workshops work

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Play is for kids, playgrounds, and light-hearted fun. It’s just not ‘the done thing’ in corporate settings, is it?If you speak with Susanne Heiss, you’ll soon see why play is so powerful - especially in the most straight-laced, professional spaces. In fact, you’ll quickly learn that professional and playful don’t have to be antonyms.A playful spirit and attitude can unlock new perspectives on old challenges and strengthen our connections to colleagues. It’s an underappreciated method for team-building and problem-solving. Thankfully, facilitators like Susanne are putting in the work to make play a priority for organisations of all shapes and sizes.Find out about:How to use play with purpose, directing creative energy into learningWhy debriefs are critical to long-term impact when groups learn through playWhy giving play another name can make it more palatable in corporate settingsHow the facilitator’s energy and intention determines the success of a gameWhat to do if your client isn’t receptive to the idea of introducing playfulnessHow to use the analogy of texture to understand a group’s current stateDon’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.LinksSusanne’s business, The TexturalistsConnect to Susanne:On LinkedInSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Psychological safety rose on a wave of popularity in recent years. It became the flavour of the month and everyone had an idea about how to ‘add it’ into workshops.But psychological safety is the bedrock of successful workshops, not an optional bolt-on. When we see at as an added extra, not an essential foundation, we discredit the group and risk the success of their workshop.Join me and Romy Alexandra for a deep dive into the meaning of psychological safety, what we each have to give to receive it, and the challenges it can present in workshops of all shapes and sizes.Find out about:Why psychological safety is the foundation of workshops, not a late additionHow vulnerability connects to psychological safetyWhy facilitators who don’t know everything are more likely to succeedHow Romy overcomes her urge to add more content than the workshop’s timing allowsHow to use our natural preference for meaning-making to create connectionWhy Romy wants more curiosity and less transaction in workshopsDon’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.LinksConnect to Romy:On LinkedInSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Cynthia Umurungi is a storyteller who gives a human voice to African organisations and businesses.Her voice is one I have wanted to share on this podcast for a long time - and not only because I have underrepresented voices of African heritage so far on this podcast. Cynthia’s work delicately combines storytelling and creativity with deep empathy and insights.In this episode, we explore the challenges of facilitating in a culture that isn’t your own, how team dynamics change across cultures, and how Western ideas of facilitation can falter in a non-Western workshop.Broaden your horizons with this incredibly insightful, energetic episode! Find out about:Why cultural undercurrents in the room will determine your workshop’s effectivenessHow to interpret shades of silence and find the thin line between thoughtful and tenseHow language and translation affect our sense of safetyThe need for openness and ‘no foolish questions’ when speaking in a second languageWhy clear language and expectations reduce your risk of unpleasant surprisesHow to use a ‘story wall’ to encourage creativity, sharing, and ice-breaking   Don’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.Questions and AnswersPart one[01:50] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator - do you?[03:21] What have you learned about managing group dynamics from working in radio?[04:58] What is your process for creating a safe environment in a radio interview and is it similar to how you work as a facilitator?[09:16] Does the idea of 'active listening' come through differently on the African continent?[12:01] Do you address cultural nuances and expectations directly with a group or do you let it emerge naturally?[15:28] Can we even accurately translate the word 'vulnerability' into different languages?[22:08] Are there role models you can point to across cultures who aren't Western?[28:54] How do you deal with power imbalances and flatten the room?[35:49] My experiences in Namibia, Burkina Faso, and South Africa showed me that dancing is a more natural cultural expression than in, say, the Netherlands. Can you use these cultural insights to flatten the room?Connect to Cynthia:On LinkedInOn TwitterSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Community is on the rise. It was just a few episodes ago that I spoke with Anamaria Dorgo about facilitating communities, but in this episode I’m looking further into the future.What do communities look like in the metaverse? Can we connect in digital spaces? What needs to change or emerge for us to find community in virtual or augmented reality?Daniel Liebeskind is just the person to address this question, as the co-founder and CEO of Topia. In such a nascent industry, Daniel is as experienced as anybody. Topia launched in 2020 and is at the forefront of world-building and virtual communities.Join us for a conversation that touches everything from facilitation and design to NFTs and decentralisation.Find out about:Why every community builder is a facilitator, even if they don’t realise itHow prioritising accessibility helps us build stronger communitiesHow Topia combines play, co-creation, and purpose to create communities in the metaverseWhy your members need to bond with your platform as well as each otherWhy the best virtual worlds prioritise form and function ahead of visual beautyWhat tutorials and onboarding look like in a metaverse space - and why they’re so importantDon’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.Questions and AnswersPart one[01:20] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator - if you do? [02:05] What was the trigger that moved you to found Topia? [04:17] Did you learn anything from your family taking over summer camps that applies to your work now? [06:36] What challenges did you encounter when trying to create communities - or facilitate the creation of communities - online? [13:27] Can the space you've created facilitate itself, so new members don't get lost in the world you've built? [19:59] Would you agree that online communities that emerged since 2020 have been very centralised in terms of power? [23:00] How do you create a social contract- shared rules and behaviours - for communities? [24:48] Do you have any best or worst practice examples? [27:37] What have you built into the tool to facilitate the sense of occupying a world together? [32:40] What would you say are the minimum requirements for somebody to facilitate in a Topia space? Where should they start?LinksTopia’s websiteConnect to Daniel:On