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.
Take the Words off the Wall | 🎙️ Episode 297 with the co-founder of Liberating Structures, Henri Lipmanowicz
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Dear Reader, In the afterglow of the NeverDoneBefore (NDB) Festival, one thought remains very present: The relevance of guiding principles or organisational values in driving our culture and everyday decision-making. Because let's be honest: We’ve all seen company values displayed proudly on walls, websites, or meeting slides. Inspiring? Maybe. Impactful? Rarely. Too often, these words remain ornamental, detached from the daily decisions and interactions that shape an organisation’s culture. Our values are meant to be lived, not laminated. Our three NDB principles of Risk, Respect, and Generosity were warmly discussed on social media during the past weeks because everyone recognised that they weren’t slogans; they were our compass. They informed every decision, from how we designed our events to how we handled tricky situations. Generosity led us to refund participants and members, even when policy didn’t require it. Risk pushed us to experiment, knowing failure might teach us as much as success. Respect ensured every voice mattered, whether it was from a seasoned facilitator or someone joining the craft for the first time. As I close the chapter of NDB, I’m carrying forward what these values taught me into my work at workshops.work. Here, I’m embracing the dual pillars of Care and Courage. To me, Care and Courage are two sides of the same coin. Care without courage risks people-pleasing, sugar-coating truths that need to be addressed. Courage without care can feel harsh, creating environments that push people away instead of lifting them up. If we care and dare, we create safe spaces where growth, trust, and authentic relationships thrive because we can have difficult conversations. Another thing that I learned is that principles aren’t meant to be perfect or static. They’re alive, evolving with us as we grow. But only if we take them off the wall and into our hearts. As I close NDB and step fully into this new chapter, I’m deeply grateful for the journey, the community, and the lessons that Risk, Respect, and Generosity taught me and I am curious about what principles and values you and your organisation thrive on! 🎙 Meanwhile, on the podcast… The author of the indomitable Liberating Structures joins me in the podcast chair this week - a book that has offered wisdom to facilitators from all four corners of the world, and built organisations from the ground up - the one, the only Henri Lipmanowicz! So simple they feel alchemic, Henri’s 33 microstructures are a field guide for transformation. Small, no-nonsense shifts in how we work together, his methods set free ideas, build trust, and enable creativity and collective intelligence - so often stifled by conventional complexity. Henri’s expertise is invaluable for every leader, facilitator, workplace, or community ready to change how they collaborate. Learn from the master himself in episode 297! Find out about:
🔖 Click here to download my 1-page summary of the show. 🎧 Click here to listen to the interview Or, watch the unedited interview on Youtube: That's all from my side. I wish you a wonderful week ahead! Take care and 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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