Peer-Led Workshops

[Leapfrog-to-Better Weekly Series] #6: The Climate Fresk! If you think back at the time you were a student, what are some *specific* classes that stand out in your memory? We’ve all sat through so many classes, but we’re more likely to remember a field trip than a lecture, a hands-on workshop over a boring presentation, or a reverse-learning-style pitch rather than a standard conference where we were passively listening. I believe this captures the core challenge in education today: pedagogical innovation. Pedagogical design. Pedagogical engineering. How do we create and offer learning experiences that pull students out of their disengaged, pandemic-era learning gaps, break through short attention spans fueled by social media, and counter the notion that “AI can give us everything we need anyway so why should we make any cognitive effort anymore?”. One powerful tool to achieve this is The Climate Fresk. Designed by Cedric Ringenbach back in 2018, the Climate Fresk workshop simply involves one big table covered by an equally big piece of white paper, 5 to 8 participants ready to be on their feet and toes for 3 hours, a set of 42 cards, some stationery supplies, and a facilitator. Its core task is simple but impactful: mapping climate science by arranging the cards from cause to consequence (spoiler: it starts and ends with humans!). This workshop beautifully mobilises collective intelligence, peer listening, creativity and emotional intelligence, all grounded in climate science from the latest IPCC reports. My own first experience with The Climate Fresk was quite unforgettable, as it offers a brilliant cocktail - fun, gamification, collaboration, emotions… - to long-lastingly anchor the experience in the participants' brain. With transparent, decentralised, and do-ocratic practices - following the swarmwise approach -, nearly 90,000 facilitators have been trained, and 1.9 million people have played The Climate Fresk mostly across France and Europe since inception. While it has achieved strong momentum in France, its journey in India is just beginning, and I see huge potential here. In fact, Virgile Montambaux and I facilitated about 10 Climate Fresks at Techno India Group here in Kolkata just in the past couple of weeks, and we look forward to more in other institutions and organisations across West Bengal and India! Especially in times of climate urgency, how do we reinvent education in order to offer mind-shifting / mind-blowing / eye-opening / heart-opening experiences? I’d love to hear about any such tools and learning experiences that stayed with you and why they made such a difference! Climate Fresk India

I've been involved with conferences for years – even on Shoptalk's Advisory Board when it was small. But still, facilitating a workshop at a brand-new conference from the founders who sold Shoptalk? That still had me nervous. A few weeks ago, I facilitated a workshop at Retail Tech Club – the new conference from the team behind Shoptalk and Grocery Shop. Over 500 people by the ocean in Huntington Beach. I led a discussion with 15 participants – retail leaders, brand executives, AI champions, and tech changemakers – on navigating the AI hype: Tech Fit, Data Fit, and ROI. Here are five things that help me facilitate workshops that work: • Set the framework and expectation upfront. Be crystal clear: why they're here, what they'll take away, what the boundaries are. Without it, everyone has different expectations – and even an amazing discussion can feel like a failure if you missed theirs. • Ask open-ended questions and stay dynamic. Give others the mic. Don't dominate, and don't let anyone else dominate either. • Don't fear the silence. When no one responds immediately, we panic. But people just need time to process. Wait with them. • Move around the room. I was the only one standing. Moving adds flow. When someone asks a question, I walk closer. If someone's disengaging, I move toward them. Use your hands, be theatrical – body language is another tool. • And most importantly – let everyone contribute. A successful workshop means everyone feels they had something to say and learned from each other. They didn't come to learn from me – they came to learn from each other. Your role as facilitator is different than presenter. It's almost group therapy: everyone wants to share their "yes, me too, here's my story." What made this workshop work? Hearing how everyone faces the same problems. McKinsey says 75% of organizations think AI is important, 78% are implementing it, but under 20% generate real value. In the room, you could see it – everyone knows there's something here, but not everyone knows how to work with it yet.

