Posted: July 13, 2024

What I would differently next workshop

It doesn't matter how thoroughly you plan. Your heart drops. You realise you completely forgot to prepare an essential part of the meeting. Of course, your supervisor wants to see all the results, not just the ones you thought were interesting. Or: Oh, these Earth scientists have never heard of these computer science terms, have they? Not super big mistakes, but still, you think, "Oh shit, I wish I had done XYZ."

Well, that feeling sucks. But the tension wanes pretty fast, and with it, the ideas that crossed our minds. That's a shame: these fleeting insights carry useful information to improve our next event/present/meeting. I've felt this rise in heartbeat and rush of blood to my cheeks many times during my PhD. To squeeze as much out of the PhD experience as possible, I resolve to turn these moments into something good. I want to magically transform "I'm ashamed I did something wrong" into "This is an opportunity to improve".

In my last blog, I shared a few tips I learned from organising an academic workshop. I wrote about the positive experiences I will repeat in the next workshop. But there's also a flip side: things I would change because I completely overlooked them. So, I will expose my vulnerable side and share 4 of these "oh no" moments with you. With a swish of our wands, we'll transfigure them into tips for next time.

Welcome slide

The first time I realised I had forgotten something was before the workshop started. People were dripping into the anonymous-looking lecture room. Curious faces peered through the glass lecture room walls, wondering whether they had entered the right room. I wished I had put up a slide advertising the workshop title. A simple slide would have taken a lot of doubts away. It would have been so easy to do that it made me feel a little stupid. I'm definitely making a slide next time.

Speaker introductions

The second "oh shit" came when I introduced the first speakers. I was stumbling over my words. While talking, I realised I didn't know what I wanted to say or how to introduce the speakers. It had never occurred to me that you can prepare speaker introductions just as you prepare and practice presentations. Preparation would definitely have made me more confident. A nice introduction would make the speakers feel extra appreciated. Sigh, missed opportunity. Next time, I'll prepare and practice introductions for each speaker.

Presentation time management

The third mini-panic hit was when I realised I never discussed time management with the speakers. I think I forgot because our research group has an established system. We use timers that mercilessly beep when you have to stop talking. This oversight upset me because I felt out of control of the agenda. I didn't have a polite way to communicate timing with the speakers. Still, I really wanted to avoid talks going over time. Nobody likes when that happens, and speakers should be able to know how much time they have left. Next time, I will agree with the speakers on some hand signals or cards with the remaining time written on them.

Making a group photo

Oopsie number four. I was writing the thank-you email and realised, stupidly, that we hadn't made a group picture. I had nothing to post to remember the workshop, which was a bloody shame. Honestly, I felt too awkward to ask people to gather for a picture as if it was a big ask. Dum-dum bring me gum-gum? Well, I got a few photos back from the thank-you email. The workshop participants saved my back here! Next time, though, I should not worry so much and take that group picture.

Changing for the better

Admittedly, none of these moments were colossal fuck-ups. You can laugh at me; this is how my perfectionist brain works. But here's to change: let's focus on the lessons. I learned four things that I had missed but can now be part of my following workshop preparation:

Make a title slide and put it up before the workshop starts;
Practice introducing your speakers so you know what to say;
Think of signals to communicate how long the speakers have left, and let the speakers know about them.
Make a group picture or ask someone to do it!

Mistakes and oversights are okay. Emotions are information, even that sinking feeling in your stomach. Still, I'm a perfectionist, and making mistakes scares me. I hope practicing turning mistakes into something useful will make me less scared of mistakes next time and improve my next workshop along the way.