In our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors workshop, learners talk about getting out of their comfort zone. My favorite definition of comfort zone comes from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus. It defines comfort zone as a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested. We all have our comfort zone. People should always stay true to who they are, but in order to grow they should find ways to stretch themselves. Most people stay within their comfort zone because of FOF—fear of failure. Let’s look at four ways to increase your comfort zone and reduce that FOF. To do so, think PATT: 1. Practice . . . practice, and practice . This is one time where familiarity does not breed contempt; it breeds comfort. Notice I didn’t say memorize. Knowing the material you are going to deliver allows you to focus on connecting with your audience. your "elevator speech;" this way you will be prepared for anything at any time. mental imagery. Visualize yourself delivering training, meeting new people, or making a presentation and doing these things flawlessly. 2. Accept . . . that Rome wasn’t built in a day and that this process takes time. that mistakes will be made and be prepared to work through them. Fear of public speaking remains high on the list of what Americans fear. A 2001 Gallop poll shows snakes first, public speaking second, and heights third. I’ve never heard of anyone express a one hundred percent comfort level in front of a group. help (if needed) from someone you trust. Sometimes that FOF may keep us from getting the support we need. 3. Try . . . something new. This could be adding a story, a quote, an icebreaker, or brainteaser. to do something differently: a gesture, where you stand in the room, how you practice for a course. not to be too hard on yourself. Most people will not know you made a mistake unless you let them know. 4. Take . . . time to acknowledge your strengths. Everyone brings something good to the table. Don’t discount what you bring. time to renew your energy; exercise, read a book, get a massage, get a mani-pedi, play with your children, or meditate. credit when credit is due. If someone gives you a compliment, accept it, say thank you and move forward. Thinking PATT can help stretch your comfort zone and add new levels of ability and determination. What are your tips for increasing someone’s comfort zone? Martha

Today is the first in a series of delicious recipes from Langevin’s very own course leaders. We hope you enjoy these tested family favorites, and wish you and yours a very happy holiday season. Feel free to sing along to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas;" we’ll add a new verse each day! And if you’re itching to sing our version of this holiday classic over the holidays, we’ll publish the lyrics to the full song on December 24th! On the first day of recipes, my trainer sent to me, the secret to potato latkes!   Ingredients 4 Large Baking Potatoes, Idaho or Yukon Gold recommended 2 eggs, beaten 1 small onion, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons flour Vegetable oil, for frying Sour cream or applesauce, for serving. Directions Peel and finely grate the potatoes by hand. (Yes, it’s more work by hand, but it’s worth it. Otherwise, they’re too watery.) Beat the eggs lightly and add to bowl. Add onions, salt, flour and stir well. Fill the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat. (These are fried but hey, let’s live a little. It’s only once a year!) Take serving spoonfuls of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. Flatten a little and lower the heat so they cook through and evenly. When one side is golden brown, turn over and brown the other side. Make a few at a time, being careful they don’t run into each other. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Serve hot with applesauce or sour cream. Enjoy your delicious latkes! Marsha   [Image via thedeliciouslife]

