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You're listening to the Enneagram at Work Podcast, a show about understanding people at work, including yourself. I'm your host, Sarah Wallace, and I'm looking forward to diving into this week's episode with you. This episode is coming to you from my back porch. Um, I was gonna say that my back porch recording studio, but I don't have such a thing. It is just a mic and my laptop out here. Um done a couple of tests because we have a very loud bird. We've got some crickets, um, we've got some airplanes sometimes flying over, but I think no matter what sound comes up, I think you can still hear me okay. And um, if the bird happens to start singing again when I listen back, it honestly sounded kind of distant and kind of relaxing. So hopefully you experience it that way as well. But it's just such a nice full afternoon and uh the sun's out, the temperature feels great, and so I thought I'm just gonna get outside and uh talk to you today. So that is where I'm coming from, and what you're going to hear about is a topic on using the Enneagram at a conference type of event. And I'm distinguishing this different than a team workshop because um this is a type of scenario where uh you're bringing together not a team, not individuals that are working together on a regular basis, but rather a diverse group of people from coming from all different types of organizations, maybe different states, maybe different parts of the world, um, coming together for a specific event. And um ideally, I think when I originally listed these, I was imagining some sort of in-person gathering. Uh, but I think that you can modify these ideas to still work with some sort of virtual conference type event that um you might be hosting yourself or on the planning committee and looking for some unique different ways to uh increase engagement and give people a memorable experience. So I have three ideas here um based on my experience, and you are welcome to take them as is, or maybe something that I say spurs another idea for something you could do. Um, so use these uh however, however, is helpful. Um, and then we'll talk about if there is some help that you would like, uh, some professional guidance, um, what we could do here at Enneagram MBA to be a part of potentially your event um in 2024. I know a lot of these conferences start planning uh months, sometimes years ahead of time. Um, and so we're just sharing, sharing some ideas here uh specifically for 2024 events. So the first idea um is just a really simple one. We're gonna start with a simple one um where you are bringing the Enneagram uh to the to the conference as an optional breakout session. And this is something that I did at a um conference like local conference-like event earlier this year out in Atlanta, and uh the attendees had an opportunity to register for the session ahead of time. That way, if they wanted to take the a free Enneagram quiz, they could. So they're coming in with some sort of indication uh of what their type was, but it was an optional track. They got to choose that, and I think they ended up uh capping it based on their room size anyway, like 75 or 100 people. And it was just a way to, you know, add some value to the agenda and be a fun and engaging session on the conference agenda. And so with that one, we did offer um for anybody who signed up, they got an automatic email with a link to take the quiz with some very specific instructions that we worked together to create so that people knew that just because your quiz said you were one way or one type didn't mean you needed to go out and order the mug right away. We would be talking more about it in the session, but to bring your top two or three results to the session to learn more about which one it might end up being. Um, and then we also asked attendees after they completed the quiz, there was a link to complete a short survey of their top type and then their their runner-up type. And then um, that was just something fun to share at the beginning where uh attendees of the workshop could kind of see, oh, you know, this is where I fit in. There's a lot of sixes, or hardly anybody else is a five, and here I'm a five. And so um that was just something fun to do to get an idea of who was in the room, and and people I think also found it kind of fun and just insightful to see where where they landed compared to the rest of the room. So just offering some type of Enneagram, you could do kind of Enneagram introduction. Um, I've also done an Enneagram uh for leadership, Enneagram uh for women's leadership specifically, and I'm gonna actually lead that into the next idea here. So just offering an Enneagram breakout session, breakout room in general could be a fun addition to the conference agenda. The other idea is adding in a breakout to add in an opportunity for those in that session to actually break out in the breakout room. So you could either break out in the breakout room, or this could be a um something that you do as part of a networking event. So there's two kind of ways to use this format of presentation plus breakout session. And either way, um, it gives attendees a chance to just get to know each other, um, whether they are leaving with their exact Enneagram type or not. It just is a way to open up a conversation and kind of have some guidance. You know, we always talk about going to these events and getting to know people and networking, um, but it it can sometimes be a little awkward and sometimes kind of hard just to start, you know, just bringing up, bringing up a conversation, or it can be kind of the the same old, same old, and then you're just getting that surface level uh interaction that's not super meaningful. And so this is a way to add some some meaningful connection and networking. And I love it as uh an addition, uh, you know, having that specific breakout group um component to a presentation so that people can get up, move around, talk to one another. And then I also really like it as a lead-in to a networking event. And so that is