LinkedInOn TwitterSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Process is a personal thing. We all have different ways of preparing workshops and designing their structure and flow.When process design is so specific to each facilitator, is it possible to find a middle ground or a central truth?That’s the crux of this episode - which isn’t a normal episode!We recorded one of Michelle Howard’s NeverDoneBefore Seedlings sessions, following the group’s workshop on ‘process’. Jimbo Clark and I were the guests, as Michelle facilitated a conversation exploring our perspectives on process design, interspersed with questions from the Seedlings group.It came together to be an examination of the core principles of process design, and the vast number of ways they can be expressed.See the process behind our process and share in our learnings from this fascinating, riveting, and challenging experience.Find out about:Why authenticity sits at the heart of any successful workshopHow variable process design can be between facilitators - without being right or wrongWhy it helps to have a list of non-negotiables before a list of ‘want-to-haves’How to temporarily suspend power dynamics in your workshopsWhat changes in process design for hybrid workshopsHow to build a relationship with a group before you even meet themDon’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.Questions and AnswersPart one[02:04] Introductions from around the room.[08:05] Myriam and Jimbo introduce themselves to the group and share their interest and inspirations around the idea of 'process'. [11:36] If I was a fly on the wall as you were designing a gathering, what would I see? [14:39] Once you've got a grip on the purpose, what's the next step?[21:35] What are your non-negotiables when it comes to process?[27:17] Patrick asks: At what point, if things aren't going to plan, do you relinquish your process? Are there signs or red flags? [32:10] Who do you serve and who does your process serve when you're in the room?LinksNeverDoneBeforeMore details about the Seedlings programmeConnect to Michelle and Jimbo:Michelle on LinkedInJimbo on LinkedInSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!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?LinksSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Creating, maintaining, and growing a community is not for the faint-hearted. It’s an ongoing process of trial and error that requires a huge amount of commitment.But, if you can get it right, you will see the value and joy it can bring.As the curator of NeverDoneBefore - a relatively new community - I’ve started to geek out on all things community-based. This episode is the culmination of this obsessive interest, as I speak with Anamaria Dorgo - Head of Community for Butter and founder of L&D Shakers - about what it takes to curate a true community.Find out about:Why your definition of community will determine its successHow great community practice and behaviour emerge from great modellingHow to choose the right platform for your communityWhy engagement is the holy grail - and how to avoid chasing it into extinctionWhat happens when you focus on members’ motivations for joining, not your vision of the communityWhy a community that’s started purely for financial reasons will never succeedDon’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.Thanks to our sponsor Deckhive. Click here to find out more about the new platform for using card decks in online facilitation. Use the code workshopswork to get the first month for free.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 [01:55] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator - if you do? [06:04] What's the difference between a trainer who delivers training and a trainer who facilitates? [11:51] Can one be a 'manager' for a community? [13:29] What was the secret sauce that made your community take off? [15:23] Can you give an example of when your actions didn't align with your words? [21:30] How to balance creating a community with leaving space for things to emerge. [27:10] Is there a difference between a community manager and a community facilitator[28:05] Creating community engagement. [31:14] What was your experience of creating that initial engagement between members[35:17] Do you have a specific onboarding process or team? [39:38] What are the differences you've noticed between your voluntary community of L&D Shakers vs. the commercial community of Butter? [44:36] How do you handle the fact that every member of the Butter community is a potential client?LinksConnect to Anamaria:On LinkedInOn TwitterSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!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 Support 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!Why do we facilitate? Who are we, as facilitators? Is shared understanding a goal?Dov Tsal - Tao-inspired coach, mentor, and facilitator - is not one to shy away from the deep and challenging philosophical questions of our craft.In fact, he’s usually the one asking them!This was certainly the case in this episode - which is more of a conversation than an interview. We examine the role, purpose, and objectives of facilitators and explore the boundaries of our work and being.An unmissable, unique episode for enquiring minds of facilitation.Find out about:Why acceptance of all outcomes grants us space to facilitate as the group requiresHow a workshop’s success or failure is predetermined by our expectations of its purposeWhat it means to be a passive facilitatorFacilitating the group as an ecosystem, not individualsWhy avoiding interference is the hallmark of great facilitationHow to train your brain to see multiple perspectives on the same objectDon’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!Thanks to our sponsor Deckhive. Click here to find out more about the new platform for using card decks in online facilitation. Use the code workshopswork to get the first month for free.Questions and AnswersPart one [01:37] You were clear that you didn't want this to be an interview. What would you like it to be instead? [03:15] Is there anything we cannot facilitate? [05:53] The issue of assuming a specific goal for a workshop. [09:15] Is facilitation only possible around a purpose? [11:14] Passive facilitation. [13:16] When we act in service of something bigger than us, how can we be sure it's right or working or correct? [15:38] The Catch 22 of seeking perfection. [20:54] Responsibility - of facilitators, in facilitation. [25:31] Where does the limit of our responsibility sit? For how many factors out from our original act do we hold responsibility? [28:03] Can we go back to defining responsibility? [32:37] Are we responsible for someone's inner reaction to outer circumstances? LinksConnect to Dov:On LinkedInSupport 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!

Share your thoughts about our conversation!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 LinkedInSupport 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!