What You Can Do to Have Better Events

We’ve all been in training or workshops that didn’t produce good results, or simply weren’t any fun. Poorly trained facilitators, ill-considered problems, uncomfortable facilities — all can take their toll. But, often, a major factor is you, or rather your attitude and behavior during the event.

At Thinkergy we have developed a list of seven tips for first-time participants in our innovation projects. These tips help ensure that participants quickly start contributing to the project and enjoying themselves, and in the end produce better results. Although these tips focus on innovation, they are adaptable to any project or training.

1. Open up

Few people realize how much we communicate through body language. The next time you attend an event, look at the audience and you will typically see that most people have their arms or legs crossed. These “body blocks” often reflect a closed mind and an unwillingness to open up to anything. At the beginning of an innovation project, we ask people to open up their minds by uncrossing their arms and legs.

2. Focus on content, not process

At Thinkergy, we are experts in the process of innovation. We help you produce meaningful results. But although we have good general business knowledge, we are not experts in your specific business or industry. You’re the expert in your domain. Let us take care of what we’re good at — the process — while you provide your expertise, and together we will create great results.

3. Keep your ego in check

In The No Asshole Rule, Stanford professor Robert Sutton says that egomaniacs, bullies, creeps and jerks not only fail to come up with any original ideas, but also destroy the creativity and quality of ideas of an entire team. It’s a case where one rotten apple really does spoil the entire barrel.

We ask participants to always remember ‘Rule No. 6’ from The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander: “Don’t take yourself so Goddamn seriously.” Stop trying to prove yourself. You’ll have more fun, and you and your innovation teammates will improve.

4. Let go and get into the flow

Once you’ve gained a little humility and accepted that your facilitator is competent, relax. Let us guide you along your innovation journey. Something magical will happen: you will get into flow, and the quality of your thoughts, insights, and ideas will dramatically improve.

5. Stretch yourself

Set unimpressive goals, and you’ll produce small, safe ideas. Pursue challenging, audacious goals, and the courage and effort you employ will produce wondrous, big ideas. As Basil King said, “Be bold, and mighty powers will come to your aid.” At Thinkergy, we believe that boldness is not only more fun; it’s also better.

6. Be energetic and full of passion

Don’t you energetically and passionately give your best when working on important, worthy challenges? We certainly do. That’s why we don’t believe in forcing people to innovate on challenges they don’t believe in. Be passionate and energetic, or don’t bother. If you feel you shouldn’t be there in the first place, you’re probably right.

7. Focus on meaning, not on the bottom line

When producing and evaluating an idea, ask if the idea makes the world a better place, improves people’s lives, and makes meaning. Think about making money from it later. If you try to make meaning, your ideas are likely to also be valuable. But if you start by trying to make money, your ideas, precisely because they are not meaningful, will, ironically, have little value.

What you can do to have better events