How to Run a Great Workshop

Anyone who has endured 'death by PowerPoint' or suffered a dry 'chalk and talk' session will know the importance of getting group sessions and workshops right, but how do you know what to do and what it takes?

How to Run a Great Workshop is your quick fix solution to running successful group sessions. It takes you through the early stages of planning and preparation, through to showing you how to build a great session, step-by-step. Group activities, how to use materials and how to be remembered for the right reasons are all covered, along with a brief overview of training theory and learning models.

Whether you are a first time manager, a coach wishing to add workshops to your repertoire or you are simply looking for a way to improve your delivery at meetings, all you need to know and do is here. And not only that – the skills and tools you will learn will enliven interviews, meetings and even parties and weddings!

• Why choose this book?
• Introduction 
• Chapter 1  Who, what, why and where
  • Your natural style
  • Beliefs and the importance of make-believe
  • Session subject and outcomes
  • Why bother application of learning
  • What type of session?
  • Your participants
  • Location, location, location
  • Information v. learning
•  Chapter 2  Whole-brain learning primer
  • The biggest myth in training
  • All you need to know about learning theory
  • Using music
  • Energy
  • The 70/30 rule
  • Breaks
  • Bluffers guide to facilitation
• Chapter 3  Building a great session
  • Overview
  • Strong framework
  • Structure and flow
  • Theming
  • The title
  • The Welcome Pack
  • Step-by-step activities
  • Metaphors and their use
  • Introduction and welcome
  • Warm-up activities/ice-breakers
  • BrainGym
  • Off-the-shelf activities
  • Tricks of the trade
  • Strong finish
  • Evaluation
  • Setting the scene on the day
  • Follow through
  • Materials
  • Canny material design
  • Participants materials
  • Your materials
• Chapter 4  Meetings makeover
• Adieu
• Appendix 1: Some themes suitable for workshops
• Appendix 2: People bingo
• Appendix 3: Glossary and 'trainer speak'

This has to be the best book on the subject I have ever read! And I have held workshops and meetings for 30 years, and still managed to learn a lot!

Excellent, to the point, practical without forgetting the theoretical underpinnings (some NLP in there, which you nearly must know to detect) and all encompassing.

Quite frankly, I wished all people holding meetings used this book as a reference. Heck, even just randomly flipping through it and reading a chapter would change nearly anyones presentations.

Most warmly recommended.