The following is a list of the tips and techniques that were brainstormed at the LETG Conference in November 2005 – it is also appearing concurrently in the LETG July 2006 booklet (many thanks to Patrick McCann and the LETG for permission to reproduce it). The workshop (which ran twice) was called “21 toptips to ensure effective, enthusiastic interaction in your training events!”
The ideas which emerged have been edited into a logical order with a degree of repetition to spark ideas. The best ideas are highlighted in red. The key themes were: interactivity, variety and fun.
The other underlying message was: if you are going to do it, do it well. Invest time in each and every training interaction by way of preparation and follow-up in order to extract the maximum value from it.
(A) BEFORE
1. Define outcomes and work backwards
2. Put more effort into identifying who the participants will be
- What will motivate them? (junior / senior)
- Is it wise to have seniors there if they stifle juniors?
- Do they all know each other? Name tents
- Get to know their individual needs (tailor programme to participants)
- Ask them in advance what they want (provided you put it into the session)
- Ask for hot topics in advance
- Meet participants first – helps to spot difficulties and plan groups
- One-on-ones in advance (face-to-face meetings)
- Be aware of international audiences and plan accordingly
- Communication strategy beforehand: “why am I being invited to this?”
- Psychometric / team-building questionnaires and assessments – benchmarking of knowledge / individual questionnaires
- Tell people who else is coming to get them excited (e.g. multi-site firm – so the training is an opportunity to meet up with people they know from other offices)
3. Involve influential people
- Get them to sponsor the programme
- Brief them in advance so they are on your side
- Get participants’ superiors involved
4. Pre-programme preparation
- Set a fun activity that reflects programme topic – e.g. client care: give everyone £5 to spend on something (e.g. Starbucks) and then report back on the service they received
- Reading of materials plus questionnaire
- Setting a research activity
- Prepare a pack to critique and then share with group results / discussion
- “Show and tell” – bring an object (e.g. represents the firm) and explain choice
- Bring an object to sell to the others (negotiation course)
- Bring a written piece for review in the session
- Use e-learning to introduce technical material which is then investigated in-depth during the session
- Quest
- Pre-empt hot topics
5. Materials
- Quality materials
- Pre-reading for the theorists (shape the materials to cater for learning
styles) - BUT risky if leads to mismatch of knowledge – so make it issues-based
- Provide video clip or visual as a taster of what to expect
6. Venue
- Look of the place
- Interesting venue
- Natural light
- Layout (theatre, cabaret, etc.)
- Plan accordingly
- Catering – make sure food / refreshment is available (no pasta!)
- Create a comfortable environment that means attendees feel safe and secure
7. Rehearse
- Check equipment
- Dry run
8. Consider length / time of day
- Bite-sized chunks may be better than one long session
- Breakfast / evening / lunchtime
(B) DURING
9. Big bang opening
- As an icebreaker, bring in a block of ice and break it up (true story!)
- “Mission Impossible” theme – music / shades, film, mission envelope
10. Positioning it
- Tell them bite-sized introduction points – what you will get out of it
- Set out ground rules
- Tailor the opening to the audience
- What do they want?
- Get them talking up front
- Get everyone to say something
- Self-assess at start (competence between 1 and 10, then repeat at end and 6 months later)
- Provide overview but not too structured
- Laugh at the trainer – shows that laying yourself open = OK
- Build confidence – what will make someone look good
11. Reverse the message
- Flag up the negative side of not doing it
- How not to present
- How not to provide client service
- Get participants to identify the opposite (good for acknowledging any
cynicism)
12. Using all the senses / different media
- Bringing crude oil (smell) into an oil & gas seminar
- Video clips, radio
- Change the media every 2 minutes
- Use of music to reflect mood / tempo of workshop activity
- Guest speaker
- Avoid over-detailed PowerPoint slides
- Graphic analogies (e.g. speed-dating for networking; and how do you stop your spouse having an affair for CRM)
- Singing
13. Spot the Elvis quote
- Speaker drops in quotes from pop songs (or Churchill speeches if it’s a humourless partner) and participants have to stick hand in air when they hear one
14. Role play
- Use actors
- Don’t use actors
- Forum theatre – get participants to critique and then have a go themselves(“goldfish bowl”)
- Video what they do and play it back (e.g. role-playing a fee quote for a client – edit them together) – before / during / after – but build it up slowly to gain confidence
- Test skills in the room – effectiveness
- Involve everyone / get everyone to talk – use open questions
15. Physical movement
- Get participants working solo, in pairs groups, break participants into different groups
- Get groups to nominate speakers who stand up to present
- Line up in order of: birthdays, how shiny shoes are
- Sign language
- Change environment (move rooms)
- Play games (keyword bingo)
16. Real-life examples
- Sharing stories – link to content of session – what actually happened / what should have happened
- Make it real – case studies
- Use anecdotes to encourage laughter
- Bring out personal experiences
- Identifying best practice
- Contextualise session content
17. Competitive element
- Collect credits (tickets – raffle) – e.g. for arriving on time
- Memory test
- Fun test / quiz
- Problem-solving
- Project
- Reward / recognition
18. Outside the comfort zone
- Unpredictability – so participants don’t know what to expect – keep them in the dark, keeps them on their toes
- Shock tactics (role play, video can be a shock)
- Picking on people (so they do the prep. work)
- No such thing as a right answer (as opposed to no wrong answers)
19. Action planning
- Stump speech: every participant says what they commit to do after
- Follow-up with buddy
- Peer support group
- Tri-partite coaching: coach; coachee; “enforcer” to make sure things
happen
(C) AFTER
20. Immediate follow-up to check understanding
- Anonymous feedback
- Make it easy for participants – e.g. on-line
- Video review (day after) – highlights and lowlights
- Q&A session
- Discussion with supervisor to check (1) what learnt and (2) how to apply to role
- Homework
- Email from managing partner asking you a question re training
- Two-stage session with home work in between and personal feedback on it
- Reward – choc bar through post / champagne / drinks
21. Subsequent follow-up
- Tele-classes – refresher courses by telephone
- Conference calls to share challenges and experiences (1 month, 3 month)
- Chat room / email circulation
- Survey
- Test / quiz (multiple choice) – use before / at end / 6 months after
- Follow-up telephone call
- Skills day / lunch
- Mentoring / coaching
- Feedback gained personally about improvements for next time (not just happy sheets)
- Reinforcement of learning (step-by-step) – putting it into practice – e.g. mocked-up social situation to practise networking
- Speak to line managers to give feedback on application of learning
- Follow-up tasks – e.g. presentation skills: go and do a presentation
- 6 months after, send out self-assessment to report / evaluate changes
Chris Stoakes, Sherwood PSF Consulting
