I love all kind of workshops...

IF: they are well-prepared*!

* I know, sounds so 'obvious' right? Still, in how many 'bad' meeting have you been? ..where you thinks it's a waste of time, the topics are boring (irrelevant) and everyone around table is typing on their phones?

Besides such behavior being purely #disrespectful no matter how boring the topic might be, organizer + audience can do better to 'contribute' to a meaningful + fruitful session.

 

III Stages
or even Pillars

Well-prepared means all 3 Stages (Before + During + After) have a clear + meaningful objectives leading to the 'Desired Outcome'
= #Effectiveness

#Efficiency on the other hand is not always needed nor helpful, but that really depends on the above defined objective!

 

Deep Dark
Depths of Despair

My favorite workshops - whether running or attending them - are when 'everyone' fully trusts the flow (well, one probably only can when the entire thing is well-prepared + you feel the facilitator(s) know what they are up to!

I always enjoy the 'smiles on the faces' of my audience when I present the slide below:

'The Deep Dark Depths of Despair'

 

My Favorites

I have run un-countable workshops in un-countable different countries with un-countable different cultures on un-countable topics.

Still I have my favorites are:

• CDJs
  (Consumer Decision Journeys)
  #intense + so damn #insightful

• WarGames
  (no, not with guns, I hate guns! War games are to 'kill' your competition, by being a step ahead of them!)
  #fun + so 'bloody' #satisfying 😜

 

Workshop vs Meeting vs Group Discussion

Is there a difference? Of course, in the setup based on the individual objective(s), nevertheless, the commonalities are for me almost more important because decisive for  a smooth session + with an engaged audience = which almost automatically leads to the 'desired outcome' = Objective(s) ✅  = overall #Satisfaction

 

Brainstorming?

Do you want to brainstorm your upcoming Workshop or Meeting's flow or set up or even want me to join as a consultant or even run it as an external facilitator...

= just reach out & we discuss (y)our next steps.

 

#Fun

...is btw, in my opinion, the easiest + healthiest
= hence, also most sustainable way to success!

= should therefore be part of every day #Teamwork
= it always is working with Brando:)

 

📌Anecdote:

Attendees vs Participants

2005 preparing my 'Global Annual Meeting' in 🗽 New York, I was preparing = collecting = also sharing the 'List of Attendees' to e.g. hotels + meeting facilities.

One American came back to me:
"Brando, that's not called 'List of Attendees' but 'List of Participants'"
...well, me not being a native English speaker, changed the name before my next 'circulation'...

Now a Brit came back to me:
"Brando, why you changed that list name to 'Participants' - that's poor English!"

Well, I explained the situation, till the Brit started laughing:
"Ha, indeed, you need to tell Americans to participate and not just attend the meeting, that's right!" 🤪