Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth[2][4][5].
In this book, Carol S. Dweck introduces the concept of two mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are static, while those with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning. Dweck shows how these mindsets influence success in school, work, sports, and personal relationships. She also discusses how to adopt a deeper, truer growth mindset, and how this can transform individual and organizational cultures. The book emphasizes the importance of perseverance, learning from failures, and embracing challenges as key components of the growth mindset[1][2][5].
This book explores the concept of building a team culture that mirrors the energy and effectiveness of great workshops. It provides practical strategies and tools for managers to create a more collaborative and productive work environment. The book emphasizes the importance of both the facilitator's role and the participant's role in fostering a thriving team culture. It also delves into the process of behavior change and how small, consistent actions can lead to significant improvements in team performance. The book offers a framework for translating workshop principles into daily work practices, helping teams achieve better results and a more positive work experience.
This book offers concise and practical guidance on conducting effective workshops. It provides a toolkit of techniques and strategies for facilitators to create engaging and productive workshop experiences. The book covers various aspects of workshop design and facilitation, including planning, activities, and follow-up. It aims to equip readers with the skills to lead workshops that achieve desired outcomes and foster collaboration among participants. The book is designed to be a quick and easy reference for anyone involved in leading or participating in workshops.
Great workshops deliver clarity, improved collaboration, and actionable outcomes.
Now, imagine if you and your team could approach every workday with the same high energy and focus as you feel during a great workshop. That’s exactly what today’s guest is here to help us achieve–building a workshop culture in the workplace.
Meet Alison Coward. Alison is the founder of Bracket, a consultancy that partners with ambitious, forward-thinking companies to help them build high-performing team cultures. She is a team culture coach, workshop facilitator, trainer, keynote speaker, and author of “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams That Thrive” and “A Pocket Guide to Effective Workshops”. Her clients include Google, Meta, Wellcome, and the V&A.
With 20 years of experience working in, leading, and facilitating creative teams, Alison is passionate about finding the balance between creativity, productivity, and collaboration so that teams can thrive and do their best work together.
In this episode, Alison and I discuss what a workshop culture is, how it differs from traditional workplace models, and how managers can become effective facilitators.
She also shares insights into what it looks like for a team to adopt a workshop culture, the behavioral changes that come with this shift, tips for translating workshop principles–like creativity, collaboration, and inclusion—into everyday team practices, and more.
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Conversation Topics
- (00:00) Introduction
- (02:06) What is a workshop culture?
- (03:39) Workshop culture vs. traditional work culture
- (06:12) How managers can become effective facilitators
- (09:30) Real-world example of a team transitioning to a workshop culture
- (12:55) Translating big picture ideas into action
- (14:37) Why every team member is a co-creator of a team culture
- (17:41) The behavioral changes that come with this cultural shift
- (21:41) First step in adopting a workshop culture
- (24:20) How to hold yourself and others accountable for the changes
- (26:30) A great manager Alison has worked for
- (27:44) Keep up with Alison
- (28:14) [Extended Episode Only] The five pillars of a workshop culture
- (33:26) [Extended Episode Only] What it looks like for teams embracing a workshop culture
Additional Resources:
- Get the extended episode by Joining The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community for just $15 per month
- Read the full transcript here
- Follow me on Instagram here
- Visit my website for more here
- Upskill your team here
- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here
Keep up with Alison Coward
- Grab a copy of Alison’s book: “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams that Thrive” here
- Follow Alison on LinkedIn here
- Visit Bracket for more information here
Book Discount: 30% off “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams That Thrive”
Alison is providing members of Podcast+ 30% off her book “Workshop Culture: A Guide to Building Teams That Thrive”. This book will show you how to create a happy and engaged team through small actions which lead to big results. It features a practical and accessible toolkit to help improve your team’s performance and productivity.
To get this guest bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.
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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.
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