Learning Moments

Esther Choy’s idea of using creative job titles to spark conversation is fabulous. In her blog post How to hook your audience’s attention at a networking event she tells how she introduces herself as storyteller when she goes to networking events and how this unusual job title sparks curiosity and conversation.

Agree! I can see how this works very well and can hear interesting small conversations fill the conference room. Having small conversations stimulated by funny job titles is a great connecting activity to start a learning event. In certain learning events, I could imagine going a step further and linking the job title to the event’s topic to make the conversation more specific. I would encourage participants to inquire more deeply about roles and tasks, opportunities and challenges. Eventually a short interview guideline could also help. This again could lead to more interesting conversations – always depending on the purpose of the meeting.

So, let’s give it a try, how would I present myself as facilitator under new creative labels?

A conversation architect

A knowledge gardener

A conversation nurse

I hide the PowerPoint presentations and make people talk with each other

A midwife for Aha moments

I connect people and ideas

A travel guide for those who are exhausted by boring meetings

Fitness trainer for conversations

I am dealing interactions

I am curious to know what kind of conversation I would spark with my fancy job title. I will try this out. How about you?

Related stories

• Tree ring by tree ring; or how knowledge management helps grow “learning rings”
• Using a metaphor for explaining what it means to be the facilitator
• Yes you can facilitate this!