This document discusses common mistakes that facilitators make which can undermine successful meetings and trainings. It outlines 21 mistakes across three paragraphs, providing examples and recommendations to avoid each mistake. The mistakes include failing to open sessions strongly, using inappropriate humor, repeatedly calling on the same people, not having participants repeat questions, and not providing real-life examples or anecdotes. For each mistake, the document offers "Jim's Gems," which are tips and best practices for facilitators to create more engaging and productive sessions.
Know and avoid the biggest mistake in difficult conversations 181114Sonia Gill
The single biggest reason a difficult conversation fails is because we don’t clearly tell the other person what the problem is. In this webinar Sonia Gill will be sharing how you can get clear on the issue and say it so that you can create the positive change that is needed.
This document provides guidance on having difficult conversations and delivering bad news. It recommends expressing empathy for the other person's feelings and perspective. It advises practicing your core message but not too much, and delivering bad news in person. It also suggests having a plan but not being talked out of your decision, focusing on communicating your core message clearly, and then planning an exit from the conversation once understanding is reached. The document concludes with a reminder that difficult conversations should always be handled with respect, follow-up, and consideration of the other person's perspective.
This document discusses having difficult conversations in the workplace. It outlines that people dislike difficult conversations because they take time, involve emotions, and can cause conflict. However, having the conversations (action) is better than no action, as problems will escalate without action. The document provides a 3-step process for handling difficult conversations: 1) gain clarity on the issue by separating facts from feelings, 2) overcome the instinct to avoid the conversation, and 3) deliver the message in a direct but sensitive way using "I" statements. The goal is to have productive discussions to improve relationships and work productivity.
The objective of this module is to
Identify difficult interpersonal situations
Learn how to initiate and close conversations in difficult situations
Minimize destructive conversations
Develop precise questions to conduct a skillful conversation.
Engage in open and productive conversations
This document provides an overview of a negotiation skills workshop presented in 10 modules. Module 1 introduces negotiation concepts and workshop objectives. Module 2 covers different types of negotiations and phases. Module 3 discusses preparation, including establishing BATNA and WATNA. Module 4 covers setting the negotiation framework. Modules 5-7 outline the three phases of negotiation: exchanging information, bargaining, and closing. Module 8 focuses on reaching consensus and agreement. Module 9 addresses difficult negotiation tactics. Module 10 discusses informal negotiations outside the boardroom. Case studies are provided throughout to illustrate negotiation concepts.
This document outlines an agenda and activities for a training session on initiating difficult conversations. The session aims to help participants identify effective strategies for difficult conversations, reflect on how they have handled such conversations, and reconcile beliefs about efficacy with an open mindset. The agenda includes discussing common pitfalls, roleplaying scenarios, and preparing for a real difficult conversation. Participants will practice skills like preparing purposefully, exploring all perspectives, and problem-solving.
The document provides guidance on how to answer behavioral interview questions by discussing the concept of behavioral interviewing, giving examples of 100 common behavioral interview questions across various competencies, and advising candidates to prepare stories from their past experiences using the CALL method (Circumstances, Actions, Lasting Legacy) to demonstrate how they meet the job requirements. Candidates are encouraged to think of examples from their career that showcase skills like problem-solving, leadership, communication, and persistence in order to impress interviewers and land the job.
This document provides an overview of a lesson on influencing without authority. The lesson is delivered as an instructor-led session followed by an online assessment. It aims to teach participants how to influence others and get their work done even when they have no real authority over stakeholders. The lesson agenda outlines the topics to be covered, including defining influence, barriers to influence, and a six-step strategy for overcoming those barriers through relationship building, understanding others' priorities, and giving value in the influence process. A case study and simulation exercise are also included to provide participants hands-on practice applying the influence strategies.
Know and avoid the biggest mistake in difficult conversations 181114Sonia Gill
The single biggest reason a difficult conversation fails is because we don’t clearly tell the other person what the problem is. In this webinar Sonia Gill will be sharing how you can get clear on the issue and say it so that you can create the positive change that is needed.
This document provides guidance on having difficult conversations and delivering bad news. It recommends expressing empathy for the other person's feelings and perspective. It advises practicing your core message but not too much, and delivering bad news in person. It also suggests having a plan but not being talked out of your decision, focusing on communicating your core message clearly, and then planning an exit from the conversation once understanding is reached. The document concludes with a reminder that difficult conversations should always be handled with respect, follow-up, and consideration of the other person's perspective.
This document discusses having difficult conversations in the workplace. It outlines that people dislike difficult conversations because they take time, involve emotions, and can cause conflict. However, having the conversations (action) is better than no action, as problems will escalate without action. The document provides a 3-step process for handling difficult conversations: 1) gain clarity on the issue by separating facts from feelings, 2) overcome the instinct to avoid the conversation, and 3) deliver the message in a direct but sensitive way using "I" statements. The goal is to have productive discussions to improve relationships and work productivity.
The objective of this module is to
Identify difficult interpersonal situations
Learn how to initiate and close conversations in difficult situations
Minimize destructive conversations
Develop precise questions to conduct a skillful conversation.
Engage in open and productive conversations
This document provides an overview of a negotiation skills workshop presented in 10 modules. Module 1 introduces negotiation concepts and workshop objectives. Module 2 covers different types of negotiations and phases. Module 3 discusses preparation, including establishing BATNA and WATNA. Module 4 covers setting the negotiation framework. Modules 5-7 outline the three phases of negotiation: exchanging information, bargaining, and closing. Module 8 focuses on reaching consensus and agreement. Module 9 addresses difficult negotiation tactics. Module 10 discusses informal negotiations outside the boardroom. Case studies are provided throughout to illustrate negotiation concepts.
This document outlines an agenda and activities for a training session on initiating difficult conversations. The session aims to help participants identify effective strategies for difficult conversations, reflect on how they have handled such conversations, and reconcile beliefs about efficacy with an open mindset. The agenda includes discussing common pitfalls, roleplaying scenarios, and preparing for a real difficult conversation. Participants will practice skills like preparing purposefully, exploring all perspectives, and problem-solving.
The document provides guidance on how to answer behavioral interview questions by discussing the concept of behavioral interviewing, giving examples of 100 common behavioral interview questions across various competencies, and advising candidates to prepare stories from their past experiences using the CALL method (Circumstances, Actions, Lasting Legacy) to demonstrate how they meet the job requirements. Candidates are encouraged to think of examples from their career that showcase skills like problem-solving, leadership, communication, and persistence in order to impress interviewers and land the job.
This document provides an overview of a lesson on influencing without authority. The lesson is delivered as an instructor-led session followed by an online assessment. It aims to teach participants how to influence others and get their work done even when they have no real authority over stakeholders. The lesson agenda outlines the topics to be covered, including defining influence, barriers to influence, and a six-step strategy for overcoming those barriers through relationship building, understanding others' priorities, and giving value in the influence process. A case study and simulation exercise are also included to provide participants hands-on practice applying the influence strategies.
This document provides a summary of 20 different team building exercises and activities that can be used to help teams improve collaboration, communication, and bonding. The exercises range from interactive games like Human Bingo and Wad Ball to creative problem-solving activities like Picture Pieces and Coat of Arms. Most of the exercises are designed to take 15-30 minutes and are suitable for teams of around 10-50 members. Brief descriptions of each activity are provided, including objectives, group size, time, materials needed and additional notes. A variety of low-cost and easy to set up options are included.
The document discusses co-facilitation, which involves two or more people facilitating a training or learning activity together in a cooperative manner. It defines co-facilitation and outlines its benefits, including shared workload and diversity of experiences. Some challenges of co-facilitation include it being time-consuming and the risk of rivalry between facilitators. The document provides tips for effective co-facilitation, such as clarifying roles and communicating nonverbally through agreed upon signs. It also lists dos and don'ts of co-facilitation and emphasizes the importance of co-facilitators planning effectively and maintaining professional relationships.
