workshops work

Send us a textNo two facilitators are the same in the way they run their workshops – or in who they are outside of being a facilitator. For Markus Püttmann, the interplay of his other interests and skills have helped to develop an effective and unique approach to workshops.What if you used your skills and interests to create a better workshop experience for your participants?That’s what Markus has achieved by integrating photography and facilitation.His fascinating approach to workshop facilitation has inspired me to analyse where I could introduce unique elements of myself into my workshops in a way that is non-intrusive and organic to the process we are working through.If you would like to explore how you might introduce your skills and interests to your workshops or are simply interested to learn how Markus integrates photography and facilitation in his, this episode will leave you with lots to reflect on.Markus shares his thoughts on:How photography and facilitation are both tied to the art of translationHow to combine photography and facilitation in workshopsWhat he does to help his groups relinquish control and tensionWhen and why he will change his plans according to each groupThe things photography and facilitation have in commonHow photography shows us things and helps us tell stories we cannot articulateDon’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Questions and Answers[01:30] When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[03:47] How do you see the role of a facilitator stopping projects from failing?[05:06] How do you understand the role of photography in facilitation?[08:43] What is the role of photography in your workshops?[11:09] Do you use photography before, during, or after the workshop?[13:21] What are the pros and cons of using photography in workshops?[15:24] Is there a difference between using photography and other visual prompts (like image cards, abstract art, emoticons)?[16:28] What is an example of a question you would ask along with using a picture?[18:03] How do you know when to change your approach when you meet a group?[20:07] How do you help a group become more relaxed and open-minded?[23:30] What have you learned about facilitation through being a photographer?[29:17] What have you learned about photography through being a facilitator?[31:35] If you had a hashtag, what would it be?[32:59] Do you ever interview or survey your participants before a workshop?[36:55] What is your favourite exercise?[39:01] Have you ever asked participants to bring their own photographs to the workshop?[39:20] What is the funniest item a participant has brought to a workshop?[40:32] What does a failed workshop look like to you?[42:17] Can you think of an analogy between photography and workshops?[46:09] Is there anything else you want to mention before the end of this conversation?[47:24] What is one thing you would like listeners to take away from this episode?Links to CheckMarkus' websiteMarkus' image cardSupport 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 textWhat does it really mean to have a successful workshop, meeting, or event?The answer lies with the end result. What do people gain when they attend your workshop or event? Do they walk away with a tangible output (e.g. plans or decisions)? Or, do they leave with an outcome (e.g. a feeling or vision) instead? Tim Ferguson is the CEO of Audience, a creative and strategic agency specialising in live meetings and internal communications. Tim joins me on this episode of the podcast to talk about outcomes and outputs in more detail. We discuss the importance of understanding your audience, knowing our boundaries as facilitators, setting priorities, and so much more.Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Questions and Answers[01:55] – When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[08:49] – What is the difference between a trainer and a facilitator?[11:05] – Would you rather refer to yourself as a trainer, facilitator, or coach?[12:50] – What hashtag would you give yourself with all these hats that you’re wearing?[15:30] – What is the advantage of having a new leader joining a workshop, as opposed to a meeting where everyone can also contribute?[17:41] - What would be your tools to drive a meaningful outcome and a meaningful output in a workshop or in a meeting?[22:16] – What are the consequences of each priority? And, how would you facilitate this process?[26:33] - What does it take to create trust and how do you make sure that trust develops?[31:14] – Does it always need to be the leader to break this vicious circle of distrust and dishonesty?[35:08] – Would you rather coach a leader who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing…or would you find another facilitator?[38:44] - Is it possible to achieve a sustainable output without having the outcomes that go along with it?[40:11] - What is the perfect recipe to fail a workshop?[41:51] - Why is it important to have a chapter on facilitation in a corporate presenter’s handbook?[45:07] – What would you like the audience to take away from this discussion?Links to CheckLeanne Hughes’ Interview with MyriamEpisode 033 – How to hear the unsaid in the workshop space – with Oscar TrimboliEpisode 034 – All you need to know about Billboard Design Thinking – with Sean McGuireConnect to Tim FergusonAudienceLinkedInSupport 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 textHolger Nauheimer is one of the leading voices in change management and the founder of Berlin Change Days, a conference for facilitators and change makers – attracting 150 participants from all continents to Berlin. With over 30 years of facilitation experience, Holger is uniquely placed to talk about our passions and profession. So much so, in fact, that he has developed a reputation for facilitating other facilitators!That’s why I was so happy to have him join me for this episode of Workshops Work. We talked about such a variety of topics, but the focus of this episode was facilitating facilitators.Holger shares his thoughts on:What it means to be a good facilitatorIntentionalityMindset managementHow he started Berlin Change Days and the lessons he has learnedThe role of controlWhat failure really means.I’m amazed by how much we managed to discuss!Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Questions and Answers02:13 – When did you start calling yourself a facilitator?04:13 – What does it take to be a good facilitator?05:29 – What does facilitation mean to you?06:41 – If you had to give yourself a hashtag, what would it be?09:27 – Is intention part of the foundations of your work as a host, facilitator, and consultant?12:41 – What would your advice be to a facilitator who finds themselves triggered by difficult moments in their workshops?16:51 – How did you come up with the idea for Berlin Change Days?19:32 – Why is 150 attendees the “magic number” for Berlin Change Days?20:38 – What is the biggest lesson you have learned after 11 years of Berlin Change Days?23:38 – Do events need a different design based on their audience?26:13 – How do you find the balance between emotional and too emotional?28:38 – Do you redesign the flow of a conference?30:58 – Have you experienced facilitators trying to “co-facilitate” your workshops?34:22 – Does the fact that facilitators understand facilitation make the workshop more difficult?37:13 – What is your favourite exercise to push your participants out of their comfort zone?40:05 – Do facilitators jump into activities more readily in workshops?41:25 – What would be the worst way to introduce a warm-up exercise?43:09 – Do facilitators struggle to give up control when they are not in charge?48:10 – How do you select Head Facilitators for Berlin Change Days?48:52 – What do you think makes a workshop fail?51:31 – What is the first thing an aspiring facilitator should learn?Links to CheckDays of Change podcastBerlin Change DaysEpisode 28 of Workshops Work, with Pam HamiltonNick Chater, author of The Mind is FlatStephen GilliganDon’t Just Do Something, Stand ThereConnect to Holger NauheimerSupport 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 textOn episode 045 I speak with Leanne Hughes, my "(nearly) facilitation twin", public speaker, trainer and, fellow podcast host. We cover a lot of ground and speak about the habits of facilitators and our mindsets, we speak about the meaning of showing up (as opposed to showing off). Leanne shares what she has learned from instructional design and now applies to her workshop design. Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.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 [1:53] How did you get into facilitation and podcasting? [4:20] Do you recall the moment when you called yourself a facilitator for the first time?[6:16] If you were a hashtag, what would you be?[6:32] What does it mean to you to show up?[9:33] What have you learned from 100 episodes on the First Time Facilitator podcast?[12:38] What’s your advice to a first-time facilitator?[15:20] What would you consider your own uniqueness as a facilitator?[17:27] Who did you get feedback to improve your facilitation skills? [19:11] What do you mean by “contrast”?   [22:33] Would you design for contrast or use the contrast that exists already in the room?[23:38] What is your strategy to bring the spark of energy back into the room?[25:43] How do you prepare for contrast in a workshop that you facilitate abroad?[29:55] How would you prepare for a workshop where a large hierarchical difference will be present?[32:57] How much “training" would you allow a facilitator during a workshop?[34:57] What’s your silver bullet exercise?[43:14] What is it that your clients hire you for?[48:14] What makes a workshop fail?[50:47] How would you deal with such a situation today?[52:03] Would you facilitate workshops that were designed by someone else? Links to checkLeanne's business page: Leannehughes.comLeanne's podcast "First Time Facilitator" and our episode 89 Atomic Habits by James ClearClifton Strength Assessment It’s never crowded along the extra mile by Wayne W. DeyerWhat is "Instructional Design"FTF Podcast with Mark BowdenOur sponsor Session Lab - Get your first 2 months for free!  Connect to Leanneon LinkedIn or follow her on Instagram 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 textOn episode 044 I speak with Enrique Rubio, founder of Hacking HR - the fastest growing online community of HR professionals. This show is different compared to the other podcast episodes as we don't explicitly speak about workshops and workshop facilitation. Instead, we dive deep into the topic of the Future of Work and the future of HR and the role of facilitation in both.   Enrique shares his vision of the role of HR in the Future of Work and the role that methods such as agile and Design Thinking play. As a facilitator of a huge online community, Enrique tells what it takes him to build bridges between the national chapters of the community and to share information easily.    Don’t miss the part when Enrique refers to the TV show Friends and what he learned from it about leadership. Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Questions and Answers [1:35] What’s the story behind “Hacking HR”? [4:38] In your imagination, what is the future of HR?[7:10] From what you are saying, does it mean that HR will become more of a facilitator in the future?[7:59] Would you call yourself a facilitator?