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  • A “Train the Trainer” Tip: Start Your Sessions With a Bang

    istock_000009305487xsmall3by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    What’s the best way to assure your training participants groan inwardly and “turn off” when you first open your mouth? Simply by doing what you’ve always been told: By introducing yourself and providing your credentials.

    Why not generate your audience’s curiosity, interest, and investment from the outset? Use a “Hook” before introducing yourself or your professional credentials. If your hook is well-crafted, you will have already gained credibility when you do introduce yourself. The participants will be much more open to hearing your message.

    What is a Hook?
    First, what a hook is NOT:

    • An extended exercise or activity
    • An irrelevant joke
    • An apology of any kind
    • A meandering, “off-the-cuff” mumble meant to make YOU more comfortable in front of the class.

    A Hook is a short, carefully crafted statement that indicates you know who your audience is and what they care about. It should elicit some sort of emotion in your listeners, whether that is quiet reflection, hilarious recognition of a feeling or situation, or sorrow. The emotion doesn’t have to be “positive.” But it must resonate with your audience and its memories or experiences, while being relevant to your subject.

    Three Ideas for Powerful Hooks

    Quickie Quiz:
    Create a 3-5-question quiz and ask participants to take it the minute they sit down. It’s best if the questions are slightly provocative or controversial. Throughout the class, answer and clarify the issues.

    Here’s a “real-life” example currently being used in a Risk Management class for supervisors:
    •    What percentage of claims and incidents filed against this company were closed last year without payment?
    30%
    50%
    80%
    •    If an employee is sued because of an act s/he committed within the scope of their duties, the employee must provide his/her own legal defense. (T/F)
    •    This company is self-insured for Auto Liability and General Liability. (T/F)

    Questions
    Carefully constructed questions are often the easiest and most powerful “Hooks.” Questions can begin with the words “How many here have…?” or “Did you know that…?” Your question should demand a physical response from the participants, such as nodding, raising hands, even standing up.

    Visualization
    This technique gives even “dry” subjects the emotional content you need to hook the learners’ interest.

    Here’s a real-life example of a visualization “Hook” from a supervisory class on wage and hour laws: “Close your eyes and imagine that you are a 10 year old child in the 1930’s working in a factory 12 hours a day, 60 hours a week for 10 cents an hour. You’ve never seen the inside of a school…your feet are cold and you get just one meal break a day. How do you feel?” Ask the participants to open their eyes. Debrief thoughts and feelings; connect to the course topic and state the learning outcomes.

    Remember: to keep your audience actively engaged from the get-go, you must HOOK their interest in the first few minutes of class. Wait until they’re hooked to introduce yourself!

    Read more articles to boost your Training Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Train the Trainer Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • The Seven Laws of Training: What Managers Must Know

    Training Managerby Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    You oversee training and possibly deliver it. How can you ensure that your agency’s training actually improves workplace performance? (more…)

  • How to Blow Your Credibility from the “Get-Go”

    When you are speaking in front of a group, do you really want to blow your relationship with the audience immediately? These two common presentation behaviors will help to ensure that you do!

    Myth #1: You should start a presentation by thanking your audience or your hosts

    Picture it: You’ve prepared carefully and are about to present. The first words to your audience as you take the stage? “Thank you. I’m glad to be here,” or something similar.

    These words serve many purposes. Quite possibly, you are not really thanking anyone. Instead, you are using the words to ease your way into your position as presenter. You say the words mechanically, not really hearing them yourself, as you peer at the crowd (or not) and shuffle your papers.

    Your attempt is to make yourself comfortable by uttering “Thank you.” Meanwhile, your audience has experienced this robotic opening so many times that:

    1. They don’t really hear it.
    2. “Thank you” means nothing.
    3. They start to tune you out-and you haven’t even started!

    You’ve already wasted an opportunity to connect with your audience, just so that YOU could take a stab at feeling more comfortable as you begin to speak. Was it worth it?

    What to Remember
    Your presentation actually begins two minutes before you take the stage. You should have slipped into your “presenter persona” before you are even introduced. This persona is the authentic YOU—but a little more so. You are alive with energy–pumped up, feeling powerful, and ready to go.

    Within just ten seconds after your taking the stage, you should have engaged your audience’s attention and interest. Simply saying “Thank you, etc., etc., ” won’t accomplish that.

    What to Do
    Take the stage. Stand for 1-2 seconds in silence. Stay connected with your body. Be totally present. Feel your feet, quads, spine, and chest. Fill your body with breath and strength. Breathe, smile, and connect with your audience. Look at audience members and “make friends” with them nonverbally.

    THEN open your mouth to speak. Engage your audience with an anecdote, question, or mental exercise. Be sure that this opening leads fluidly into the body of your presentation.

    To ensure that those first precious moments enhance your presentation and credibility, practice the first few minutes of your presentation at least 4-6 times prior to “showtime.” Your practice should take place in front of a mirror. Begin with pretending that you hear yourself being introduced (or get your spouse or friend to introduce you.)

    Make the motions of getting out of a chair and walking to the front of the room. Then take the stage, and follow the instructions above.

