Tips for Engaging Workshop Participants

Facilitation hack. Prepare them for the post-workshop shock. Workshops are amazing universes where magical things happen that ideally leave everyone with the feeling of having been part of a transformative experience. Even less intense workshops often create a feeling of belonging. They typically, if facilitated well, also create a feeling of energy and motivation to get going with the ideas and transformation to address burning issues. However, what follows is similar to a reverse culture shock phenomenon. The participants return to their working environment of origin, where they meet colleagues who have not spent their time in a parallel universe but continue living in a problem-ridden daily. Furthermore, they might also envy the experience, especially when the "enlightened reformers" bragged about the workshop, causing subtle and often unconscious behaviors to dismiss the new ideas. In short, participants face resistance, and their excitement is quickly killed by the everyday blues, often as soon as the following working day. As a consequence, the intervention becomes irrelevant for the most part. I have heard this story so often that I have decided to make it an integral part of my workshops to prepare the participants for the post-workshop shock. I make space to raise their awareness that this is likely to happen and have them share their worries and ideas for how to work around it. This doesn't necessarily solve the issue, but it helps prepare them for what they might experience. It also makes them realize that it is their responsibility to carefully translate their insights, experience, and energy onto others and gives them a chance to exchange ways for they can do that as a group and individuals. Since I did that, my standard check-ins a few weeks, months later, are significantly more positive and often show that the workshop bore some fruits in the rest of the company and organization. So, remember, as wonderful as a workshop can be, it is a parallel universe to the participants' every day. Our task is to help them prepare for a potential shock when they re-enter the real world, thereby increasing the chances of successful transfer of insights and ideas. #facilitationhack #facilitation #facilitationskills #humandynamics

🤔 How might you infuse more experiential elements into even the most standard Q&A session? This was my question to myself when wrapping up a facilitation course for a client that included a Q&A session. I wanted to be sure it complemented the other experiential sessions and was aligned with the positive adjectives of how participants had already described the course. First and foremost - here is my issue with Q&As: 👎 They are only focused on knowledge transfer, but not not memory retention (the brain does not absorb like a sponge, it catches what it experiences!) 👎 They tend to favor extroverts willing to ask their questions out loud 👎 Only a small handful of people get their questions answered and they may not be relevant for everyone who attends So, here is how I used elements from my typical #experiencedesign process to make even a one-directional Q&A more interactive and engaging: 1️⃣ ENGAGE FROM THE GET-GO How we start a meeting sets the tone, so I always want to engage everyone on arrival. I opted for music and a connecting question in the chat connected to why we were there - facilitation! 2️⃣ CONNECTION BEFORE CONTENT Yes, people were there to have their questions answered, but I wanted to bring in their own life experience having applied their new found facilitation skills into practice. We kicked off with breakout rooms in small groups to share their own experiences- what had worked well and what was still challenging. This helped drive the questions afterwards. 3️⃣ MAKE THE ENGAGEMENT EXPLICIT Even if it was a Q&A, I wanted to be clear about how THIS one would be run. I set up some guidelines and also gave everyone time to individually think and reflect what questions they wanted to ask. We took time with music playing for the chat to fill up. 4️⃣ COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IS MOST IMPACTFUL Yes, they were hoping to get my insights and answers, however I never want to discredit the wisdom and lived experience in the room. As we walked through the questions, I invited others to also share their top tips and answers. Peer to peer learning is so rich in this way! 5️⃣ CLOSING WITH ACTIONS AND NEVER QUESTIONS The worst way to end any meeting? "Are there any more questions?" Yes, even in a Q & A! Once all questions were answered, I wanted to land the journey by asking everyone to reflect on what new insights or ideas emerged for them from the session and especially what they will act upon and apply forward in their work. Ending with actions helps to close one learning cycle and drive forward future experiences when they put it to the test! The session received great reviews and it got me thinking - we could really apply these principles to most informational sessions that tend to put content before connection (and miss the mark). 🤔 What do you think? Would you take this approach to a Q&A? Let me know in the comments below👇 #ExperienceLearningwithRomy

