Unprofessionalism

  When it comes to workshops, we often talk about “making space” for people to express themselves creatively and authentically. It’s a metaphorical phrase, but there is a lot to be found in the more literal interpretation.  And who better to explore both sides of that interpretation than Flor Ortelli - an architect-turned-facilitator?  In this episode, we interrogate the impact physical spaces hav...

Chris Bent isn’t creative, he’ll happily admit. Chris Bent is also the founder of Piccles, one of the best creative platforms I’ve seen. If that doesn’t quite add up for you, the answer lies in collective drawing and its remarkable ability to help anyone and everyone communicate through creativity. Since accidentally discovering the power of collective drawing, Chris has taken it in his stride and...

Meg Bolger is a perfect example of facilitation for good, founding and leading multiple organisations focused on promoting DEI and LGBTQ justice, awareness, and allyship. On top of their incredible work towards facilitating a fairer, kinder world, Meg also has plenty of entrepreneurial spark, being the brains behind the wildly successful and much-loved Facilitator Cards.  Meg is a true facilitatio...

It was in the arid air of Burning Man that Edric Subur first felt Warmspace flicker in his mind and heart. Connecting deeply, sharing widely, and being radically – Edric wanted to capture the feeling of genuine understanding and connection and bottle it. Or, to be more accurate, automate it. Edric built, iterated, tweaked, and launched Warmspace – a tool that facilitates deep connection through gu...

Fun, connection, acting without inhibition – it’s all part of the joy of being human… and it’s the subject of Jacques Martiquet’s extensive research. I should stress, Jacques goes by another name: Jacques the Party Scientist! Jacques made it his mission to foster moments of deep human connection in public spaces, to bring strangers together in vulnerability and happiness. You might not be surprise...

Belonging is a complex topic at the best of times, but in an age of digital meetings, remote work, and physical distance, many more layers have been added. As facilitators, our job is not to make everyone best friends, but we do have a responsibility to create a space in which participants feel open and accepted. Which, in other words, means a sense of belonging. I was delighted to speak with Jahn...

 The microphone has turned, the seats have switched, and I am being interviewed on my own show! This week, Michelle Howard takes up the mantle of workshops.work host and invites me to explore the origins of and process behind the NeverDoneBefore facilitation festival. I’ve wanted to talk about NDB in detail on the podcast for a while, but worried about the self-promotional aspect of doing so. The...

Games are fun, silly, not based in reality… We can take our serious selves into games and embrace playfulness, but it’s a lot harder to take the playfulness back with us as we return to the ‘real world’. But what if we see that ‘real world’ as a game itself? What if we saw every interaction as a game? We could press certain buttons, move certain facets, and play with expectations and beliefs that...

Co-facilitation feels like a wonderful, secret club. Those who’ve experienced successful co-facilitation understand the impact it has on outcomes, as well as the experience of participants and facilitators alike. Those who haven’t often look at it as a ‘nice to have’, rather than an essential tool in the facilitator’s toolkit. Shoba Chandran, co-owner of The Innovation Matrix and vastly-experience...

Psychological safety is a bastion of facilitation, collaboration, and connection. But has it reached a tipping point? As the phrase permeates more corners of consultancy and the echelons of management, is it depreciating into another buzzword, losing its groundbreaking origins? Gustavo Razzetti, acclaimed workplace culture consultant, will gladly admit that this is a controversial topic, but there...

After a year and a half of panicked, rushed remote and hybrid work, we are long overdue a calm presence - a voice of reason. Someone to steer the ship and settle the stormy waters, to help us see sense and chart a path towards a more successful, enjoyable, and thriving hybrid work environment. We need Cliff Pollan! Cliff’s been navigating the depths of hybrid and remote work for decades – having p...

123 episodes later, we return to where it all started. In truth, I believe I could have recorded 124 episodes exclusively with Patrick Cowden and we’d still have another 124 episodes’ worth of discussion in us. Anyone who has met Patrick - whether in our monthly NeverDoneBeore ‘spa’ sessions, in a client setting, or in passing - can attest to his warmth, vision, and energy. We sat down to explore...

