This past Wednesday, December 10th, I had the privilege to lead a workshop on The Working Genius with the ministry I worked with right out of college.
Today I simply want to reflect on that experience in light of a conversation I had with Macy Robison.
Background
I had a meeting with Macy Robison who runs the Resonate Thought Leadership podcast. The really insightful thing I have learned from her assessment is that my archetype when leading/working with others is what she has called Transformational Guide.
In many ways, writing this is somewhat draining for me. But I like writing when it comes to sharing about my experiences in hopes that I can help others.
So going into this workshop Macy gave me this thought to keep in mind:
This workshop isn't a performance. It's research. Pay attention to the patterns.
So with that in mind here are some things I noticed
What was difficult
I noticed that when I try to lead a large group to a collective outcome I am wiped out. The day after the workshop was the most mentally, emotionally, and physically wiped I have been in a while.
Thinking in terms of Macy's assessment this makes sense. Whereas I like facilitating experiences for groups I moreso like to do that in the hospitality sense. Sometimes hosts like to be front and center but I like to make sure everyone has a welcoming environment.
So, in this sense, being the 'host' or facilitating conversation/discussion was pretty tiring.
What went well
The parts of the day I noticed that 'resonated' more with me and where I felt others in the room get a lot more from where personal conversations or questions that were interpersonal.
Made me think for a group workshop that for me to lead best I need to have one high level thing we are doing, ie take The Working Genius assessment, and then have the remainder of the day be Q&A.
I feel most of the day would expand naturally based off Q&A because I would be answering personalized questions that could lead into better group/individual exercises rather than me trying to preplan the day.
Personal Conversations
I think most anyone who came up to me and asked a question really felt that they were seen or that they had some level of self understanding when that side conversation ended.
Interpersonal Interactions
There are 3 immediate examples that spring to mind.
The first is that I really loved when I sat in on groups and was able to point out to someone when their gifting was being seen, by themselves, as something that was burdensome to the group.
The 3 Geniuses from The Working Genius I feel I notice this with the quickest are Wonder, Discernment, and Enablement.
There was one staff member who was hesitant to talk because it felt like they would be burdening the group with their questions.
The second example was the director. When we broke up into groups to try to apply the Working Genius to a particular struggle within the ministry, the director falls instantly into big picture, theological, heady questions. Watching the reactions to his questions in the room was very telling.
The last example was when a group who had only one person with Galvanizing as a competency and none as geniuses asked how to think about that. It was helpful not only to them but to the whole room to think that they may have to lean into his competency for a time until someone else hopefully comes on board but lean into his competency to raise enthusiasm. They should realize though that he is going to get tired more quickly when he has to lean into that and they should therefore give him more opportunities for his geniuses and encourage him more when he has to exercise that competency.
We are not trying to escape difficult work we are trying to reframe our work.
Takeaways
It is worth it to try thinking about workshops as an extension of one self. Those to whom this sounds somewhat idiotic I would say you probably have more of a experience facilitator in you along with some level of other archetypes that mean you are a structured person and love the detailed plans
Before this workshop I went through Rob Fitzpatrick's The Workshop Survival Guide. There were so many good things about this book. The biggest points for me was just the planning. Literally gives step by step and email templates and other things for planning and making sure the content is right.
I hope the 'extension of oneself' statement above doesn't sound empty of truth. I'll go more into this thought in a later post because I think there is a lot to talk about.
But suffice it to say I think I am learning how I can lean into how I do my best work, give my best self to others and how to do that in the context of a workshop.
In the future I think I would try to plan the day to have more one on one, Q&A type interactions. It would be really great to give them the plan for the day and walk around discussing with individuals groups. But I don't want to feel like I am trying to lead the whole group at the same time.