A Workshop Designed for Connection
Say no to boring agendas with no time for connection Recently, I was engaged to bring 40 participants from across the province together for a workshop. In three hours, we aimed to set a foundation for a Province-wide major events strategy. The workshop participants were motivated since events and sport tournaments can bring huge economic potential and numerous benefits for communities. Here’s how I approached the opportunity to design and facilitate a memorable experience. Experience Design The experience was designed to encourage collaboration between participants. Typically, these professionals work in isolation to attract events and there are even silos between neighbouring communities. Every moment on the agenda contributed toward collaboration and connection. Workshop Guidelines To anchor the discussions and create a container for the workshop, we established clear Guidelines. These were shaped with specific behaviours that were encouraged and shared throughout the workshop. Each one was introduced slowly to
Designing Transformative Meetings and Workshops
Could you energize your participants without caffeine? Have you been enjoying the return to in-person events and workshops? It’s been so nice to see groups of people connecting and sharing with colleagues and industry peers. I’ve been noticing a blend of in-person and online meetings with many organizations to keep costs and efficiencies in check. When asked to design an experience and facilitate meetings for either format, my approach is largely the same. After completing experience design training through Scaling Intimacy, I’ve found the tools and formula for each experience so effective, I use them every time. Here are four tips to consider next time you plan a meeting, workshop or event: Identify the desired outcome Why are you bringing people together? What do you hope to achieve? Will you make it worth everyone’s time? Will they know what to do after the meeting? A well-designed experience encourages some kind
Use Rhythms and Rituals To Keep Teams Energized
How does your team keep Strategic Planning on track? Your organization has set strategic priorities and you’re ready to roll into the new year. The team is clear on goals, strategies and the tactics they need to implement. You’ve outlined KPIs and metrics to track progress. Next: how do you keep the plan alive so you don’t get sidetracked and pulled in every direction? Even the best laid plans can get shelved unless the foundation is built upon a process of accountabilities, rhythms, and rituals. Here are some ideas to get into your calendar. Create a Culture of Accountability First and foremost, leaders need to foster a culture of accountability. Does your plan have tactics assigned to a champion? Is there a timeframe or by-when date to aim for completion? Follow through and check on progress. Find out where things are stuck and get support for project champions when needed.
A Hierarchy for Effective Strategic Planning
The Language of Strategic Planning I love wordsmithing. Playing with words to simplify and clarify ideas is something I find challenging and satisfying. I often benchmark clever copywriting and corporate communications that is on brand and has a unique voice. In my experience, carefully chosen words can break through the clutter and get your target audience’s attention. When I begin a strategic planning exercise for my clients, I start by defining the anchors of the plan: those words that help to outline strategic direction. Before launching a planning exercise with your organization’s leadership team and Board of Directors, check in to see if everyone is starting from the same page. Chances are, there’s room to refine the language, sift through the differences, and come up with shared definitions so that everyone is rooted in the same foundation. Strategic Planning Hierarchy I am a big fan of starting with Why? Why
Is your organization climate ready?
Climate Change is punching us in the face! My energy the last few days has been drained from the searing temperatures outside. We are in the middle of another heat wave that is making its way across North America and has hovered over most of Europe the last month. One writer I’ve been following for a decade declared yesterday: “It’s time to face the Climate Reality… There is no longer a psychological distance (from our reality): Climate Change is punching us in the face!” Yes – it does feel to me like a face punch and yet another reality check that the need to take action is urgent! Does your organization have a plan to adapt and address these climate realities? Is your leadership team addressing the risks? Or do they prefer to act like your industry is immune? Are climate change impacts integrated into your long-term planning? What are
Doughnut Economics – what can we learn as we rebuild communities?
Last week, I was invited to attend a full-day community planning session with about 100 members of our small resort community (in Whistler, British Columbia). The Whistler Sessions: Possible Futures to Guide Us Beyond Recovery are important conversations for this tiny town. Our municipal leaders took a leap in a planning process that opens space for big conversations to address the challenges we are facing. Over the last six months, a diverse group of people from across Whistler and neighbouring First Nations in Squamish and Lil’wat were lead through a creative process to develop stories and scenarios about Whistler’s possible futures. The workshops were designed to unpack and grapple with these tough questions: What is happening? How do we see, from our different perspectives, the complex current reality in and around Whistler? What could happen? How could our lives unfold over the decades ahead? What could and must we do? How must we act