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.
Weird Moods || 🎙️ Episode 329 on Listening and Asking Better Questions
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Dear Reader, I woke up annoyed. No specific dream I could remember, no meeting I dreaded, no real reason to point to — just a gritty frustration under my skin. I went for a workout, which usually helps. Not this time. Everything irritated me: the too-loud laughter of a neighbour, a slow cyclist, even the way the toothpaste tube had been squeezed. And yet, nothing had really happened. Luckily, my partner and I have an agreement that we name our weird or grumpy feelings as they show up without further explanation or exploration (also known as 'side coaching'). I said, “I’m feeling annoyed today.” She nodded. That’s it. No digging for a cause, no defensiveness, no trying to cheer me up. It’s oddly powerful, this kind of shared neutrality. Because if I don’t name it, I’ll start blaming it. Suddenly, it becomes your fault that I’m annoyed. You weren’t kind enough, fast enough, careful enough. Blame is such a convenient escape when we’re feeling things we can’t explain. But when we take responsibility for our emotional weather, something shifts. We become co-conspirators with the feeling, instead of projecting it onto someone else. We include this grumpy feeling: “We see you. You’re weird. But you can stay for a bit.” And eventually, it moves on. Like they all do. I’ve started wondering what that could look like in groups, in teams, in workshops, in organisations. What if it were safe to say “I feel off today” without it becoming a problem to solve or a burden to carry? What if we held space for weird moods the way we hold space for ideas — with curiosity and no urgency? Maybe that’s part of the work. Creating rooms where people don’t need to be at their best to belong. 🎙 Meanwhile, on the podcast…When we stop looking for the perfect question, when we choose to reflect rather than react, and when we wait and listen, for just a little while longer – it can change everything. Public speaker, serial entrepreneur and owner of Consider, Chedva Ludmir has made it her mission to help others embrace curiosity, listen deeply, and make friends with uncertainty. Together, we explore the power of asking thoughtful questions in all of life’s moments – from time-restricted workshops, to orthodox religions, and scary career crossroads. And why when big decisions did loom, Chedva didn’t ask herself should I do this? but rather started to ask, when it’s time, will I know it? Find out about:
🎧 Click here to listen to the interview📥 Check out my 1-page summary 👀 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 a week where even the weird moods are welcome. I’ll 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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