Unprofessionalism
Professional performance is exhausting. Maintaining the mask. Editing ourselves. Pretending we know when we don't.
This podcast is about people who dropped the performance. And what happened next.
Each episode features someone who broke professional conventions and found something better on the other side: the executive who disclosed grief in a corporate setting and found it opened new ways of relating; the coach who realised her authority came from integrity, not compliance; the designer who ignored the 'approved tools' and saved thousands of hours.
Conversations circle around three questions:
- What does it cost us to perform professionalism instead of showing up as ourselves?
- How do we create spaces where people can bring their full attention and humanity to work?
- When is the “unprofessional” move actually the most responsible one?
If you feel the tension between who you are and who you're expected to be at work, this podcast shows you what happens when people stop managing that tension and just stop performing.
Hosted by Dr Myriam Hadnes—behavioural economist and founder of workshops.work. New episode every week.
Unprofessionalism
336 - Facilitating from the Middle: Holding Space Without Taking Over with Julia Slay
How do you teach facilitators to hold a group, master that crucial first 15-minutes of a workshop, and show them that they already have all the answers, without giving any away?
As a researcher by nature, and a facilitator – at first by accident – Julia Slay learnt everything she knows about the craft by teaching it. She now helps bright, budding facilitators to build confidence, find their voice, and discover their learning edges in Facilitation 101.
We unravel the layers of holding just the right amount of space, as part facilitator, part coach, part trainer and part consultant, all rolled happily into one: from managing difficult characters with curiosity, to trusting yourself to stay present – even when the plan falls apart!
Julia shares lots of practical strategies, tips and anecdotes from her 15-year facilitation journey, from the Mayor of London’s office, to her work today. Enjoy!
Find out about:
- The art of asking a powerful, open question at the right time
- How to navigate power dynamics of seniority in groups
- Why ‘advice is theft’ – and the detriment of offering a solution to the group too soon
- How to approach dominant characters without creating collective tension
- The intersection of facilitation and coaching – and what it means to facilitate like a coach
Don’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.
Links:
Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.
Connect to Julia Slay:
Use code TASTER10 to receive 10% off Facilitation 101: Fundamentals, Masterclass, Intensive, and Self-Paced course when you sign up on Julia’s website.
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You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/