Want more productive workshops? Try stopping them sooner. Workshops often lock people in a room for two or three hours and expect them to do their best thinking on demand. Do we really have to hold people hostage to be productive? Lately, I’ve been using a technique I call "Echo Sessions." Instead of forcing deep work to happen in real time, we kickstart an activity, get clarity, but then stop just as people are getting into it. That pause is intentional. It’s based on the same principle as the Pomodoro technique—when you leave something unfinished while still feeling engaged, you'll find it easy to return to it later and give it space to percolate. Instead of dragging out a long workshop, I schedule an Echo Session later—often in the same day—where everyone brings their independent or small group work back for discussion, iteration, and action. Why does this work? ✅ Encourages Deep Work – People get time to think, research, or create in their own way, rather than being forced into artificial collaboration. ✅ Optimizes Meeting Time – Workshops should be for shared understanding, decision-making, and iteration—not for quiet focus time. ✅ Respects Different Work Styles – Some need time to walk and think. Others need to sketch. Some want to research or tap into AI. Echo Sessions give people time and space to work in the way that’s best for them. ✅ Creates Natural Momentum – Stopping at a high-energy moment makes people want to continue later, giving them space to create, rather than leaving them drained from a marathon session. ✅ Reduces Calendar Lockdowns – Instead of monopolizing hours at a time, work is distributed more effectively and meetings are only used when necessary. Most importantly, this approach treats participants like adults. It gives them flexibility and agency while ensuring that meetings serve a clear, valuable purpose. We don’t need long workshops. We need better workshops. Curious—how do you approach workshop fatigue? Would this work in your team?

The secret to powerful workshops that no one talks about (literally) Most facilitators think the magic is in The tools The energy The activities The debriefs. And whilst they do make a difference. After 14+ years designing workshops for brands like Red Bull, Netflix, and the British Council, here’s a counterintuitive truth I’ve seen time and again: 💡 The most powerful moment in a workshop often happens... when you stop talking. Early in my facilitation career I was tempted to fill every pause with more words. I thought silence meant disengagement—or worse, failure. But here’s what I’ve learned: Silence isn’t the absence of engagement. It's the space where change begins. Used intentionally silence is one of the most underused tools in your facilitation toolkit. Here’s what silence does: 🔹 Reflection fuels engagement A pause gives participants space to process and connect the dots. 🔹 Deeper dialogue emerges Leave a beat after a question, and you’ll often unlock responses you’d never hear otherwise. 🔹 Tension grabs attention A well-timed pause builds anticipation. It makes your message land with more impact. Want to use silence more intentionally? ✔️ After asking a question, count to five before speaking again. It’ll feel long. And it’s worth it. ✔️ Use silence to punctuate key points. Let your words breathe. ✔️ After an activity, create space for quiet processing. Insights love stillness. Look, it’s awkward at first. But the best facilitators know: it’s not about doing more it’s about doing less, with more intention. That includes knowing when to say nothing ✍️ Have you tried using silence in your workshops? How did it go? Drop your thoughts below. Let’s start the conversation.

