
workshops work
Welcome to “workshops work,” the podcast that transforms how professionals engage, inspire, and lead groups. Ranked among the top 5% most popular podcasts globally, it is hosted by Dr Myriam Hadnes, a behavioural economist and facilitation expert. Each episode delves into the techniques and mindsets that make workshops truly impactful.Join us every week as we sit down with world-renowned facilitators and uncover their secrets to creating psychological safety, fostering collaboration, and sparking innovation. Whether you’re a Facilitator, L&D professional, HR leader, manager, coach or trainer, you’ll find practical tips, inspiring stories, and actionable insights to elevate your group dynamics.From navigating conflict to unlocking creativity, “workshops work” blends theory with practice, ensuring you walk away with tools you can immediately apply. Dr Myriam Hadnes doesn’t just interview; she facilitates enriching conversations that shift perspectives and deepen understanding.Subscribe now to change the world, one workshop at a time.
Latest episodes

4 snips
Sep 24, 2024 • 29min
288 - How to Master the Art of Great Conversations with Myriam Hadnes
Myriam Hadnes, an expert on cultivating great conversations, shares her insights on the delicate art of dialogue. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity and presence in enhancing conversations. Myriam reveals her three rules for effective questioning and why follow-up questions are vital. She explores the significance of silence and the power of the word 'and' in deepening understanding. Additionally, she addresses why meaningful discussions often fade with loved ones, encouraging listeners to reignite those connections.

Sep 17, 2024 • 1h 16min
287 - Here & Now is the Future of Learning with Simon Edwards and Ian Byrne
Share your thoughts about our conversation!Corporate training doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it can be playful, curious, a little bit magical, and dare I say it - fun. And this week I am joined by the creative magic of not one, but two brilliant guests who are here to tell you how: Simon Edwards and Ian Byrne.Hailing from the worlds of game design and facilitation, we delve deep into the wondrous realm of learning in all of its curious, human forms. Together, they share the eureka moments of their immersive experiences, the evolution of leadership in L&D, why ancient Vipassana meditation has the power to overcome ego, and the art of giving radical candor.Tune in and get ready to learn!Find out about:The two halves of an organisation: the informal and the formalThe role and limitations of AI in organizational change, learning and facilitationRecognising the cultural differences of engagementAction learning: how to turn theoretical learning into realityWhat we can learn from neurodivergent thinkingThe power of pausing to listen to your bodyDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Simon and Ian:https://mindblown.io/https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindblown-adventures/https://www.facebook.com/MindBlown.iohttps://www.instagram.com/mindblown.io/https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-edwards-93312318/https://living-systems.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/icbyrne/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!

Sep 10, 2024 • 1h 11min
286 - The Art of Slowing Down: Thoughtful Facilitation with Marike Groenewald & Clinton du Preez
Share your thoughts about our conversation!Defiant slowness: it’s a salve, a rebellion, and a lifelong endeavour when we have been taught to live fast, 100mph lives. Because only when we turn down the speedometer, can we be present enough to think deeply, connect to ourselves, bond with others, and experience the joys of simply being.It’s why Marike and Clinton relish slowness in their facilitation practice, carving out interludes that delight in the details, welcome appreciation into the room, nurture real relationships, and create the breathing space for intention.We explore the beautiful macrocosm of slowing down in episode 286. Woven with wonderful stories, aha! moments and words you will want to press pause upon, Marike and Clinton bring a rich, eloquent perspective to facilitating with thought.Find out about:Why slowing down can help us to be more thoughtful, purposeful and connectedHow to address difficult participant behaviours with curiosity, rather than judgmentWhy genuine, deep relationships often comes at the price of discomfortThe importance of delighting in the details, both inside and beyond the workshop spaceDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Marike and Clinton:Marike GroenewaldClinton du PreezWebsiteSupport 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!

Sep 3, 2024 • 1h 21min
285 - Creating Safe Spaces for Conflict, Resilience and Recovery with Scott Winter
Share your thoughts about our conversation!As the old adage goes, failing to prepare, is preparing to fail. But how do you prepare for something as catastrophic as a natural disaster?Scott Winter helps people, teams and organisations to struggle more effectively and step into their greatness. He’s done so for communities in California to recover from the devastation of wildfires, as well as countless others, showing up with life-affirming purpose, humanity and presence as a facilitator, to re-mould stress into hardy resilience for the future.In this brilliant and vulnerable conversation, he shares his work in co-regulating mindsets, how to make it easy to talk about difficult things, and why with the right tools, every experience can be turned into a learning opportunity.Find out about:How to create safe spaces that address high-stress situations with rationalityThe three Rs of resilience: Readiness, Response, and RecoveryThe art and science of asking questionsLearn about the Red Zone, Green Zone, Pink Zone frameworkDifficultating: how to facilitate difficult conversationsHow to mindfully embrace triggers in othersThe importance of asking: what do we not want to take into the room?Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Scott Winter: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!

