Delivering a compelling, value-packed workshop is a terrific way to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time.
But your achievements can quickly disappear if you don’t end the workshop effectively.
I’ve spent the last 20 years running workshops all over the world and have created a formula that helps me end any workshop the best way possible.
Today, I’m sharing my formula (in 3 steps) so that closing a workshop becomes one of your most impactful moments.
And the best thing is you’ll never have to think about how to do it again!
Let’s dive in.
Your objectives with the close
Ideally, you want every member of your group to feel these things after your workshop:
- This workshop has been the best possible use of their time.
- Their thinking on the target topic has evolved for the better.
- They are more aligned with their colleagues than at the start.
- They have had the opportunity to give you feedback on your workshop.
To achieve these objectives, set aside a max of 20 mins at the end of your workshop and go through these 3 simple steps…
Step 1 - Objectives (max 5 mins)
At the start of your workshop, you began with a list of objectives for the workshop.
Bring the focus back on the list and go over the objectives again one by one.
Ask each time: “Did we achieve that today?”
If there are any you didn’t, flag them and agree on the next steps.
Your objective with this step: check you have achieved what you set out to at the start.
Step 2 - “I used to think…, but now I think...” (max 10 mins)
You ask everyone to complete this sentence for themselves by filling in the blanks:
"I used to think _______________, but now I think _______________".
Ask them to think about their sentence for 2 minutes and then use a further 2 minutes to write down their answer ready for sharing.
Then ask them to share their answers with the group.
If you have a big group (more than 15), split them into smaller groups so everyone can share.
Your objective with this step: embed their learnings and align themselves with their colleagues.
Step 3 - “What Went Well? Even Better If…” (max 5 mins)
You now ask everyone two further questions.
The first question is: “What went well in this workshop for you?”
Ask people to call out their answers. Write them on a flip chart so they can see you taking notes.
When the answers dry up, ask the second question: ”What would have made this workshop even better?”
Again, ask them to call out answers. Note them down on a new piece of flip chart paper.
Your objective with this step: get valuable feedback about your workshop so you can improve next time and allow them to offload any negativity or frustration before leaving the room.
By using this process, I never have to think about how I will close a workshop strongly.
Instead, it becomes a simple process of tapping on three steps at the end that leaves everyone feeling the workshop was an excellent use of their time.
- Step 1: Did we meet all our objectives?
- Step 2: “I used to think…, but now I think...”
- Step 3: “What Went Well? Even Better If…”
Well, that’s it for today.
I hope you enjoyed and found it useful.