Workshops
Social Café: Facilitated Networking Session, 2 Hours
Takeaways:
1. Each attendee will have the opportunity to individually meet, speak with and discuss hot topics with approximately 12 people during small group experiences. This is attendee driven, 90% of the 2-hour session time is spent in conversation with peers.
2. Attendees appreciate the safety of the small group and the opportunity to share and listen to colleagues.
3. Time flies because the session is dynamic. Guests are awake, moving around, and meeting new people.
4. This is a meaningful and easy way to introduce professionals to each other that accelerates communication and the sharing of ideas.
The Day of the Workshop
Room Set Up
50 – 4 Top (round or square) tables and chairs, tablecloths, 1 wireless mic and 2-3 runners with handheld mics for audience interaction.
On Each Table
Butcherblock paper (tan or white) with markers, stickers, anything fun to write or decorate with, and fun candy (optional)
Pre-session Set-up (optional)
Ask attendes to bring business cards and/or have their LinkedIn QR code pulled up and ready to share with peers.
How it Works
· The facilitator welcomes the large group and provides a short introduction. Provides instruction on how the session will unfold and asks for each table to identify a host. Small group participants introduce themselves to their fellow table mates.
· A question is offered up to the group for discussion and 15 minutes is allotted for each table to discuss among themselves. The host and anyone else at the table will write down insights, key learnings, and themes on the paper. The facilitator stops the conversation. Elicits insights from the group as a whole. Runners walk around and provide a microphone so the entire room can hear answers. The facilitator points out common themes. Large group discussion takes about 10 minutes.
· Beth gives careful consideration to how the group questions are organized. The exact questions are determined with event organized depending on meeting objectives. Questions should build on each other and would ideally be sophisticated questions designed for the specialized audience.
· Next, instructions are given for all of the hosts to stay seated and everyone else in the room gets up to migrate to a new table to join new people. The host shares insights from the 1st round.
· The facilitator asks everyone to introduce themselves at their tables and offers up a new question that builds on the last. The entire process gets repeated 3 more times. This will take 2 hours.