Thank you for viewing this companion resource to our facilitation skills live training session! We hope you find this a great resource for your next presentation.
In this edition of Leadership Secrets of Mr. Potato Head created by our amazing Director of Awesomeness Amy Gallimore, TeamTRI takes you through over 100 slides containing tips and techniques for facilitating and moving your participants to a greater learning experience.
Inspired by Kelly Barnes's MOVE Formula, the Facilitation Secret's of Mr. Potato Head walks you through a brief history of the evolution of Mr. Potato Head and how that relates to the development phase each speaker and trainer goes through as they develop ninja level facilitation skills. Mr. Potato Head then walks you through a variety of methods to MOVE participants to an even greater learning experience.
Whether you're an educator, volunteer leader at church, a corporate trainer, or industry executive, if you have to get up and present you might as well get up and be awesome! There's bound to be at least one new tip or technique in here you can use to rock your next presentation and delight your audience.
Email us at info@teamtri.com if you're interested in even more ways we can coach or help your organization improve its facilitation and presentation skills.
Training Slide Deck
Tips on Difficult Conversations
-What to think about when preparing for difficult conversations
-Things to remember during difficult conversations
- Top 6 mistakes that can turn difficult conversations into disasters.
The document provides guidance on effectively dealing with difficult situations that may arise during training sessions by outlining common mistakes facilitators make and recommending more effective responses. It discusses issues like domination by one participant, low participation, disagreements between participants, going off topic, and poor time management, and offers strategies for refocusing discussions, increasing involvement, and addressing conflicts constructively. The overall goal is for facilitators to take control of sessions in a way that keeps things informative yet fun for all individuals involved.
This document provides guidance on facilitating meetings to raise engagement and advance thinking. It discusses three key parts:
1. Raising engagement through techniques like frequent involvement, individual writing, and changing work modes. This helps increase productivity.
2. Facilitator stances like balancing involvement, zooming in and out of discussion, and helping participants think beyond their initial responses.
3. Designing meetings using format strings to structure activities and achieve goals like sharing information, advancing thinking, and building capacity. This moves meetings beyond "business as usual" formats toward more dynamic discussions.
This document summarizes five power tools for leadership. It discusses stopping hammering everything as a nail and keeping an open mind when listening to different situations. It emphasizes the importance of practicing these tools and not keeping them a secret. Specific tools covered include balancing advocacy with inquiry, using a positive "no", shaping the path by considering how context and space influence interactions, and the power of silence. Leaders are encouraged to reflect on their assumptions, advocate while also inquiring others' perspectives, and say "no" while acknowledging other perspectives.
This document provides a summary of a workshop on body language basics across 12 modules:
The workshop teaches how to interpret body language as a form of communication, covering topics like communicating with gestures, reading facial expressions and body positions, gender differences, lying detection, and improving one's own body language. The overall goal is to enhance understanding and improve interactions, negotiations, and relationships through correctly interpreting unspoken signals.
This document provides tips for having difficult conversations. It advises to see difficult conversations as opportunities rather than obstacles. When having the conversation, plan what you will say and your responses. Choose an appropriate time and place and take emotion out of the discussion. Get straight to the point by clearly explaining what needs to change and why. Listen to the other person's response without getting derailed from your message. Keep the conversation respectful, constructive, and honest. Agree on next steps and commitments to move forward.
This document outlines a 12-module course on developing assertiveness and self-confidence. The modules cover topics like understanding confidence, goal setting, communication skills, dealing with difficult situations, and maintaining confidence over time. Case studies are provided in each module to illustrate concepts. The overall aim is to help participants learn and apply techniques to improve their assertiveness and self-assurance through interactive lessons, discussions, and practical exercises.
The power of moments - musings by James CracknellJames Cracknell
Musings on Chip and Dan Heaths book The Power of Moments. In the field of human psychology understanding a life of moments, what they mean and how we can use them to make life that little bit more engaging
The document provides a 6 step strategy for influencing others without authority by overcoming external and internal barriers: assume all are potential allies, clarify your own goals and priorities, diagnose the world of the other person, identify relevant currencies for both parties, deal with relationships, and influence through give-and-take. The strategy is intended to help employees influence colleagues, managers, and others to accomplish work goals when they lack direct authority over those individuals.
Orly Amrany discusses managing difficult conversations and her personal journey developing soft skills. She covers common types of hard conversations at work like disagreements, feedback, and asking for promotions. Basic tips are provided for having conflicts including listening, inquiring, validating understanding, and formalizing agreements. Emotions, especially for women, are noted as one of the hardest parts to manage. Personal notes encourage finding strengths, avoiding accusations, and progressing at work without compromising values or ambitions. A short Mad Men video clip portrays challenges for women in the workplace.
The Path of Pain: Mastering Game Design in 20 steps - takeawayKacper Szymczak
We all have a Design Muscle. In order for it to create what one wishes it to, it must be trained. It must be submitted to painful exercise. It must be strengthened to the level where it won't matter if the time is lacking, if your boss wants 10 versions just to scrap them all, if the editor is crashing, if the topic is boring, or you're working on a clone. The philosophy the speaker will present is grounded on mastering excellence and focusing on the fascinating craftsmanship of game design, which is - as often forgotten - a world of fun in itself.
Performed live at Game Industry Conference 2016.
Cultures deal with failure differently. In the US, failure is seen as a learning experience, but it can still negatively impact individuals. In Japan, business failure severely damages one's reputation and career prospects. Germany also views failure unfavorably and aims to minimize risk. Islamic cultures and more conservative societies have little tolerance for failure. Attitudes are changing in emerging economies like India and the UAE as entrepreneurship increases. Discussing failure can help reframe it as a normal part of learning and growth rather than something to be ashamed of. Teams are more likely to fail without clear direction, accountability, collaboration and learning from mistakes. Pre-mortems and considering worst-case scenarios can help organizations plan for and learn from
This document outlines a workshop on extreme collaboration from 2009. It provides an agenda that moves from the individual level to connectivity, then to teams and X-teams (extreme collaboration teams), and finally from tasks to activities. The agenda covers frameworks, how-to guides, know-how, and top-notch examples. It also lists references on teambuilding, virtual team spaces, and X-teams. The goal is to provide guidance on achieving extreme collaboration to get work done efficiently.
Sue Brodie presented on the topic of delegation. The key points were:
1) Delegation involves getting work done through others to prevent burnout, build trust, empower others, and use diverse skills and perspectives.
2) People often avoid delegating due to being too busy, not trusting others, or feeling only they can do the task correctly.
3) The document outlines a process for effective delegation, including deciding what to delegate, to whom, explaining the purpose, providing autonomy, and following up with reviews, feedback, and credit.
4) Regular delegation can make a person and team 1% better each day by developing skills and allowing focus on higher value work.
This document provides 10 tips for effectively managing meetings based on a Harvard student's module on meeting skills. The tips include recruiting a strong diverse team, creating a conducive workspace, allowing equal participation, establishing an innovative brainstorming process, ensuring collaboration, balancing work and fun, achieving consensus, sharing responsibility, following up after meetings, and reviewing meetings for continuous improvement. For each tip, the student provides their personal perspective on how to best implement the suggestion based on their experience leading meetings.
FFEA 2016 -10 Website Mistakes Even Great Marketers Can MakeSaffire
This document provides 11 common website mistakes that marketers can make and how to avoid them. It recommends using current programming languages and plug-ins, optimizing for search engines and mobile users, including clear calls to action, prioritizing photos and video over just text, and collecting analytics to improve content and outreach over time. The overall message is that websites need frequent updates, multichannel content, and data-driven optimization to effectively engage audiences.
