workshops work

Send us a textLEGO Serious Play is an increasingly popular method of facilitation and one that we’ve explored previously on the podcast, but I wanted to dive into a little deeper and with a slightly more critical lens.I found the perfect person for the job - Sean Blair, a LEGO Serious Play trainer and facilitator and soon-to-be quadruple-published author on the topic. You could call him experienced in the subject…And, to my non-surprise, we had the most brilliant conversation. So brilliant, in fact, that I had to split the episode into two parts to keep it at a reasonable length!We challenge each other, we bring new ideas and possibilities to each other, and we definitely don’t always agree. All of which made for one of the most stimulating and exciting conversations I’ve ever had on the podcast.Enjoy this episode - there is so much to take away from it.Find out about:How LEGO Serious Play helps us shift our focus from individuals to behavioursWhy ‘objectifying’ an issue is so effective at helping us communicate difficult thingsWhy LEGO Serious Play is effective for any topic, but not all objectivesWhy we must always try to guard against ‘content ownership’ as facilitatorsHow to adjust to visually representing our thoughts using a ‘Tap and Tell’ exerciseWhat metaphors do to advance conversations and understandingDon’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.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 Answers[Part one][01:02] When did you first start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:11] How have you changed from being a “bossy” facilitator and what have you become instead?[05:05] How do you train other facilitators – especially in the art of dialling up and down their presence in the room?[09:50] What does it take to create a learning space that encourages and values mistakes?[13:54] How does speaking with your own voice play out in facilitation?[18:28] What makes a workshop fail?[20:55] How would you start a workshop for a group in which you know there is conflict and politics?[25:13] What is the power in using LEGO to help us talk about difficult topics?[28:11] Do you use ‘minifigures’ (avatars or representations of people) in your LEGO Serious Play workshops?[32:01] How do you negotiate the risks of a representation being misinterpreted between participants and creating misalignment?Connect to Sean: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 text When it comes to workshops, we often talk about “making space” for people to express themselves creatively and authentically.It’s a metaphorical phrase, but there is a lot to be found in the more literal interpretation. And who better to explore both sides of that interpretation than Flor Ortelli - an architect-turned-facilitator? In this episode, we interrogate the impact physical spaces have on our creativity and collaboration, how to design spaces for collaboration, and why we should always prioritise people and the way they use a space should always take priority over its design. Find out about:●     How architecture and facilitation share far more in common than we think●     Why it’s a fatal failing to build without considering by whom and how the space will be used●     How Flor is connecting dots between Agile, listening skills, and user-focus●     Why the pressure to have good ideas threatens even the best workshops – and how to release that pressure●     Why the value of sharing ideas is inherent, not dependent on our judgements of ‘good’ or ‘bad’●     Whether the attitude we bring into a space has more of an impact than the design of a spaceDon’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.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 Answers[01:16] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:38] What made you choose this route, instead of doing what most architects do?[07:19] What have you taken from architecture that informs your approach to facilitation?[09:00] And what have you had to unlearn from architecture?[11:29] What was your strategy for releasing control as you moved from design to facilitation?[14:24] What is the relationship between physical space and facilitation?[17:19] What makes an ideation process work – and do you have a favourite exercise for it?[23:31] In your experience, what makes a workshop fail?[31:21] What is your process for narrowing down ideas and choosing one(s) to move forward with?[35:44] Could you share your opinion on hybrid working?[39:47] If someone wants to build their own ideation room, what would you recommend they include?[43:48] You are writing a book – can you tell us about it?[46:14] What is it about Agility that you think is relevant to designers?[47:46] What is the one tip you would give designers, in relation to your book?[49:47] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksFlorencia's businessConnect to Florencia:On LinkedIn Support 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 textChris Bent isn’t creative, he’ll happily admit.Chris Bent is also the founder of Piccles, one of the best creative platforms I’ve seen.If that doesn’t quite add up for you, the answer lies in collective drawing and its remarkable ability to help anyone and everyone communicate through creativity.Since accidentally discovering the power of collective drawing, Chris has taken it in his stride and founded Piccles. Now, he helps groups of all backgrounds and interests access deeper communication through non-verbal creativity.In this week’s show, Chris shares some incredible stories from Piccles workshops, describes some of the techniques he’s developed to help people access their creativity, and highlights the power of alternative methods of communication. Find out about: ●       How a self-described non-creative person founded a creative collaboration tool in Piccles●       The questions we ask that aren’t questions, but subtle challenges or expressions of doubts●       How drawing can be a tool to bridge the gaps between our thoughts and our expression●       How Chris sets groups up so they can surprise themselves with their creative abilities●       The real-world applications of collaborative drawing software – from rock concerts to education to Earth Day●       Why we often get in touch with our creative side we are when we feel stuck or in a rut – and how to harness that power Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.  Click here to download the free 1-page summary. Our sponsor this week is Facilitator Cards - the pocket-size deck of 60 processes you can use to be more creative and flexible no matter what you facilitate. Check out shop.facilitator.cards and use code WorkshopsWork for free markers for your Facilitator Cards. Questions and Answers[01:09] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator, if, in fact, you do?[01:41] What does facilitation mean to you?[03:07] What is Piccles? And what is the story behind its creation?[08:35] What was the reception for Piccles like in a healthcare setting?