Management Information

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.


    MORE RESOURCES:

    ABC News

    Risk Management Needed for Energy Loan Guarantees, Report Says
    Bloomberg
    Potential losses from US energy loan programs are likely to be less than projected by the White House and Congress, according to an independent analysis that Democrats said validated support for clean-energy innovation. The Obama administration ordered ...
    DOE needs better risk managementiWatch News
    Post-Solyndra review urges better energy loan managementThe Hill (blog)

    all 266 news articles »


    Globe and Mail

    Apollo Global Management assets lift off in 2011, up 11%
    Pensions & Investments
    By Arleen Jacobius Apollo Global Management on Friday reported $75.3 billion in assets under management as of Dec 31, up 11% from a year earlier, according to the alternative investment firm's earnings report. Apollo Global had $35.4 billion in private ...
    Apollo Global Management, LLC Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter ...MarketWatch (press release)
    Financial Briefing BookWall Street Journal
    Apollo Fourth-Quarter Profit Falls 66% on Market SwingsBusinessWeek
    Reuters
    all 48 news articles »


    Business Insider

    List Of Pepsi Managers Who Have Left The Company
    Business Insider
    It's not news that PepsiCo has suffered a lot of management churn in the last few years, and that sales of some brands have been hurt as the company has lost its focus. But it's not until you see the list of senior brand management names who have ...
    PepsiCo to Cut 8700 Jobs, Reduce Management Layers in Global Productivity DriveIndustryWeek
    PepsiCo Announces Strategic Investments to Drive GrowthMarketWatch (press release)
    PepsiCo Cuts Jobs, Plans Culture ChangeFINS

    all 590 news articles »


    Kansas City Star

    Vietnam Premier Urges Land Management Review, Citing Transaction Mistakes
    Bloomberg
    Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked for a nationwide review of land management procedures and said local authorities made mistakes in a land acquisition case in the northern port city of Haiphong, according to a statement on the ...
    Forced Eviction 'Illegal'Radio Free Asia

    all 124 news articles »


    Carrington Capital Management, American Home Mortgage Servicing Announce ...
    MarketWatch (press release)
    Resolution of Carrington Asset Holding, LLC, ET Al. Plaintiffs, v. American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., Defendant SANTA ANA, CA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Carrington Capital Management, LLC ("Carrington"), a subsidiary of Carrington ...

    and more »


    Advanced task managers on iOS
    CNET (blog)
    by Jason Parker February 10, 2012 12:00 PM PST Follow @jparkerCNET There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of to-do-list management apps in the iTunes App Store, but which one should you choose? I found a couple of new task management apps recently ...

    and more »


    Spend Management Experts Wins Supply & Demand Chain Executive Award
    MarketWatch (press release)
    ATLANTA, GA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Spend Management Experts today announced that founder and CEO John Haber has received the Supply & Demand Chain Executive's 2012 "Pros to Know" award in the provider category.

    and more »


    Ariz. tribe votes to take over Skywalk management
    CBS News
    A tribal spokesman says the Tribal Council voted Feb.7, 2012 to sever a contract with Las Vegas developer David Jin and take over management of the Skywalk. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher, File) MARICOPA COUNTY OUT; MAGS OUT; ...

    and more »


    Schultze Asset Management Founder George Schultze Delivers Key Comments in ...
    MarketWatch (press release)
    10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- George Schultze, Founder and Managing Member of Schultze Asset Management, LLC ("SAM"), was a key speaker today in Harvard Business School's Creating Value Through Corporate Restructuring course taught by Professor ...

    and more »


    Waste Management Employee Who Works Tirelessly to Save Dogs Receives Top ...
    MarketWatch (press release)
    10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As part of its annual recognition of community service, Waste Management of Michigan/Ohio has selected Deanna West of Lake Orion, Michigan to receive its most prestigious community award as "Volunteer of the Year" ...

    and more »

    Google News

  • home | site map
    © 2006