Workshop Reflection and Debriefing

My workshop feedback method has a 100% response rate — and uses zero forms. I ditched post-workshop surveys because… no one filled them out and the ones who did wrote things like “Great workshop 🤗 ” (helpful… ish ⁉️ ). So now I use my four-question, four-colour sticky-note system at the closing of a workshop. It’s fast, visual, and human. It surfaces real language, real commitments, and real insight. Reflection becomes baked into the workshop instead of bolted on. Here’s the magic. I ask everyone to respond to these phrases individually 🟡 “I learned / liked / aha!” - Quick bursts of insight. One idea per sticky. No faffing. 🟢 “I will…” (What ideas do you plan to implement immediately?) - The gold. Actual commitments. I can instantly see what’s going to live beyond the room. 🔴 “I wish…” (What support do you need or what else do you wish we had explored today?) - Constructive, honest improvement ideas and what they need to succeed post-workshop. Better than any anonymous text box. 🔵 One word (What single word best describes your overall reaction to the session?) - These become my word cloud*, and it tells me the emotional temperature in one glance. Then, in small groups, participants choose their top insights, star them, and share them with the room. It turns into this joyful moment where you can see what activities really landed and what learning truly stuck. Impact? • I can literally see what resonated. • The “I will…” notes show behaviour change starting before people even leave the room. • The “I wish…” notes help me evolve each workshop immediately. • And the one-word cloud gives me a pulse check that’s surprisingly accurate. (see word cloud from 10 workshops* - 210 words - in comments) Yes, I still type them all into a spreadsheet by hand (there’s something human and connective about reading people’s handwriting). Then I let AI help me spot themes and patterns. It’s simple. It’s human. It works. And gives clients tangible, meaningful insights... Curious: how do you gather feedback that actually helps you get better? #PlayMore #JudgeLess #feedback #facilitation

Most teams don’t get better because they don’t take time to debrief. Last year, I had the honor of doing a bunch of leadership development work alongside my dear friend and amigo, Michael French. He’s a multi-time founder with successful exits, a fantastic family, and a heart of gold. One of the most powerful tools we taught together (really he, Michael O'Brien, and Admiral Mike McCabe taught, and I amplified in my sessions) was the concept of a Topgun-style debrief — and then we practiced it ourselves after every single session as a group. It’s a simple but transformative ritual. After every experience, we’d ask each other: What went well? What could have gone better? And what actions will we take to be even better next time? That’s it. Just three questions. But when asked in a space of trust, it opens the door to continuous improvement, honest reflection, and shared learning. The coolest part? Michael started doing it at home with his son — and now his son comes home from school excited to debrief the day with his dad. That’s when you know the tool is working. The origins of this approach go back to the Navy Fighter Weapons School — better known as Topgun. In the 1960s, Navy pilots were underperforming in air combat. So they changed the way they trained. But more importantly, they changed the way they debriefed. They created a culture of constructive, positive, inclusive performance reviews — grounded in trust, openness, and the pursuit of excellence. Led to a 400% improvement in pilot effectiveness. The philosophy was clear: the debrief is not about blame or fault-finding. It’s not about who “won” the debrief. It’s about learning. It’s about getting better — together. The tone is collaborative, supportive, and often informal. The goal is to build a culture of reflection where people feel safe enough to speak, to listen, and to grow. Most organizations only do debriefs when something goes wrong. But if we wait for failure to reflect, we miss all the micro-moments that help us move from good to great. Excellence isn’t a destination. It’s a mindset. It’s the discipline of always being open to improvement — even when things are going well. Especially when things are going well. So here’s my nudge to you: give this a try. Whether it’s with your team, your family, your partner, or just yourself at the end of the day — ask those three simple questions. What went well? What could have gone better? And what actions can we take to be even better next time? Let me know if you do. I’d love to hear how it goes.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍. 𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅. 𝑴𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕. Sound familiar? A team closed a major deal. Leadership congratulated them. Everyone moved on to the next quarter. No one asked: “What made this work? What would we do differently?” Three months later, they tried to replicate the success — couldn’t. Because no one had captured what actually drove the win. McKinsey found that organizations with structured learning processes are 2.5× more likely to sustain performance, yet most skip the debrief and wonder why progress doesn’t stick. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯’t 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 — 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒑 High-performing teams don’t just execute. They learn, capture, and apply. 1. Execute → Deliver the outcome 2. Reflect → Ask: What worked (and why)? What didn’t (facts, not blame)? What will we do differently next time? 3. Capture → Store lessons where people actually use them (not slides no one opens) 4. Apply → Embed learnings into the next cycle Most teams stop at Step 1. The best close the loop. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒉𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 Improvement isn’t a project. It’s a practice. Daily: 5-min huddles → “What’s working? What’s stuck?” Weekly: 15-min retros → “What did we learn this week?” Quarterly: Strategic debriefs → “What patterns are emerging?” If reflection only happens when things go wrong, you’re learning too late. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 ❌ Celebrating wins without decoding success ❌ Repeating mistakes because no one reflected ❌ Treating improvement as a one-off project ❌ No feedback loops — teams flying blind 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐃𝐨: ✓ Debrief every outcome — success and failure ✓ Make reflection part of weekly rhythm ✓ Capture insights in living systems, not cluttered docs ✓ Apply relentlessly 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉: If you’re not getting better, you’re getting beaten. The fastest teams aren’t the busiest — they’re the most reflective. Reflect: → When did you last debrief a success to understand what made it work? → Do you have a weekly rhythm for learning — or only during crises? 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯’t 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦. P.S. To build this discipline into your leadership rhythm → 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝑬𝒅𝒈𝒆 https://lnkd.in/gi-u8ndJ #TheInnerEdge #ContinuousImprovement #ExecutionExcellence #LeadershipRhythm #StrategicLeadership