    Why?
    By centering yourself before speaking, you don’t need to fall back on clichés. And when you actually do thank your audience and/or hosts at the end of your presentation, your words will be much more heartfelt, authentic, and heard.

    Myth #2: You should move about as you present

    “You’ve got to be kidding!” I can hear some readers saying. “Some of the best presenters I had in college walked as they talked.” Others will say, “Look, I move around when I give a presentation. It keeps the audience awake!”

    What to Remember
    There is conscious, or deliberate, movement—and then there is its opposite. Many speakers (especially males) demonstrate a kind of unfocused, rambling, back-and-forth movement with their feet. This distracts enormously from their message.

    Focused movement has to do with centering yourself as a speaker. When your mind is jumbled and jumping from thought to thought, you are more likely to move about in a jumbled, unfocused way. When you are truly invested in what you are saying, AND connected via eye contact to your audience, your focus is clearer. You are less apt to aimlessly wander.

    Remember, it’s good to gesture with your arms and hands to enhance the meaning of your words. It is not good to wander the stage as you think out loud.

    What to Do
    Become aware of WHY you are moving. Do you want to address another part of the audience? It’s totally acceptable to move from one side of the stage to another, but then you must STOP to make your point. Gesture dramatically with the top half of your body. Use your hands, arms, and torso. But keep your feet still as you make your important points.

    The best suggestion is simply this: Be interested and invested in what you are saying, and say it directly to the audience as if they were a friend. Chances are, you won’t “wiggle around” so much with this mindset.

    Why?
    Aristotle paced the Lyceum when he was teaching, and Kierkegaard was a proponent of walking while he thought aloud. But today’s world, it’s all about connection with the audience. This means that you face your audience directly and securely, no “bobbling” allowed.

    In Conclusion

    The underlying message of both these Myth-Busters is this: Presenters, be Present! Be 100% “there” for your audience, both physically and mentally.

    Remember that your presentation begins minutes before you take the stage. Get centered and focused before you start talking…and beware of your “wandering ways.”

    Boost your Training Skills with a workshop from Guila. We can also help you improve your  Facilitation and Presentation Skills.

    © Guila Muir.

  • How Do You Know They Know? Designing In-Class Assessment

    How serious are you about your students actually learning? Most of us would say, “VERY serious!” Yet many trainers and instructional designers actually have no idea what, and even if, participants have learned by the end of a session.

    Because trainers operate in organizations and businesses, we typically don’t issue grades. Even in preparing participants for a performance test down the line, we often don’t do a good job of checking in along the way. At best, many trainers rely on “Happy Sheets,” the end-of-class evaluations that mainly determine if the training room was too warm, or the coffee not warm enough.

    It’s hard to know if this lack of attention to assessment in organizational learning can be traced to lethargy, lack of knowledge about how adults learn, or the culture of corporate training itself. Whatever its root, “Warning! Warning!” as the Lost in Space robot used to say on TV. Assessment is so integral to learning that if we don’t do it, we cannot claim to be serious about our participants actually learning.

    The Real Test
    Jane Vella, founder of Global Learning Partners, answers the question, “How do they know they know?” with this answer: “Because they did it!”

    Certainly, the ability to perform is the real assessment of learning. Can the participants do what you promised them they’d be able to do when you developed the learning objectives?

    Although performance is the real test, many corporate trainers don’t have the luxury of following their participants when they return to the workplace. Once they leave our classrooms, it’s impossible for many of us to observe how well participants actually use the new skills.

    Assessment AS Learning
    Research shows that students learn better when they receive feedback early and often. When trainers use in-class assessments, they are able to provide this feedback. The best assessment exercises are fun and engaging (forget the dreaded pop quiz!)

    Try one of these in-class assessment techniques to enrich your training.

    Three Tips for In-Class Assessment
    Tip #1: One-Minute Paper

    When to Use: Midway or later in a training session.

    After delivering important content, ask the participants to write their reflections for a solid minute. Reflections can include how they will actually apply the information, their thoughts and feelings, challenges, etc.

    Collect the (anonymous) papers, read to self, and respond if appropriate.

    Tip #2: Two Insights, One Area of Confusion

    When to Use: Midway or later in a training session.

    Have participants write two insights and one area of confusion based on the information you have provided. Either collect and address in the next module, or have participants read these to a partner, then discuss issues as a class.

    Tip #3: Using Learning Objectives as Assessment Points

    When to Use: Throughout the session.

    Ask a variety of prepared questions based on the session’s learning objectives either to the whole group, or to subgroups.

    Remember: Assessment is part of learning. It’s not an add-on, and it’s not “just for show.” Integrate in-class assessments into your training sessions, and watch the learning soar!

    Read more articles to boost your Training Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Train the Trainer Workshops .

    © Guila Muir.

  • So You Want to Do a Seminar!

    Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner? Have you been asked to present at a professional conference? Giving a great seminar can increase your business, your status, and your memorability. Yet most professionals don’t feel 100% comfortable with their ability to develop and deliver an effective seminar.

    Here are 3 tips to ensure your “Seminar Success.”

