Stressed out during workshops?

Participating at in- person or virtual workshops seems to be the best way for team to get some creative work done. From my experience as both a participant and facilitator, most people are not equipped to fully engage during the event.

Why is this so?

Most of us try to avoid placing ourselves in situations where we feel venerable. A creative workshop that demonstrates your creativity keep the majority of people awake at night. It really boils down to how the workshop is organized and facilitated in order for the participants to feel safe and respected.

What stops people from creating?

Here are some common reasons :

• Lack of ability
• Lack of confidence
• Lack of motivation

So knowing some of these factors helps in figuring out how to make a workshop a positive experience .

What are the next steps?

Start with giving explicit instructions , which will level the playing field for those who are not familiar with the particular tool or method being used. It is also helpful taking the pressure off during any decision making situation. And finally, have the facilitator tell the participants if that they are on the right track or not.

The more the facilitator can allow the participants to practice a task without any stigma of failure, the more they will be willing to try something unfamiliar and risky. It is also helpful to have some pre-workshop homework on any techniques or procedures that might make the participant hesitant or disengage.

The participants need to understand that purpose of the workshop is to achieve a particular outcome and their focus and engagement is key to its success.

Being either a conscientious participant or a skilled facilitator will be a valuable skill as more collaborative work is required in the future.