera off?[43:44] What does it take to equip people with the skills to facilitate better, more equitable discussions?[46:31] Why have we not yet had the watershed moment of widespread facilitation training?[52:22] What merit is there in having on-site staff share the same space in a hybrid meeting?[55:48] What is it about sharing a physical space that feels special?[58:28] If your team sits across time zones, how can you account for the impact on group dynamics?[59:36] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksWELO - Cliff's companyConnect to Cliff:On LinkedIn 

123 episodes later, we return to where it all started.In truth, I believe I could have recorded 124 episodes exclusively with Patrick Cowden and we'd still have another 124 episodes' worth of discussion in us.Anyone who has met Patrick - whether in our monthly NeverDoneBeore ‘spa' sessions, in a client setting, or in passing - can attest to his warmth, vision, and energy.We sat down to explore his much-loved and much-lauded method for establishing human connection - his ‘interaction protocol'. We also explore why appreciation is the universal building block and how we can understand the domino effect of interaction, connection, and collaboration.And, if that wasn't enough, you can hear us practice the interaction protocol ‘live' on the show! Find out about:●     What it means to embody ‘beyond' in life and work●     The magical 90 second protocol that helps people find themselves and each other in a conversation●     A live enactment of Patrick's interaction protocol – between the two of us!●     What Patrick has learned from over 3,000 sessions using his protocol●     Why Patrick prioritises appreciation over listening and reacting●     The fatal tension that Patrick sees in our push for hybrid work●     Patrick's advice for anyone who wants to start using the interaction protocolDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.Click here to watch the conversation on Youtube And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail! Questions and Answers[01:35] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator – if, in fact, you do?[03:08] When did you start calling yourself a ‘beyonder' and what does it take to move from facilitator to beyonder?[05:58] Are there some key skills or mindsets that we should practice to help groups go ‘beyond'?[09:29] What does it take to have your curiosity? How do you get there?[12:51] What happens in the 60 to 90 seconds of your interaction protocol?[20:50] How do you create the space or people to follow the interaction protocol? How do you articulate the invitation to speak this way with each other?[27:04] What have you learned about the protocol, about people, and about yourself after 3,000 sessions?[36:36] Why is the three-minute (90s each) window so powerful – what does it permit us?[44:11] Why are we seeing such a push towards hybrid working right now?[01:00:58] What would your advice be to anyone who wants to take the first step towards practicing the interaction protocol?LinksPatrick's company pageThe NeverDoneBefore Facilitation FestivalConnect to PatrickLinkedin

It took me nearly one year to arrange this interview, due to just how popular, committed, and focused Quanita Roberson is.But I would have happily waited a decade for the value, kindness, and wonder she imparts in conversation. Quanita is the founder of Nzuzu Consulting and focuses on the deep, fun, and easy flow of energy to address embedded trauma.Her insights into the human condition, our experiences, and the role we play as facilitators are genuinely groundbreaking.We talk about grief, faith, community, privilege, slowing down, divine order, and lots of things that aren't technically to do with facilitation but, really, are fundamental to our work.This is a special episode and one I hope will stay with you for a long time. Find out about:●     Getting out of our own way so we can get out of our participants' way●     Why we need to ‘clear the decks' in the room before we begin a session●     How we can see fear as in invitation, not a warning●     Why grief underlies a lot of the ‘bad' things we feel (e.g. shame or guilt)●     Learning to grieve – alone and together – and how we can facilitate this●     Understanding ourselves and our communities as part of nature and the divine●     Why, in the Information Age, embodiment is more important than everDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; click here to explore it in more detail!Questions and Answers[01:28] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[03:47] What makes someone a facilitator and what makes someone a trainer?[04:47] How can one be present and absent at the same time?[06:13] Do you and Tenneson Woolf have a routine for ‘clearing the decks' when you work together?[09:39] What has your journey of inner work looked like?[13:25] How do you translate and transfer the lessons from your own inner journey into a group setting, to help the participants in their own journey?[15:59] What is the role of the group when you are guiding them through their journeys?[18:55] To help a group through feelings of shame or guilt, then, do we first need to help them realise they're actually dealing with grief?[22:20] How do you open the space to discuss grief in a ‘professional' environment?[23:49] How can we learn to grieve?[26:54] How do you think the pandemic affected us and our relationship with grief?[35:00] What does it take to create a community for grieving in a professional space?[41:22] What does the Circle practice mean for you and for groups?[44:43] How do you catch yourself focusing on the methodology rather than the experience?[47:11] Can we grow into embodiment?[50:50] If somebody wanted to begin a journey towards the perspectives you've shared, how would you advise they start?[52:15] What keeps you grounded and aware in times of crisis?[55:11] Was there anything you wanted to discuss that we haven't spoken about yet?[57:45] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this conversation?LinksNzuzu Consulting, Quanita's websiteFire and Water Leadership, Quanita's Rite of Passage coursehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/527006851373739

