workshops work
Welcome to “workshops work,” the podcast that transforms how professionals engage, inspire, and lead groups. Ranked among the top 5% most popular podcasts globally, it is hosted by Dr Myriam Hadnes, a behavioural economist and facilitation expert. Each episode delves into the techniques and mindsets that make workshops truly impactful.
Join us every week as we sit down with world-renowned facilitators and uncover their secrets to creating psychological safety, fostering collaboration, and sparking innovation. Whether you’re a Facilitator, L&D professional, HR leader, manager, coach or trainer, you’ll find practical tips, inspiring stories, and actionable insights to elevate your group dynamics.
From navigating conflict to unlocking creativity, “workshops work” blends theory with practice, ensuring you walk away with tools you can immediately apply. Dr Myriam Hadnes doesn’t just interview; she facilitates enriching conversations that shift perspectives and deepen understanding.
Subscribe now to change the world, one workshop at a time.
workshops work
027 - Beyond the spreadsheet-brain: How to invoke participants' brains, hearts and bellies? - with Tenneson Woolf
Share your thoughts about our conversation!
On episode 027, I talk to Tenneson Woolf, a facilitator, workshop leader, teacher, blogger, and coach. Tenneson is committed to improving the quality of collaboration and imagination for groups, teams, and organizations. And, you can hear that and learn from that on the podcast.
Tenneson and I speak about the art of facilitation in general and what it takes to help individuals to collectively imagine and collaborate. We also spend time clarifying semantics, such as the differences between being a facilitator and a host and the meaning of “honest meetings”.
I particularly enjoyed our conversation about different art forms and how to use them to stimulate creative brains. Throughout the show, you will learn how to help participants to turn off their spreadsheet-brain to invoke their hearts and bellies.
Don’t miss the part when Tenneson reads out a poem and guides us through the steps on how to use it as an insightful ice-breaker. His multiple examples that will inspire you to deliver workshops that work.
Click here to download the free 1-page summary
Don’t miss the next show: Subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.
Feeling inspired by the conversation in this episode? We can have our own - take a seat at my virtual table as part of a Mastermind Group.
Questions and Answers
[2:27] When did you start calling yourself a "facilitator"?
[5:15] If you were a hashtag, what would you be?
[5:56] What makes a meeting "honest"?
[8:42] What would be a "dishonest" meeting?
[16:33] How does a facilitator help the group to fully explore a topic without derailing?
[20:37] How do you assure that everyone is aligned on the workshop purpose and topic?
[23:51] What does it take to help people to be "smarter together"?
[31:26] You use poems to start business meetings/ workshops - Can you share how you do that and why?
[40:35] What's your favourite exercise?
[46:44] What shall a listener remember from our conversation?
Related links for you to check out
- Tenneson's business page: www.tennesonwoolf.com
- Glimpses: 50 Poems by Jim Quigley (Amazon)
- Our sponsor SessionLab
Connect to Tenneson
✨✨✨
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a free 1-page summary of each upcoming episode directly to your inbox, or explore our eBooks featuring 50-episode compilations for even more facilitation insights. Find out more:
https://workshops.work/podcast
✨✨✨
Did you know? You can search all episodes by keyword to find exactly what you need via our Buzzsprout page!