[8:24] When did you realise that you were more interested in HR than in engineering? And when did you start calling yourself a facilitator?[10:01] Why did you call the movement Hacking HR and not "Disrupting HR"?[16:28] How can you assure that "Hacking HR" doesn't remain an echo-chamber?[20:02] Is HR using the wrong language for being heard by the leadership?   [22:14] To what extent can Design Thinking enable HR to better address the leadership?[26:11] Would that require HR to develop a “facilitation skill”?[28:16] What does it take to facilitate such a large online community?[30:30] How do you create the space for sharing beyond the technical aspects? [33:56] Are you applying organizational models such as Holacracy to the coordination of your chapters?[34:24] Do you have a hack to stop hierarchy from avoiding people to ask questions in the workshops space?[35:20] Is there any other way to address critical conversations with the leadership being present?[36:35] In a movement of almost 100 self-organizing chapters, how do you make decisions and set priorities?[38:48] How do you facilitate such a conversation where there are many equal opinions and no right or wrong answer?[43:15] Would these leadership characteristics also apply to facilitators?[44:22] What’s your favourite exercise?[45:58] What makes an online gathering fail?[47:12] How do you make sure that people will participate in the call and feel invited?[50:48] Is there anything you would like to share that we haven’t talked about yet?[52:12] what shall the listener take away from our conversation? Links to checkHacking HR20 Things you must know about the future of workDisrupt HROur sponsor Session Lab - Get your first 2 months for free!  Connect to Enriqueon 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 textOn episode 043 I speak with Michelle Howard, a specialist facilitator and MD of collaborations in Melbourne.  She has written a book on the relevance of presence and has worked in the government, private and not-for-profit sectors. “The most valuable (facilitation) tool we have is ourselves.” Michelle HowardIn less than one hour, Michelle and I explore many different spheres besides the relevance of presence for facilitation and, how we can learn to be more present. We also speak about the analogy facilitation and parenting, the ingredients of facilitation superpowers, the role of ego, and the limitations of accreditation programs when it comes to the assessment of "being" over "doing".Unfortunately, the connection wasn’t really good but Michelle was able to compensate all the technical hiccups with great content and value bombs. Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Questions and Answers  [1:36] How did you discover your superpower of facilitation?[4:35] What have you learned from community work that you apply to your facilitation within organisations?[5:54] What is the most important skill set a facilitator needs?[8:42] In an earlier conversation we spoke about the analogy of parenting. What prompted this idea in you?[12:21] Would you consider such behavior as “ego”?[16:19] Can we learn presence and being as a facilitation skill?[18:55] How do you create the trust a group needs to go with you through a sometimes uncomfortable process?[22:17] Would you design for discomfort or is it something that naturally happens?[24:20] If you were to train future facilitators on presence, what would be the first lesson?   [26:23] To what extent does this framework of learning your story to the concept of authenticity?[29:52] What is the role of community for facilitators to find comfort in being enough?[31:29] Is the notion of being over doing something that is agreed or discussed across your network?[34:27] When it comes to accreditation, is the “being” part of the facilitation skillset something that can be evaluated?[36:51] What makes a client difficult?[41:17] What’s your favorite exercise?[42:45] Would participants then bring their own images to the workshop?[50:11] What makes a workshop fail? Links to check Michelle's business website: https://www.collaborations.com.au/Michelle’s bookVictorian facilitators network International Association of Facilitators Our sponsor Session Lab - An online agenda builder and exercise libraryRein Sevenstern (Episode 020) from Experiential Learning - This episode's featured SessionLab user Connect to Michelleon LinkedIn Follow Michelle on 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 textOn episode 042, I speak with Dave Mastronardi, the CEO of the Gamestorming group. Dave is a business-focused strategist and facilitator who sees business challenges through the lens of game design. In our conversation, we speak about the structure and nature of games and the difference between gamestorming and gamification. In that line, we touch on topics such as experimentation to avoid repetition in the workshops that we deliver and improvisation, and, how professional facilitators turn into magicians of co-creation. As Dave emphasizes the importance of scheduling sufficient time for the closing, he also provides all kinds of examples of how to close workshops in a creative way that doesn’t cut off the conversation flow.Don't miss the part when Dave and I discuss the pros and cons of using an extreme stereotype versus a real stakeholder for the design of an empathy map.Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Questions and Answers  [1:30] What’s your story? What brought you to Gamestorming?[5:02] What is the magic behind Gamestorming?[13:44] What does it take to flatten the room? What is it a game can do that a normal meeting cannot? [17:27] What is the best room set up for Gamestorming?