I’ve run close to 1,000 strategy workshops in the last 4 years. Here are 10 things I’ve learned... My journey with workshops started long before consulting. During my 22 years at Disney, I sat through thousands of them worldwide, most of the time as a participant. Back then, I thought I knew what made a workshop effective. I’d seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. But stepping into the role of facilitator changed everything, because my biggest lessons aren’t really about facilitation at all. They’re about how people behave when you put them in a room and ask them to think, decide, and commit together. Here are 10 of my main takeaways: 1) Frameworks help, but they’re not the point. They guide the process and spark ideas, but the real value isn’t in filling boxes or following steps. It’s in the conversations and decisions they nurture. 2) Silence is uncomfortable, but sacred. Psychologists say “group pause” is crucial for deeper thinking. Silence often brings honesty and insight if you know how to interpret it. 3) People are more scared of being seen than of being wrong. Fear of judgment makes people hide. You must create a safe environment, so they can contribute without performing a character. 4) Leaders who speak last enable better conversations. Teams thrive when leaders listen first and synthesize later. It prevents bias, widens input, and shows that every voice matters. 5) The best breakthroughs come after tension, not consensus. Consensus often dilutes outcomes. I prefer to shake things up with constructive friction that stimulates creativity and innovation. 6) Getting the problem right matters more than solving it on time. Framing the problem is more important than solving it fast. It's better to take time than arrive on time at the wrong solution. 7) Participants only see 10% of the facilitator’s work. Most of a workshop’s prework is invisible: structure, research, context. What matters is the energy in the room and the outcomes it creates. 8) You can’t plan for 100%. Something can go wrong. There are always surprises. Facilitation is less about the agenda, more about reading the room to adjust if needed. 9) The workshop’s quality depends on the quality of relationships. Even the best facilitation can’t fix a dysfunctional team. I invest a lot of time in team dynamics because it's the foundation for insightful conversations and alignment. 10) The workshop doesn’t end when the session ends. You must harvest the unspoken thoughts, reflections, and realizations that surface hours or days later. Follow-ups are key because breakthrough happens in the moments that follow. What all of this has taught me is simple: Workshops aren’t really about strategy, they’re about people. If you create the right conditions, the strategy will follow. If you don’t, no framework in the world will save your business. - - - PS: DM me 📩 if you’d like a peek inside the 25+ workshops included in the Brand Strategy Program✷.

A few weeks ago, after setting up the room for a workshop, I stepped out to make a quick phone call. By the time I returned, a bunch of participants had  arrived, found their seats, and pulled out their laptops—ready to watch something happen. Then, one participant approached me. “Where’s the screen?” she asked. “There aren’t any slides today,” I replied. She frowned slightly, as if to say, 'Then what am I here for?' It’s a familiar script: ✅ Someone calls the meeting. ✅ Someone holds the space. ✅ Everyone else sits back, listens, and waits to be led. I reckon the best leaders 'flip the room'. They break the passive, hierarchical default and generate real engagement. For as long as people are sitting back, waiting to be led, their true genius will never emerge. Flipping the room isn’t about taking control. It’s about giving it back. Here are 3 things to think about... 1. Don’t Command Attention—Create Shared Tension If you start by talking, you reinforce the ‘audience’ mindset. Instead, spark curiosity and involvement from the start: ❓ Ask: “What’s the biggest challenge on your mind today?” 💬 Start a conversation: “How are we feeling about X?” 🧩 Present a puzzle: “If something was missing from our strategy, what would it be?” 2. Pass the Mic How do you decide who speaks? Rank, charisma and forthrightness are dangerous reasons. In thriving teams, leaders build teams that generate the best ideas. So break the pattern: 🔄 Instead of answering a question, throw it back: “What do you think?” 🛠️ Instead of presenting a plan, ask them to build one: “How could we tackle this?” 🤔 Instead of being the one to pass the microphone, invite others to invite people to speak: “Who else do you want to hear from?” 3️⃣Perhaps try the 'rule of 3 passes' - something I shared in this LinkedIn post. 3. Set Shared Expectations Early If people assume they’re supposed to be in ‘receive mode,’ they’ll act like it. Change the expectation from the start: 🚫 Remove slides and tables—design a space for co-creation. 🔄 Frame the session differently: “This isn’t a presentation from me—it’s a session to co-create X.” ❓Ask: “By the end of this, what does each of us need to move forward?” Flipping the Room = Flipping Your Mindset To flip the room, you need to check your own expectations. Leadership isn’t about commanding attention—it’s about energising people to think, contribute, and make great progress. So next time you step into a room, don’t ask: How do I lead this meeting? Ask: How do I flip it? Over to you: What are the best ways to flip the room? (This photo is from a different room I worked in last week, with an executive leadership team. As you can see, flipping a room starts with the space you create. It was a very cool spot for meaningful conversation.) PS. If we haven't met before and you'd like to stay in touch, I welcome your connection request. #Leadership #Facilitation #Teamwork #Meetings

