The Workshopping livestream series explores how to unlearn outdated tactics that limit the impact of collaborative sessions. In each 15-minute episode, coach Katy Caroan dives into a specific aspect of workshop design, including preparation, facilitation, group dynamics, and results. Grounded in real-world experience, the series challenges common assumptions and offers practical strategies to build trust, engagement, and follow-through. Whether you are a facilitator, participant, or sponsor, these sessions help you rethink workshops as intentional, creative, and outcome-driven experiences.

• Why unlearning outdated workshop habits leads to more meaningful results
• The importance of balancing sponsor, participant, and facilitator needs
• How personal ego and overused tools can sabotage workshop impact
• Starting with both tangible and intangible outcomes in mind
• Viewing workshops as a process, not just a one-time event

• Invest time in stakeholder interviews to uncover both tangible and intangible expectations
• Avoid relying solely on the sponsor’s view, and engage a range of participants to capture diverse insights
• Resist the urge to design the agenda too early, and listen deeply before planning exercises
• Use prep work to surface past workshop challenges and tailor your approach accordingly
• Strong preparation builds early buy-in, smoother facilitation, and more aligned outcomes

• Why over-detailed agendas can create stress, limit flexibility, and reduce engagement
• How focusing on structure, not specifics, builds trust and curiosity
• The value of setting clear logistics (when to show up, when breaks happen) while keeping agenda items open
• Preparing backup plans (Plan B and C) to adapt in the moment without disrupting flow
• Creating “mystery trip” workshops where participants feel safe, guided, and outcome-focused, even without all the details

• Why unlearning outdated facilitation habits helps manage unpredictable energy and behavior
• How to handle distracted participants using movement, voice, and non-verbal presence
• Ways to re-engage disengaged or low-energy attendees through pacing, pauses, and interaction
• Strategies for dealing with disruptive behavior, including when and how to intervene or escalate
• The importance of owning the room while fostering trust, safety, and focus for everyone involved

• Build trust by showing vulnerability, honesty, and care before and during the workshop
• Boost engagement with clear instructions, varied activities, and check-ins (individual and group)
• Balance introverts and extroverts by designing exercises that work "together alone and together"
• Strengthen commitment by clarifying roles, capturing loose ends in a “parking lot,” and following up
• Schedule a post-workshop meeting, 4 to 8 weeks later, to allow insights to incubate and decisions to mature

•  Rethink introductions by making them brief, creative, or even completing them before the workshop
• Overcome assumptions by clearly explaining exercises and avoiding the belief that participants already understand
• Why setting the scene early builds trust and smoother collaboration throughout the day
• End on a high note by prioritizing reflection, journaling, and personal insights
• How intangible outcomes, such as clarity and inspiration, often carry the most value

• Manage expectations around both tangible (documents, prototypes) and intangible (team dynamics, urgency, culture) outcomes
• Use interviews and prep work to clarify desired outcomes beyond deliverables
• Embrace unexpected results as opportunities, but don’t let them derail the agenda
• Use voting or parking-lot techniques to capture emerging insights without losing focus
• Build in time for individual reflection to surface deeper value and collaborative learning

• Understanding when a workshop is a poor fit versus when it creates real value
• Distinguishing workshops from traditional meetings based on goals, structure, and roles
• Recognizing the importance of a neutral facilitator and the risks of dual facilitator-expert roles
• Managing participant sentiment to reduce skepticism and build excitement about workshops
• Encouraging reflection on past experiences to reshape workshop culture and expectations