I worked for a small, non-profit association in the 80s as a trainer. I also served on its board and have written an annual article for the association’s magazine ever since. This year, I was shocked and surprised when the association decided to give me a lifetime achievement award. It was a real honor, but now I was faced with making a presentation—not delivering training—when accepting the award. I was expected to just speak before a group of people. As a trainer, I was used to putting the spotlight on the participants in a classroom. Whatever was I to do in this environment? Fortunately, I facilitate a workshop for Langevin that helped—Professional Presentation Skills. In that workshop, we practice a five-step process to do a formal presentation. I thought I could use the process for my acceptance speech—and I did. Here’s how it worked: Plan. The plan involves identifying the general requirements for the presentation (i.e. who, what, why, etc.), the detailed requirements, and the purpose of the presentation. In this case it was easy; I was receiving an award in a hotel banquet room at a board meeting in San Diego. The purpose was simply to say, "Thank you," and acknowledge the people who enabled me to be a candidate for the award. Write. This includes writing an opening, body, and closing for the presentation. But not in that order. It really helped to write the body of the presentation first. That way I could "tell them what I was going to tell them" after I had figured out what I was going to tell them. Part of that opening included a strategy for capturing the audience’s attention. As the award presentation was a week before the Academy Awards and the venue was Southern California, I started off by saying "I want to thank the Academy…" and then I corrected myself. Accompanied by a slight gag, that very little bit of humor engaged the group. Prepare. The preparation included both logistics and rehearsals. Most of the logistics were taken care of by the association’s staff and the hotel, but I still checked out the room the day before the presentation and early on the evening of the award. The rehearsals I did on my own and with a stop watch. I wanted to make sure that I could complete the presentation in less than 15 minutes. Delivery. This phase included a possible question and answer session and preparation for challenging situations. I doubted there would be a formal question and answer session, but I knew this was a pretty outgoing group of people with whom I would be working. So I showed up a day early, renewed acquaintances, bounced my plan off a really cool guy who had been around forever, verified facts, and established new relationships. When I presented, I was not trying something brand new and untested with room full of strangers. I also was happy to find out that food would be served before the presentation and that there would be an open bar. This gave me comfort that the group wouldn’t be too restless when I began the presentation and, as the bar remained open, not overly anxious for the presentation to end. Evaluate. How could the presentation have been better? I got feedback from a few experienced presenters when the dust settled. To do this, I stayed through a portion of the next day.  I also reviewed my notes to see if the presentation had been delivered the way I intended it to be and noted where it had not gone exactly according to plan. While the award ceremony contained some real surprises and didn’t go off exactly as I had planned, the major points were covered, the crowd was entertained, and the presentation was well received. To paraphrase SCUBA divers, I planned the dive and dived the plan. The five-step method for delivering the presentation got me through the evening and kept the audience engaged. What are your tips for pulling off a successful presentation? Paul

On the second day of recipes, my trainer sent to me, apple crisp in seven steps, and the secret to potato latkes!   Ingredients 2 1/2 lbs of apples (About 6-7 large Golden Delicious or Macintosh apples) 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed) 1/4 stick of butter (cut into pieces) 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon 3/4 cup all purpose flour Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Core, cut and peel apples into 1 inch slices and place in 2 quart glass round baking dish. Pour water over apples into dish. Place cut up pieces of butter randomly over the apples in the dish. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together: sugars, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. Sprinkle all of the dry ingredients mixture over the apples in the baking dish. Bake apples for 30 minutes covered and then 30 more minutes uncovered. Serve plain or with vanilla ice cream on top! Lynne   [Image via Keltic Lodge] Did you miss a recipe? First Day of Recipes: Potato Latkes

On the third day of recipes, my trainer sent to me, chili cooked in one big pot, apple crisp in seven steps, and the secret to potato latkes! Ingredients 2 16-ounce cans of red kidney beans, drained 2 14.5 ounce cans of tomatoes 2 pounds coarsely ground chuck, browned and drained 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1 green pepper, coarsely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 to 3 tablespoons of chili powder 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon cumin 2 Jalapeño peppers, chopped (optional) Directions Simmer all ingredients in crock pot on low for 10 to 12 hours. Paul [image via What's Cooking America] Did you miss a recipe? First day of recipes: Potato Latkes Second day of recipes: Apple Crisp

On the fourth day of recipes, my trainer sent to me, a salad dressed with Balsamic, chili cooked in one big pot, apple crisp in seven steps, and the secret to potato latkes! Ingredients For the Salad 1 package of mixed salad greens (preferable a mesclun or spring mix) ¼ - ½ cup toasted and chopped pecans ¼ -½ cup dried cranberries For the Vinaigrette 1/8 c Balsamic Vinegar 1/8 c white wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, crushed and finely minced ¼ - ½ cup olive oil (can be extra virgin or lite) Pinch of salt, pepper and sugar Directions Salad Clean the salad greens and put in salad bowl. Add the pecans and cranberries. Toss greens with your favorite store-bought balsamic dressing just to coat or use the following: Vinaigrette Dressing Combine the vinegars and garlic. Drizzle and whisk in the olive oil - how much you use will depend on your personal preference. Add minimal pinch of salt, pepper and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ron [Image via Main Kitchen Daily] Did you miss a recipe? First day of recipes: Potato Latkes Second day of recipes: Apple Crisp Third day of recipes: Chili