I've facilitated 500+ workshops. These 5 closing techniques are the only ones that stick. Most facilitators spend hours designing the opening and the activities. Then the last 10 minutes arrive and they panic. → "Let's share a final thought." → "Any last reflections?" → "Thanks everyone, great session!" The closing is where behaviour change gets locked in or evaporates. Most facilitators treat it like an afterthought. Here are the 5 that actually work: 1. The One Commitment Round Every participant states one specific thing they'll do differently this week. Out loud. To the room. → Not: "I'll communicate better." → Instead: "I'll start every Monday standup asking my team what's blocking them before giving updates." Vague commitments die on the drive home. Specific ones survive. Public commitment creates social accountability. Say it out loud and it costs something to not follow through. 2. The Accountability Partner Every participant pairs up. They exchange commitments. They set a check-in within 14 days. Calendar invite sent before they leave. → Not: "Let's all keep each other accountable." → Instead: "You and your partner have a 15-minute call on March 31st. One question: did you do it?" Accountability without a name and a date is just a wish. 3. The Letter to Yourself Each participant writes a short message to their future self. What they committed to. Why it matters. The facilitator collects them and emails them back in 2 weeks. A delayed mirror. When the workshop energy has faded, you get a message from yourself reminding you what you promised when you were most motivated. 4. The Team Contract The group co-creates 3-5 agreements about how they'll work together. One page. Everyone signs. Photographed and shared in the team channel before they leave. → Not: "Let's agree to be more open." → Instead: "If you disagree with a decision, raise it in the meeting, not after. If you don't speak up, you've agreed." Invisible norms become a visible artefact. When someone breaks the agreement, anyone can point to it. The contract does the confrontation so individuals don't have to. 5. The Pre-Mortem Close Instead of "how was the session?" ask: "It's 30 days from now and nothing has changed. Why?" Participants write down every reason the commitments might fail. Then for each, one thing that would prevent it. → "It'll fail because I'll get pulled into daily fires." → Prevention: "I'll block 30 minutes every Friday to review my commitment." Instead of hoping for the best, you design against failure before it happens. The pattern across all 5? Every closing that sticks has three things: → A specific commitment, not a feeling → A named person responsible for follow-up → A date on the calendar Without all three, it was a nice ending to a nice day. Nothing more. ___ Save this for later (three dots, top right). Share with friends → ♻️ Repost. Get consultant-grade workshops every Sat → https://lnkd.in/eSfeUapJ

See One. Do One. Teach One. I was watching Grey’s Anatomy (don't judge) when a line jumped out at me: “See one. Do one. Teach one.” It was Dr. Webber's mantra for medical training: observe a skill, try it yourself, then pass it on. It's also the perfect blueprint for event engagement. Most events get stuck at “see one.” Attendees listen to keynotes, sit through panels, watch demos. They see a lot, but if that’s where it ends, the knowledge fades almost instantly. The next level is “do one.” Give attendees space to try what they’ve learned, through hands-on workshops, scenario labs, role plays, or even a 10-minute exercise in the room. This helps the ideas move from theory into muscle memory. But then there's “teach one.” Create moments for attendees to share their perspective. Whether it’s a micro-discussion at their table, a peer-to-peer breakout, or a post-session “lightning share” where they explain what they learned to someone else. When people teach, they anchor the learning in their own words, and engagement skyrockets. What if designing events around this mantra could transform attendees into contributors? They stop being passive listeners and start being co-creators of the experience. Maybe that's what engagement is meant to be, after all. 