7 snips
Aug 27, 2024 • 1h 15min
284 - Reimagining Company Culture with Play and Connection with Emily Hinks
Emily Hinks, a passionate mischief maker, advocates for joy and human connection in the workplace. She shares insights on enhancing company culture through playful engagement and effective facilitation. Discover the ROI of authentic connections and why team values matter. Learn how to improve meeting dynamics and ensure every voice is heard. Hinks emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships like gardens, and how embracing mischief can elevate workplace morale and creativity.

Aug 20, 2024 • 1h 12min
283 - Playing Other People’s Game by our Rules with Dan Newman
Share your thoughts about our conversation!In the autumn of 1996 in Palo Alto, Dan Newman had a career-defining epiphany: facilitation is playing other people’s games with your own rules. It’s something that has stayed with him on his journey from consultant to facilitator, as he solves complex organisational problems by asking: how are their rules preventing them from winning?We cover a lot of ground from Dan’s storied career in this brilliant conversation, dancing from the debate of the neutral facilitator, to cultural communication traits, the psychology of music, and why he will happily fine his clients for breaking the rules!Full to the brim with facilitation lessons to learn, try and apply yourself.Find out about:Tips, insights and anecdotes from Dan’s nearly 30 year careerThe key differences between the role of the facilitator and the consultantHow to rebuild people’s ‘finite games’ into ‘infinite games’, with a positive-sum outcomeHow to use Dave Snowden’s Cynefin framework to aid decision-making and de-complexify problemsHow to take a company out of their culture to see new perspectivesDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Dan’s BookConnect to Dan Newman: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!

Aug 13, 2024 • 1h 13min
282 - Unlocking Embodiment: The Hidden Key to Effective Facilitation with Mark Walsh
Mark Walsh, an embodiment expert and trainer, discusses reconnecting the mind and body for effective facilitation. He shares insights from his experience teaching in conflict zones and practicing aikido. Key topics include centering techniques, the importance of physical awareness in workshops, and how body language influences communication. Walsh emphasizes the need for authenticity and vulnerability in teaching, linking emotional release to physical movement and discussing the impact of a healthy money mindset on creativity and group dynamics.

Aug 6, 2024 • 1h 19min
281 - Mastering Difficult Conversations: Insights on Effective Leadership with Paul Falcone
Share your thoughts about our conversation!As my guest this week will tell you: to avoid a difficult conversation, is to choose the path of least resistance. But when leaders choose the easy way out? Nothing good ever comes from it; only rising frustrations, anxieties, and eventually, resignations.Luckily for us, Paul Falcone has had every difficult conversation in the book - and he’s written 17 of them! A three-decade career in HR, a stint as a Universal Studios tour guide grappling with grumpy guests, and now a workplace leadership consultant, Paul has learnt to master workplace friction with grace, empathy and a helping of storytelling. The secret? Facilitation, of course!Find out how to become a more vulnerable, self-aware manager, why we must reframe resistance, and the art of leading with an iron fist and a velvet glove.Find out about:How to approach confrontation with empathy, encouragement and motivationWhy mindset, skillset and self-care are vital for effective leadershipHow to handle difficult managers through considered, non-violent communicationThe importance of building your front-line leadership muscleThe ROI of raising your team’s awarenessDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Paul Falcone:LinkedIn WebsiteAmazon Author PageHarperCollins Leadership Author PageYouTube ChannelSupport 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!

Jul 30, 2024 • 1h 7min
280 - Beyond Advice: The Coaching Habit for Facilitative Leaders with Michael Bungay Stanier
Michael Bungay Stanier, author of the bestseller The Coaching Habit, shares his insights from years of coaching and crisis intervention. He emphasizes the importance of staying curious longer before giving advice, a lesson shaped by his hotline experience. Listeners learn how to foster team autonomy, ask better questions starting with 'what,' and the transformative power of a coaching mindset. He highlights the need for authenticity in communication and the delicate balance of authority and collaboration in facilitation.

Jul 23, 2024 • 1h 28min
279 - Facilitation with More Doing and Less Talking with Adam StJohn Lawrence
Share your thoughts about our conversation!Words: they are abundantly, inescapably, everywhere in the world of work. Emails, documents, post-its, briefs, meetings, hushed whispers across the office. So why is it that so many organisations still find themselves on the wrong page from one another?Ask the multi-talented master of service design thinking, stand-up comedy, theatrical design and psychology-zoology, Adam StJohn Lawrence, and he will tell you that words, actually, get in the way of true collaboration and understanding.Intrigued? Spend an hour and a half with Adam’s fascinating anecdotes, knowledge and insights to learn how to be a more effective communicator and facilitator - without speaking.Find out about:How to express reality and achieve results in non-verbal waysThe effectiveness of prototypes over word-based documentsHow to reframe roleplay into a judgement-free, comfortable spaceHow to ease corporate clients into more interactive, playful sessionsThe 3 questions to ask for effective projectsDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Adam:LinkedInBooks and schools: www.tisdd.comGlobal Jams: www.globaljams.orgwww.cocreationschool.comSupport 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!
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