I'm a recovering academic who uses her insights from behavioural economics to develop methods that facilitate collaboration. In my weekly newsletter, I share the summary of my latest interview on the "workshops work" podcast along with an application of facilitation as a life and leadership skill.
Are you wearing your oxygen mask? || 🎙️ Episode 316: A Deep Dive into a Facilitation Activity
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Dear Reader, I’ve developed a strange relationship with the news. It feels as if it took the place of the Social Media threads that I have avoided over the past years. I'm not doomscrolling Insta, not binge-watching Youtube, not even Netflix and now, find myself refreshing the news apps several times per day. I can’t look away from. Not because I enjoy it, but because I want to know what happens next — even when it leaves me more anxious than informed. It hit me just now: Isn't this the moment we always talk about? As facilitators, coaches, leaders — we pride ourselves on standing strong in complexity. We say we thrive in uncertainty. We hold space for paradox, find meaning in messiness. How are we showing up in this reality? It's time to show up and model what we stand for. Not by doing more. Not by rushing in. But by choosing what not to do. My instinct calls upon my doing, my action, the running, the fighting. That's me when the alarm bells are ringing. That's been me in March 2020. This time, I'm different and I’m doing the opposite. I block my calendar when it starts to fill instead of when it eats into my weekends. I say no to almost every meeting that isn’t tied to something I’ve already committed to. I post only when I have something to say. I’m not looking for new clients, because right now, I’m looking after myself. Slowness, spaciousness, well-being, love — These are my current non-negotiables. And this time it's not an act of burnout, withdrawal or desperation, but a deliberate choice. Because we cannot hold space for others if we’ve run out of room ourselves. We can’t make sense of absurdity if our nervous system is fried. We can’t play the game if we haven’t first decided which game is worth playing. So this is me walking the talk — Slowly, steadily, happily, despite the mess and absurdity. Now is the moment to remember what actually matters (and what doesn't). 🎙 Meanwhile, on the podcast…What does facilitation have in common with quantum physics? What do organisations have to do with molecules? And why when you ask a question, are you playing around with someone’s mind? All will be revealed this week with Jimmie White! A seven-times best-selling author, an indomitable facilitator that has trained The Peace Corps and supported NASA with somatic integration, and in a past life, a teacher of ballroom dancing. It’s perhaps not surprising then, that Jimmie’s facilitation is alive with somatic movement, storytelling - and even neuroscience. It’s something Jimmie calls ‘Walking Your Story’: a physical navigating of group narratives, helping us to rewrite our stories, explore multiple outcomes, and bond with others in the steps we take. Press play for an incredible, expansive conversation! Find out about:
🎧 Click here to listen to the interview 📥 Check out my 1-page summaryClick to open: WW_Episode_316-summary.pdf 👀 Watch the unedited interview on Youtube 📌 Find podcast episodes that match your needsDid you know? You can search all episodes by keyword on our Buzzsprout page to find exactly what you need. Click here to find the episodes by keyword. 🔖 Inspiration at Your Fingertips: Get the Podcast Summary eBooksAre you looking for inspiration for your next workshop or guidance on which podcast episode to explore next? Discover the eBooks compiling summaries of all 300 “Workshops Work” podcast episodes—a rich collection of facilitation insights and practical tips. These digital coffee table books are perfect for sparking new ideas or delving deeper into workshop best practices. Click here to get your copies. That’s it from my side! I hope you enjoy the content and find inspiration in the stories and the podcast. I wish you enough stillness to feel what needs feeling, and enough strength to choose what’s yours to carry. See you next week! Myriam
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How can we facilitate collaboration?
I'm a recovering academic who uses her insights from behavioural economics to develop methods that facilitate collaboration. In my weekly newsletter, I share the summary of my latest interview on the "workshops work" podcast along with an application of facilitation as a life and leadership skill.
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Dear Reader, Not good. Enough. Yet. This is how I’ve felt over the past few weeks — in exactly this sequence. First came the sting: not good. The voice in my head doesn’t whisper, it shouts. Tells me I’ll never be an author. Not a real one. I’m pretending, lacking integrity, originality. Just another hobby. Then I breathe. Just long enough to revise it: not good enough. Still harsh, but now it’s mine. My standards. My impossible inner ruler that only measures backwards, never forward. And...