Creating Engaging Agendas For Workshops

I’ve been thinking a lot about the 90 minute virtual meeting paradox. We spend the first 30 minutes on welcoming everyone and introductions, the next 15 on framing, and then a few people share thoughts. Then, just when the conversation gets meaningful, the host abruptly announces "We're out of time!” and throws a few rushed closing thoughts and announcements together. Sound familiar? We crave deep, meaningful, trust-based exchanges in virtual meeting environments that feel both tiring and rushed. It seems like as soon as momentum builds and insights emerge, it’s time to wrap up. Share-outs become a regurgitation of top-level ideas—usually focused on the most soundbite-ready insights and omitting those seeds of ideas that didn’t have time to be explored further. And sometimes, we even cite these meetings as examples of participation in a process, even when that participation is only surface level to check the participation box.  After facilitating and attending hundreds (thousands?) of virtual meetings, I've found four practices that create space for more engagement and depth: 1. Send a thoughtful and focused pre-work prompt at least a few days ahead of time that invites reflection before gathering. When participants arrive having already engaged with the core question(s), it’s much easier to jump right into conversation. Consider who designs these prompts and whose perspectives they center. 2. Replace round-robin introductions with a focused check-in question that directly connects to the meeting's purpose. "What's one tension you're navigating in this work?" for example yields more insight than sharing organizational affiliations. Be mindful of who speaks first and how difference cultural communication styles may influence participation.  3. Structure the agenda with intentionally expanding time blocks—start tight (and facilitate accordingly), and then create more spaciousness as the meeting progresses. This honors the natural rhythm of how trust and dialogue develop, and allows for varying approaches to processing and sharing.  4. Prioritize accessibility and inclusion in every aspect of the meeting. Anticipating and designing for participants needs means you’re thinking about language justice, technology and materials accessibility, neurodivergence, power dynamics, and content framing. Asking “What do you need to fully participate in this meeting?” ahead of time invites participants to share their needs. These meeting suggestions aren’t just about efficiency—they’re about creating spaces where authentic relationships and useful conversations can actually develop. Especially at times when people are exhausted and working hard to manage their own energy, a well-designed meeting can be a welcome space to engage. I’m curious to hear from others: What's your most effective strategy for holding substantive meetings in time-constrained virtual spaces? What meeting structures have you seen that actually work?

See One. Do One. Teach One. I was watching Grey’s Anatomy (don't judge) when a line jumped out at me: “See one. Do one. Teach one.” It was Dr. Webber's mantra for medical training: observe a skill, try it yourself, then pass it on. It's also the perfect blueprint for event engagement. Most events get stuck at “see one.” Attendees listen to keynotes, sit through panels, watch demos. They see a lot, but if that’s where it ends, the knowledge fades almost instantly. The next level is “do one.” Give attendees space to try what they’ve learned, through hands-on workshops, scenario labs, role plays, or even a 10-minute exercise in the room. This helps the ideas move from theory into muscle memory. But then there's “teach one.” Create moments for attendees to share their perspective. Whether it’s a micro-discussion at their table, a peer-to-peer breakout, or a post-session “lightning share” where they explain what they learned to someone else. When people teach, they anchor the learning in their own words, and engagement skyrockets. What if designing events around this mantra could transform attendees into contributors? They stop being passive listeners and start being co-creators of the experience. Maybe that's what engagement is meant to be, after all. 

Curious about my favorite workdays? They’re when people have a voice—and even better when I can help bring their ideas to life. Last week, my partner-in-crime Kelly Kleinholz and I hosted a dream team of problem-solvers at a gorgeous resort in San Antonio. If you’re new to leadership or planning a similar offsite, here are some steps I’ve found helpful for creating a meaningful experience. These tips can also be adapted for conferences or other facilitation roles: 1) Define success. Be clear about what you want to achieve by the end of the event, and reiterate this goal to participants throughout. 2) Strategically assign seats (if needed). For us, working teams post-event meant seating arrangements that fostered trust-building and diverse perspectives. Balance thinkers and talkers where appropriate. 3) Build a progressive agenda. Start with current challenges (we let teams “air the dirty laundry” on day one), then pivot to solutions and future planning on day two. Let the past inform, not dominate. 4) Incorporate movement. Keep energy up by breaking long stretches of sitting. We rotated brainstorming tables and included team presentations to keep ideas fresh. 5) Schedule meaningful breaks. High performers juggle big responsibilities, so give ample time for checking emails and resolving urgent issues. They’ll be more present and engaged as a result. 6) Leverage sticky notes. Sticky notes are perfect for quiet voices to be heard and for voting/feedback without endless “+1” comments. 7) Teach leadership principles. While unplanned, this stood out: teams often listed everything as a priority. It was a great opportunity to coach on prioritization—a key leadership skill. Hosting a productive offsite is part art, part strategy. I’d love to hear your favorite facilitation tips, too! #cla #leadership #caas #collaboration #prioritization #sanantonio #bettertogether #CLAfamily

