Prototyping can be one of the most energizing parts of a workshop. The team finally gets to see their ideas come to life, and in service of the problem they set out to solve and the needs of people they aim to help. But when it comes to orchestrating the…

Today we’re continuing our exploration of a winning workshop design, which is key to supporting a positive experience for your participants and reaching their desired outcomes. If you read Part 1, then you already know how to prime your group to hit the ground running. But what comes next? Today’s…

We’ve officially reached the dog days of summer here in the northern hemisphere: A time when we finally look up from our popsicles, flip flops, and sun screen only to realize that fall is on our doorstep. For a lot of people, it brings a moment of panic. Standing on…

Understanding user needs and pain points is essential for building successful products and services, but that doesn’t mean we need to get stuck going down a multi-month research hole in order to be “ready” to collaborate, innovate, or prototype. I know there are plenty of companies that invest a lot…

If you’re a workshop leader or meeting facilitator, at some point you’ve probably observed the not-so-fun energies of resistance and aversion among your participants. It’s an unfortunate reality that mostly likely happens because people have been burned in the past by inefficient, unproductive, and boring sessions that feel like a…

The return-to-office conversation has been top of mind for many as more and more companies call employees back to work in person. There’s a lot of chatter around how often, when, and whether it should be required or not. But are those really the right questions? Instead of “when” and…

Helping teams make decisions can be a complex process when there are various group dynamics, cultural quirks, and political intricacies at play. But it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re a workshop facilitator, or a leader who frequently drives teams through collaborative sessions, it’s important to have a few instruments…

When was the last time you felt seen, heard, and appreciated at work? Or energized by your job? Or in sync with your team? Or empowered to share opinions, new ideas, and needs? Given the recent years of turmoil — The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, waves of layoffs by major…

Today we’re tackling the often-asked question: How much subject-matter expertise do facilitators really need to have to be able to guide effective workshops? Did your anxiety spike just reading that? I’m guessing most of us have experienced fear around this topic at some point in our facilitation journeys. It’s totally…