    1. Choose three points you MUST get across.
    Before developing visuals of any kind, or even an outline of your talk, determine its three most essential points. These points must mean something to your audience, not just be sales incentives. Design your presentation around these points. Stick to them.

    2. Don’t waste time with fluff.
    Grab your audience from the get-go. Don’t bother to tell them how nice it is to be there, or mention the weather. The first three minutes are essential to your success. Make these minutes count by making them meaningful to the audience.

    3. Conclude with a call to action.
    It’s not enough to leave people excited. Challenge them with a concrete action. Also offer a “real” resource (a free consultation, an article, something that will help them–no strings attached.)

    Seminars are a prime marketing tool. Follow the tips above and make the most of this opportunity!

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • “I Thought I Would Die!” How to Deal With Stage Fright

    First, let’s surface what you probably already know:

    • Americans rank the fear of public speaking far above the fear of death (41% to 19%, respectably.) Way overused by speaking coaches, this statistic was first reported by the London Times in 1973 in a survey of 3,000 Americans.

    • No one has actually ever died from public speaking (except, perhaps, William H. Harrison, the ninth president of the United States. He died of pneumonia soon after delivering a two-hour inauguration speech outdoors in the winter without a coat or hat.)

    • “Butterflies can be your friends.” (Admit it — you DO know this, at least intellectually.)

    Yet: do your hands still sweat at the mere idea of speaking in public? Does your stomach flip-flop? Do you avoid public speaking at all costs?

    Well, bad news first: there is no golden bullet for stage fright. Although some fearful speakers swallow beta-blockers (drugs developed to manage cardiac arrhythmias,) the reality is that no outside intervention will reliably rescue you. Which brings us to the good news!

    You are capable of dealing with stage fright. The antidote lies within you. And, surprisingly, the antidote is not only to practice, practice, practice! (Although you must practice a presentation at least 4-6 times to feel proficient anyway.)

    Three Guidelines
    If you’re serious about changing your pattern of stage fight, I’d like you to make a commitment: Take some time to read and reflect on these guidelines before running off to the next activity on your “to-do” list. If you give yourself time to fully integrate them, I guarantee that you will feel more comfortable the next time you present.

    Guideline #1
    To quote speaking guru Jean Hamilton: “Become friends with the part of you that is scared.”

    In order to change our patterns, we need to accept our whole selves. Too often, my clients truly hate the part of themselves that is nervous. They’re incredibly hard on themselves! These clients end up being “nervous about being nervous,” compounding their discomfort and alienation. This downward spiral quite neatly lays the groundwork for a dreaded “out-of-body” experience when they present.

    To quote Hamilton again: “Often the scared part of ourselves is diligent; it really wants to do a good job. It has a lot of energy, and it can also be vulnerable. Diligence, energy, and vulnerability are valuable assets to a presenter.” In fact, add “authenticity” to that list of characteristics, and you’ve got all it takes to be an effective, dynamic presenter.

    Love that part of yourself that is scared. Don’t reject it. You may even want to give it a name, and to picture what it looks like. Then accept it. You will feel more whole, stronger, and more full of integrity.

    One more quote from Hamilton: “When your scared part begins to realize its value, it can begin to relax.”

    Guideline #2
    Be clear on the purpose of your presentation.

    If you’re not able to state the purpose clearly in one short sentence, starting with “The purpose of my presentation is to…”, DON’T give the presentation. Nothing will make you more obscenely nervous than feeling unclear about your presentation’s ultimate goal.

    Remember—your goal is NOT to overcome fear itself. Instead, your goal is to design and deliver an effective message. Suggestion: if given a choice between taking a class on “body language for presenters,” and “how to design a presentation,” choose the class on design, hands-down. A well-designed speech with a clear purpose is one of the most powerful antidotes to fear you will ever possess.

    Guideline #3
    Keep yourself physically fit.

    Physical fitness reduces anxiety. It’s as simple as that. A state of fitness simply means that your heart and lungs are able to get enough oxygen—and if there’s anything we need to think and present effectively, it’s oxygen. Oxygen soothes nerves and increases our resilience as speakers.

    I often tell my clients “It’s not what size you are, it’s how fit you are.” Many, many studies make a clear link between fitness and lowered anxiety in general—and nowhere does this become clearer than during the stress of a presentation.

    Whatever physical exercise you like to do—do it, and do it regularly. Your lowered blood pressure, heightened endurance, and increased flexibility will act as a “shield” against an attack of nerves.

    That’s It!
    Let these three suggestions guide you as you prepare for your next presentation. Remember, the antidote to nervousness is not “out there” somewhere…the keys are already inside of you.

    Read more articles about Presentation Skills. Learn about Guila Muir’s Presentation Skills Workshops.

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great presenter: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • 3 Tips to Tame Unruly Meetings, Part Two

    by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    The Prickly Role of Meeting Guidelines

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  • Presentation Skills: Can Dreaded “Ers” and “Ums” Actually be Positive ?

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  • RULES? Who Needs RULES? Part One

    by Guila Muir
    info@guilamuir.com

    The prickly role of Meeting Guidelines (more…)

  • 3 Presentation Positions to Avoid

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