This document provides 10 tips for brands using WeChat official accounts to build audiences. The tips include making headlines count, segmenting audiences, increasing relevance of content, being more compelling, providing incentives and rewards, using more visual storytelling, linking to other social media, inviting guest editors, turning questions into content, and creating content on location. It emphasizes the importance of high-quality, relevant, visual content that engages audiences and drives action. It also recommends tools like CMS/CRM systems to better segment and target audiences with customized content.
This document provides a summary of 20 different team building exercises and activities that can be used to help teams improve collaboration, communication, and bonding. The exercises range from interactive games like Human Bingo and Wad Ball to creative problem-solving activities like Picture Pieces and Coat of Arms. Most of the exercises are designed to take 15-30 minutes and are suitable for teams of around 10-50 members. Brief descriptions of each activity are provided, including objectives, group size, time, materials needed and additional notes. A variety of low-cost and easy to set up options are included.
The document discusses co-facilitation, which involves two or more people facilitating a training or learning activity together in a cooperative manner. It defines co-facilitation and outlines its benefits, including shared workload and diversity of experiences. Some challenges of co-facilitation include it being time-consuming and the risk of rivalry between facilitators. The document provides tips for effective co-facilitation, such as clarifying roles and communicating nonverbally through agreed upon signs. It also lists dos and don'ts of co-facilitation and emphasizes the importance of co-facilitators planning effectively and maintaining professional relationships.
Thank you for viewing this companion resource to our facilitation skills live training session! We hope you find this a great resource for your next presentation.
In this edition of Leadership Secrets of Mr. Potato Head created by our amazing Director of Awesomeness Amy Gallimore, TeamTRI takes you through over 100 slides containing tips and techniques for facilitating and moving your participants to a greater learning experience.
Inspired by Kelly Barnes's MOVE Formula, the Facilitation Secret's of Mr. Potato Head walks you through a brief history of the evolution of Mr. Potato Head and how that relates to the development phase each speaker and trainer goes through as they develop ninja level facilitation skills. Mr. Potato Head then walks you through a variety of methods to MOVE participants to an even greater learning experience.
Whether you're an educator, volunteer leader at church, a corporate trainer, or industry executive, if you have to get up and present you might as well get up and be awesome! There's bound to be at least one new tip or technique in here you can use to rock your next presentation and delight your audience.
Email us at info@teamtri.com if you're interested in even more ways we can coach or help your organization improve its facilitation and presentation skills.
Training Slide Deck
Tips on Difficult Conversations
-What to think about when preparing for difficult conversations
-Things to remember during difficult conversations
- Top 6 mistakes that can turn difficult conversations into disasters.
The document provides guidance on effectively dealing with difficult situations that may arise during training sessions by outlining common mistakes facilitators make and recommending more effective responses. It discusses issues like domination by one participant, low participation, disagreements between participants, going off topic, and poor time management, and offers strategies for refocusing discussions, increasing involvement, and addressing conflicts constructively. The overall goal is for facilitators to take control of sessions in a way that keeps things informative yet fun for all individuals involved.
This document provides guidance on facilitating meetings to raise engagement and advance thinking. It discusses three key parts:
1. Raising engagement through techniques like frequent involvement, individual writing, and changing work modes. This helps increase productivity.
2. Facilitator stances like balancing involvement, zooming in and out of discussion, and helping participants think beyond their initial responses.
3. Designing meetings using format strings to structure activities and achieve goals like sharing information, advancing thinking, and building capacity. This moves meetings beyond "business as usual" formats toward more dynamic discussions.
This document summarizes five power tools for leadership. It discusses stopping hammering everything as a nail and keeping an open mind when listening to different situations. It emphasizes the importance of practicing these tools and not keeping them a secret. Specific tools covered include balancing advocacy with inquiry, using a positive "no", shaping the path by considering how context and space influence interactions, and the power of silence. Leaders are encouraged to reflect on their assumptions, advocate while also inquiring others' perspectives, and say "no" while acknowledging other perspectives.
This document provides a summary of a workshop on body language basics across 12 modules:
The workshop teaches how to interpret body language as a form of communication, covering topics like communicating with gestures, reading facial expressions and body positions, gender differences, lying detection, and improving one's own body language. The overall goal is to enhance understanding and improve interactions, negotiations, and relationships through correctly interpreting unspoken signals.
This document provides tips for having difficult conversations. It advises to see difficult conversations as opportunities rather than obstacles. When having the conversation, plan what you will say and your responses. Choose an appropriate time and place and take emotion out of the discussion. Get straight to the point by clearly explaining what needs to change and why. Listen to the other person's response without getting derailed from your message. Keep the conversation respectful, constructive, and honest. Agree on next steps and commitments to move forward.
This document outlines a 12-module course on developing assertiveness and self-confidence. The modules cover topics like understanding confidence, goal setting, communication skills, dealing with difficult situations, and maintaining confidence over time. Case studies are provided in each module to illustrate concepts. The overall aim is to help participants learn and apply techniques to improve their assertiveness and self-assurance through interactive lessons, discussions, and practical exercises.
The power of moments - musings by James CracknellJames Cracknell
Musings on Chip and Dan Heaths book The Power of Moments. In the field of human psychology understanding a life of moments, what they mean and how we can use them to make life that little bit more engaging
The document provides a 6 step strategy for influencing others without authority by overcoming external and internal barriers: assume all are potential allies, clarify your own goals and priorities, diagnose the world of the other person, identify relevant currencies for both parties, deal with relationships, and influence through give-and-take. The strategy is intended to help employees influence colleagues, managers, and others to accomplish work goals when they lack direct authority over those individuals.
Orly Amrany discusses managing difficult conversations and her personal journey developing soft skills. She covers common types of hard conversations at work like disagreements, feedback, and asking for promotions. Basic tips are provided for having conflicts including listening, inquiring, validating understanding, and formalizing agreements. Emotions, especially for women, are noted as one of the hardest parts to manage. Personal notes encourage finding strengths, avoiding accusations, and progressing at work without compromising values or ambitions. A short Mad Men video clip portrays challenges for women in the workplace.
The Path of Pain: Mastering Game Design in 20 steps - takeawayKacper Szymczak
We all have a Design Muscle. In order for it to create what one wishes it to, it must be trained. It must be submitted to painful exercise. It must be strengthened to the level where it won't matter if the time is lacking, if your boss wants 10 versions just to scrap them all, if the editor is crashing, if the topic is boring, or you're working on a clone. The philosophy the speaker will present is grounded on mastering excellence and focusing on the fascinating craftsmanship of game design, which is - as often forgotten - a world of fun in itself.
Performed live at Game Industry Conference 2016.
Cultures deal with failure differently. In the US, failure is seen as a learning experience, but it can still negatively impact individuals. In Japan, business failure severely damages one's reputation and career prospects. Germany also views failure unfavorably and aims to minimize risk. Islamic cultures and more conservative societies have little tolerance for failure. Attitudes are changing in emerging economies like India and the UAE as entrepreneurship increases. Discussing failure can help reframe it as a normal part of learning and growth rather than something to be ashamed of. Teams are more likely to fail without clear direction, accountability, collaboration and learning from mistakes. Pre-mortems and considering worst-case scenarios can help organizations plan for and learn from
This document outlines a workshop on extreme collaboration from 2009. It provides an agenda that moves from the individual level to connectivity, then to teams and X-teams (extreme collaboration teams), and finally from tasks to activities. The agenda covers frameworks, how-to guides, know-how, and top-notch examples. It also lists references on teambuilding, virtual team spaces, and X-teams. The goal is to provide guidance on achieving extreme collaboration to get work done efficiently.
Sue Brodie presented on the topic of delegation. The key points were:
1) Delegation involves getting work done through others to prevent burnout, build trust, empower others, and use diverse skills and perspectives.
