Health Care Conference Planning

A 10-minute meeting format that gets more done than most 2-hour workshops. You don't always need a workshop. Sometimes you need 10 minutes and the right structure. Most meetings fail because they have no format. - Someone talks. - Someone else reacts. - A discussion spirals. 45 minutes later, no decisions made and someone suggests a follow-up meeting. Here's a format you can bolt onto any meeting. It takes 10 minutes. It replaces the need for half the workshops people think they need. It's called the 3-3-3 Check-In. 3 minutes: What's working? Go round the room. Each person gives one thing that's working well right now. One sentence. No stories. No caveats. → "Client handoffs are smoother since we changed the template." → "The new standup format is saving us time." Why this matters: teams almost never talk about what's going well. They jump straight to problems. Starting with what's working gives you data on what to protect, not just what to fix. 3 minutes: What's stuck? Same format. One thing per person that's stuck, blocked, or frustrating. → "I've been waiting 9 days for sign-off on the proposal." → "We keep revisiting the pricing decision and nothing gets finalised." No solving yet. Just surfacing. The goal is to get everything visible before anyone starts fixing. 3 minutes: What's the one thing we should do about it? Not five things. One. The team picks the most important stuck item and agrees on a single next step. One owner. One action. One deadline. → "Sarah will get final sign-off from James by Thursday. If she doesn't hear back by end of day Wednesday, she'll escalate to his manager." Done. One decision. One owner. One deadline. In 10 minutes. Why this beats most workshops: → No slides. No icebreakers. No "let's set some ground rules." → Everyone speaks. Not just the loudest person. → You leave with a decision, not a discussion. → It builds a rhythm. Run it weekly and your team develops a habit of surfacing problems early instead of letting them grow. Where to bolt it on: → The first 10 minutes of your Monday team meeting → The start of any project check-in → A standalone daily sync for teams in a crunch period The most common mistake: letting it run over. 10 minutes means 10 minutes. Set a timer. If a topic needs more time, schedule a separate conversation. The power of this format is the constraint. Remove the constraint and it becomes another meeting that drags. You don't need a 2-hour workshop to move your team forward. You need 10 minutes, 3 questions, and the discipline to stop when the timer goes off. ___ Save this for later (three dots, top right). Share with friends → ♻️ Repost. Get consultant-grade workshops every Sat → https://lnkd.in/eSfeUapJ

Sharing an approach I’ll be using to kick off the facilitation of an HSE Leaders Forum tomorrow that I hope others might find valuable. Instead of starting with the usual introductions (name, job role etc), I want to focus on the reason we are there: discussing innovative ways to solve the challenges participants are facing in their workplaces or industries. Each participant will introduce themselves by sharing a challenge framed as a "How Might We?" (HMW) statement. This simple method encourages participants to: 1️⃣ Clarify the Challenge: Turning a health and safety challenge into an opportunity helps focus the conversation on possibility. 2️⃣ Spark Collaboration: Open-ended, opportunity-focused challenges invite diverse perspectives and ideas. 3️⃣ Create Immediate Value: Sharing key challenges helps everyone see where they can contribute and connect meaningfully - on the things that matter. "How might we better communicate critical risk management expectations with subcontractors?" "How might we reduce working at height activities in our business?" "How might we assure critical risk controls in real-time?" I’ve found this approach aligns discussions with what really matters, and leaves participants with actionable insights. If you’re planning a collaborative session, this could be a great way to shift from introductions to impactful conversations right from the start. Feel free to adapt this for your own forums or workshops; I’d love to hear how it works for you and if you have any other facilitation tips. #SafetyTech #SafetyInnovation #Facilitation #Learning

4 Programming formats that create the most value. The best events don’t just fill time; they move people forward. Yet, most events are too polite. Polite = forgettable. If we want an event that people actually talk about after…we need to stop doing the same safe stuff. Here are the formats I believe move the needle the most: 1️⃣ Structured debates Get off the fence!! No one has ever left a memorable session saying: “Wow… that was an amazingly vanilla conversation.” When you put smart people with different POVs on stage, the audience gets nuance, trade-offs, and a sharper understanding of what actually matters. Make it a little uncomfortable. That’s where the good stuff is. 2️⃣ Real learning (actionable + specific) So many sessions sound great, but land as broad summaries. I want more: → Workshops → Deep dives → Case studies → Unfiltered “here’s what worked / here’s what failed / here’s what we’d never do again” Attendees shouldn’t leave with notes. They should leave with ideas they can implement Monday morning. 3️⃣ Exclusive data drops If you’ve got a new report, creator economy insights, or consumer behaviour data… Give it a stage. Data-led sessions help everyone make better decisions, and they turn “what we think” into “what we know.” 4️⃣ Ban 60-minute sessions This isn’t about rushing; it’s about focus. 15–25 minutes of high-signal beats 60 minutes of slow drift. More energy, more variety, more takeaways. Programming that’s interactive, grounded in real-world examples, and incredibly useful, that's where the valuable stuff lies. → More participation. → More perspective. → More proof. This is the future of IRL events! High value and elevated programming that really moves the needle for attendees. Next year at VidCon, this is my programming North Star!!

