018 - How to use Scientific Insights to Design Powerful Workshops with Myriam Hadnes

This is my first solo show and I speak about the science behind workshop design and facilitation. Namely, I share how I use evidence from behavioural economics to come up with ideas that will help participants to experience meaningful progress during their working session. Before founding idayz I had a career in higher education – as a researcher, lecturer and strategic advisor. From all these roles I learned about human behaviour and how to best facilitate their collaboration. 
 
In the show, I share the rationale behind my workshop design and some of my favourite exercises and I answer my own questions: How can we help participants to open up and engage despite hierarchical differences? How can we use the energy of nay-sayers for creative ideation and is courage one of the most important skills of a successful facilitator? 

Don’t miss the part when I explain why I bring M&Ms to every meeting 

Questions and Answers

[1:59] What would I be if I was a hashtag?

[3:30] Why do I call myself a “behavioural economist” and what does that mean?

[6:33] What’s my story? How did I get from a career in higher education to become a facilitator? 

[10:59] Why did I call my business idayz?

[15:21] What have I learned from my previous roles in workshop design and facilitation?

[22:13] How do I use insights from behavioural economics to design workshops?

[29:22] What’s my favourite exercise and how do I use behavioural insights to design exercises?

[30:55] Why do I bring M&Ms to every meeting and workshop?

[32:54] What are the most powerful check-in exercises I use and why do they work from a behavioural perspective?

[41:45] Why do I brainstorm failures instead of successes?

[43:00] How do I help participants to cluster their ideas after ideation?

[45:41] Why do workshops fail?

[46:26] What shall my listener who missed the entire show remember? 

Related links you may want to check out:

• My business page: www.idayz.nl
• Daniel Kahnemann: “Thinking fast and slow”
• Cognitive Biases
• Vipassana silent meditation retreat
• Pat Flynn’s concept of “unfair advantage”
• Patrick Cowden
• Jean Marc Fandel
• My blog post on check-in exercises
• Teresa Amabile: The progress principle
• Dan Ariely’s Lego experiment
• Dixit board game
• Our sponsor Session Lab (affiliate link)  

Connect and follow me:

LinkedIn 

@myriamhadnes on Instagram or Twitter

Any thoughts? Share them with us!

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If you miss the "workshops work" podcast, join us on Substack, where Myriam builds a Podcast Club with monthly gatherings around old episodes: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/