It took me nearly one year to arrange this interview, due to just how popular, committed, and focused Quanita Roberson is. But I would have happily waited a decade for the value, kindness, and wonder she imparts in conversation. Quanita is the founder of Nzuzu Consulting and focuses on the deep, fun, and easy flow of energy to address embedded trauma. Her insights into the human condition, our exp...

Magic isn’t stuck in children’s books and feel-good films, it’s here. It’s among us. It’s in our vulnerability, our connection, and our understanding. The moment I met Jan Keck, I knew I wanted to speak to him on workshops work. Jan has spent many years facilitating magical human moments - deep phases of connection and communication between people - and, well, isn’t that what so much of our work a...

We are experiencing a long-overdue explosion of information and awareness about mental health. Just as we’ve steadily developed great interventions for our physical ills, we are now developing similar solutions for our mental ills. But prevention is always preferable to cures. Developing our mental fitness can have a hugely positive effect on us as individuals, collectives, and professionals, but...

Group dynamics are always present in the room, whether or not we choose to acknowledge them. What can we do to understand and manage group dynamics - and our place within them? As an organisational psychologist, vastly experienced facilitator, and insightful thinker, Grace Lau is the perfect person to answer this complicated question. Tune into this episode to get a stronger grasp on group dynamic...

Analogies are a powerful tool - they’re communication kaleidoscopes, reflecting and refracting our ideas into a multitude of new, eye-catching alternatives. It’s a tool that we use regularly. I know in my workshops, I will fall back on helpful analogies to explain complex topics. On this podcast, guests (and I) will use analogies to explain new concepts. In many conversations, you’ll find analogie...

Facilitation is a creative practice, but I am constantly surprised by the intersections people find and create between it and other creative practices. How about theatre? Podcasting? Audio-only social spaces? Pilar Orti is interested in all of the above and has some fascinating insights to share from her experiments so far. Join us in this episode of workshops work to explore facilitation using di...

It’s not uncommon for guests on workshops work to introduce new and unique angles to the practice of facilitation, but I should have known things would jump to another level when I invited transdisciplinary, systems-thinking, complexity-loving Johanna Tysk to the show! Our conversation was intriguing, challenging, daring, and endlessly enjoyable. Join us in this week’s episode for an exploration o...

Teams are embracing hybrid work - which means more asynchronous work, variable communication signals from person to person, and an opportunity for widespread adoption of facilitative skills. It’s a huge opportunity, but it comes with more than a few occupational risks! So, how can we help teams self-facilitate in the age of remote and hybrid work? Ewen Le Borgne is betting on process literacy as t...

Every organisation has a culture. Whether its leaders pay attention to it or not. Leaving culture untouched is leaving money on the table and employee satisfaction up to chance. That’s why Viren Thakrar founded In The Game - a consultancy that helps organisations build winning cultures, with the helping hand of facilitation. Viren joins me in this episode to share the secrets he’s learned from yea...

Alignment would be one of the first words added to the facilitation dictionary, but the concept can sometimes suffer with a reputation as a ‘washy’ or ‘soft’ topic. Lindsay Uittenbogaard is leading the mission to change that perception completely, with a data-focused, scientific interpretation of what it means for teams to be aligned… and misaligned. Join us in this episode as we explore what it m...

Facilitation has many intersections, but one I didn’t ever think I would discuss on this podcast is that of Taoism and facilitation. Yet, here we are, and it has proven to be an eye-opening, enriching experience. This week, I am joined by Dov Tsal. Dov is a Scrum Master, coach, and transformation expert with an exceptional and unique perspective on facilitation. Join us as we explore the shared ro...

I have always said that words make worlds, but language is just one lens through which we can see and decipher our experiences. What of drawings? Colours? Icons? Expanding our vocabulary and incorporating visual collaboration into our lexicon can only be a good, productive thing. So, in an effort to better understand the application and impact of visual collaboration, I wanted to learn from one of...

Facilitating innovation in times of need, the world of ‘futuring’, examining greys in a black and white world - these are big topics, but Dan Levy explores them with guile and clarity. This is little wonder, as Dan is a deeply-experienced in a variety of fields. Moving from sports media to UX design and later to facilitating strategy and innovation, Dan’s CV is a rich, broad spectrum of fascinatin...