Talk Better Together: Hands-On Workshops for Real-World Dialogue
Register now! The first workshop starts tomorrow July 10th!
Dear Friends,
We’re excited to offer a series of summer workshops designed to strengthen your collaborative discussion skills. Whether you're an educator, facilitator, community leader, or simply someone who wants to have better conversations, these sessions will introduce practical tools you can use in the classroom, workplace, or community.
Led by nationally recognized scholar-practitioners, each workshop offers a hands-on, interactive experience grounded in real-world application. And as always, we are committed to ensuring that cost is never a barrier—please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support to attend.
If you haven’t yet, subscribe to our newsletter for free to stay connected—and feel free to share this opportunity with friends and colleagues who might be interested. Let’s keep the conversation growing.
Dr. John G. Igwebuike – Expert in Active Listening
Workshop 1: “Listening to Improve Collaborative Discussion”
Tomorrow! July 10 | 2–4 pm EDT | Small Group | Online
Why John?
Dr. John Igwebuike is a nationally recognized active listening activist, founder of The Lead Listening Institute, and creator of the Guanacaste: Transformational Listening Conference. His TEDx talk on the T.I.M.E. method offers a powerful framework for becoming a better listener. Watch his TEDx Talk – “Strategies for Active Listening.”
What you’ll experience
Identify listening habits that block collaborative discussion
Practice active, speaker-centered listening
Engage with new toolkit activities like “3‑2‑1 Rotation” and Listening Bingo
Reflect on your personal listening style
Show your patriotism and register now with this 50% off discount code: 4thJuly
Dr. Lori L. Britt – Systems Thinking Facilitator for Civic Dialogue
Workshop 2: “Thinking Through Complex Issues to Support Civic Action”
July 17 | 1–3 pm EDT | Small Group | Online
Why Lori?
Dr. Lori Britt, Director of Communication Studies at James Madison University and Co‑Director of ICAD, brings deep expertise in civic dialogue and systems thinking. Her facilitation helps people navigate complexity with care and curiosity.
What you’ll experience
Explore a new CDP Toolkit activity focused on systems-mapping
Unpack civic issues through multiple perspectives
Practice facilitation techniques that support civic action
Support community-level democracy and register now with this 50% off discount code: 4thJuly
Dr. Don Waisanen – Improv Based Civic Innovator
Workshop 3: “Creativity in Collaborative Discussion”
August 7 | 2–4 pm EDT | Small Group | Online
Why Don?
Dr. Don Waisanen, a professor at Baruch College (CUNY) and Columbia University, is a pioneer in using improvisation to strengthen civic discourse. His book, Improv for Democracy, equips leaders to foster creativity, adaptability, and better public conversations.
What you’ll experience
Use improv-informed practices to spark innovation
Break through fixed thinking and habitual group patterns
Build joyful and adaptive discussion habits
Discuss the new Amazon Prime movie, Deep Cover, that explores the intersection of improv comedians and the London underworld. Just kidding, it’s a really bad movie.
Get into some good trouble and register now with this 50% off discount code: 4thJuly
Why These Workshops Stand Out
Each workshop draws on the facilitator’s unique expertise and introduces brand-new toolkit activities from the Collaborative Discussion Project. Perfect for educators, facilitators, civic leaders, and anyone working in groups.
Upcoming Events
Don’t worry, if you can’t make these workshops—we still have a lot of opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate this summer.
Aug 12: Free Webinar—Intro to the Collaborative Discussion Toolkit.
Check out other summer/fall workshops, coach trainings, and webinars on our calendar of events!
Thanks,
Shannon & The Interactivity Foundation Team