2) People often avoid delegating due to being too busy, not trusting others, or feeling only they can do the task correctly.
3) The document outlines a process for effective delegation, including deciding what to delegate, to whom, explaining the purpose, providing autonomy, and following up with reviews, feedback, and credit.
4) Regular delegation can make a person and team 1% better each day by developing skills and allowing focus on higher value work.
This document provides 10 tips for effectively managing meetings based on a Harvard student's module on meeting skills. The tips include recruiting a strong diverse team, creating a conducive workspace, allowing equal participation, establishing an innovative brainstorming process, ensuring collaboration, balancing work and fun, achieving consensus, sharing responsibility, following up after meetings, and reviewing meetings for continuous improvement. For each tip, the student provides their personal perspective on how to best implement the suggestion based on their experience leading meetings.
FFEA 2016 -10 Website Mistakes Even Great Marketers Can MakeSaffire
This document provides 11 common website mistakes that marketers can make and how to avoid them. It recommends using current programming languages and plug-ins, optimizing for search engines and mobile users, including clear calls to action, prioritizing photos and video over just text, and collecting analytics to improve content and outreach over time. The overall message is that websites need frequent updates, multichannel content, and data-driven optimization to effectively engage audiences.
This document provides 10 tips for brands using WeChat official accounts to build audiences. The tips include making headlines count, segmenting audiences, increasing relevance of content, being more compelling, providing incentives and rewards, using more visual storytelling, linking to other social media, inviting guest editors, turning questions into content, and creating content on location. It emphasizes the importance of high-quality, relevant, visual content that engages audiences and drives action. It also recommends tools like CMS/CRM systems to better segment and target audiences with customized content.
This document summarizes a study of CEO succession events among the largest 100 U.S. corporations between 2005-2015. The study analyzed executives who were passed over for the CEO role ("succession losers") and their subsequent careers. It found that 74% of passed over executives left their companies, with 30% eventually becoming CEOs elsewhere. However, companies led by succession losers saw average stock price declines of 13% over 3 years, compared to gains for companies whose CEO selections remained unchanged. The findings suggest that boards generally identify the most qualified CEO candidates, though differences between internal and external hires complicate comparisons.
The document discusses how personalization and dynamic content are becoming increasingly important on websites. It notes that 52% of marketers see content personalization as critical and 75% of consumers like it when brands personalize their content. However, personalization can create issues for search engine optimization as dynamic URLs and content are more difficult for search engines to index than static pages. The document provides tips for SEOs to help address these personalization and SEO challenges, such as using static URLs when possible and submitting accurate sitemaps.
Lightning Talk #9: How UX and Data Storytelling Can Shape Policy by Mika Aldabaux singapore
How can we take UX and Data Storytelling out of the tech context and use them to change the way government behaves?
Showcasing the truth is the highest goal of data storytelling. Because the design of a chart can affect the interpretation of data in a major way, one must wield visual tools with care and deliberation. Using quantitative facts to evoke an emotional response is best achieved with the combination of UX and data storytelling.
1) The document discusses the opportunity for technology to improve organizational efficiency and transition economies into a "smart and clean world."
2) It argues that aggregate efficiency has stalled at around 22% for 30 years due to limitations of the Second Industrial Revolution, but that digitizing transport, energy, and communication through technologies like blockchain can help manage resources and increase efficiency.
3) Technologies like precision agriculture, cloud computing, robotics, and autonomous vehicles may allow for "dematerialization" and do more with fewer physical resources through effects like reduced waste and need for transportation/logistics infrastructure.
The document provides tips for public speaking effectively to different audiences. It discusses preparing for different formats such as speaking to parents, giving educational sessions, or keynote addresses. The document emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience, practicing, managing nerves, using body language, and incorporating stories and examples. It encourages adapting techniques based on the speaking context and audience.
This 101-tip document provides advice for successful public speaking. It begins by emphasizing the importance of public speaking skills for career advancement and leadership. It then provides tips such as having confidence in yourself, keeping speeches short and simple, being passionate about your topic, and practicing frequently through classes, practice groups, or running for office. The overall message is that public speaking can be learned through preparation and experience.
This document contains a simulation preparation assignment for a professional communication level 4 class. It includes 5 questions about key active listening skills, roadblocks to listening, giving and receiving feedback, and diffusing an angry person. The assignment provides examples to demonstrate how to outline steps, identify reasons for being upset, and things to do or avoid in various communication situations. The goal is to practice essential skills for effective professional interactions and addressing concerns.
This document provides guidance on improving presentation skills. It discusses the importance of being able to effectively express ideas to others. While preparation and content are important, delivery is also key. The document provides tips on using eye contact, body language, voice, preparing content using the "3 As" framework of analyzing the audience, defining the desired action, and arranging the argument, developing effective visual aids, and responding well to questions. The overall aim is to help presenters improve their skills and confidence when speaking publicly.
This document provides an overview of best tutoring practices for new learning assistants. It discusses general tutoring tips, such as establishing rapport, respecting students, using empathy, and maintaining confidentiality. It also covers techniques like Socratic questioning, active listening, and fostering independent learning. Socratic questioning involves asking open-ended questions to determine a student's problem areas, what they know, and help them find the right answer. Active listening requires avoiding distractions, showing empathy, patience, and summarizing. The goal is to create independent learners through active learning techniques where students participate in the learning process rather than passive learning where the tutor explains concepts.
This document provides guidance on improving presentation skills. It discusses the importance of being able to effectively express ideas to others. While preparation and content are important, delivery is also key. The document provides tips on using eye contact, body language, and voice to engage an audience. It recommends following the "3 A's" in preparing content: analyzing the audience, defining the desired action, and arranging the argument to move the audience. Visual aids should be big, simple, and clear. Presenters should anticipate questions and maintain control of the question and answer period.
Jennifer Meade's top five signature themes as revealed by the StrengthsFinder assessment are:
1) Woo - Enjoying meeting new people and building rapport.
2) Achiever - Having a constant drive for achievement and accomplishment.
3) Includer - Wanting to include others and make them feel part of the group.
4) Learner - Being energized by the learning process regardless of the subject matter.
5) Communication - Liking to explain ideas and events in an engaging way through stories and metaphors.
The document provides 10-minute leadership lesson activities and discussions that teach leadership skills through experiential learning. It includes icebreakers, team-building activities, and discussion questions to help participants understand leadership concepts like communication, problem-solving, and self-awareness. The activities are designed to be fun, hands-on experiences that stimulate discussion and help people learn and apply leadership skills.
FINAL Comm & Collaboration Dan October 2020.pdfbill671640
The document outlines a training program on collaboration and effective teamwork, with modules covering topics such as communication, building relationships, and resolving disagreements. The program teaches skills for collaborative work including sharing ideas, establishing trust, setting goals, and addressing issues directly. The overall goal is to provide employees with the tools needed to work effectively in diverse teams focused on a common purpose.
The document provides tips for becoming a good presenter. It recommends researching the topic thoroughly, organizing the main points in a logical order without full sentences or paragraphs, and using strong images to engage the audience. It also stresses the importance of practicing the presentation, dealing with nerves, dressing professionally, making eye contact, speaking clearly, engaging the audience, answering questions, learning from feedback, and listening to other presenters.
The document outlines 5 steps for having difficult conversations: 1) Prepare by considering different perspectives; 2) Check your purpose and decide if the issue needs to be raised; 3) Start from a place of understanding different perspectives; 4) Explore all stories and perspectives; 5) Problem-solve by considering all options and standards. It provides guidance for each step, such as inquiring with open-ended questions, acknowledging feelings, and inventing options for resolution. The overall aim is to have authentic conversations that understand multiple perspectives and jointly solve problems.
