Are you launching a new product or at the start of an Agile Transformation? Perhaps you are in the middle of a Digital Transformation or at the end of an acquisition deal that brings the challenges of merging organizations together? Or maybe you’re simply planning a project that will run for several months or years.

Whatever the case, companies are continually facing challenges year in, year out. Whether it’s due to external shifts, like the current economic climate or rapid advances in technology, internal shifts or setbacks, such as the ones listed above, or, a combination of the two, the problems that arise must not only be solved, but understood in order to stay afloat and in control.

Remember these 6 Keys

Many companies succumb to the standard meeting prototype: fluorescent-lit room, seemingly never-ending, densely-packed PowerPoint, little to no break, and only one person with the conch shell. The only music filling the square space is the tapping of pens, the prolonged sighs of boredom, the languid clicks of laptop keyboards. Essentially, there is no life or music. Attention spans begin to dwindle and engagement flatlines, along with the thinking processes of the participants. These kinds of meetings are rarely something employees look forward to. They’re long, one-dimensional, and colorless.

Fortunately, the days of death by PowerPoint, lukewarm coffee and general lack of encouragement, are over. You no longer have to dread meetings or workshops; by adopting these 6 keys to a great workshop, your company can create a workshop setting which is all together more enjoyable and worthwhile.

Key 1: A Great Agenda Design

Agenda Design Phase

A great agenda is like a pop-up card: when you open it, it should come to life, embodying a clear and colorful roadmap of your workshop. The design should entail the teams who will be involved, the context, inputs and objectives, the modules and assignments, and a foreseeable timeline from start to finish.

Key 2: Clear Objectives

Step back and look at the big picture. What do you need to accomplish now vs. what is part of the overall goal? Target the achievable and keep focused. Envision your workshop as a series of workshops. Given an
unlimited timeline, how would you build your approach? This exercise will help you detail and prioritize objectives.

Key 3: The Right Participants

While your key team members will drive the solution, others within the organization may have faced similar challenges and could provide valuable insight. Don’t forget to include key users, trusted customers, and subject matter experts. Multiple points of view can lead to unique solutions.

Key 4: Share and Explore Ideas Early

Just as any sports team does before a game, it’s important to start your workshop or meeting with a quick brainstorm of participants’ ideas and knowledge. Your team has great ideas, so encouraging them to share early on will serve as a great warm-up and pre-cursor to certain mutual initiatives.

Share and Explore Ideas Early

Key 5: Well Guided Facilitation

Keeping participants focused is essential and keeps your workshop moving forward. Using tools such as timers and rules of the game will help. Key-leaders need to participate in the solution-building discussion, not the workshop process. Starfish Taylor experts keep any size workshop on track and we extend to 360º facilitation.

Key 6: Specific Take-Aways

Target what you will use to advance your post-workshop goals or project. Gear the outputs towards useful formats, including concrete actions and owners. Never leave a meeting or a workshop without a concise list of next steps. Many workshops end on an enthusiastic high, only to flare out quickly.

Specific Take-Aways

Get in touch with Starfish Taylor to discover how we can transform your flat and colorless meeting into a bold and brilliant workshop.

Also, if you’re interested in discovering more tips, tricks, and hacks to improve your upcoming workshops and meetings, take a look at the Starfish Taylor Blog.