About My Workshops

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y workshops make a lasting difference — both for participants and for my client organizations. Part of the reason is that I offer an array of services designed to prepare participants to make personal commitments to actually use what they learn. And I offer these additional service options for no additional fee.

Before the workshop

The offerings below are designed to enable your organization to understand the workshop objectives, so participants and their managers can easily decide if it fits for them. These pre-event materials are designed to maximize participation, and to enable your organization to benefit from the event even before it happens.

Availability to participants and managers

During the enrollment period, I'm available by telephone or email to participants and managers in your organization to answer questions about the workshop, its objectives, and content.

Intranet Web page

I can provide a Web page for your use on your Intranet to advertise and explain the workshop opportunity.

Reading list

A complete bibliography of optional reading material is included, both in MS Word format and as part of the Intranet Web page if you elect that option. And you have permission to freely copy this material for internal use.

Current topical material

During the six months prior to the event, it sometimes happens that news items appear that are relevant to the workshop objectives. When this happens, I'll forward copies to you, either electronically or in hard copy, for duplication and circulation to prospective participants.

Support for managers

Each participant will be asked to identify three "keepers" — three ideas they intend to do something about. At your option, I can inform participants' managers of this, so they can know what to expect and follow up with them. This helps build the expectation that training counts.

During the workshop

The workshop itself is designed with lasting impact as an objective. Not only am I interested in conveying concepts, but I do it in a way that can foster a lasting interest in the subject.

Participant involvement

My workshops are more than PowerPoint presentations. Learning opportunities include both cognitive and experiential formats, in a mix including stories, humor and simulations. Handouts are included, but normally not used during a session. My objective is to give participants experiences they can remember "in the moment" when they return to work — experiences that model real situations.

Keepers

Participants are encouraged to collect "keepers" as the workshop unfolds, and to share their collection with other participants. The hunt for keepers becomes a key focus of the workshop activity. I also provide guidance in converting participants' keepers from a list of concepts to a plan for action.

Additional resources

With each key idea, I present avenues for further learning, which reinforces the idea that this workshop is not the "end" — that there's more to learn, more to practice. At all workshops, I make available to all participants a browsing library including many of the references provided earlier on reading lists prior to the workshop.

Modeling

By walking the walk, I demonstrate to participants how to do what it is that they are learning. For example, "keepers" for me are new insights about the material, about my own conduct, or about the design of the workshop. When I find a keeper, I write it down, and I explain to the participants what I am doing. This illustrates to them how they can collect keepers during the event, on the job, or anywhere in life. It is a basis for lifelong learning.

After the workshop

The period immediately after the workshop determines whether or not participants really do something different. The first few months are critical.

Keepers

Participants are asked to select three of their keepers for action, and to share them with a friend. At your option, I can also ask that they write them on a card addressed to their managers. I will then deliver the cards to the participants' managers with an explanation of how they can be used to follow up.

Ongoing support

At your option, I can encourage participants to meet regularly in a continuing format. At these meetings participants review with each other how they are doing-whether they are able to apply what they have learned in the workshop, whether they are having difficulty or success. These sessions can provide reinforcement of participant's goals.

At your option, I am also available to participants and their managers by telephone or email for a period of three months following the event.

Again at your option, I can ask the participants to write a letter to themselves, seal it, and address it to themselves at work. The contents of the letter can be of a "how am I doing" nature. In the letter, each participant can ask themselves about their progress toward implementing the goals they set for themselves at the end of the workshop. I'll keep these letters for three months, and then mail them to the participants.

Email newsletter

Participants can receive, at their option, a weekly email newsletter describing events, resources, news, and ideas related to the workshop material. The newsletter is free and brief. It reminds participants of the workshop experience, and energizes them as they apply and extend their learning.