Have you ever been in situations, where you were part of a training session that bored you to death?
I am sure each one of us has had such a painful experience. Won’t be surprised to know, if you had one too many. Now imagine if YOU had to deliver a training workshop and had to make it interesting for your audience. What would you do? Here are some recommendations to look at:
1. Be interesting
You cannot make a workshop interesting unless you are interesting enough. It’s important to take the workshop seriously but that doesn’t mean that you need to be serious all the time. A smile always helps. Be humble, talk simple and make learning fun. Remember, being professional doesn’t mean you have to be formal.
2. The Element of Surprise
We all love surprises. You can surprise your audience in many creative ways. At times you may start with a thought provoking question; for instance, “how many managers here would want to go back from this workshop as leaders?” You many also use giveaways such as chocolates, key chains, pens, etc. to reward active participation. At times, even casual dressing may help to lighten the atmosphere and break the ice.
3. Encourage Participation
Now this one is easier said than done. Unfortunately, a lot of trainers love their voice so much that they end up denying participants a chance to speak. Remember it’s not about you, it’s about THEM. Ask questions, encourage opinions, discuss ideas, recommend solutions and above all demonstrate enthusiasm. If you, the facilitator is not enjoying it, nobody else will.
4. Emphasize on “learning by doing”
Your participants are not some devotees who are longing to seek advice from a spiritual guru. They are professionals looking for practical solutions through action oriented learning. Use activities & games that engage the audience and have a strong point. Make the activity sharper with a proper brief and debrief about the same.
5. Use diverse media
Most of us learn effectively through visuals, imagery and audio-visual tools. Creative use of movie clips and advertisements not only makes the content exciting to learn but also adds a different flavor to the workshop.
6. Be a Storyteller
Stories are a great way to connect with all kinds of audiences. A story need not be a chapter from Panchtantra or Arabian Nights. Sharing examples and experiences from one’s own life is also an interesting method to connect with the audience at an emotional level. And yes never feel shy to use your sense of humour. Remember, people cannot sleep while they are laughing their guts out.
So go out there and make a mark with your fabulous workshop...
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