Debrief is where learning takes place. Simulation Educators know this. How do you convince faculty that adequate debrief time is essential to allow learners to mentally digest what they just did? A common complaint we hear from learners is that they wished they had more time in simulation. This can mean two things: either they didn't have enough opportunity to practice using Clinical Simulation, or, the simulation itself was short-changed. Typically, twice the amount of time should be allocated for debrief as was used in the simulation. For instance, if the scenario ran for 20 minutes, the debrief should allow 40 minutes, at least, for post-scenario discussion. Why is that? A proper debrief consists of first getting learner impressions of the simulation as a whole. Asking questions like "How do you feel about the simulation?" draws out immediate thoughts and emotions. This gives the learners a chance to take a deep breath before continuing. Moving forward the facilitator addresses trouble-spots: "Jane, I noticed you were having difficulty setting up the IV pump. Can you tell me about that?" This is a non-judgmental way to encourage learners to talk about their own personal learning gaps. Once each of these gaps is discussed, learners are asked what is their biggest personal take-away from the scenario. They might also be asked to say what is one thing they would do differently next time. To cut debrief short due to time constraints, deprives learners of a rich opportunity to take a deep dive into clinical learning and critical thinking. Remember, this is where most of the learning takes place.

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

Embracing Failure: Lessons Learned from a Recent Experience LinkedIn is often a platform where we highlight our successes, but I believe it's equally important to share our failures and learning experiences. Allow me to take you through a recent setback and the valuable lessons it offered. Last November, our team received an invitation to respond to an RFI alongside 10 other global negotiation training companies. This opportunity came from one of the largest corporations in their industry headquartered in Europe. They sought a comprehensive global training program for 400 procurement professionals, a task well within our expertise. The RFI was extensive, leading us to submit a detailed 38-page proposal. We learned that we were shortlisted as one of the three potential suppliers. The client proposed an innovative agile procurement process, including a live workshop at their HQ. However, challenges arose from the outset. Negotiating cost compensation for our team's travel proved difficult, and scheduling the event became nearly impossible. Ultimately, the workshop shifted to a virtual format on an unfamiliar platform. Despite meticulous preparation, the workshop itself felt more like an interrogation than a collaborative session. Feedback was unexpected and critical, leaving us feeling disheartened and perplexed. During the workshop, frustration mounted within our team as we grappled with unexpected challenges and criticism. At one point, a colleague couldn't contain their exasperation and exclaimed, "If only you had spent all this time and preparation running a pilot workshop with each supplier, all of us would have saved so much time." This outburst encapsulated the frustration we felt at that moment. It underscored the hindsight realization that investing time in pilot workshops could have provided invaluable insights early on, potentially streamlining the process and avoiding the pitfalls we encountered. Following the workshop, we were informed that the client had decided to proceed without us. Their reasons? They perceived our approach as overly academic and doubted our ability to scale the workshop effectively. While disappointing, this experience provided some valuable insights: 1. Value Your Time: Don't invest significant hours in RFIs and engagements without ensuring appropriate compensation. 2. Know Your Medium: Creative workshops may not translate effectively to online formats; consider the limitations of virtual environments. 3. Clarify Expectations: Ensure clients have a clear understanding of their objectives and are prepared for the engagement. 4. As an advisor i often sit on the other side of the table and always recommend the buyer offer the supplier compensation for more time consuming proposals. Sharing this experience isn't merely about airing frustration; it's about embracing the opportunity to learn and grow. By reflecting on setbacks, we can refine our approach and ultimately achieve greater success.