We’ve done five offsites with the whole awork team now, and one thing has become very clear: A good offsite does not mean an empty calendar. Our schedule is actually quite packed. What matters is finding the right balance between achieving something meaningful together and leaving enough slack time to connect on a human level. What has made the biggest difference for us is being deliberate about the whole week. The offsite has a clear goal, a theme, and a design that ties it all together. That applies to the agenda, the sessions, and even the materials we provide on-site to make the experience smooth and enjoyable, like a themed online agenda and a venue map. I’m sharing the agenda format we’ve used across our last five offsites, plus some of the content we give attendees during the week. None of it is overly fancy, but it creates clarity, reduces friction, and helps the whole experience feel focused without turning into a meeting marathon. A few things that have consistently made a difference for us: 1. Start with the goal   Before we plan a single session, we decide what the week is for. Is it strategy and alignment? Better cross-team collaboration? Kickstarting a big initiative? This decision shapes the entire offsite. 2. Give everything a reason to be there   The week has a clear goal, a theme, and a design that carries through the whole experience. That makes it easier for people to understand why they are there and what the time together is meant to achieve. 3. Be ambitious, but realistic   We do put a lot into the calendar. But we try not to overload people with back-to-back sessions all day. Even great workshops lose energy when there’s no room to breathe. So we plan focused content blocks and protect breaks in between. 4. Mix formats on purpose   For a hybrid team, this combination tends to be especially effective: - leadership updates - small group workshops - deep-dive collaboration sessions - informal activities and dinners 5. Leave room for the unplanned moments   Some of the best conversations happen between sessions, on walks, over coffee, or late at dinner. If every minute is scheduled, those moments never happen, and those are often where trust really grows. For me, the best offsites are the ones where you get both: real progress as a team and real time together as people. That’s how we plan offsites that actually work. How do you structure offsites for real collaboration without turning them into pure meeting marathons? #offsite #hybridwork #teamculture #futureofwork #remotework

Nearly every time I get booked as an emcee, someone says: “We’re trying to do something a bit different this year…” And then they describe their draft agenda: A panel. A keynote. A few breakouts. And if they’re being adventurous, a fireside chat.🙄 We say we want change, but most events still default to the same format, only with minor tweaks. It’s like we start with a structure already set in stone, and then try to chisel away at the edges to create something new. But what if we stopped chiselling and started fresh? Blank sheet. No assumptions. Just one big question: What do we want the audience to walk away thinking, feeling, or doing? Then build backwards from there. Here’s how we can be braver with event design: Let attendees co-create content, so ask them what they want before the event. Let them vote on sessions or themes. Offer choice during the event i.e. create “choose your own adventure” slots with short, engaging sessions they can mix and match. Run unconference-style discussions, where attendees pitch and lead sessions on the spot. Use live polls and Q&A tools properly. Not to control the flow or fake interactivity. Too often, they’re just smoke and mirrors, a way to make attendees feel involved while ignoring what they’re actually saying. If you’re going to use the tech, mean it. Let people ask real questions. Use the data to steer the conversation. Host ‘big issue’ workshops, AKA facilitated sessions, tackling topics your audience have voted on. Don’t wait until the end to ask for feedback. By then, it’s too late and most people won’t bother. Ask for “advice” during the event, while it’s still happening. Let people comment in real time, not days later when the moment’s passed and no one cares Look we don’t need to throw everything out. but we do need to stop treating the traditional format as sacred. Because real innovation isn’t just a slightly shorter panel or a new furniture layout. It’s rethinking who has the power in the room. And maybe …just maybe… it’s time we let the attendees take the wheel. #events #NotTheSameAsLastYear

