Let’s Talk: Round Tables
Joseph Wurcher
Robert Green
AU Program Manager
AU Speaker
Phone Numbers: toll free 866-803-2145 toll 210-795-1099 Passcode: 3909572
ROUND TABLE FORMAT
(What’s the experience like?)
The Format
Time (in Minutes)
-15:00 – 0:00
0:00 – 5:00
5:00 – 80:00 (if AM)
5:00 – 50:00 (if PM)
80:00 – 90:00 (if AM)
50:00 – 60:00 (if PM)
Description of Activity
Pre-Class Rapport
 Arrive early to start building rapport with participants
 Use this time to introduce yourself and learn a little about each one
Welcome & Introduction of topic
Role: Presenter
 Briefly introduce yourself and purpose/focus of the discussion
 Share your guidelines for good discussion
 Don’t spend time on attendee introductions or ice breakers
Discussion
Role: Facilitator
 Engage discussion on each of your key topics
o Approximately 14-15 mins / topic
o Watch clock, stay on schedule to cover all topics
Summary
Role: Facilitator
 Bring together key “take aways” on each of your key topics
o Accomplished through group interaction
 Summarize conclusions at high level
Requirements
•
•
•
•
•
3 -5 Concise, well-defined topics
Cover all topics during discussion
Facilitator Role > It’s not about “You”…It’s about the discussion
Establish a “seek to understand” atmosphere
Spark debate / Acknowledge many points of views / Don’t
lecture
• Fair and equal opportunity to speak
• In depth understanding of topics
• Leave them wanting even more
PREPARATION
Poll slide – Before preparation section
Q. Which best describes how you feel about doing a
round table session at Leadership Forum AU 2012
Answers
 I’ve never done anything like this
 I’m a bit nervous about interacting with the audience
 I feel OK but would love some good pointers
 This will be easy – I’m already a pro
Poll slide – Before preparation section
Q. Which best describes how you feel about doing a
round table session at Leadership Forum AU 2012
Answers
 I’ve never done anything like this
 I’m a bit nervous about interacting with the audience
 I feel OK but would love some good pointers
 This will be easy – I’m already a pro
You can flourish in any environment
if you prepare for it!
Preparation – Key Points
Prepare an agenda that gives you a
foundation yet isn’t so restrictive that you
can’t improvise. To do this:
Preparation – Key Points
Prepare an agenda that gives you a
foundation yet isn’t so restrictive that you
can’t improvise. To do this:
 Consider the executive audience
 Have interesting “conversation starters”
 Have enough topics to carry the session
 Provoke thought about methods
 Deliver new ideas
 Propose (don’t dictate) solutions
Consider the Audience
Remember, your audience is:
 Smart
 Busy
 Well read
 In need of solutions
Consider the Audience
Remember, your audience is:
 Smart
 Busy
 Well read
 In need of solutions
The key: If you can get them to open up they’ll
engage each other and all you’ll have to do is
moderate!
Conversation Starters – Use Questions
Start with consensus questions, stated
neutrally, then divert into discussion.
Like this:
“Haven’t we all had to manage tough
implementations where employees can’t
get motivated?”
Not like this:
“People are just lazy. Here’s how you
manage an implementation.”
Conversation Starters – Use Questions
Start with consensus questions, stated
neutrally, then divert into discussion.
Like this:
“Haven’t we all had to manage tough
implementations where employees can’t
get motivated?”
Not like this:
“People are just lazy. Here’s how you
manage an implementation.”
Conversation Starters – Use Questions
Start with consensus questions, stated
neutrally, then divert into discussion.
Like this:
“Haven’t we all had to manage tough
implementations where employees can’t
get motivated?”
Not like this:
“People are just lazy. Here’s how you
manage an implementation.”
Using PowerPoint
Your basic PowerPoint:
 Standard intro slide
 One slide per topic
 One conversation starter per slide
 Wrap up topic slide
 Contact info slide
Using PowerPoint
Your basic PowerPoint:
 Standard intro slide
 One slide per topic
 One conversation starter per slide
 Wrap up topic slide
 Contact info slide
Don’t box yourself into conclusions with
your PPT. Remember you don’t know
what the group conclusions will be!
Getting Topics in Order
Think about how the
conversation will likely go so
topics transition logically.
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Topic 4
Topic 5
Getting Topics in Order
Think about how the
conversation will likely go so
topics transition logically.
The goal is to make sure the
conceptual flow builds from
topic to topic just like an
organic conversation would.