what uh another uh event that I did that was specifically for women in finance. They had a women's networking event that evening after the conference, and we kicked off the networking event with an Enneagram presentation with the breakout group idea, and then that just seamlessly led into their cocktail hour, and it was buzzing, people were laughing, um, nobody was hanging out by themselves, sitting awkwardly, you know, trying to find their way into a group. We had already broken out into groups, and so you know, some groups were meshing with other groups, other people were kind of staying within their type group for the moment. Um, and it was just a way to again create some more meaningful connections and make that networking hour a little less awkward, um, a little more fun. And then from what I hear, they they left that cocktail hour, that happy hour, um, still talking about their types, and that kind of led into uh the activities for the rest of the evening. So that's a way to maybe enhance a specific networking cocktail hour that you might have for the event. Um, and then the last one is going to be a little bit more, uh, it's gonna require maybe a little bit more uh time and effort planning on your end, on uh if you are working with some sort of Enneagram professional on their end as well. Um, but I absolutely, absolutely love it. And that is to have all registered attendees include um an Enneagram assessment ahead of time. So this one would be probably the paid version, and then people are getting their results ahead of time, and then you are dividing the groups into kind of some networking circles beforehand. And so, you know, you could do it by type. So if you had a top type, uh select the, you know, select the Enneagram group that you want to uh join going into this conference, and then you'll either feel really validated and confident that yes, this is your type, these are your people, or you might realize that you know what, I'm not sure that these are my people and I'm gonna try another networking circle, or at the event, I may sit with another group to see how that lands there. And I really like this idea because it gives people an opportunity to kind of get the get to know themselves, uh, bring some self-awareness. Maybe you could talk about the Enneagram and your learning style, your communication style going into the event, um, having these small group networking circles, uh, virtual calls happening before the event, and you could assign some Enneagram champions depending on the size of the event. You may need, you know, more than one champion per type, or that champion could lead two or three uh circles, workshop networking workshop circles beforehand. And then going into the event, you have some assigned seating. Um, and and you know, if people don't want to sit there, of course they don't have to, but that way you're you're going in, you've already connected with people before the event, you've already had some laughs, you're you've gained some additional insight about yourself that will hopefully enhance whatever professional development you'll you'll be talking about at the event. Um, and then you're going into the event knowing others, and not just knowing others, you know, kind of awkwardly over a Zoom call, but having shared some some fun, funny and meaningful insight about a specific strategy, personality pattern, um, and how it maybe shows up specifically in your work life. And so that is an idea that I I love because going into these events, sometimes people are are alone. Or what happens is that they do go with a group from work, and then those are the people that they stick with the entire time, and you don't actually get to network or meet new people in a meaningful way. And so um, either situation that you might be in, uh, this kind of breaks up the click, or uh for people going solo, it gives you some help in finding your people um going into the event. So you're not sitting by yourself or awkwardly trying to network. So those are some fun ideas that if you happen to be organizing an event next year, um, bringing people together outside of just your organization, or maybe you hear something. And um, I know that some organizations kind of have their own mini um wellness retreat days. And that is something that I've done with a company as well, larger, large company, and uh they had they kind of ran it like a conference style. So absolutely um taking some of these ideas and and maybe infusing your own ideas and creating something um that would be fun for the for the Enneagram and for attendees to learn more about themselves and and uh be a tool to learn about others and uh get to know others uh in a fun way. So today is short and sweet. Um, but uh I thought this was a fun topic as we do start to kind of plan for these type of events going into a new year, this would be a good time to start just planting some seeds for that. If you have any other ideas or anything really resonated, I'd love to hear from you as always over on LinkedIn or on Instagram, and both of those uh handles or links to connect are in the show notes here. And then if you happen to hear one of these ideas or have an event that cut that's coming up in 2024, and you would like some help going through that experience, planning that experience, delivering that experience, this is this is what I do, this is what I love to do. Um, and would be happy to talk to you about what it might look like specifically for us to work and create something together. So please reach out as well. You can learn more about those conference speaking opportunities with Enneagram MBA over at EnneagramMBA.com. And then there is a form to fill out just to get the process started. And uh we'll we'll look for a time to connect and talk more about your event and and some initial ideas. So, with that, we will be back next week with the last part of our coworker uh series. Are you working with a specific Enneagram type looking at twos, threes, and fours coming up in the in the next few weeks? So keep an eye out for that. Have a great one.