A Framework for Enchanting Workshops

part four

Elevate your workshops in fewer iterations.

I’ll introduce a framework you can use to make your workshop more revolutionary.
And – this is key! – they’ll be in line with your values!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4( You are here) | Part 5

When we last left our intrepid explorer: we were talking about how workshops are activism and workshop leaders are activists.

We’re left with the challenge of unhooking from our social conditioning.

Society tilts us toward

When we can examine and challenge our conditioning, there’s a lot more that becomes possible.

You can create the conditions for change to happen within the format of a workshop.

All it takes is a shift in how you think about things.

To achieve these activist-y aspirations and breathe new life into your sessions, I present:

The Prism of ACES!
✨ 🌈 ✨

Prisms show what’s hidden by revealing the parts of a whole.

In this case, the Prism is illuminating the composite parts of a revolutionary workshop: the ACES.

‘ACES’ is an acronym that stands for:
Authenticity Community Engagement Substance

When you look closely, this ahem revolutionary approach is based on ideals that us activism-adjacent folks are probably already familiar with.

Chances are, you’ve already applied at least some of these principles in other areas of your life (like, when you’re; developing workplace policies, dealing with challenging family members, or speaking up while doing community work).

Using the Prism of ACES activates your inner activist and aligns your workshops with your values.

This is a core concept inside my introductory course, but I’ll lay out the basics here for you.

Let’s take them one by one:

Authenticity

is about your truth

The things we care most about often aren’t given adequate attention by mainstream culture.

We can’t simply wait and hope others will address the problems we see. They might not even see them! Even if they do, there’s no guarantee they care the same way we do, or aren’t feeling trapped by pressure to conform and stay quiet.

Open a conversation about the things you wanna talk about. Do it your way.

If you’re joyful, or fearful, or angry, that’s okay – bring the realness. The world needs your full humanity.

(It’s actually hella relatable, and a relief for others to see you going through it too – making it easier for them to do the same.)

It’s a refreshing change from the culture of perfection-chasing.

Easier said than done, I know.

Giving voice to our passions, our stories, and our concerns is huge. And simply being our full selves (without code-switching or adding a shiny, “professional” polish) isn’t always accepted or appreciated.

For some of us, Authenticity alone is a giant form of resistance against mainstream thinking and the status quo.

Live your values, be true to your heart, share your message and let your uniqueness come through. It’s medicine for yourself and others who witness it.

Community

is about Decentralization

We want the conversation to live on, even when we’re not there guiding it.

Community includes layering in the wider world of people that aren’t present at your workshop. Building a web of relationships and connections between folks so the work continues beyond your workshop and doesn’t hinge on just you.

We don’t want to fall victim to the trap of centering ourselves as a gatekeeper or the “knower of all things”.

If we add in teachings from our mentors, inspiration from our muses, and allow participants to do the same, our workshops are much richer, and there are more things for people to explore when the workshop ends.

We want to support a robust network of connections, right? I’m not about that cult-leader life, and I don’t think you are either.

Plus, workshops have more meaning for folks when considerations is given to the impact a problem has (and enacting a solution will have) on their loved ones, too.

Elaborate on how things impact our lives and communities, and figure out solutions as a collective.

It might feel more impactful to talk about the Big, Bad Problem in its entirety, but most people don’t just want to pontificate on theories, they want to put stuff in to practice so something changes..

That's more likely when more perspectives are showcased. You just never know for certain which angle will land with someone.

Workshops have more meaning for folks when considerations is given to the impact a problem has (and enacting a solution will have) on their loved ones, too. .

Decentering yourself from the conversation allows it to be more meaningful and actionable, longer-lasting, and less cult-y.

Engagement

is about DEIB Principles
(Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging)

The content of your workshop is alive, because participants are breathing life into it.

Surface Engagement is an energy vampire of sorts – it takes and takes from your participants, but gives them nothing meaningful back.⚡🧛🏻🩸

(It’s giving…. colonizer)

Real Engagement is about giving them opportunities to interact with the material, their thoughts, and – sometimes – each other. They get insights, a deeper understanding, ideas for actions to take, and human connection.

A much more nourishing exchange. ☀️🌱💧

(When I say ‘Engagement’ I’m referring to real, genuine engagement, not the ‘bought it on Wish’ parasitic equivalent 😉)

The way we get to Real Engagement is by focusing on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB).

Showcase the natural diversity of thinking styles, life experiences, etc that exist within the group.

Add a variety of ways for people to contribute to the experience to create inclusion.

Intentionally build in opportunities for people to shape what happens and share power more equitably.

Engagement allows everyone to feel like they belong, and lets communal wisdom surface.

Substance

is about learning and unlearning

The ACES wouldn’t be complete without making space for some brilliant content. But, we come at it a bit differently.

Substance is, yes, about digging deep into the layers of a topic. However, we prioritize setting it out in a well-considered, brain-friendly way.

The content should be meaningful to the people in the room and be well rounded so that it takes into account a variety of nuances.

What do people think? How do they feel? What does it all mean?

If there’s a historic or systemic angle to explore within your topic, you’re probably exploring that, too.

Being aware of how ideas layer into each other and connect together is only Part one.

Part two is staying present to how the people are responding to what you share, and Parts three through three thousand are adapting as necessary.

Yup. Tons of depth to what you cover together. But you're doing it in a manageable way – overwhelm leads to people shutting down, and that helps no one.

**Think: gently stretching brains, rather than breaking them.**

And remember – because of the other pillars, the onus isn’t completely on you to provide all the value. Other people will be contributing to the substance!

(You know you’ve got this nailed when: you’ve got 30 minutes of planned content left to cover, but only 20 minutes left, and decide against trying to talk faster so you can cram it all in.)

There you have it! A values-based framework for crafting workshops. Quite a different way to think about things, no?

Next - Part 5/5:

In this final section, I’ll tie everything together.

I’ll also name some potential paths you can take, now that you’re familiar with this stuff.