Our latest paper describes a novel peer-to-peer coaching program for family doctors that we launched at our Family Health Team in 2019. https://lnkd.in/gAaR_a44 Our team had been working for some time to encourage physicians to learn from practice data but it was hard. There is so much on our plate as family doctors and it's hard to have the space and time to engage with data and reflect. Over 2 years, our team tested a series of supports to encourage doctors to learn from data--and peer coaching was the most popular and successful. In short, we trained 10 coaches (who were nominated by peers) on Joan Sargeant's reflective feedback model. Any of our ~75 staff physicians could choose to sign up for a 30 min coaching session where the goal was to review practice data and come up with a SMART change idea for practice. About 25 of our staff physicians did at least one coaching session. The feedback from coaches and coachees was extremely positive. As doctors, we hold ourselves to a high standard and getting data about where we can improve can be tough. Having a peer to review things with allowed people to move past their immediate emotional reaction to the data while also feeling validated and supported in their role as a family physician. Family physicians came out of the sessions with change ideas for their practice. But they also left feeling more connected and supported. This work was only possible because of our amazing team including Noah Ivers Kimberly Devotta Laura Desveaux, PhD CPCC Dr. Noor Ramji, Dr. Karen Weyman and many others including our fantastic peer coaches! Our ambitious to spread this program were interrupted by the pandemic--we've now translated this work to a new program we launched in 2023: Peers for Joy in Work https://lnkd.in/gnUdBXrD

We don’t need another 90-minute webinar folks... We need a coworker we don’t have to explain everything to. We need someone who gets it, so we can think out loud without performing expertise. We need peer-led learning—because the best ideas I’ve seen in the nonprofit sector and beyond didn’t come from a keynote. They came from a conversation. At The Nonprofit Hive, we once matched a nonprofit comms lead with a former frontline program manager. Neither had the same job title. But in their post-chat testimonial one of them described how within minutes they were sketching out a new onboarding flow to help their teams understand each other better. No slides. No credentials. Just curiosity, context, and community. That’s the magic. And honestly? In the age of AI and shiny frameworks, I trust the person across from me way more than I trust the algorithm. Peer-led learning isn’t a future trend—it’s already here. And it starts in community. How often are you asking your peers first these day before referencing online experts??? #community

Fundraisers are reinventing professional development. Forget expensive conferences and generic webinars. The most valuable learning is happening through structured peer-to-peer exchange: Case study circles - Small groups of fundraisers from different organizations - Real-world challenges presented and workshopped - Collective problem-solving with diverse perspectives - Accountability for implementing solutions Skill-swap partnerships - Paired exchanges based on complementary strengths - Direct observation of each other's work - Structured feedback and coaching - Ongoing implementation support Cross-sector learning pods - Fundraisers from different nonprofit sectors - Focus on transferable strategies and approaches - Translation of methods across cause areas - Innovation through unexpected combinations The benefits extend beyond skill development: - Reduced professional isolation - Expanded professional networks - Increased job satisfaction - Accelerated career advancement The most effective fundraisers are building these learning communities intentionally, not leaving professional growth to chance. Tag a colleague who's taught you something valuable about fundraising!

Prompts, Ability and Norms: How Peer Support Builds Contraceptive Agency Among Young Women in Uganda We often design interventions without fully understanding what mechanism we’re influencing. Are we prompting? Are we building ability? Are we shifting norms? This study gives us a rare, clear view: I-CAN helped women cross the "action line" in the #FoggBehaviorModel: prompts got the ball rolling, motivation was present, and ability was increased. A recent longitudinal qualitative study from the I-CAN intervention in Uganda offers a powerful corrective. It reveals that peer-led social support does far more than educate—it builds contraceptive agency by enabling young women to move from uncertainty to action, through a process shaped by prompting, ability-building, and social norm reinforcement. In the I-CAN model, peer sessions acted as prompts to dialogue—they created regular, safe spaces where young women could talk about contraception without judgment. These weren't just one-off sessions; they were repeated, structured encounters that normalized discussion of reproductive choices. But prompting alone isn't enough. The study shows how I-CAN also nurtured ability—not only in the practical sense (understanding methods, knowing where to go), but in the deeper, behavioral sense: confidence, language, and negotiation skills to make and act on contraceptive decisions. Most strikingly, what began as prompts to dialogue evolved into a collective shift in social norms. As women shared experiences and heard others' stories, they realized: “I’m not alone. People like me are making these choices.” That peer validation dismantled stigma and built momentum—turning private doubt into public confidence. Over time, participants moved from passive recipients of information to active decision-makers. Some even became role models themselves, catalyzing change within their communities. So what can we learn? - Design prompts that are culturally resonant and repeatable. - Pair information with ability-building—confidence, access, and negotiation support. - Leverage social proof to normalize behavior. Behavior becomes sustainable when it’s no longer exceptional. Behavioral science has long emphasized the importance of Prompt + Ability + Motivation (Fogg Model). The I-CAN experience suggests that social norms act as a multiplier—converting motivation into momentum. Public health programs sometimes focus solely on information dissemination, but behavior change, especially around something as deeply personal and socially regulated as contraception, requires more than facts. If we want to empower women to make reproductive choices freely, we must go beyond service delivery. We must design social architectures that support agency at every step. #ReproductiveHealth #BehavioralScience #SocialNorms #ContraceptiveAgency #WomensHealth #PeerSupport #FP2030 #IWD #Uganda #GlobalHealth #HumanCenteredDesign #HealthEquity #SRHR