There is a growing appreciation for experiential learning today. It engages people. It energises rooms. It creates moments participants remember. But this is something I often share with clients, based on experience. The activity itself is not the transformation. The real shift begins after the experience. It happens when participants start asking themselves: How did I show up when I had to lead? What did I do when things did not go as planned? How did I behave when I had to influence without authority? These questions turn an activity into a mirror. But mirrors only matter if people keep looking. Behaviour does not change because of one powerful moment. It changes through repeated noticing, gentle reminders, and consistent nudges in the workplace. That is why experiential learning needs follow-through. Simple reflections. Regular reinforcements. Conversations that reconnect people to what they experienced. My invitation to organizations is simple. Do not use experiential learning only as a tool for engagement. Use it as the starting point for deeper behavioural change. Because real transformation is rarely dramatic. It is quiet. It is gradual. And it is built over time. An experiential learning experience delivered for one of the largest global insurance companies.

Don’t just listen to your students. Actually give them the chance to build things with you. It changes the dynamic. ————————— A few days ago, a student and I completely redesigned our final assignment. We took notes on the board. We threw ideas back and forth. We asked questions of each other. This is what we created together. ⬇️ ————————— THE ORIGINAL ASSIGNMENT Students would: → Present 3-5 minutes on their research → Engage in a Q &A about it But I recently realized that (1) this wasn’t super dynamic and (2) it would take a long time for 20 students. So, my student and I created a new assignment that focused on interaction and was doable in a short timeframe. THE NEW ASSIGNMENT Students will engage in a open discussion. We’ll rearrange the desks, so that we can talk directly to one another. Specifically, it will look like this: 1. A Lightning Round (20 Minutes) Everyone gives a 30-second snippet of their topic and what they found. 2. A Google Gap (5 Minutes) Everyone has 5 minutes to look up things they want more info on or are unfamiliar with. 3. Debate: Which topic is the most relevant to today? (30 Minutes) They cannot choose their own topic. This will lead into an open conversation. I will not be allowed to talk! **No tech allowed.** 4. Debrief: Let’s reflect on this process? (20 Minutes) I get to talk again. We have an open conversation about the discussion. (This is where we real work on that metacognition!) ————————— At the end of this exercise, the student told me that she felt like an insider and that she’d never had an experience like that before. Next week, we’ll roll it out to the students. We’ll see how it goes.

Notes get taken. Ideas get captured. Participants leave with good intentions. And too often…nothing changes. That’s the hard truth about leadership development. People can be highly engaged in the classroom, and then leave the learning behind when they walk out of it. That’s why my work doesn’t end with the workshop. I help participants turn good intentions into lasting habits. Because good intentions are a start, but they’re not enough. The real shift comes when learning turns into habit. I work 1:1 with program participants to identify the concepts most relevant to them, surface key insights, and create simple, repeatable actions that make new behaviors stick. It's this last part - remembering to apply one's takeaways - that seems so simple. But it's the missing link between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Here are a few actions my clients are choosing to make learning stick: ✅ Reminders: post-its, calendar nudges, or to-do list notes (e.g., ask one open-ended question in every meeting). ✅ Triggers: spotting situations that signal, “this is the moment to apply what I learned” (e.g., shift from task execution to strategic thinking). ✅ Tracking: reflecting and tracking daily (e.g., how many times did I give positive feedback?). Because intentions don’t change behavior. Habits do. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For small and midsize businesses, making learning stick is a game-changer. Let’s connect if this is on your radar!

As a manager, have you ever sent someone to a training or a series of workshops… and then noticed little (or no) change afterward? For learning and development to last, the connection between lessons learned and the work needs to be explicit. Support from a manager to connect expected learning and behavior change to the job will expedite learning and change in behavior. Suggested steps (manager + person attending meet to discuss): 1. Why this training? - What evident challenges illustrate that this workshop/training will be helpful and effective? - What have you noticed? - How is it affecting the work? - How is it affecting the work of others? 2. What do we want to see change? - What do you hope happens from the person taking this workshop/training? - What do you want to see changed or improved? - How will you notice or measure this change or improvement? - What can you do to support the person in making this change? 3. Follow-up and check-ins How often do you plan to check in and see what is learned and applied? - What has the person learned? - How are they using it? - What are you noticing that is different and better? - How can you help? 4. 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 days post-training - What is still being applied? - What are you noticing that is better or different? - Is there more training or support needed?