022 - Conversations matter! How to design group conversations - with Daniel Stillman

In this episode, I talk to Daniel Stillman, a conversation designer and host of the podcast “The Conversation Factory”. We talk about the difference and similarities between facilitation, conversation design and coaching. And, we talk a lot about power dynamics and how you deal with them and take them into account when designing group conversations that shall solve a problem. In the show, Daniel and I discuss a lot about the circumstances that determine our choices of exercises – depending on the purpose of a workshop, group dynamics, and stakeholder groups.  
 
Don’t miss our arguments related to the “Fishbowl Conversation” that led us to explore how to evaluate which exercises were appropriate in specific situations. 

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Questions and Answers

[1:43] What’s your story? How did you turn from a BA in Physics into a conversation designer?

[5:48] How did the experience of power dynamics impact you and your style of working in designing conversations?

[10:43] Is there actually a line between being a conversation designer, a facilitator, moderator and a coach?

[25:24] So what's according to you the most effective way to make a decision with a large group?

[27:54] To what extent do you believe does the facilitator has a responsibility to protect the group from their decisions being highjacked by the p[roblem-owner?

[29:43] What is the key skill according to you, since you are also teaching facilitating managers, what is the key skill that they should learn first?

[30:46] Can you learn that? Can you teach that?

[33:24] According to you, what makes a workshop fail?

[37:48] So how much time do you usually spend on understanding the participants before him?

[40:53] I would be curious to hear how you define the experience in the context of a conversation.

[43:21] What’s your favourite exercise?

[46:49] If someone fell asleep after a minute, just woke up and doesn't have time to listen to the entire show again. What do you want them to remember?

Related links you may want to check out:

• Daniel’s conversation with Robert Bordone (Podcast,The Conversation Factory)
• Timothy Gallwey “The inner game of Tennis”
• Barry O’Reilly “Unlearn” 
• Conversation OS
• The Fishbowl Conversation (Exercise)
• Knowle’s principle of andragogy 
• Daniel’s book: "The 30 Second Elephant and the Paper Airplane Experiment: Origami for Design Thinking"
• Our sponsor Session Lab (affiliate link) 

Other shows we mentioned: 

Rein Sevenstern on How to create experiences for your audience

Connect to Daniel:
on

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