Apples and postcards from Croatia
I have just returned from ten days in Zagreb, Croatia where I was delivering a programme for Intesa SanPaolo Card on self-awareness entitled ‘Be useful, be positive, be better.’
What went well?
The delegates were great and really engaged. It’s always a joy to work with a group who are open to new learning experiences and willing to push themselves outside their comfort zones.
I developed an alternative method for exploring the objectives at the start of a session. After I had gone through the objectives on the slides, I wrote them on a flipchart and gave the delegates three coloured dots each. They were then able to vote on which objectives were most important to them by placing their dots next to the objectives. It was a great way of allowing me to see where I could flex the session plan and meet the needs of the delegates.
Even better if?
My knowledge of the language is very limited and I would really like to learn some new phrases to ‘wow’ my audiences. Croatian trainers please get in touch!
Highlights?
I developed a final reflective activity for delegates to think about their next steps.
They could choose: apples to represent a short term goal (the idea is that they keep the apple on their desk until the goal has been completed …. hopefully before the apple starts to go mouldy!); loom bands (made by my entrepreneurial daughter for a small fee) to represent a medium term goal or developing a habit; or a postcard to record a bigger challenge. I will send the postcard to them in six weeks’ time. The activity went down really well with some very personal challenges identified and several of the delegates have given me postcards to post in November.
What next?
Well …. I’m flying out to Croatia again to speak at a conference held by Intesa SanPaolo Card. My topic is Intrapreneurship – thinking differently no matter where you work. Can’t wait! Watch out for my next blog in early November about my conference experience.