This document provides guidance for facilitator training. It outlines the key roles and skills of a facilitator, including maintaining focus, enhancing participation, and creating a safe learning environment. Facilitation involves empowering others through self-discovery and allowing the group to take responsibility for the process. Good facilitators demonstrate characteristics like patience, inclusion and encouragement. They also possess skills like active listening, paraphrasing, and ensuring all participants have an opportunity to contribute. The document discusses needs assessment, facilitation styles, and tips for preparing interactive sessions that incorporate adult learning principles.
Presentation skills tools and techniqueSelf-employed
How to make effective presentations. USTAD Model for presentation. Tips and tools for making an effective presentation.
How you can better interact with your audiences through a better communication.
Developed in 2013
The document provides a 12-step process for preparing and delivering an effective presentation: 1) Know your audience, 2) Research thoroughly, 3) Document sources, 4) Write the speech, 5) Prepare visual aids, 6) Rehearse alone, 7) Do a dress rehearsal with feedback, 8) Tweak based on feedback, 9) Prepare yourself mentally, 10) Introduce and present the material, 11) Take questions, and 12) Conclude thanking the audience. Additional tips are provided for small group settings, including facilitating discussion and maintaining audience focus. Warnings are given such as not distributing materials in advance or overusing filler words.
This document provides tips for building self-confidence in 3 key areas: reframing negative thoughts, leveraging existing strengths, and developing internal validation. It recommends challenging unhealthy thinking patterns, using current successes as a foundation to build other skills, and learning to recognize own achievements rather than relying on external praise. Developing self-confidence through these methods can improve multiple life domains and make one more resilient to challenges.
The Netguides program at Reading Public Library trains high school students (we'll expand the program in the future!) to help patrons through one-on-one technology training sessions and assistance in computer classes. For more information, see the Netguides information page at http://www.readingpl.org/netguides.html
The document discusses improving speaking skills. It recommends dividing students into groups and collecting their answers to activities. Some tips for teachers include fostering student motivation and using visual prompts and memory games to practice speaking. The document also provides tips for public speaking such as knowing your material and audience, practicing, using humor, relaxing, and gaining experience to build confidence over time.
This document provides tips for mentors and new teachers on establishing a successful partnership. It outlines eight areas of focus, including greeting students daily, teaching at students' levels, keeping a scrapbook of positive feedback, having clear procedures, ignoring negative coworkers, praising student effort, making time for planning, and using feedback to improve. The mentor's role is to model best practices, provide specific guidance and support, and help the new teacher problem-solve challenges. Working together, mentors and new teachers can overcome obstacles through open-minded collaboration.
Elevate Your Nonprofit's Online Presence_ A Guide to Effective SEO Strategies...TechSoup
Whether you're new to SEO or looking to refine your existing strategies, this webinar will provide you with actionable insights and practical tips to elevate your nonprofit's online presence.
How to Setup Default Value for a Field in Odoo 17Celine George
In Odoo, we can set a default value for a field during the creation of a record for a model. We have many methods in odoo for setting a default value to the field.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
إضغ بين إيديكم من أقوى الملازم التي صممتها
ملزمة تشريح الجهاز الهيكلي (نظري 3)
💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
تتميز هذهِ الملزمة بعِدة مُميزات :
1- مُترجمة ترجمة تُناسب جميع المستويات
2- تحتوي على 78 رسم توضيحي لكل كلمة موجودة بالملزمة (لكل كلمة !!!!)
#فهم_ماكو_درخ
3- دقة الكتابة والصور عالية جداً جداً جداً
4- هُنالك بعض المعلومات تم توضيحها بشكل تفصيلي جداً (تُعتبر لدى الطالب أو الطالبة بإنها معلومات مُبهمة ومع ذلك تم توضيح هذهِ المعلومات المُبهمة بشكل تفصيلي جداً
5- الملزمة تشرح نفسها ب نفسها بس تكلك تعال اقراني
6- تحتوي الملزمة في اول سلايد على خارطة تتضمن جميع تفرُعات معلومات الجهاز الهيكلي المذكورة في هذهِ الملزمة
واخيراً هذهِ الملزمة حلالٌ عليكم وإتمنى منكم إن تدعولي بالخير والصحة والعافية فقط
كل التوفيق زملائي وزميلاتي ، زميلكم محمد الذهبي 💊💊
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
A Visual Guide to 1 Samuel | A Tale of Two HeartsSteve Thomason
These slides walk through the story of 1 Samuel. Samuel is the last judge of Israel. The people reject God and want a king. Saul is anointed as the first king, but he is not a good king. David, the shepherd boy is anointed and Saul is envious of him. David shows honor while Saul continues to self destruct.
A Free 200-Page eBook ~ Brain and Mind Exercise.pptxOH TEIK BIN
(A Free eBook comprising 3 Sets of Presentation of a selection of Puzzles, Brain Teasers and Thinking Problems to exercise both the mind and the Right and Left Brain. To help keep the mind and brain fit and healthy. Good for both the young and old alike.
Answers are given for all the puzzles and problems.)
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin 🙏🤓🤔🥰
CapTechTalks Webinar Slides June 2024 Donovan Wright.pptxCapitolTechU
Slides from a Capitol Technology University webinar held June 20, 2024. The webinar featured Dr. Donovan Wright, presenting on the Department of Defense Digital Transformation.
How to Manage Reception Report in Odoo 17Celine George
A business may deal with both sales and purchases occasionally. They buy things from vendors and then sell them to their customers. Such dealings can be confusing at times. Because multiple clients may inquire about the same product at the same time, after purchasing those products, customers must be assigned to them. Odoo has a tool called Reception Report that can be used to complete this assignment. By enabling this, a reception report comes automatically after confirming a receipt, from which we can assign products to orders.
Level 3 NCEA - NZ: A Nation In the Making 1872 - 1900 SML.pptHenry Hollis
The History of NZ 1870-1900.
Making of a Nation.
From the NZ Wars to Liberals,
Richard Seddon, George Grey,
Social Laboratory, New Zealand,
Confiscations, Kotahitanga, Kingitanga, Parliament, Suffrage, Repudiation, Economic Change, Agriculture, Gold Mining, Timber, Flax, Sheep, Dairying,
Level 3 NCEA - NZ: A Nation In the Making 1872 - 1900 SML.ppt
Crash And Learn Ch1
1. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 1
1
Facilitation Mistakes
G reat facilitators are a wonder to watch. They keep a meeting or train-
ing event lively and productive even as they effortlessly fend off
efforts from participants to take over the meeting, derail the positive
mood, or otherwise disrupt a successful event. You may have thought to
yourself, “How do they do this? I am actually enjoying this meeting!”
Although this chapter does not promise to teach you how you can
develop into a world-class professional facilitator, it does reveal 21 of the
most common mistakes that most experienced facilitators and trainers
would agree could sink any meeting or event no matter how well it is going.
These mistakes span the facilitation blooper landscape from using inap-
propriate humor to ignoring obvious tension in the room to ending late.
Successful facilitation is a delicate balance of keeping a strong hand on the
proceedings while understanding and using human psychology to your
advantage. Some mistakes you will recognize immediately as something you
have experienced, whereas others may confirm what you already know
through experience. Others may come as surprise because you’ve seen so
many trainers and speakers incorporate them in their delivery. As you read
the mistakes along with Jim’s Gems, determine which miscues you must
eliminate from your training repertoire to create more spirited, successful,
and productive sessions. The exercise at the end of the chapter will help you
begin that process.
1
2. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 2
Chapter 1
Mistake #1:
Not opening the session in a strong, memorable way
Jim’s Gems:
N Whenever possible, avoid waiting for people. If you must wait a
few minutes (never more than 10), give your learners a brief
content-related activity.