Group dynamics are always present in the room, whether or not we choose to acknowledge them.What can we do to understand and manage group dynamics - and our place within them?As an organisational psychologist, vastly experienced facilitator, and insightful thinker, Grace Lau is the perfect person to answer this complicated question.Tune into this episode to get a stronger grasp on group dynamics, explore organisational psychology, and to hear the surprising reason Grace why locks herself in the bathroom during workshop breaks!Find out about:How and why people's characters flex and flow in different groupsWhy it's okay to interfere with a group's dynamic for the sake of the workshop's objectiveWhy we should reconsider the unnatural (and impossible) idea of neutralityHow changes in dynamics are often the result of patterns, not single eventsStories from Grace's experience of facilitating workshops on group dynamicsHow social cues have (and have not) translated to online tools, adjusting group dynamics without us realisingWhat impact hybrid workshops will have on group dynamicsDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!Questions and Answers[01:04] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[03:34] How do you apply your background in organisational psychology to your facilitation practice?[05:38] How do you approach psychological safety?[11:39] How do you account for the fact that different personalities have more impact than others in a group?[15:32] Where does a facilitator's responsibility for group dynamics start and end?[18:12] Can one truly be neutral and facilitate oneself out of unconscious biases?[24:18] When something changes in a group's dynamic, can we point to the cause?[30:37] In this example of a workshop that the group sees as a ‘tick box' exercise, how would you add a little friction and interest to proceedings?[34:06] Does the majority of the work that goes into a session happen before the group arrives?[37:08] What makes a workshop fail?[41:08] Is it easier to sense or handle group online?[49:26] Can individual people or moments change a group's rules – without even necessarily noticing?[53:03] How can we manage two separate conversational spaces (e.g. a video call with a chat function)?[54:53] What should facilitators pay attention to with group dynamics in the hybrid space?[59:53] What is your favourite exercise?[01:04:11] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksCompany site: www.atrain-apac.com HSD site: https://www.hsdinstitute.org/resources/inquiry-is-the-answer-covid-19-recordings.html Connect to Grace:LinkedIn 

Penny Pullan was talking about virtual leadership and running virtual events long before it was fashionable - now that the rest of the world has caught up, she's leading the way in making virtual and hybrid events (which are surely the future) not just possible, but powerful. Most people at work have sat through interminable Zoom meetings over the last 18 months, few of us have experienced the kind of energy and engagement that Penny can bring. In this conversation she reveals some of the techniques she uses to inject vitality into virtual and also some of the potential pitfalls - it's all too easy to subtly exclude members of remote teams.  She also talks about her own approach to writing - highly visual and voice-based - and explains why her engineering background helps her see things differently in business.  Making Workshops Work was the winner of the very first 10-day Business Book Proposal Challenge, over 5 years ago: it's been a long time coming, but it turns out to be the right book at exactly the right moment. 

Aleksandra (Ola) Potrykus-Majewska knows the struggle of finding a great external facilitator when stuck in a corporate procurement system. But she also knows what it's like to set out and find work as a solo facilitator.That's why she cofounded WeWent, a kind of matchmaking service for facilitators and companies.Combining her deep knowledge in both sides of the collaboration, and now with several years of experience with WeWent, Ola is perfectly-placed to help facilitators understand how they can better appeal to their clients and vice versa.This episode is not to be missed if you are serious about offering facilitation as a service.Find out about: What 10 years in corporate HR taught Ola and how it led to her co-founding WeWentWhy procurement processes can limit the quality of workshopsWhy cultural fit is as important as professional expertise when hiring a facilitatorThe skills and certifications that are most in demand with Ola's clientsOla's thoughts on the different ways to promote yourself as a solo facilitatorWhy being rigid with methodologies and language can alienate potential clientsOla's thoughts on pricing, based on her own experience and the facilitators she works withDon't miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.A huge thank you must go to SessionLab, the sponsor of Workshops Work. Claim your free two months of SessionLab Pro now – this deal is exclusive to Workshops Work listeners!And if the idea of NeverDoneBefore 2021, the community of facilitators, caught your attention; why not explore it in more detail now?Questions and Answers[01:06] Do you call yourself a facilitator? If so, when did you start?[03:14] What's the difference between your work now and your work in corporate HR?[07:53] Can you explain what WeWent is? Why is it so important? What problem are you solving?[12:55] How do you categorise and filter facilitators on WeWent?[15:20] Are the most successful matches down to expertise or personality and chemistry?[18:42] How do you assess the quality of a facilitator?[21:57] What would be a red flag from a facilitator?[25:35] Do you expect certifications from facilitators?[29:08] How do you measure the quality and validity of certifications – can you?[30:20] How can facilitators promote themselves?[35:10] Have you ever had a facilitator turn down a potential client on your platform?[36:54] What makes a workshop fail?[41:51] Do you have guidelines for facilitators in preparing for a session?[43:23] What determines the price that a corporate is willing to pay for a workshop?[49:52] Have you seen more requests for tech hosts/co-facilitators in the last year?[52:58] Do you have a favourite exercise?[55:33] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksWeWent websiteConnect to Ola:LinkedIn