[11:41] What becomes possible when a group draws together?[16:41] How do you help groups to reflect on specific ideas, draw, and then use it as the basis for a discussion?[21:01] How did the room react when someone drew their superpower as loneliness?[22:30] How do you then turn these highly personal, qualitative works into a deeper, wider insight?[27:02] What makes a good – and a bad – prompt for a drawing activity?[32:37] What makes a workshop fail?[38:20] Where is Piccles going in the future? What’s your vision?[43:09] What altruistic purposes could Piccles be used for?[45:02] If somebody wants to try Piccles for the first time but doesn’t know where to start, what would you recommend?[47:08] Is there anything you would have liked to share that we haven’t touched on yet?Links-Connect to Chris:On LinkedIn Support 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 textMeg 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 roomSubscribe 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!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!)Support 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 textIt was in the arid air of Burning Man that Edric Subur first felt Warmspace flicker in his mind and heart.Connecting deeply, sharing widely, and being radically – Edric wanted to capture the feeling of genuine understanding and connection and bottle it. Or, to be more accurate, automate it.Edric built, iterated, tweaked, and launched Warmspace – a tool that facilitates deep connection through guided video conversations – with that same desire still burning at its heart.Now, a year and a half after starting the platform for human connection, Edric has plenty of lessons, insights, and observations to share about the format for facilitating connections between people… without ever being in the room with them.What a wonderful episode!Find out about:The mechanics of Warmspace and the beating heart that drives itWhy connection is simultaneously a means to an end and an end itselfWhich three guiding principles help Warmspace create psychological safety between strangersWhat it looks like to take the principles and structure of Warmspace into a corporate spaceHow to encourage participants to use their voices when they feel there’s nothing to sayDon’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[01:07] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:06] What label would you give yourself?[05:01] What is Warmspace?[10:17] What was it about Burning Man that sparked this idea?[14:59] Where would you start with a group of people who aren’t comfortable being vulnerable?[16:21] What effect does physical presence have on these conversations? [18:44] Is there some kind of magic formula for facilitating deep human connections?[21:06] How did you choose the prompts for these conversations?[24:46] How do you hold the boundary between facilitating a conversation and coaching people?[26:55] Do you see connections forming after just a few minutes?[28:07] What makes a workshop fail?[31:09] Do you check in on conversations or do you trust the participants to make their way through it safely and happily?[32:37] Would Warmspace work in a corporate setting?[43:01] What does psychological safety mean to you and how do you negotiate it between strangers?[48:05] Do you have a favourite exercise?[50:39] What is the one thing you’d like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksExclusive invite link to access Warmpsace (or use the invite code WARM)Warmspace on InstagramConnect to Edric:LinkedInInstagramOr email ed@warmspace.ioSupport 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 textFun, 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 Support 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 textBelonging is a complex topic at the best of times, but in an age of digital meetings, remote work, and physical distance, many more layers have been added.As facilitators, our job is not to make everyone best friends, but we do have a responsibility to create a space in which participants feel open and accepted.Which, in other words, means a sense of belonging.I was delighted to speak with Jahnvi Singh in this week’s episode of workshops work, as she has some fascinating and unique perspectives on fostering belonging in digital spaces.Jahnvi’s decade of experience at the intersection of design, heritage and culture, and learning makes her the perfect person to speak on this topic, as her work so often touches areas tied up in a deep sense of personal belonging.Find out about:Understanding the four distinct spaces of belongingHow we can weave the spaces for belonging into our workshopsWhy Jahnvi believes boundaries and disagreement are key to successful workshopsWhy ‘calling in’ our differences is foundational to our feelings of belongingHow Jahnvi approaches the delicate issue of cameras on or off in digital workshopsHow to build in a layer of accountability and equity into group reflection activitiesDon’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 read Sara Huang's article that has inspired Jahnvi's visual diamond shape framework. And if you prefer to watch our conversation, click here for the Youtube video. 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 Answers[01:13] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[05:11] Could it be said, then, that you are often designing for two clients at once – the educator and their participants?[06:31] What are the differences you see between facilitating and hosting a group?[09:01] What is your concept of belonging?[16:23] Can belonging be created, or is it some magical force beyond our control?[19:28] If we are creating identity in a group, how do our differences fit in? Are they just as important as our similarities?[24:34] Is the tension in the ‘camera on/camera off’ issue a good example of this?[27:51] What is your experience of facilitating with cameras on or off?[31:10] Do you have a particular exercise that helps to forge a sense of belonging?[35:57] How do we juggle our awareness of our similarities and our differences at once? They can feel like such opposing forces.[42:04] Where do you draw the line between being open and oversharing or domineering in a shared space?[45:12] How can you try to adjust one person’s behaviour without risking the overall feeling of safety in the group?[51:45] What makes a workshop fail?[52:41] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksNeverDoneBefore FacilitatioSupport 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/

Founder of NeverDoneBefore facilitation festival, Myriam Hadnes, discusses the festival's origins, trial-and-error process, community building, balancing clarity and novelty, and the importance of trying new ideas. The episode explores the evolution of the festival from a one-time event to a thriving community, emphasizing collaboration and peer learning. It also delves into mentorship programs, personal growth experiences, and the transition to online facilitation events during the pandemic.

