Variation
One alternative to hand-picking participants is to select a random sample of individu-
als for this first meeting. Select both individuals who are likely to be supportive and
interested in attending, as well as individuals who are skeptical. In your initial meeting,
outline the goals of the program and ask them to tell you what they hope to get out
of the workshop. We have found that participants who have been preselected often
become promoters of the program. You may choose to communicate directly with the
participants via E-mail.
Trainer’s Notes for Activity 1
ADVANCE PREPARATION
Develop your workshop plan, based on the information you already have
about the organization and the individuals who will be participating.
Draft and send out a letter to participants that explains the purpose of the
workshop and provides details about the workshop meeting (time, location,
purpose of workshop, and so forth).STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
Step 1: Introduce yourself and outline your qualifications as a leadership expert.Step 2: Explain the goals of the workshop.
Step 3: Ask participants to share what they hope or need to get out of the
workshop.Step 4: Select a short activity that will give people an idea of what the typical
workshop will be like (perhaps one of the warm-up activities found in this
chapter, such as “Leadership Shield” or “Make It Rhyme with Leader”).
For example, “Leadership Shield,” with its active art project component,
has been found to be a great activity for mixed gender groups.
Step 5: Explain the workshop arrangements: directions to the site, beginning
and ending times, appropriate attire, refreshments, how you will handle
interruptions (beepers, messages), and so on.LAY THE GROUNDWORK, ENERGIZE PARTICIPANTS, AND THEN CLOSE^5