349 - Facilitation in Japan: Silence, Safety, and Subtlety with Yuko Gendo
Silence is a virtue, and nowhere is this more deeply understood than in Japan. A pause rich with meaning, where thoughts are carefully explored, emotions are quiet, and things are said, without any words at all.So, how do facilitators hold space amidst the subtlety? Facilitator, workshop designer, and coach, Yuko Gendo invites us into the beautifully unique world of Japanese facilitation this week, as a practice shaped by deep respect, harmony, and quiet reflection.She shares how non-verbal cues can soften emotional expression, how consensus forms through alignment, not debate, and together we compare our cultural experiences as two facilitators from opposite sides of the world. Join us!Find out about:The cultural values of silence, hierarchy and emotional restraint, and their role in Japanese facilitationHow Yuko navigates the tension between group harmony and individual expressionThe use of indirect expressions through cards, visuals and metaphor, in place of direct speachWhat Western facilitators can learn from their Japanese counterpartsDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Yuko Gendo:WebsiteLinkedInShare your thoughts about our conversation!Support the show✨✨✨You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/
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348 - Reclaiming Indigenous Wisdom in Facilitation with Katerina Kupenga
Carrying the wisdom of five generations before her, Katerina Kupenga inherited a special legacy from her ancestral namesake: the gift of Māori facilitation.And as a proud wahine Māori from Ngāti Porou, Katerina joins me to share this rich wisdom with us all. She guides us through the sacred welcoming rituals of the Pōwhiri, the complexities of tribal relations, the spiritual intimacy of exchanging breath, and the energy work that takes place as people, ancestors, emotions, and tension are invited into being.This is a truly special conversation about what it means to be Māori, and the unique indigenous methods that acknowledge the Māori people of the land.Find out about:The traditional Māori rituals, chants, and the guidance of the gods that take place during workshopsKaterina’s journey to relearning the wisdom and culture of her peopleThe importance of honouring Māori practices and language – free of Western agendas, structures and timeframesFacilitating conversations and tensions around intergenerational, ancestral traumasThe unconscious biases that exist in the facilitation sector, and the alternative perspectives we needDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Katerina Kupenga:LinkedInWebsiteShare your thoughts about our conversation!Support the show✨✨✨You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/
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347 - When 100 People Feel Like One Team: Crafting Connection Online with Perle Laouenan-Catchpole
Gathering hundreds of people is most facilitators’ worst nightmare – but for Perle Laouenan-Catchpole, it’s her dream.With her signature feminine energy and warmth, Perle connects large online groups as one, cohesive team, creating a sense of belonging that sends ripples of impact throughout the group. Her secret? Comfort must always come before safety, simplicity will always triumph over complexity, and facilitating true connection begins with understanding yourself first.This is a beautiful, passionate conversation for anyone that wants to step into their superpower, and learn the art of online, human connection.Find out about:How to design workshops that connect hundreds of people as part of one teamWhy you should tell people what you do, rather than what you areHow to foster a sense of belonging amongst hundreds of participantsThe power of speaking out your needs, to invite others to do the sameThe value of multilingual breakouts, allowing participants to engage in their mother tongueDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Perle Laouenan-Catchpole:LinkedInWebsiteShare your thoughts about our conversation!Support the show✨✨✨You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/
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346 - Power, Confidence and the Courage to Speak Up with Matthew Hill
Do you dare to be powerful and confident? Matthew Hill, leadership trainer, conflict mediator, and intercultural facilitator has spent years guiding executives into their inner strength – but his approach might just surprise you.He invites us to reconsider power not as the most dominant voice in the room, but rather a calm, curious presence, and confidence not as something we muster up once, but a daily practice of small, intentional acts.From meeting difference with meaningful dialogue, and digging a little deeper beneath the surface of our interactions, to reclaiming our voice – episode 346 is for anyone ready to remove the obstacles standing in the way of their self-belief.Find out about:The cultural nuances of facilitation and learningHow to build confidence through daily micromoments, such as ‘adding one sentence’How to approach opposing views with curiosity, genuine dialogue, and a desire to learnHow facilitators can use language to foster inclusivity, rather than widen dividesDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to GUEST:LinkedInWebsiteShare your thoughts about our conversation!Support the show✨✨✨You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/
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345 - From Borders to Bridges: A Chaplain’s Journey with Deb Hansen
Reverend Deb Hansen received a metaphorical message in a bottle, urging her to go to the US-Mexico border – a life calling that she followed all the way to El Paso.As a facilitator-chaplain and quilter of the human experience, Deb has been there for people at the most painful and tender times of their lives – helping to understand their stories, and stitch back together the fragments of a broken, polarised world.She brings beautiful stories about migration, spirituality, identity, and historical trauma with life-affirming reverence, she reads us a passage from her book Borderlands, and shows us all how to navigate vulnerability with grace.A rich and important conversation about what it means to be human.Find out about:Deb’s soul work with communities in a divisive, disconnected worldNavigating vulnerable conversations with an open heart, and learning to sit with discomfort to honour growthWhy authenticity is a lived practice that we manifest through words, body, and intentionHow to hold space for belonging, collective trauma, and grief in painful timesDon’t miss the next episode: subscribe to the show with your favourite podcast player.Links:Watch the video recording of this episode on YouTube.Connect to Deb Hansen:WebsiteBookShare your thoughts about our conversation!Support the show✨✨✨You can now find the podcast on Substack, where your host Dr. Myriam Hadnes is building a club for you to find fellow listeners and peers: https://myriamhadnes.substack.com/
Welcome to “workshops work,” the podcast that transforms how professionals engage, inspire, and lead groups. Ranked among the top 5% most popular podcasts globally, it is hosted by Dr Myriam Hadnes, a behavioural economist and facilitation expert. Each episode delves into the techniques and mindsets that make workshops truly impactful.Join us every week as we sit down with world-renowned facilitators and uncover their secrets to creating psychological safety, fostering collaboration, and sparking innovation. Whether you’re a Facilitator, L&D professional, HR leader, manager, coach or trainer, you’ll find practical tips, inspiring stories, and actionable insights to elevate your group dynamics.From navigating conflict to unlocking creativity, “workshops work” blends theory with practice, ensuring you walk away with tools you can immediately apply. Dr Myriam Hadnes doesn’t just interview; she facilitates enriching conversations that shift perspectives and deepen understanding.Subscribe now to change the world, one workshop at a time.
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