[22:32] What are you doing to avoid being bored with your own workshops?[32:12] What is for you the biggest mistake a facilitator can make?[33:52] How much time would you plan for the closing?[35:37] Would this be your closing? It sounds like a part of the “storming” phase to me.[38:07] Would you walk us through the "empathy map" exercise that you mentioned before?   [42:54] To what extent would you use a real person or make one up?   [48:18] What shall someone take away from the show? Links to check Gamestorming website: www.gamestorming.comGamestorming book on AmazonFinite and infinite games by James CarseMedium post on empathy map or game storming Big head canvas on Gamestorming.com  Our sponsor Session Lab - An online agenda builder and exercise libraryRein Sevenstern (Episode 020) from Experiential Learning - This episode's featured SessionLab user Connect to Daveon LinkedIn via the Gamestorming 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 textOn episode 041, I speak with Amaranatho Robey, who was a Buddhist Monk for 15 years and now applies his learnings to coaching and facilitation. He has run over one hundred retreats, workshops, and public talks around the world, impacting thousands of people. Our interview comes in two parts: The first part introduces Ama's major learnings from his life as a monk for facilitation and coaching. In the second part, we explore what presence and mindfulness can teach us to hold space for our workshop participants and to control our ego. During our conversation, we touch upon many other topics such as anger and jealousy, about play and about leadership.Don't miss the part when Ama tells the story why the monastery bought him a punch-bag and what that taught him about dealing with anger. Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.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 textThis interview with Tamara Eberle, trainer and facilitator of Design Charrettes and Organizational Game Designs comes in two parts. In this first part, we speak about "serious games" as an alternative to the usual workshop design. You will learn the difference between 'gamification' of a process and a 'serious game' used to clarify or define a process. Tamara also answers the question for what kind of questions and challenges games can be a suitable option. Since serious games help the group to suspend reality and approach their topic from a new angle, they might not be for everyone. So, don't miss the part when Tamara explains how to distinguish "game-clients" and "non-game clients" and what it takes to turn the latter into the former.Check out Tamara's business page and connect directly to her via LinkedIn.   Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.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 textOn episode 039, I speak with Thomas Lahnthaler, co-founder of Groundwork, who worked in the field of conflict and crisis resolution and now applies his learnings and expertise to executive training and workshops.On our way to the core topic - facilitation without questions - we touch many other themes, such as conflicts inside the workshop space and how we can effectively deal with them. We also speak about the relevance of psychological safety and how to create and maintain it and what to do if you realise that an exercise is not working in the way you expected it. Thomas learned the art of not asking questions from experiencing a traditional conflict resolution ritual in the North of Australia. There, he realised the frustrating and empowering effect of taking away the tool. Since then, Thomas and his team use the technique for multi-day leadership training to help participants sharpen other senses and self-reflect in a new way.     Don't miss the part when Thomas and I brainstorm on how to adjust the technique of not asking questions to a mini-version that can be used as an exercise.Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player. Questions and Answers  [2:30] What is your story? How did you get from development aid and conflict management to facilitation?[5:22] In a nutshell, what have you learned from conflict management on the ground that you apply in trainings and workshops?[6:49] How do you get participants to open their minds and listen to different perspectives in emotionally loaded situations? [10:57] How do you facilitate the situation in which participants can show their emotions and anger and how can you deal with that afterwards?[13:13] To what extent would you debrief an emotional situation? [15:07] According to you, what is the difference between inviting participants to do something instead of giving them permission or asking them? [21:42] What if we took away the tool of asking questions? And, why would we do that? [30:42] What was the topic of the multi-day workshop in which participants couldn't ask questions? [33:31] Could you think of a mini version of the technique that one can use in a one day workshop? [37:46] How do you deal with a participant who wants to take over control and coordinate the group process? [39:25] How much time would you allocate to such an exercise? [43:04] What makes a workshop fail?  [45:38] When you say pre-talk, with whom would you have these pre-talks?  [50:00] When the facilitator shows vulnerability, the group can either react with appreciation or blame. What is the differentiating factor according to you?  [54:43] What is the nugget to take away from our conversation?  Links to check Thomas business page: https://www.groundwork.no/Our sponsor Session Lab - An online agenda builder and exercise libraryRein Sevenstern from Experiential Learning - This episode's featured SessionLab user Connect to Thomas on 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/