N Because a solid opener is extremely important to getting your
session off on a positive and inspirational note, consider telling a
story, sharing a powerful quote, or facilitating a get-up-out-of-
your-seat activity, or sharing a surprising, related, powerful
statistic.
N Put on a skit with your co-facilitator highlighting your
expectations for the session. Have some fun with it. Poke fun at
some of the ups and downs you’ve experienced when conducting
this session in the past. The key is to pretend that your audience
members are not in the room.
N Pique the learners’ curiosity with table props and an empower-
ing room setup.
N Create connections and conversations by putting your partici-
pants in activities where they have to share learning goals,
expectations, questions, and get-to-know-you information.
N Pay a candid compliment, share your enthusiasm and experi-
ence, or ask a challenging question.
N Facilitate an activity in which the learners take personal respon-
N
sibility and accept accountability and
ownership for the learning objectives.
Lead an assessment Highlight the objectives they have the
activity that allows you most interest in and develop questions
to assess the participants’ pertaining to the objectives to encourage
readiness, their them to share the actions they will take to
knowledge base, their get the most from the day and support
experience, their buy-in, each other’s learning. Consider pairing
and so forth. participants with learning partners to
share their goals and expectations.
2
3. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 3
Facilitation Mistakes
Mistake #2:
Using inappropriate humor
Jim’s Gems:
N Simply put, don’t tell jokes or use inappropriate humor; some-
body in your audience will be offended.
N When attempting to be funny, poke fun at yourself with self-
deprecating humor.
N Simply smile more often; don’t take yourself too seriously.
N
At all costs, avoid using humor related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, physical ability, and other diversity-related dimensions;
someone in your audience will be offended.
Mistake #3:
Repeatedly calling on the same people during the session
Jim’s Gems:
N Constantly scan the room to make sure you are looking for peo-
ple who have not participated. Repeatedly calling on the same
person will cause others in the room to check out or sit back
and move into passive participation. It can also have a negative
effect on their self-esteem.
N Direct certain questions to table groups or people who have not
participated much. When you do call on them, make sure your
first question is not extremely challenging or they may be reluc-
tant to participate again.
N Rotate group leaders to get more people involved as leaders.
N At the workshop’s outset, remind the participants that for them
to achieve the workshop results they desire, everyone (trainer
and participants) has to put some skin in the game. Suggest that
they are very much responsible for their personal takeaways and
outcomes.
3
4. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 4
Chapter 1
N During breaks, speak to people who have not participated; make
sure that they are with you and that nothing else is weighing on
their minds.
N Even if someone is contributing great answers or if you have a
quiet group, don’t play favorites. Repeatedly calling on the same
person will lessen the likelihood of someone else volunteering his
or her thoughts. The others in the room will just sit back and
watch you and your favorite deliver the workshop.
Mistake #4:
Not asking participants to repeat their questions
when they ask them
Jim’s Gems:
N When a participant asks a question, ask him or her to repeat it so
that everyone in the room can hear it. This technique also can
buy you some time if you don’t have an immediate answer.
N If possible, record participants’ questions on a flipchart. Just
make sure to get back to them.
N When establishing ground rules, inform the participants that
you’d like them to signal you if you fail to repeat a question so
that everyone can hear it. The signal could come in the form of
someone saying, “I’m sorry, I did not hear the question.” Another
signal could be someone raising his or her hand.
N Ask other participants to repeat the question or to paraphrase it.
This also offers an opportunity for your learners to answer each
other’s questions.
Mistake #5:
Not providing real-life examples or anecdotes
Jim’s Gems:
N Come to every presentation or workshop with real-life current
examples and anecdotes to drive home your learning points.
Your examples will also give your session more color, energy, and
an application focus.
N Ask colleagues, friends, and family members to share their
experiences with you.
4
5. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 5
Facilitation Mistakes
N
Record your everyday experiences. You can write them in a book
geared specifically for anecdotes, illustrations, and metaphors.
If you carry a voice recorder, you can record them immediately.
You can also call your voicemail and leave a message
highlighting what you just experienced.
N Keep a personal journal and review it frequently.
N Observe others performing the job that you’re going to speak
about. For example, to acquire some examples, you could go on a
sales call with a sales rep or monitor a customer service rep’s calls.
N Attempt to provide at least one anecdote or example every hour.
Vary the length. Participants love to hear sincere, real-life examples.
N To obtain more real-life examples and to see how others
cleverly share anecdotes and illustrations with audience members,
observe other trainers, speakers, comedians, and others who present
on television shows, sports shows, infomercials, and the like.
Mistake #6:
Promising to close the presentation or workshop, then not closing
Jim’s Gems:
N When you tell the group you’re going to close or wrap-up, do so.
If you don’t, you will cause the participants to become restless
and they will mentally check out.
N As you’re closing, don’t apologize for forgetting some material. In
most cases, your audience members will never know you forgot
some material.
N When you’re closing, avoid saying, “Oh, one more thing I meant
to mention...” Such a statement could prolong your wrap-up,
and the participants are very unlikely to retain something you
throw in at the last moment when they’ve probably mentally
disengaged anyway.
N Depending on the length of your session or presentation, you
should ask for final questions at least 15-30 minutes before its
end. Leave yourself enough time to share your final call to
5
6. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 6
Chapter 1
action. Besides, ending the session by answering or being unable
to answer questions is not a powerful way to close.
N Don’t belabor the close. If you feel the energy in the room has
disappeared for good, end the session early. You should always
leave your audience members wanting more rather than leaving
them feeling as though they had too much.
Mistake # 7:
Going off on a tangent when responding to a question
Jim’s Gems:
N When you are asked a question, stay on point! Don’t attempt to
answer multiple questions at once. Your learners will mentally
abandon ship if they sense you are getting up on a soapbox. You
generally shouldn’t take more than a minute or two to answer a
question thoroughly.
N Look for the participants’ reactions to your comprehensiveness.
Their body language is often a clear indicator if you have beaten
the topic to death.
N As you cover the ground rules, establish a “gone off on a tangent”
signal that either the facilitator or participants can use. When some-
one goes off on a tangent, people can hold up a prop (for example,
a hammer or clock) to suggest that it’s time to move on.
N
Provide discovery moments for your learners. Refrain from telling
them everything. Hold some information back for later in the session.
Ask more open-ended, application-based, probing questions. Keep in
mind that the session is for the participants. It’s not a forum for you to
show how much you know.
N Ask other participants to attempt to answer the question before
you do.
N You can provide one answer and then look for others to
elaborate on your thoughts.
6
7. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 7
Facilitation Mistakes
Mistake #8:
Distributing reading materials or other handouts well before
you’re going to use them
N
Jim’s Gems:
N Only give participants reading
materials when you want them to
read or review it. Avoid situations When you do distribute
where they are reading the material handouts or participant
well before you want them to. guides, introduce them
Once they receive the material, with power and purpose.
immediately begin to review it or Give your materials
introduce an exercise that allows special significance.
them to skim it quickly.
N When it’s time to distribute the
handouts, ask for volunteers to come up to your trainer’s table to
get materials to distribute to the rest of the group.
Mistake #9:
Not providing smooth transitions or clear segues
between learning modules
Jim’s Gems:
N To avoid losing or confusing your participants during transitions
between learning modules, you can tell a story, conduct a question-
and-answer session, move the group into an activity, ask for volun-
teers to share their thoughts or observations, or tie the information
you just covered into one of the course’s learning objectives.
N When you’re going to move to the next topic, review then pre-
view; that is, tell them what you just told them and tell them
what you’re going to tell them next.
N To make a transition, ask the participants if they know how the
material you just covered builds on the information you’re about
to review.
N To segue to the next topic, ask the participants how they’re going
to apply their new learning back on the job.
