workshops work

Send us a textGames or card decks are often used as fun activities in workshops. They’re seen as good tools for keeping a group energised and interested… but they can also be a tool for connection and communication.Nick Kellet, the founder of Deckible, understands the power the right game can have in group settings. Whether it’s giving participants new ways of expressing themselves or creating a container for a specific conversation, Nick knows how to use games and card decks to best effect.I wanted to speak with Nick to explore the deeper value of games, play, and cards — beyond being fun activities — to really understand how we can facilitate feelings and create magic.Find out about:What happens when we embrace new ways to communicate and understand emotionsWhy it is valuable to work on ‘desire generation’ for participantsHow to keep game design, participant feelings, and creative flow in constant conversationHow games and play can get us into a flow state without realisingWhy it’s worth investing in a repertoire of tools to facilitate inclusionWhat idea generation and marriage have in commonDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.LinksDeckible’s websiteConnect to Nick:On LinkedInOn TwitterOn InstagramSupport 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 textPresence — it sounds like a simple concept, but it is littered with deeper questions.Does our presence change when we are in a physical workshop or an online one? How can we work with a group that lacks presence? Can we push ourselves to be more present?To interrogate this challenging topic, we need a special format. This episode is a live recording of a NeverDoneBefore Seedling forum — our incubator for budding facilitators who are guided towards hosting their own NDB workshops at the festival.Facilitated by Michelle Howard and featuring Oscar Trimboli and Lily Gros, this episode explores what it means to be present as a facilitator, how we can influence our sense of presence, and what our limits are.Find out about:How presence extends far beyond our physical availabilityWhy we must first be present with — and in — ourselves before we can be present with the groupWhy our physical wellbeing is a precursor to our quality of presenceWhat facilitators can do for themselves to increase their presenceHow to use breaks and breakout sessions to protect and restore your energyHow you can help a group become more present individually and collectivelyDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Connect to Oscar, Lily, and Michelle:Oscar on LinkedInLily on LinkedInMichelle on LinkedInSupport 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 textBefore a workshop, training, or speech, which do you spend more time thinking about: what you will say or how you will say it?Joep Hegger would argue that your voice — your tonality and delivery — are just as critical to successful communication as the words you use. And he has plenty of research to back this up!In this episode, Joep and I explore the enormous power of vocal training and the impact an intentionally projected voice can have on outcomes. This feels like a topic we will hear much more about in the future — you can get ahead of the trend and add it to your repertoire with this episode!Find out about:How science explains why our voices make our first impressionsWhy mirroring isn’t exclusive to our body languageWhat happens when a facilitator speaks with openness, calmness, and confidenceWhat defines a trustworthy voiceThe relationship between physical tension and outward expressionHow you can change different vocal elements to communicate in different waysDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.LinksThe Vocal Coach websiteConnect to Joep:On LinkedInSupport 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 textFacilitation is such a broad brush with which to paint. Why is it, then, that so much of our work takes the form of workshops?Meeting our clients’ needs and desired outcomes requires a flexible approach - one that will sometimes take us beyond the workshop format. But what does that look like and how can we step into new ways of working?Joeri Schilders, founder of innovation specialists The Magic Sauce, is well versed in finding new ways to facilitate innovation and creativity. As you’ll soon hear for yourself in this episode, that experience has made him a goldmine of insights!Find out about:Why it’s best for everyone to accept that a workshop isn’t always the answerHow you can facilitate innovation processes without a single workshopWhy facilitators should identify as problem solvers, not workshop hostsHow Joeri is learning to control his enthusiasm for the sake of the groupWhy negative workshop experiences don’t just waste time, but leave a mark against the formatHow Joeri’s free videos solving clients’ smaller problems double-up as an effective marketing toolDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.LinksThe Magic Sauce websiteThe Magic Sauce YouTube channelConnect to Joeri:On LinkedInOn InstagramSupport 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/

Matthew Bellringer, an advocate for neurodiversity and creative problem-solving, shares his insights on embracing uncertainty. He discusses the differences between risk and uncertainty, arguing that the latter can spark creativity. Listeners learn how to foster empathy for neurodivergent participants and the importance of psychological safety in collaborative settings. Matthew emphasizes that workshop success is defined by the learning experience rather than strict outcomes, and he advocates for cyclic thinking as a powerful tool to explore new opportunities.

Send us a textPlay 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.LinksSusanne’s business, The TexturalistsConnect to Susanne:On LinkedInSupport 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 textPsychological 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.LinksConnect to Romy:On LinkedInSupport 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 textCynthia 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.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✨✨✨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 textCommunity 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.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✨✨✨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 textProcess 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.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✨✨✨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/