From Boring to Interesting - Making Training Effective

Being a good trainer requires experience and skill. Experience comes from practice and skill from learning the theories, applying them, getting feedback and consciously improving.

Some things that will help you improve are:

  • Know your target audience - what's in it for them? What do they expect? Why are they attending your training?
  • Sometimes go back to basics - it's a good chance to reevaluate your performance
  • Find ways to generate interaction and get your participants doing something
  • Provide as much variety as practicable
  • Demonstrate where possible - it will save many words
  • Use humour wherever possible. If associated with analogies, this can help participants recall specifics
  • Consider your training as a marketing exercise When you prepare your session (you DO prepare don't you?) think of it in terms of you having to make a sale. I know this sounds odd, but when you think about it, you are trying to 'sell' someone the ideas you are putting across. So there's much we can learn from the art of salesmanship or marketing.

    Think along the lines of the acronym A - I - D - A which stands for Attention - Interest - Desire - Action. Get attention by making a statement that is bold or give an example of what could happen if they don't do what it is you are about to suggest. For example, if you were about to deliver a road safety talk, you could start off by saying something like, '560 people died on Queensland Roads last year ... what's going to keep you from adding to that statistic?' You may then give them some 'Interesting' statistics about how many of those people were drivers who committed traffic offences. Desire is aroused when we want something - in this case, the solution to NOT becoming a statistic. Then, the Action part might relate to a commitment from them to put into effect what you have taught them.

    The best scenario I have found is to present a problem or predicament, state how the problem can be solved or the predicament can be avoided, present a preferred option and then ask for the action (buying, adopting etc depending on circumstances).

    When planning your session, think about how you can weave AIDA into: Explain, Demonstrate, Question, Practise, Review. It won't be appropriate to every session, but if it can be used, it's a sound option. And remember, if you have a large volume of content, you may need to break it (it's called chunking) into separate chunks each of which has an E-D-Q-P-R.

    Questioning is two-way. You need to question your participants to find out if they understand what you have delivered; they need an opportunity to clear up any doubts they have by questioning you. Your review can be a summary (which also includes Q) or it can be a review at the commencement of a later presentation about a continuing topic.

    When next you are about to prepare a 'chalk and talk' session or perhaps a 'show and tell', think about how you could make it a little more interesting and interactive by using AIDA and EDQPR strategies. You'll be pleasantly surprised at what good ideas you come up with. And it will show in your session evaluation.

    Copyright Robin Henry 2005

    Robin Henry is a human resources and development specialist and Internet marketer. He operates his business, Desert Wave Enteprises, from his home in Central Australia.

    He has written numerous articles, many of which are found at Ezinearticles.com. Others are accessible from his site at http://www.dwave.com.au.

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Don?t Get Down ? Manage Up!

    "Experience is not what happens to a man; it is... Read More

    Encouraging Behavior That Gets Results

    You're the boss, and you have every reason to feel... Read More

    Juggling Demands in an Organization

    JUGGLING DEMANDS: All leaders constantly juggle a multifarious array of... Read More

    Terrible Meetings - Ten Ways to Spot Them!

    Sometimes, better than giving advice about how to run things... Read More

    The Dripping Faucet in Every Organization

    Each day millions of workers spend 8 hours or more... Read More

    The Supervisors 14 Essential Truths For Communicating With Direct Reports

    One amazing, but sadly true, fact of today's advances in... Read More

    Dealing with Difficult People

    You know, this would be a great business if it... Read More

    Biometrics and ?Return On Investment?

    At this time of tight budgets, the mantra of business... Read More

    Its All About The Customers, Baby

    If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers... Read More

    How To Use Outsourcing To Beat Your Competition

    Outsourcing is when you hire outside professionals or services to... Read More

    How to Meet Quality Standards with ISO 9001

    In today's hectic business environment, it is vital that we... Read More

    Managers Who Spend PR $$ Wisely

    If you are a department, division or subsidiary manager, your... Read More

    Improve Operations by Restructuring

    Transitioning from Vertical Hierarchies to Decentralized / Flatter OrganizationsThe need... Read More

    Give Yourself a Boss? Day Gift

    Become a better boss and reap the benefitsAnother interesting study... Read More

    What are Your Best Practices?

    Best Practices StudiesThese studies can be defined as inquiries into... Read More

    The Top 10 Requirements for Your Business to Become and Remain Profitable

    We live in a relentlessly competitive world. The daily pressure... Read More

    Managing People - No More Mr Tough Guy

    I believe the media and our culture sends the wrong... Read More

    Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: An Unexpected Benefit

    This article relates to the Compensation and Benefits competency, commonly... Read More

    DIVERSITY is a BIG word -- With A HUGE Business IMPACT

    Second thought! Just in case. YOU or someone you personally... Read More

    Summertime Blues

    It's hard to believe the year will be half over... Read More

    Knowledge Management - Leadership Behaviours Which Encourage Knowledge-Sharing

    The concept of knowledge management or knowledge sharing makes intellectual... Read More

    How to Leverage Your Strengths for Peak Performance

    Ask almost any business leader how to most effectively develop... Read More

    Communicating When A Crisis Strikes

    How would you handle communication if your business or practice... Read More

    Innovation Management ? Good Leadership

    Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

    Cheat Sheet; Understanding The MSDS and Your Obligations In The Workplace To Employees

    MSDS SHEETSMSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheets. MSDS sheets... Read More

    Recognition: A Quick, Low-cost Way to Motivate Employees

    Recognizing good performance through praise or other positive action is... Read More

    Where Businesses Fall Short

    1. No vision. Successful businesses have a clear vision or... Read More

    Keeping and Motivating the Best Employees

    Keeping and Motivating the Best Employees ... Read More

    Business Knowledge Management

    In the last few years a lot has been written... Read More

    Rapid Culture Change is Possible

    Purpose: Show how immersion leadership training makes strategic initiative success... Read More

    The High, High Price of Distrust

    A paper manufacturer with over 300 employees once announced that... Read More

    Managing After Downsizing

    So, you survived the downsizing. Your company did something that... Read More

    Reflections in the Glass Ceiling

    The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman... Read More