7
8. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 8
Chapter 1
Mistake #10:
Facilitating or presenting during distractions
Jim’s Gems:
N When a distraction occurs, give your learners an assignment to
work on at the team tables. You can then go and address the
distraction.
N If you think the distraction is going to be brief, ask the group to
stand to take a quick stretch break. While they’re standing,
thank them for the work they’ve done up to that point and
encourage them to maintain their focus. You can also stimulate
conversation that does not directly pertain to the content.
N
When a distraction occurs, pause, stop facilitating, and wait for the
distraction to end. Distractions always prevent learners from paying
attention to the material. Plus, if you pause, you will not have to
repeat what you’ve already presented.
N Depending on the type of distraction that’s occurring, let the
participants know that you’re going to wait until the distraction
or disruption goes away before you begin facilitating.
N Move away from the distraction, perhaps to the opposite side of
the room, to take the participants’ eyes and attention with you.
N During the distraction remain calm; don’t raise your voice or try
to talk over it.
Mistake #11:
Refusing to defuse the tension in the room
Jim’s Gems:
N Call attention to the tension. Inform your participants that, as
an experienced facilitator, you would be doing them and the
organization a disservice if you did not mention that there was
tension in the room and say that you won’t move forward until
the tension is addressed; next ask for their input for how they
would like you to address it. When there is tension in the room,
learners focus on the tension rather than on the material.
8
9. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 9
Facilitation Mistakes
N
Depending on the kind of tension or distraction, put participants in
small groups and have them think of ways to defuse it; record and
then discuss their answers.
N Make sure to thank them for their participation in helping to
relieve the tension.
N If they have concerns regarding the content, assure them that the
workshop objectives will address their concerns. Also, tell them
that they can speak to you during the break or after the session if
they still have concerns.
N Remind them that, depending on the situation, some tension can
be good because it can move people out of their comfort zones.
N Share a story about a time when early tension in the workshop
helped lead to great problem solving, breakthrough thinking, or
a sensational session with improved results.
Mistake #12:
Facilitating only from the front of the room
Jim’s Gems:
N Purposefully move around the room periodically as you facilitate
but without overdoing it. At some point, every participant
should feel as though he or she is sitting at the front of the
room. This helps you to better connect with and engage your
learners.
N To switch things up, try initiating the session from the back of
the room. You can also try this location after breaks to regain the
learners’ attention.
N Facilitate different modules from different parts of the room.
N Sit on a barstool during debriefing moments; do this from
different parts of the room too.
N Have participants get up and move with you to different parts of
the room for your facilitation (this is called changing the venue
within the venue).
9
10. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 10
Chapter 1
Mistake #13:
Failing to get the group’s attention or get them to quiet down
or regroup after a high-energy activity
Jim’s Gems:
N To get learners’ attention immediately use a chime or an
instrument that has a distinct sound.
N Inform the group that the last one to take his or her seat after
the activity will be the first volunteer to review what he or she
learned during the activity.
N Avoid shouting at the top of your lungs, “Please take your seats!”
N Provide a reward for the table group that returns to their seats
first and comes to attention.
N Use a timer projected onto a screen that serves as an activity
countdown.
N
Before the activity begins, let the group know the signal for
reassembling and coming to attention. You could blow a whistle,
sound a chime, rise to your feet from your seat, clap your hands,
turn the music up or down, or snap your fingers, for example.
Having a plan helps you appear like a leader and a polished
professional rather than a stressed parent attempting to calm down
out-of-control children.
Mistake #14:
Not tapping into the learners’ five senses or the variety of
learning styles in the room
Jim’s Gems:
N During your session, alternate between lecture and activity to
promote total audience engagement and increased retention.
N To tap into the participants’ sense of smell, use scented markers as
you write on flipcharts or have them use the markers at their tables.
N To tap into their sense of hearing, use music.
N To tap into their sense of touch and to engage the kinesthetic
learners, have them take notes during the session or provide
10
11. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 11
Facilitation Mistakes
training props and objects (Koosh balls or stress balls, for
example) for them to handle.
N Provide group problem-solving activities.
N Provide brainteasers and activities that require focused thinking.
N To tap into the participants’ sense of sight, use multiple visual
media, such as flipcharts, PowerPoint slides, videos, wall charts,
floor charts, handouts, Post-it notes.
N Use activities designed for individuals, pairs, small groups, and
large groups.
N Make sure to allow quiet reflection time, especially during action
planning.
N To tap into the learners’ sense of taste, put candy, chocolate,
nuts, fruit, pretzels, or other treats on their tables.
Mistake #15:
Not returning to the learning objectives at the session’s
conclusion
Jim’s Gems:
N Plan and facilitate an activity that takes your learners back to the
learning objectives as you’re wrapping up. Do this without
saying, “Let’s review the learning objectives.” Why? Most
participants would rather eat dinner outside during a thunder-
storm than hear that they’re going to review something they’ve
already discussed—especially at the end of the day. Moreover,
your objectives lose their significance if you do not repeatedly
refer to them.
N During the opening objective’s review, have participants think of
questions they want answered relative to the course objectives.
Have them write the questions in their workbooks or on the
back of their name tents. As you’re wrapping up the session,
spend time reviewing their questions and answers.
N
A nice touch at the end of your session is to have past
participants come in and discuss how they’ve incorporated the
workshop’s learning objectives into their jobs.
11
12. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 12
Chapter 1
N Near the close of the session, have participants work in small
groups to revisit the learning objectives. Instruct them to
develop an action or application “next step” for each one.
N Close the session the way you began the session and provide a
strong call to action. Refer to the learning objectives in your call
to action.
Mistake #16:
Not closing the session in a strong, memorable way
Jim’s Gems:
N Because a strong closer pulls everything together and sends par-
ticipants off confidently looking forward to applying their work-
shop learning, consider facilitating a high-energy review activity
but without saying, “Let’s review....” For example, you could
suggest a gallery walk during which the participants create and
post their action plans, top challenges, or best practices
flipcharts and then walk around surveying or analyzing others’
work. Other possibilities include partner sharing, a game of
Koosh ball toss, or a team challenge contest using workshop
content as the test categories.
N Tell a story.
N N Have the participants list on a
flipchart or in their workbooks what
Ask them how they’re they are going to stop, start, and stay
going to adapt, adopt, or with (or continue doing) because of
apply what they’ve what they learned.
learned back on the job. N Provide time for reflection.
N Close the session the same way you
opened the session.
N Facilitate an activity that encourages participants to share their
best ideas.
N Provide encouraging words that get them looking forward to
incorporating their new skills and sharing their thoughts with
management.
N Avoid closing with questions and answers. The wrong question
can sour the atmosphere, leaving a bitter closing taste. Moreover,
12
13. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 13
Facilitation Mistakes
you might run out of time without thoroughly answering the
question.
N Share an article relative to industry trends.
N Challenge them to take what you’ve given them to improve both
organizational and individual results.
N Ask them to complete a self-addressed envelope and to enclose
a short list of ideas and to-do items they would like to be
reminded about in about a month. You then would mail the
envelopes in 30 days.
Mistake #17:
Too much telling, not enough asking (using all lecture and
PowerPoint slides) during the session
Jim’s Gems:
N Because too much telling creates passive learning and relies exces-
sively on one-way communication, at the very least incorporate as
many question-and-answer segments as you can. Look for ways to
reframe or rephrase the questions you ask.
N Use sneaky mini-review activities that the participants won’t
readily recognize as ways of reviewing the content.
N During your session, watch videos and have them experience
simulations.
N Employ teach-back segments so that you can determine how
much the learners have retained.
N Have the participants test each other to determine how much
they’ve learned and to see if they can use their reference materials
to find the answers.
N Provide true/false group quizzes.
N Have the participants develop and make group presentations.
N
Use role plays and case studies to provide feedback; have select
participants take on the judging personas of the “American Idol”
judges: positive, lukewarm, and constructive-critical.
