When the Plan Meets the Reality of the Team
Earlier this year I ran a two-day workshop with a team. I’d planned every detail: the sessions, the flow, the learning outcomes. But halfway through day one, it became clear that what the leader thought was the issue… wasn’t the issue at all.
The team didn’t have a shared language—instead of working as a team, they were getting in each other’s way. (All with the best intentions).
The Power of Adapting in Real Time
So I threw out the entire plan for day two, and shifted the focus towards creating that shared language and managing relationships – that’s what they truly needed.
When I changed tracks on day two of the workshop, the energy in the room shifted. People leaned in, and contributed earnestly because they could see how doing this work could make their work (and life) easier and more fulfilling.
Why You Need a Skilled Facilitator
They said things like, “I’ve never understood why that frustrates you until now,” and left with a sense of relief and direction.
That’s why you need a good facilitator.
It’s not about running through slides or frameworks. It’s about reading what’s happening in the room – in the team – and responding to it.
What Makes a Workshop Transformative
Every team is different, and what unlocks one team can completely miss the mark with another.
A nimble facilitator can sense when a conversation needs to go deeper, when it’s time to pivot, and when to stay with something uncomfortable just long enough for it to turn into insight.
That’s when the real breakthroughs happen.
The Real Goal of Team Workshops
Can you see how team workshops are not just ticking a box? They are meant to change how a team works together long after the workshop ends.
Juliet Robinson
Leadership and Change Specialist
How can I help you
PS: Registration is now open for my free webinar series on the three biggest shifts that great team workshops create. They’re genuinely useful sessions — no thinly disguised sales pitches — and you’ll get plenty to take back to your team, whether or not we work together.
