As the subject expert in HR, as a generalist or with specific interests, you can sit down with a person, give them the information they need to make an informed decision, clarify what they will need to provide for you to be able to operate and agree what you will achieve for them as your part of the process. It's a time consuming process going one-by-one through potential clients.
But what if you could cover those first two points with 8 people all at once? Or 12, or 20, or 30 people? That's what a workshop achieves.
The people paying to attend the workshop get genuinely useful guidance that will benefit their business. After all, the workshop has to be worth their attending.
The other crucial understanding they get from the workshop is where the line is drawn, the point at which outside professional expertise is required. And which professional expert will they come to? The one who has given them a day's worth of valuable insight and spent that day demonstrating those expertise. You are already THEIR subject expert - and they come to you knowing already what to bring to get things moving, allowing you to get on with the actual skilled work you get paid for.
When you are a subject expert, particularly in an area that carries some serious legal or financial implications such as HR, a potential client with NO knowledge might even be a risk to you and will certainly increase your workload without increasing your profitability. An informed client wastes less of your valuable time.
And the problem? Just because you're the subject expert, that doesn't mean you want to give a talk to 30 strangers in a big room...
Well, forget about giving a talk. A workshop is about activity and exercises, interacting and sharing ideas - and that is where I am the subject expert. Your main role is when participants are feeding back on exercises: so it might be a small group saying "these are the five key risks we came up with", and you comment on each of their points, confirming or reviewing their conclusions as appropriate. It's really just the same as you do on a 1-1 basis with a client now. Getting the participants engaged, keeping the workshop flowing and managing the exercises is all part of the facilitation and is down to me.
That said, if you DO like a bit of spotlight time, we can be flexible.
The Process
The Business
There are two models for this. Either we share the costs and income for the workshops, or you engage me as the facilitator for a fixed fee. There are pros and cons for each and we can discuss which is most suitable, along with venue requirements and options (I'm not affiliated to any venue, so this is entirely open to agreement).
The only thing I haven't mentioned is that workshops are ENJOYABLE. They are great ways of getting to know clients, they are networking without that forced feeling that networking events often have. Everybody taking part is meeting new people in a relaxed, engaging environment; and the main topic of conversation is YOU and how well you know your stuff.
Really, what could be better than that?
To discuss some ideas, get in touch through this website, or directly at [email protected], 07780 944310.
This is a model that works for finance & accountancy, health & safety and personal development and wellbeing too.
Thanks for your time.
Ivor.R.
Training that's all about engagement - whatever the subject...
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