Two models to foster collaborative learning in your organization. 👇 I'm reflecting on the session I chaired at LT24, and going back to my notes. Shout-out to Lynn Rodgers and Kinga Petrovai, PhD for bringing two concrete, and practical formats we can steal and implement right away. 1️⃣ Lynn shared their "Team rhythm of weekly 20-minute conversations" 🧠 Principle: Small drops of learning within each team. How does it work? 👉 Weekly 20-minutes, team-based and peer-led conversations 👉 Each team has a designated host, pre-selected based on a set of criteria 👉 People Leaders are not included in these conversations 👉 L&D curates a list of topics centrally, and supports these conversations with nudges and resournces which the teams can explore together 👉 Constant cycles of exploration + experiments + reflection: —Week 1 starts with the exploration of a topic. —Teams are encouraged to "get curious", identify small improvement opportunities and commit to one concrete action (or experiemnt) they will apply in the coming week. —The aim of these actions is to improve how they work, or the world they operate in. —Week 2 invites to reflect on those experiements, what worked and what didn't, what stood in the way of the change, how can they keep it alive. —The cycle repeats: explore + experiment + reflect 🧚♂️ Key ingredient: The hosts are supported by central L&D and through their own community in MS Teams Channel, as well as specific events for hosts. They are testing new conversations, suggest topics, and protect the principles these conversations are based on. 2️⃣ Kinga shared her new "Learning Hives" Model 🧠 Principle: The Hive is the thread to collect and amplify the many existing resources within an organisation. How does it work? 👉 A group of ~10 individuals with same learning goals come together to learn from each other 👉 The sessions are integrated into the workflow, online or offline 👉 Each Hive has clear learning objectives 👉 Sessions are designed and run by a "Knowledgeble Host" The Hives function based on 6 key elements: - Leadership protects the time and space for the Hives to meet regularly - Hives have clear learning objectives aligned with organisational needs - The Hosts uses strategic questions designed to anchor the conversation and move the group towards the objectives - The Host synthesises learning and takeaways to be incorporated in the flow of work - The Host provides nudges between the sessions to reinforce learning and incorporate in the work - Deeper focus as each session builds on the previous one, and move the Hives closer to their learning objectives 🧚♂️ Key ingredient: The Knowledgeable Host gets to know the Hive members, weaves all voices into conversation, encourages the flow of learning. They are a trained facilitator, not a peer or a team member. 🎤 Over to you: What other collaborative learning formats have you experimented with? #learninganddevelopment #collaborativelearning

My workshops got 10x better when I started doing this: Understanding that people's brains work differently We spend so much time understanding user's needs, but we often forget about the people we work with. → What do they need? → How do they work best? → How can we be more inclusive? → What could they struggle with? The truth is, workshops can create pressure and anxiety. ...thinking of ideas against a timer, in tool you've never used, then presenting to the group when you can barely draw a stickman? No thanks. People can spend the whole time panicking about whether their idea looks "good" rather than actually having space to ideate and let the ideas flow (I've definitely felt embarrassed to present my ideas that I didn't think were "good enough") Our brains are all beautifully unique, so our workshops should support that. That means, ideation shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach Instead, we can create encourage people to ideate in whatever format suits them: → Draw ideas on paper and take a photo → Write ideas down on post-it notes → Create scrappy wireframes → Use screenshots of apps / websites as references Anything that helps people communicate their ideas! The best workshops are the ones where everyone feels confident to share their ideas and can be heard 💛

