The Anatomy of a Collaborative Workshop

The 60 second timelapse video embedded on my webpage here captured a full day workshop I facilitated recently.

But what was really going on?

Have a second look or press pause and you'll see a number of things happened...

Big Paper for BIG Ideas

in the background against the wall there are long paper charts. I use these to graphic facilitate - that is, I facilitate the group AND capture the key content the group is contributing using words and images on the chart.

You'll see a second chart to the left which I'm darting back and forth to at the start. I used this chart when everyone in the session was introducing themselves. This served as a great anchor for the participants to bring them 'into the room' and onto the story wall that was being completed during the workshop. 

Talk and Do

Throughout the workshop there were segements where participants were discussing in tables, contributing as a larger group and standing at the front of the room, reporting back from their table discussions. Keeping the variety going throughout the day is vital. We mixed up the table groups too - by the end of the day, there had been a real mixing and meeting of minds and views. 

As groups reported back, I captured key points presented... knowing that we also had the more detailed content from the groups when needed. 

Break Time

When the room is empty, the teams are just outside the room, enjoying conversation, networking, food, refreshments and a change of 'state'. That gives people space to be alone, be in small groups, be in bigger groups, and space to think, talk, review, reflect, brainstorm, laugh and ... whatever!

Standing

It's important to structure your agenda so you do important work when the team is high on energy. The after-lunch slot in a workshop can be a little quieter (with lunch being digested!) so some standing, moving and quick discussions can help keep the interest, energy and engagement up. 

Resources at the Ready

The room was set up for collaboration. Tables for small group conversation and discussion and working on stuff. The tables had paper, markers and post-it notes to capture thoughts, information, ideas and discussions. There were blank walls, flip chart pages posted ready for use and markers available to capture visual thinking. 

And there were yummy food resources provided on the tables - few sweet treats, mainly nuts and dried fruits and healthier energy choices. 

Start & Finish

The workshop featured a brief introduction by the sponsor of the event from the business and a wrap up of 'where to next'. I also talked through a review and summary of the content of the two large visual charts. 

So if we pressed 'record' on your next workshop, meeting or conversation - how much variety, collaboration and creative engagement would the video capture? Think ahead and plan for your team sessions. My whitepaper 'The 7 Problems with Strategy and Team Sessions' is available for download further down the same page where the video is. It's got some hints you can get happening straight away when planning your next strategy session. 

Would Warnie play on your team?

When the team you're in reaches a target, hits the mark or achieves success, do you do this....

... run in to a huddle, cheer, applaud, lifting each other into the air, hug each other and give hugely rewarding pats on the back and high praise?

Do you do this several times in a day? 

Do you then watch a replay to see how awesome that success was?

I’ve been watching the summer cricket matches with different eyes ... the eyes of a team or project leader; a leader who needs to get their teams to do great stuff! Everyday!

Too often we’re seated at desks when someone announces a target is hit, or we’re in a meeting or conversation.

Boring voice, stays seated  ... 'yawn. Yeah that’s great. Well done.' 

Our responses are cold and stale. So DIS-engaging. So…. robotic and machine-like.

Fire up ! Bring some game-style celebrations to the work you and your team are doing. You are hitting milestones and targets and you’re not making much of a deal about it.

Start making a big deal about it!

Get into a huddle, give huge applause, give great recognition and celebrate truly, loudly with cheers and ‘hoorays’ and smiles and laughter and back slaps and high fives – then watch the replay and relive it all over again! And again…

Remind people what they’re doing, why they’re doing it and how great they’re doing. Warmth, humanity, fun, games, collaboration, creative, communicative, rewarding…. we’re human after all.

Make those comms cut through

It's summer time on the southern part of the globe here in Melbourne, Australia. Living by Port Phillip Bay and Station Pier we see the shiny white cruise ships coming and going. People heading off on the cruise of a lifetime.

I imagine there are blue and white striped deck chairs on the top deck, with passengers snoozing and dozing enjoying the sea breezes and blue skies.

Look around your office or workplace and you'll see team members on their 'desk chairs' enjoying the air conditioning, the internet, and if lucky, a view out a window. Hopefully they're not snoozing and dozing but they certainly aren't sitting there, highly alert, waiting on your message or communication. Sorry, you're not the captain saying 'abandon ship' nor the activities officer announcing Happy Hour has started!

When you launch a communication effort - for a project, a piece of work or a new service or idea - your audiences are ..... snoozing. They're 'latent' or dormant. And before they'll take in any of your communication, you'll need to wake them up so they're 'aware'. Once they're aware, you'll be able to guide them towards being 'active' and engaged.

1. Latent.
2. Aware.
3. Active.

It's a three step process and failing to take it into account is one of the 9 reasons why project communications don't cut through - my new project whitepaper on the just launched project engagepage of my website. 

With a new calendar year and many new plans and projects getting underway, think ahead and make sure you've got some phases of communication that wake up dozing team members, stakeholders, sponsors and target audiences.

That way they'll be all primed and ready to receive that stunning cocktail of communication you've been creating behind the bar! 

Why project communications don't cut through

Just out, a new Whitepaper - download it here...

You are a leader. Prove it.

There are a lot of announcements going on at this time of year in business – reshaping, reshifting, rearranging, budgets cut, departments changing and roles shifting.

But there always will. No matter the time of year.

There will always be things that leaders need to say. Not just write it in an email, hit send and hide. But say it, speak it, announce it and deliver it.

Here is an announcement for leaders: Stop the Spin.

Stop the waffle-laden, couched-in-uncertain words and riddled-with-vague-descriptions announcements. Stop it. They’re not listening and they don’t believe you.

Stop the spin.

Stop the ‘we’d better say it like this or else….’.

Stop the ‘hush hush’ meetings where you’re supposedly ‘framing’ or ‘positioning’ information before you say it.

Admit it. You are spinning.

After my previous career in communications and public relations I know a good spin when I see it or hear it.

Leadership communications –  announcing good news and bad - needs three key things:

Humanity.

It comes first. You’re dealing with people. Not ‘resources’, numbers, EFTs or heads.

Clarity.

You’re confusing people with your long-winded sentences, waffly phrases and ‘I can’t quite say it how I want to say it’ speeches, riddled with workplace catch phrases that send minds into orbit and off topic.  

Get clear. What is the message? In normal speak. Say it like that.

Elegance.

This is different to spin. It means something has style and good taste. It is concise. Take your normal speak message and give it some elegance.

You are a leader. You are a communicator.

Prove it.

Every time you open your mouth. Speak like a leader.

1. Show humanity first.
2. Be clear with your message.
3. Present it elegantly, concisely and with style.

Delete waffle, long sentences, boring phrases and work-speak.

Be original. Be unique.

Everything about a leader speaks, especially when they speak.