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Topic 4
Topic 5
Getting Topics in Order
Think about how the
conversation will likely go so
topics transition logically.
The goal is to make sure the
conceptual flow builds from
topic to topic just like an
organic conversation would.
Build your slides
accordingly!
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Topic 4
Topic 5
“Proper Prior Planning
Prevents Poor Performance”
Walter Davis
(my AP physics teacher)
ROOM SET-UP
(What does it look like?)
Room Set-Up
Up to 30 participants
Room Structure
• Table tents – for attendees to write their names
• Projector and Screen
• Flip Chart
Recommended Best Practice
• Scribes (1 -2) – to capture points from discussion
• Flip Chart
• Live MindManager
• Live Word
• Recorder – iPhone or other
• Timer – personal clock or actual person
PRESENTATION
Recording – So You’ll Remember
Ideas:
 Paper flip chart (very low tech)
 iPhone (low tech)
 Portable recorder (medium tech)
 USB recording mic (high tech)
Recording – So You’ll Remember
Ideas:
 iPhone (low tech)
 Portable recorder (medium tech)
 USB recording mic (high tech)
Guidelines:
 Place phone/recorder/mic on centrally located table
 Test record to make sure all voices can be heard
 Use recording as a basis for summary write-ups
Delivery – Check Your Ego
Remember:
 The audience is the star
 You are in a service role
 Facilitate, don’t dominate
 Talk less, listen more
 Ask clarifying questions
EGO
Delivery – The Referee’s Role
As referee you
 Explain the rules
 Keep the game moving
 Allow everyone to participate
 Call time out when needed
 Enforce the rules (if needed)
Delivery – The Referee’s Role
As referee you:
 Explain the rules
 Keep the game moving
 Allow everyone to participate
 Call time out when needed
 Enforce the rules (if needed)
The trick is to do it in a way that people don’t see you as a
referee but more like a friendly moderator.
Delivery Tips – Participant Rules
Here are the participant rules I use:
 When you comment make it snappy
 No long speeches
 No complaining about Autodesk
 Share solutions not gripes
 Talk about what works for you
Delivery Tips – Participant Rules
Here are the participant rules I use:
 When you comment make it snappy
 No long speeches
 No complaining about Autodesk
 Share solutions not gripes
 Talk about what works for you
The goal is to generate lots of cool hints, ideas, and action items
the participants can use later. The goal is not to have an
extended gripe session!
Delivery Tips – Rules for Moderator
Here are the guidelines I use as moderator:
 Keep it moving!
 Moderate, don’t pontificate
 Watch faces for pacing queues
 Discourage chronic talkers
 Encourage quiet people to speak up
 Get solutions flowing
Delivery Tips – Rules for Moderator
Here are the guidelines I use as moderator:
 Keep it moving!
 Moderate, don’t pontificate
 Watch faces for pacing queues
 Discourage chronic talkers (politely)
 Encourage quiet people to speak up
 Get solutions flowing
Create a quick moving, comfortable environment where people
share ideas equally and feel they were the star of the show.
Delivery – Enforcement (Problem Attendees)
If you encounter:
 Chronic talkers
 Chronic gripers
 Distracting behavior
Delivery – Enforcement (Problem Attendees)
If you encounter:
 Chronic talkers
 Chronic gripers
 Distracting behavior
State the problem and politely point out that dominating,
sidetracking or distracting the group isn’t fair to others. Better to
have one person not happy with you than the entire group.
Delivery – Timing is King
Keep it moving:
 Too quick beats too slow
 Keep comments brief
 You can “call on” students for control
 Do NOT let anyone take over
Delivery – Timing is King
Keep it moving:
 Too quick beats too slow
 Keep comments brief
 You can “call on” students for control
 Do NOT let anyone take over
Coping strategies:
 If all else fails say “we need to keep moving” then do so
 If the conversation slows down move to a new topic
 If the conversation starts to repeat move to a new topic
Now Dive In!
Use the concepts we’ve discussed
today and you’ll have blast
moderating your roundtable
sessions!
AFTER YOUR
SESSION
(To be completed by December 15)
Roundtable Summary Brief
Prepare a Summary Brief of Discussion
• From your recording, prepare a Summary Brief of the outcomes and
key takeaways generated around your 5 topics
Template Provided
• A simple template will be provided for easy creation
Upload to AU Website
• Upload through Speaker Resource Center
• Valuable for participants and others
Contact Us!
Joseph Wurcher
joseph.wurcher@autodesk.com
Robert Green
rgreen@cad-manager.com
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in this document. © 2013 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.