What would you do if your audience couldn't see you or your slides? This past weekend, I had the honor to work with the Florida Business Enterprise Program (BEP), The mission of the BEP is to provide people who are legally blind with rewarding and profitable entrepreneurial ventures, broaden their economic opportunities, and invigorate all blind people to be self-supporting, while dispelling misconceptions about blind people by showcasing their abilities. The BEP administers one of the largest vending and food service programs operated by people who are legally blind in the United States. The BEP prides itself in allowing visually impaired entrepreneurs independence in their day-to-day operations, while at the same time providing continual support through professional business consultants and educational workshops. I was invited to speak because one of their members heard me speak at their National Conference. As a professional speaker I pride myself in making all of my programs an engaging interactive learning experience. Here are few ways I work to make my programs impactful for people with a visual impairment: 1. Paint pictures with your words. Slow down and be very descriptive during your presentation. Let people hear the images you want them to "see." Let people know where you are in the room or where people are who ask questions. Describe in detail what you look like or how you are moving. The people you work with appreciate when you make time to "set the table" before you "serve the meal." 2. Make content accessible before you step on stage. Provide notes or slides in screen-reader friendly formats so everyone can fully participate. 3. Prioritize clarity over flash. Meet with the organization ahead of time to understand participants wants and needs. This will help you establish clear structure, strong pacing, and intentional pauses. 4. Connect through voice and presence. Your tone, energy, and authenticity become your “visuals.” People feel your passion before they see your slides. This experience reminded me: when you strip away distractions, the heart of speaking is human connection. And that’s something everyone can see. 5. Let them participate. Your program can't be engaging if you don't allow the audience to engage. I made time for attendees to share their experiences with me, so I could understand what it was like to be a visually impaired or blind business owner. Participation leads to understanding and as attendees shared with me...a program that isn't boring. Bonus - Be sure to add alt text to all images you post on social media and your website. This allows for people who lack vision to "see" your photograph or image because you can describe the image to them. Thank you Deia Starr Rank and Speaker Exchange for making my experience possible. #keynotespeaker #speakingtips #publicspeakingadvice #workingwiththeblind #mindset

Know your audience - don't just start speeching Have you ever given a speech or presentation to an audience of strangers and felt nervous about how your messages will land? Did you realize afterward (maybe in the Q&A section) you misjudged what they care about most and didn't speak to it, even though you could have? If you have the flexibility to change the format, I'd say: Never give a speech to an audience of strangers if you can instead create a collaborative session where everyone can contribute (e.g. by using Liberating Structures facilitation tools https://lnkd.in/eftKSyjt). Because if you have 50 people in a room, it's rare that the things one person can come up with are more intelligent than the combined wisdom of 50. But I digress. Sometimes you won't have the power to make radical changes. But you may be able to sprinkle in micro-engagement, while still following the given format. Try this: Before you start, ask the participants to raise their hands answering three questions. Make sure these focus on the key messages or concerns of your speech. How do you pick these questions? Complete this sentence: "If only I knew how my audience thinks about / whether they care about / whether they prioritize X or Y... I could cater my speech better to their needs". Ask about the things that come to mind. Don't ask questions where you expect everyone to say yes anyway - a wasted opportunity for learning about your audience. Don't ask questions that would be uncomfortable to answer or where participants expose something about themselves they may want to keep private. Once participants have raised their hands, you may (if it makes sense in the context of the question) encourage them to look around and see how many people in the audience have similar concerns. This can shift the atmosphere in the room, adding just a tiny bit of warmth and connection. During your speech, make sure to remind them of these questions and how they answered and show that you are aligned or have additional information about the issue you will focus on because it is their concern. Try it out and share how it worked. As a facilitator, I love being able to design amazing participatory purpose-driven sessions from scratch. But I'm also committed to reality. And I love finding cracks in traditional formats (e.g. the speech, where one person talks and everyone else listens) and figuring out how to sprinkle some sparkles and participation through these cracks. I'm curious to hear from others about the small changes you have made to invite more participation in spaces where you had limited wiggle room.