🔍 Peer-Led Training: The Power of Finding Strengths Within the Team One of the most overlooked assets in any organization isn’t a program or platform—it’s people. Too often, we wait for senior leaders or external facilitators to lead the charge when, in reality, some of the most impactful learning can come from within our own teams. Peer-led training empowers every member—regardless of title—to share their expertise. Whether it’s a junior staff member who’s mastered a niche skill, or a teammate who’s particularly gifted in client rapport, every specialty is a chance to raise the bar collectively. 💡 The challenge is identifying those strengths. Leaders and teammates alike must be intentional in spotting specialties within their ranks—whether it's data analysis, onboarding, communication, tactical skills, or wellness coaching. Once uncovered, these pockets of excellence can become the foundation for micro-trainings, shadowing opportunities, or team "skill swaps." This is something I enjoyed while working at the Armed Forces Wellness Center #FortBragg, and Ashlee Henson, MPH has kept this alive from time to time. When teams embrace this mindset, learning becomes a shared responsibility—and culture shifts from passive to engaged. Even the most junior member becomes a value-add, not just a task-doer. 🚨 But here’s the catch: When we don’t create space for team-led development, we risk stagnation. Morale dips. Innovation stalls. And worst of all, we miss the chance to build resilience into our systems. Teams that rely too heavily on positional authority or a "top-down" approach often overlook the potential within their own ranks. Peer-led training isn’t just about knowledge transfer. It’s about trust, inclusion, and long-term agility. So the next time you need a training, solution, or process improvement—look around. The answer might already be sitting at your table. #LeadershipDevelopment #PeerLedTraining #Teamwork #ProfessionalDevelopment #ContinuousImprovement #HumanPerformance

The first 5 minutes of your workshop decide everything. Most facilitators waste them. Here's what typically happens in the first 5 minutes: → "Let me tell you a bit about myself..." → A slide with the agenda → An icebreaker that has nothing to do with the work → "Let's go around and share your name, role, and a fun fact" By minute 5, your participants have already decided: → Is this going to be worth my time? → Will I have to sit and listen all day? → Is this person going to lecture me or let me work? And most facilitators have accidentally answered all three questions wrong. Here's what the best facilitators do instead: Move 1: State the outcome in one sentence. (30 seconds) Not your bio. Not the agenda. Not a welcome slide. One sentence that tells the room exactly what they'll walk out with. → Not: "Today we'll explore team dynamics and communication." → Instead: "By 4pm, your team will have a written conflict resolution process you'll use starting Monday." That sentence does more work than any introduction. It tells participants this session has a point and their time won't be wasted. Move 2: Set the rules of the room. (60 seconds) → "You'll do 95% of the talking today. I'm here to run the process." → "Phones away unless you're using them for the exercises." → "You can disagree with anyone, including me. That's encouraged." Three sentences. Now everyone knows how this room works. No one's spending mental energy guessing. Move 3: Get them working immediately. (3 minutes) Not talking about the work. Doing the work. → "Grab a pen. Write down the one team conflict that's cost you the most time in the last month. You have 90 seconds." → "Turn to the person next to you. Share what you wrote. You have 2 minutes." Within 3 minutes, every person in the room has done something. They've committed an opinion to paper. They've spoken out loud. The session is no longer something happening to them. They're in it. That's your first 5 minutes: → 30 seconds: the outcome → 60 seconds: the rules → 3 minutes: first activity No bio. No agenda slide. No fun facts. Why this works: The first 5 minutes set the pattern for the entire session. If you start by talking at people, they expect to be talked at for the rest of the day. If you start by getting them working, they expect to keep working. You're not just opening a workshop. You're training the room on how this session operates. The facilitators who lose the room in hour 2 almost always made the same mistake: they spent the first 5 minutes telling the room this was going to be another session where someone talks and everyone else listens. By the time they try to get participation, the pattern was already set. First 5 minutes. Outcome. Rules. Work. Everything else follows from there. ___ Save this for later (three dots, top right). Share with friends → ♻️ Repost. Get consultant-grade workshops every Sat → https://lnkd.in/eSfeUapJ