💥 😱 Training is fundamentally broken. Think about it: We spend HOURS listening to lectures, reading books, or watching videos… only to retain almost nothing. The result? Knowledge that fades faster than yesterday’s to-do list. Why? Because passive learning is a trap. We consume knowledge, but we never truly retain it. The solution? 💡 Shift from PASSIVE to ACTIVE learning. This is where the Learning Pyramid comes in. 🔺 What is the Learning Pyramid? It’s a simple, science-backed model that shows how we retain information. And here’s the spoiler: 👉 The secret to learning isn’t listening. It’s DOING. Here’s how it breaks down: 👀 At the top: Passive methods like lectures, reading, and watching videos. 💪 At the bottom: Active methods like practice, group discussions, and teaching others. The difference? 💡 Passive methods = Knowledge INPUT. 💥 Active methods = Knowledge OUTPUT. And guess what? 👉 The magic happens in the output. Imagine this: Instead of your team passively sitting through a 60-minute presentation (retention: 5%)… 💥 They teach the same content to others (retention: 90%). That’s not just a small shift. That’s a GAME. CHANGER. 🤩🤩🤩 SO… how do you level up your learning experiences starting today? 💥 Here’s the powerful truth: The best way to learn something is to teach it. If you’re running a team workshop, client training, or even a simple meeting – make it INTERACTIVE! 😀 Here are 5 easy tools to boost engagement and retention immediately: 1️⃣ Breakout Rooms Don’t let participants sit passively. 💬 Break them into small groups to discuss key topics and collaborate in real-time. Easy to do with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. 2️⃣ Online Whiteboards (Figma, Miro, Mural) Learning doesn’t just happen through words. Let people sketch, brainstorm, and visually build ideas together during sessions. It taps into visual + active learning modes! 3️⃣ Quizzes & Polls People LOVE immediate feedback. Tools like Slido or Kahoot! make it easy to add live polls and quizzes during your sessions. 4️⃣ Peer Teaching Exercises Want someone to REALLY learn something? 💡 Ask them to teach it to someone else. Teaching forces them to organize their thoughts and solidify their understanding. 5️⃣ Interactive Demos Forget slide decks. SHOW people how something works, then let them try it themselves. The difference? 👀 Passive watching vs. 💪 Active doing. 🔥 Here’s the challenge: If you want your team (or clients) to actually retain what you’re teaching… 👉 Make them do the work. ❌ Stop talking AT them. ✅ Start collaborating WITH them. Because retention doesn’t come from listening. It comes from ACTION. ///// ///// ///// ///// ///// 👋🏻Hi, I’m Andy! Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow me for more. Want to build the future of architecture with me? Let’s start a conversation today. 🌟 #Architecture #Collaboration #Innovation #Leadership #slantisVibes

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

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗽 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Tired of flat meetings where attendees just listen passively? Ask questions on your agenda as opposed to using phrases. Questions spark curiosity, encourage participation, and push for deeper discussion. They shift the focus from "being told" to "actively thinking and contributing," leading to richer outcomes. Example: Phrase-Based Agenda: Project Update Risk Management Next Steps Question-Based Agenda: Project Updates: What are some key milestones we've achieved since our last meeting? Risk Management: What are the potential roadblocks or risks we need to keep an eye on? Next Steps: Based on our project update and identified risks, what are the key action items we need to focus on in the coming weeks? Who can take ownership of these? What support do you need? A question-based agenda prompts active participation at each stage. It gets everyone involved in problem-solving and decision-making, leading to a more productive and engaging meeting. Bonus Tip: Frame your questions to be open-ended and thought-provoking. Avoid yes/no questions that shut down discussion. #MeetingTips #Engagement #ProjectManagement

Elevate your upcoming event with these 3 simple tweaks 👇 You've got the venue locked in. You've got the catering sorted. And your agenda is set. But something's still missing. Here are three tiny shifts that make the difference between "meh" and memorable: 1. Rethink Your Room Setup Ditch the traditional classroom or theater-style seating. Create conversation pods of 4-6 people instead. This instantly transforms passive listeners into active participants. I've seen engagement levels triple with this one change. 2. Strategic Silence Build in deliberate breaks between sessions. Not just bathroom breaks-real pauses. 15-20 minutes where people can: - Process what they've learned - Connect with others - Actually check those urgent emails This prevents mental fatigue and keeps everyone sharp. 3. The Power Move Start with the end. Before your first speaker takes the stage, have everyone write down what success looks like for them. What's their one big takeaway? Then close the event by revisiting these goals. I implemented these shifts at a recent tech summit in Austin: - 85% of attendees reported making meaningful connections - Post-event survey responses doubled - Engagement scores jumped 40% The best part? None of these require extra budget. They just need intentional planning. Want to go deeper? I've got a detailed guide breaking down 12 more micro-adjustments that create major impact. DM me "EVENT SHIFTS" and I'll send it your way. Because sometimes the smallest changes create the biggest waves.

If you’re planning a one-day conference this year, here’s my advice: treat it like adult recess with a side of learning. Gone are the days of cramming back-to-back 60-minute sessions into an agenda and hoping attendees stay engaged. They won’t. And honestly? Same. Here’s what we’re recommending to clients right now: - Keep sessions short (no more than 45 minutes) - Build in 15-minute breaks between everything - Alternate formats — mix keynotes with roundtables or discussion-based sessions - Plan movement breaks — even 5 minutes of stretching or walking helps - Add activation time (think wellness lounges, interactive walls, or networking games) - Host meals outside if the weather’s nice — sunshine = serotonin - Gamify your content — are people actually listening? Make them want to. Think live polls, quizzes, or challenges with prizes One-day conferences don’t have to feel like a marathon. Keep it light, interactive, and human — that’s what attendees remember.