How to Build a Powerful and Effective Workshop for Your Team
We’ve all been there. You’ve decided to invest in your team, you’ve prepared a 30+ slide presentation about how to increase their skills around [fill in the blank], you’ve baked in participation sessions, yet they’re all staring back at you like deer in headlights.
In this blog post, we’ll share our expertise on how to turn your workshops from being a spectator sport to a team sport for you and your team — one where they feel inspired, and you learn just as much from them as they do from you.
The good news? You’ve already taken the first and most crucial step — dedicating time and resources to your people. A well-equipped and inspired team has a far-reaching impact on furthering your organization’s objectives, ensuring long-term success.
But where do you begin? At ABW Partners, we approach workshop development in much the same way we do our custom-tailored consulting engagements — by starting with a clear framework and a strategic mindset.
The ABW Partners Approach to Workshop Development
Define Your True North
Every organization has an overarching mission or, as we like to call it, a “true north.” When designing a workshop, we begin by aligning with this fundamental direction. What opportunity or challenge are we addressing? How will skill-building in this area help propel your work forward? Answering these questions lays the foundation for an effective workshop.
Determine Desired Outcomes
Before diving into content or logistics, it’s essential to define what success looks like. What are the precise outcomes we hope to achieve? Clarity on these goals helps shape every other aspect of the workshop.
Understand the Participants
A successful workshop is tailored to its participants. We take time to assess key factors such as your team’s baseline knowledge on the subject, the personality makeup and culture of the group, and the dynamics of their work environment. This informs not only the content but also the methodology used to deliver it.
Structure the Workshop Experience
Once we have a strong understanding of the “true north,” desired outcomes, and the participants, we craft a learning experience that is engaging and effective. Our approach typically includes:
A mix of new content delivery and real-world examples
Interactive discussions and opportunities for engagement
Practical applications of key takeaways, ensuring relevance to participants’ day-to-day work
We also determine whether a single workshop or a series of sessions will be most effective in meeting your goals. Some groups like a full-day summit, while others prefer lunch & learns where you break up the workshop over a series of days or even weeks. We may even consider offering office hours for the in-between periods so participants can receive personalized attention.
Enhance the Learning Experience
Once we have set the topic and structure of the workshop, we have found the following elements help elevate it from good to great:
Pre-reading materials to prepare participants in advance
Complementary materials such as workbooks or worksheets for real-time use
Thoughtful timing while maintaining flexibility to adapt as needed
ABW Partners Workshops in Practice
We have applied our workshop expertise for our clients in a variety of areas, including but not nearly limited to:
Organizational visioning
Interdisciplinary teamwork to advance organizational change
Building a culture of philanthropy
Inspiring Board engagement in fundraising
Major donor and funder pipeline and relationship development
Case for giving development and presentation
Ready to Get Started?
If you think your team’s expertise and performance could be elevated through a dynamic and intentional skills-building workshop, let’s talk. We can help you determine what format and focus would be best suited to your needs.
Contact us to explore how we can work together to equip your team for success.