A quick tip for in-person events.
The best way to build relationships, get members to share information, and help everyone enjoy the event, is to ensure they can have the deepest possible conversations with the largest number of people.
It’s hard to do that in a group of 10 where only 1 person can speak at a time.
This format favours the most confident person (or the person least worried about interrupting everyone else).
It limits the explanations people can provide and almost guarantees most people tune out.
It shifts the mentality from sharing something personal in a small group to being judged before a crowd of peers.
A far better format is rotating groups of 3. The difference between a 20-minute discussion where each person speaks for an average of 120 seconds to 9 people and one where each person speaks for 400 seconds to a group of 2 others is huge.
Don’t divide people into large groups. Three is best, five is ok, 10 is five too many.