Traditional planning sessions can sometimes feel stagnant. To keep your team engaged and ensure productive outcomes, incorporating a variety of facilitation techniques can make a significant difference. Here are some of my favorite techniques that support collaboration, catering to both introverts and extroverts: 💡 Fishbowl Discussion - Create an inner circle (the fishbowl) for active discussion while the outer circle observes. Participants rotate between circles, ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute. 💡 World Café - Set up small groups to discuss different topics at separate tables. Participants rotate tables, allowing for a diverse exchange of ideas and perspectives. 💡 Role Playing - Have participants act out scenarios to explore different perspectives and solutions. This interactive method can lead to deeper understanding and empathy. 💡 Mind Mapping - Use a visual diagram to represent ideas and their connections. This technique helps in seeing the bigger picture and how different ideas relate to each other. 💡 Six Thinking Hats - Assign different thinking styles (e.g., creative, critical, optimistic) to participants. This technique encourages looking at problems from multiple angles and generates well-rounded solutions. Trying new techniques not only makes the session more dynamic but also ensures that every voice is heard. What interactive techniques are your favorites? Let’s exchange ideas! --- Ready to spice up your next strategic meeting or workshop? Let’s chat! #StrategicPlanning #Facilitation #Leadership

Here’s a list of 14 (less common) engagement elements you can use today to organize more memorable events: ✅ Add unique phrases or topics on badges to prompt conversation starters, like “Ask me about…” ✅ Distribute conversation starter cards at tables or during registration, each with a fun question or thought-provoking topic ✅ Host an attendee scavenger hunt, where participants need to connect with others to find or exchange specific items or phrases ✅ Introduce live sketching or mind-mapping stations where attendees can contribute ideas or illustrations that evolve throughout the event ✅ Integrate a live word cloud display, where participants can contribute keywords or thoughts in real time to a shared digital canvas ✅ Offer digital achievement badges or stamps for participating in activities, with a prize or recognition for collecting them all ✅ Facilitate a community mural or art project, where attendees contribute their part to a collective visual or artistic work ✅ Set up interactive feedback stations with sticky notes or virtual boards where attendees can share ideas, insights, or questions ✅ Provide conversation zones with distinct themes, encouraging attendees to gather in areas based on their interests, like tech talks or creative discussions ✅ Use color-coded wristbands or lanyards to signify different networking preferences, such as “open to chat” or “looking for collaborations” ✅ Offer a speed problem-solving session, where attendees work in small groups on real-time challenges relevant to the event theme ✅ Facilitate a live voting board for session topics, allowing attendees to steer the direction of breakout sessions or speaker discussions ✅ Host a “show-and-tell” session, where attendees can share their own projects, products, or experiences in a structured format ✅ Introduce a post-event meetup facilitator, matching attendees for continued discussions or activities after the event ends All of these activities are great. But remember to choose based on what works best for your event goals and participants.

Hack Your Team's Mindset: 5 Unconventional Warmups for Innovation Workshops 🧠⚡ Ever run an innovation workshop that felt like trying to start a car with a dead battery? That first 30 minutes determines whether you'll get breakthrough ideas or recycled thinking. Something that I call getting into the “psychology of innovation”. After facilitating several sessions, I've discovered something surprising: the traditional "let's go around and introduce ourselves" kills creative energy before it starts. Your team's brains are still in operational mode—not possibility mode. Here are five unconventional warmups I've tested that rewire neural pathways for innovation in under 20 minutes: 1. The Impossible Question Challenge 🔥 Start by asking questions that have no "correct" answers: "How would you design a restaurant on Mars?" or "What if sleep became optional?" This immediately signals we're breaking free from conventional thinking. 2. The Reality Bending Exercise ✨ Have everyone write down three "unchangeable facts" about your industry. Then challenge teams to imagine a world where each "fact" is no longer true. As Steve Jobs said, "Reality can be distorted"—this exercise trains that muscle. 3. The Reverse Assumptions Game 🔄 List 5-10 core assumptions about your business. Then systematically reverse each one: "What if we charged more for less?" or "What if our customers became our employees?" This shatters mental models almost instantly. 4. The "Yes, And..." Chain Reaction ⛓️ One person proposes a wild idea. Instead of evaluating it, the next person must say "Yes, and..." adding something to evolve it further. Continue for 3-5 minutes. This dismantles our innate criticism reflex. 5. Two-Minute Futures ⏱️ Give everyone two minutes to draw what your industry will look like in 2040. The time constraint bypasses the analytical brain and accesses the intuitive one. The crude drawings often reveal surprising insights about shared hopes and fears. Remember: Innovation doesn't need fancy frameworks—it needs minds free from invisible constraints. These warmups aren't just games; they're pattern-disruptors that help your team escape their mental programming. What's your go-to innovation warmup? Have you tried activities that break conventional thinking patterns? #InnovationWorkshops #CreativeThinking #DesignThinking #TeamFacilitation #Creativity #TransformativeMindset