13
14. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 14
Chapter 1
N Provide reading assignments to help individuals process the
information they’ve learned.
N To change the workshop’s pace, provide quick, fun, spirited
activities with wholesome competition.
Mistake #18:
Failing to teach in chunks
Jim’s Gems:
N To increase learner retention, break your material up into
20-minute chunks. During a 20-minute chunk, use the 3M
approach: Material (provide the information or materials),
Marinate (give them time to process the information and make
it their own), and Memory (check to determine if they are
retaining the information). Approximately every 20 minutes,
transition the content or your approach to the content. For
example, you could facilitate a sneaky review activity, give partic-
ipants time to solve a problem, give participants time to share
their views or perspectives on the content, give participants
reflection time, change your or their positioning, or lead a
mini-review discussion.
N To maintain the participants’ attention, give them a brain-body
break every 90 minutes.
N Employ the 3M approach when showing a video or leading a
PowerPoint presentation too.
N Avoid rushing through information or trying to cover too much
at one time. Provide links from one module to the next.
Mistake #19:
Failing to send them and get them back from breaks in an
inspiring, motivational way
Jim’s Gems:
N Preview the information you’re going to cover upon their return
prior to sending them off.
N Assign volunteers to make sure their group gets back on time.
14
15. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 15
Facilitation Mistakes
N Promise to offer special information that doesn’t appear in their
workbooks for those who get back early.
N Have an engaging, powerful session up to the break time.
N Have them move around during your session; don’t let the break
be the first time they’re up and around.
N Provide rewards for the first teams to return after breaks.
N
N If you have created an ongoing
competition between teams, take
points away from latecomers. Have latecomers lead
N When possible, conduct one-on- review segments by
one meetings after you’ve taken sharing their key
several minutes to regroup. learning.
N Offer more but shorter breaks.
N Give the breaks titles, for example
an “email break,” a “break to take care of three items on a to-do
list,” or “a break to check in with one person.”
N Provide brainteasers and other trivia activities during the break
to encourage people to return quickly.
N Provide questions that will be on the test for the people who get
back first.
N Thank them for what they have contributed up to that point.
N Highlight how much they’ve covered up to that point.
N Facilitate a fun, ongoing, building game. For instance, you can
distribute poker cards to the people who get back early. After every
break, they receive cards to strengthen their hand. At the end of
the workshop, you give a gift to the person who has the best hand.
N Lead special segments during the break during which partici-
pants may ask you anything about the content.
Mistake #20:
Ending late
Jim’s Gems:
N Reward learners who arrived on time by starting and ending the
workshop promptly.
15
16. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 16
Chapter 1
N
To avoid ending late, make sure to get the session off to a quick start
and stay true to the break times given. Don’t allow participants to
compromise the break time.
N To avoid ending late, inform the participants you will be avail-
able for 15 minutes after the session to answer additional ques-
tions.
N Post a parking-lot flipchart or ask-it basket flipchart for partici-
pants to post their questions. Quickly follow up within the
week with answers to the questions that were not addressed
during the session.
N Set a personal end-of-content-dissemination time, usually a half
hour before the workshop is supposed to end for a full-day
session. Use the final half hour to first facilitate 10 to 15 min-
utes’ worth of questions followed by 10 to 15 minutes’ worth
of closing activities.
N Avoid preparing too much content for the time allotted.
N Do not overstate your points. Pay attention to your learners’
nonverbal messages and energy level. The information you fail
to cover can be emailed or sent to them. You can also personally
follow up by phone.
Mistake #21:
Failing to see the entire group as your customer
Jim’s Gems:
N Because it is imperative that your learners believe that you are
adding value, facilitate, train, teach, or present to express, not
impress.
N Take on the role of coach, guide, facilitator, not expert. You
should provide information and customer service.
N Work to create an environment where your participants leave
the session with confidence, energy, and conviction.
16
17. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 17
Facilitation Mistakes
N Create plenty of content discovery moments.
N Ask probing, results-oriented, and discovery consulting questions.
N Shift your mindset; train to change behavior and improve
results, not to get good evaluations.
N
N Be authentic, intentional, and
consistent.
N Connect with the group. View your participants as
N Create follow-up opportunities. the most important
N View the entire experience as more people in the room. Put
than just a training event. Look for your ego in check.
methods to help your learners
transfer their learning back on the
job after the session.
N Gather as much information as you can about your group before
the session. Know their business.
N Provide plenty of feedback and reassuring words.
In the Trenches
I had observed Roz facilitate a number of times. Each
time, I walked away shaking my head. We worked for the
same consulting firm and sometimes facilitated sessions
together and other times observed each other presenting new material.
I often thought while watching her facilitate, “How could someone in
such an important position of leadership be so clueless about her audi-
ence?” Her three favorite words were “me,” “myself,” and “I.” She was
a one-dimensional trainer. Everything always had to go her way. If
someone tried to provide coaching or feedback, it fell on deaf ears or
was met with patronizing replies.
Roz typically began sessions by stating what her ground rules were.
She wasn’t interested in the participants’ ground rules. She would then
move into her lengthy credibility soliloquy, consisting of 10 pompous
minutes on why she was the best trainer to ever sniff a Mr. Sketch
marker. Next, she would authoritatively tell her audience members
what they were going to learn without ever asking for their input. She
would then rifle through the content, occasionally pausing to send
17
18. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 18
Chapter 1
participants off to a late break or to answer a question or two. I’d cringe
watching her, wondering how long I could stay in the room with her
if I weren’t getting paid.
On this particular occasion, Roz decided to kick it up a notch. It was
a rainy Friday, and management was going to be in the room. Roz was
also the project leader for this new client. She was bent on showing
them how articulate and polished she was. Beginning in typical Roz
fashion, she blew through the ground rules, participant introductions
(except, of course, her own), workshop objectives, and the agenda. I was
sitting in the back of the room wondering if she knew how she was
coming across. I could sense the participants’ frustration starting to
mount already. “Where did they get her?” I heard one participant ask.
“We have to deal with this all day?” “Does she think we’re little kids?”
Whether she did or didn’t, Roz was in Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”
form. She talked and talked and talked and talked. They were 15 min-
utes late in getting to the first break, and then she shortened their
break time. During the break, she made small talk with the manage-
ment team, specifically commenting on how well she thought the ses-
sion was going.
After the break, the assault continued. Ten-minute modules turned
into 40-minute modules. Forty-minute modules turned into 60-minute
modules. The class broke late to get to lunch, and Roz suggested that
they have a working lunch. Management declined, but lunch was short-
ened by 15 minutes. The afternoon started much like the morning
began. It was the “Roz Show” starring Roz. She purported to know
everything about everything. She topped every participant’s answer. She
always had to get the last word in. She finished their sentences. Her sto-
ries and anecdotes droned on interminably.
With less than a half hour remaining in the session, she moved into
another activity. I knew at that point that the workshop was going to
end late. Sure enough, we finished at 5:30 p.m. instead of 5:00 p.m.
People were frustrated. I was annoyed. The rain even seemed to be com-
ing down harder. Roz, however, was unphased, believing she did a com-
mendable job. Afterward, a few management members mentioned to
Roz that they were disappointed to be getting out so late. Feeling as
18
19. 01.Smith REV pages 12/1/06 11:25 AM Page 19
Facilitation Mistakes
though she did the appropriate thing, Roz commented that she wanted
them to see the entire program so she didn’t think letting out a little late
would be a problem.
After that particular session—surprise!—the client requested other
facilitators from our team to lead the training.
Building Your Action Plan:
Facilitation Mistakes
My top three mistakes are:
1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________
My action steps to correct these mistakes are:
1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________
I’m committed to correcting these mistakes because:
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
19