Your problem isn't unique - so why is my solution?

Have you done this before?

No. Never.

This question relates to the workshops I facilitate. I am always surprised by people asking if I have run this exact workshop before.

Let's backtrack for a minute.

What are workshops anyway?

Workshops are short & high-impact moments where people are brought together to tackle a complex issue, collaboratively.

It's not a presentation. It's not a meeting. It's not an everyday occurrence.

Over the years, I've designed & run quite a few workshops for varied clients.

From multi-national private organisation executive teams, to small NFP boards, public-sector senior leaders, start-up founders.

From leadership teams to functional teams, all-staff workshops, and even workshops with representatives of dozens of organisations trying to work on a problem together!

Why do I never run the same workshop twice?

Problems and topics can be similar: here a strategy to develop, there a business plan to define, elsewhere a team to focus on customer needs, or a training on innovation. Some of these are cyclical challenges faced regularly by teams, others are inflexion points where an intervention is needed to steer a group through a change of tracks.

So if the topics are similar, why don't solutions follow suit?

Context.

You may not realise it: your context is unique.

While your problem has been faced before & elsewhere, the context that surrounds that problem gives it a unique flavour:

• Different people: What's the background of people involved, their past experience(s) with this topic, their tenure in the organisation? What's been happening recently that influences their thinking? What are the dynamics between people involved with the problem?
• Different organisation: How has this topic been dealt with in the past, what the general level of maturity in this area, what market or internal challenges are most salient at the moment, what internal 'politics' are influencing decisions?
• Different clients: Who will benefit from you addressing this problem, what are their alternatives, how painful has this issue been for them?

As you see, no 2 problems are alike because of that context.

Those contextual factors already give a sense of the level of differentiation required to solve the problem... but then add to that the specific context of running a workshop!

• Different sponsor: what's the appetite for change of the leader sponsoring the workshop, how far are they ready to push participants, what do they hope to achieve by running this workshop, what else are they trying to shift in their team? (there are often "hidden" or underlying goals...)
• Different constraints: and simply... how long is the client able (or ready) to spend on this workshop, how much time can they dedicate to preparation on their end, can it be done in person or remotely (and if in person, what is the space like), etc, etc...

There's more, for sure. But this gives you an idea.

Tailor it or waste it.

Now let's get this straight: workshops are not a magic bullet here to solve all problems. But they might cause more problems than they solve if they are not adapted to your needs.

You could be tempted to ask Chat-GPT for a workshop plan by prompting it with a specific problem to address. I tried it for you, it works impressively well! A plan will pop out, and it makes sense. But it lacks context to deliver the full value of a well-thought-out workshop.

Chat-GPT uses solid building blocks to come up with a workshop plan. The magic happens though when those blocks are modified, moved, assembled, swapped and reimagined to address the contextual factors listed above.

Without tailoring, a workshop will fall flat: it won't connect with the people in the room's background and concerns, and will feel like simply going through the motions.

Customised does not mean 100% new though. Some elements are re-used, e.g. "building blocks", effective activities, and templates. Some elements may be new and never-tested-before because they best fit the unique needs of the day. The way elements are arranged to form a coherent workshop will always be unique.

Don't use a copy-paste solution.

As a leader looking to address a challenge with your team, you may be looking to run a workshop - either yourself or with external help.

Remember that your context matters. If you are going to spend money on external help, make sure you are not throwing a great opportunity to waste by working with someone who will bring you a pre-made solution.

Yes, pre-made is more efficient for the consultant - and may be cheaper for you (although, in my experience, consultants arrogant enough to think their pre-conceived ideas are also arrogant enough to ask for premium fees). But don't be fooled. Go for the ones who understand your needs & context before they put any plans forward.

If you are trying to build your dream home, you will hire an architect who understands you, takes into account the unique location and opportunities of your plot of land, and arranges the "building blocks" of a house in a unique manner fit for your needs.

Or get a copy-paste house plan. It's cheaper. You may just regret it every morning when you wake up and face a wall instead of a window giving you glimpses of morning sunlight over the trees.