This is a very common struggle. Usually after years of experience you can tell almost immediately what will work or not. Another way to look at it is revisit the purpose statement and objectives. All exercises or topics must be essential (need-to-have) to the purpose, some are your darlings (nice-to-have), especially those that are fun but do not contribute directly to the purpose. You have to keep in mind that the purpose always supersedes the objectives. Nice post Thomas!
The real struggle happens when all of the components of your meeting/workshop/event have been vetted and fit group/process/purpose needs, but yet you still don't have enough time. Then you start building Frankenstein's monsters out of processes trying to kill two birds with one stone, often missing both.
Figuring out what to included from multiple "needed" options is so hard.
This is such a common challenge, Scott, thank you for adding that!
I work by the premise that if we don’t have enough time, we want too much. If this happens during the workshop, I make it explicit. I either a) first think of options myself and play them into the group for what to do, or b) let the group discuss options and decide themselves. This way, the ownership is with the group and I avoid resistance to my idea and choice for what to eliminate.
Yeah, that's similar to what I've done in the past, too.
One of the more difficult situations I've experienced is having to go back to the contract lead, the person who initially hired me and set the initial expectations of the contract, and telling them that what they want to do and the amount of time provided to do it in don't match up.
I walk them through the contract "deliverables" and then my planned agenda with time estimates. Then I show them what the full lineup looks like time-wise. Then, I ask them based on what we're seeing here what do we want to do? Do we need to get rid of something? Do we need to add more time? Or is there a third option that we might be able to do?
I've walked away from contracts that are too ambitious with inflexible leads. I'm not going to make a promise that I don't believe I can keep.
This is a very common struggle. Usually after years of experience you can tell almost immediately what will work or not. Another way to look at it is revisit the purpose statement and objectives. All exercises or topics must be essential (need-to-have) to the purpose, some are your darlings (nice-to-have), especially those that are fun but do not contribute directly to the purpose. You have to keep in mind that the purpose always supersedes the objectives. Nice post Thomas!
The real struggle happens when all of the components of your meeting/workshop/event have been vetted and fit group/process/purpose needs, but yet you still don't have enough time. Then you start building Frankenstein's monsters out of processes trying to kill two birds with one stone, often missing both.
Figuring out what to included from multiple "needed" options is so hard.
What do you all do in that situation?
This is such a common challenge, Scott, thank you for adding that!
I work by the premise that if we don’t have enough time, we want too much. If this happens during the workshop, I make it explicit. I either a) first think of options myself and play them into the group for what to do, or b) let the group discuss options and decide themselves. This way, the ownership is with the group and I avoid resistance to my idea and choice for what to eliminate.
Yeah, that's similar to what I've done in the past, too.
One of the more difficult situations I've experienced is having to go back to the contract lead, the person who initially hired me and set the initial expectations of the contract, and telling them that what they want to do and the amount of time provided to do it in don't match up.
I walk them through the contract "deliverables" and then my planned agenda with time estimates. Then I show them what the full lineup looks like time-wise. Then, I ask them based on what we're seeing here what do we want to do? Do we need to get rid of something? Do we need to add more time? Or is there a third option that we might be able to do?
I've walked away from contracts that are too ambitious with inflexible leads. I'm not going to make a promise that I don't believe I can keep.