Send us a textGames are fun, silly, not based in reality…We can take our serious selves into games and embrace playfulness, but it’s a lot harder to take the playfulness back with us as we return to the ‘real world’.But what if we see that ‘real world’ as a game itself?What if we saw every interaction as a game?We could press certain buttons, move certain facets, and play with expectations and beliefs that change everything. When a meeting is a game, when an interview is a game, and when relationships are a game, we can have fun – we can open up possibilities and find new meanings within established systems.Join me and Lily Higgins in this week’s episode as we explore game design, facilitation, and the spaces in between.Find out about:How to see life and its constituent parts as a gameThe six elements of game design that we can apply in non-game situationsWhy playfulness can be so powerfulHow different players see games differently and what we can take from that knowledgeWhat urban games are and how they can be facilitatedWhy Lily likes to start sessions with an ‘Orchestra of Misery’Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.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 Answers[01:01] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[02:00] Do you recall what caused you to shift to finally calling yourself a facilitator?[06:06] What inspires your work? Is it a particular school of thought or practice?[07:57] What’s the difference between game thinking and gamification?[10:47] What are the helpful, deeper ways we can apply game thinking to create intrinsic motivation?[14:13] Do you have to draw a line between seriousness and fun when applying game thinking?[20:17] How much of the background, the rules, the detail do you share with clients?[22:07] What tools are there within game thinking that help flatten the room?[33:24] What are your thoughts on finite vs infinite games?[36:14] What makes a workshop fail?[37:08] What is an urban game?[43:45] What did you take away from this urban game in Central Station that you apply in professional spaces?[46:30] What would the equivalent be in an office?[48:25] Do you have a favourite exercise?[56:28] Was there anything else you wanted to bring today that you haven’t yet been able to?[01:05:51] What is the one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?LinksLily's businessLily's websiteSupport 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 textCo-facilitation feels like a wonderful, secret club.Those who’ve experienced successful co-facilitation understand the impact it has on outcomes, as well as the experience of participants and facilitators alike.Those who haven’t often look at it as a ‘nice to have’, rather than an essential tool in the facilitator’s toolkit.Shoba Chandran, co-owner of The Innovation Matrix and vastly-experienced facilitator, is firmly in the first group – and she’s eager to see more co-facilitation.It just so happens that I feel the same way, which leads us perfectly to this knowledge-filled episode of workshops work.Listen in to explore what it takes to successfully co-facilitate, how to start if you’ve never tried before, and what to strive for and avoid in co-facilitated workshops.Find out about:●     Identifying the boundaries, limits, and benefits of co-facilitation●     Why successful co-facilitation starts from practically the first conversation●     What the nuances of the co-facilitator dynamic are and how they show up●     Why personal connection tends to supersede professional competency●     How to align with your co-facilitator and set yourselves up for success●     What to consider if co-facilitating with a someone from the client’s organisationDon’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Click here to download the free 1-page summary.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 Answers[00:57] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[03:57] How did you facilitate innovation in such a command and control environment as the Ministry of Defence?[06:18] How did you spread the facilitation mindset?[07:36] And how did you break the command and control mindset – in fact, did you at all?[09:17] What were your key learnings from this period?[11:48] What does co-facilitation mean to you?[14:35] Do you always work with the same co-facilitator? If not, how do you select the ‘right’ person?[16:47] What is ‘a good attitude’ in relation to co-facilitation?[20:42] What are some of the glitches or roadblocks you encounter when co-designing a workshop?[22:58] Do you have a process or a template that you use for co-designing workshops?[25:35] Have you ever realised after a ‘norming’ conversation that a co-facilitator isn’t aligned with you?[27:38] Does the co-facilitation dynamic develop in the same way a team dynamic develops?[34:15] Why do you think so many early-career facilitators resist co-facilitation?[36:23] Would you say Singapore has more of a culture of co-facilitation?[38:03] What advice would you give to a new facilitator?[40:42] What is your experience with co-facilitation with someone client-side?[42:47] What makes a workshop fail?[45:25] What are some red flags to look out for from clients who want you to ‘facipulate’? (Facilitate + manipulate!)[47:00] Do you have a favourite exercise?[51:16] Is there anything eSupport 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/