Everyone knows that solid presentation skills are critical for a successful presentation, but who knew that a font could make or break your presentation? Well, it can. Until recently, your biggest decision may have been whether to go with serif or sans serif font. Serif fonts are the ones with little tails attached to each letter that help your eyes move from one character to the next. Newspapers and magazines use these fonts as they are easier to read. Sans serif fonts don’t have the tails and look more like stick letters. Although the debate continues, most would agree that sans serif is best for PowerPoint presentations. But have you ever thought about how others perceive your font choice and the effect it can have on them? Here are some amazing stories about the impact of a font. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the famous IKEA catalogue. (By the way, love their merchandise but sometimes I find that it’s impossible to put together!) Anyway, it advertises that it’s the world’s most printed book. A couple of years ago, they decided to change their font from Futura to Verdana. Now, keep in mind, they had been using Futura for 50 years. They made the change to reach more people and needed a font that worked in both digital and print media. Well, the backlash was severe. Ikea fans were outraged and the internet exploded with negative comments. One person posted, "It’s a sad day." Some even started a petition urging IKEA to get rid of Verdana. Others tweeted posts such as, "Words can’t describe my disgust." In another article, scientists announced the discovery of a new particle, the long-sought Higgs Boson. Stephen Hawking called the discovery worthy of a Nobel Prize. Now, what I haven’t mentioned is they wrote the presentation using the Comic Sans font. Again, online, everyone focused on the font and not the discovery. This is just one of the many comments: "They used Comic Sans on the Higgs Boson PowerPoint presentation…there is no hope for mankind." In her book, "Slide:ology," Nancy Duarte dissects the "personality" of a font. Get ready for this one; according to Nancy, Arial (my preference, by the way) equates to being stable and a conformist. Never really saw myself this way. Century Gothic reflects happy and elegant. Times New Roman is professional and traditional and Courier is plain and nerdy. Is anyone still using Courier? I had no idea that people put so much importance on font selection! Is this news to you? What’s your font of choice and do you agree that it matters? Marsha

On the fifth day of recipes, my trainer sent to me, a pan of glazed pecaaaans! A salad dressed with Balsamic, chili cooked in one big pot, apple crisp in seven steps, and the secret to potato latkes! Albany, Georgia is known as "The Pecan Capital of the World."  I lived in Georgia for 20 years.  Pecans are plentiful and I always had them around the house during the holidays.  This recipe is great to use with pecans or feel free to substitute other nuts such as almonds, cashews, or a mixture.  Enjoy! Ingredients 2 Cups Pecan Halves 2 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar 1 Tablespoon Corn Syrup 1 teaspoon real vanilla or vanilla flavoring ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon Sprinkle of nutmeg (fresh if possible) Pinch of Salt Directions Toast pecans to bring out the fullest flavor of the nut by tossing them in a large, dry pan over a low flame for 3-5 minutes until the nuts smell very aromatic.  (Be very careful not to burn the nuts, as they’ll taste bitter.) Remove nuts from pan and set aside. In the same pan, melt butter. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and spices to melted butter. Mix ingredients well and cook until bubbly.  Add pecans to syrup mixture and toss well to coat nuts. Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake nuts 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.  Cool nuts completely and break them up if any have stuck together Jeff   [Image via One Frugal Foodie]   Did you miss a recipe? First day of recipes: Potato Latkes Second day of recipes: Apple Crisp Third day of recipes: Chili Fourth day of recipes: Salad

On the sixth day of recipes, my trainer sent to me, tasty chicken served with rice, a pan of glazed pecaaaans! A salad dressed with Balsamic, chili cooked in one big pot, apple crisp in seven steps, and the secret to potato latkes! Ingredients 1 can of cranberry sauce 1 envelope of dry onion mix 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 3 tbsps chili sauce 1/3 cup sugar ¼ cup vinegar 4 lbs. chicken parts Directions: Mix the ingredients together in a bowl, except for the chicken; set aside. Place chicken in bottom of a large casserole dish Pour sauce mixture over the chicken Cover and cook. Bake at 325 for 1 ½ hours. This is great served over rice. Alan   [Image via Fire Recruit]   Did you miss a recipe? First day of recipes: Potato Latkes Second day of recipes: Apple Crisp Third day of recipes: Chili Fourth day of recipes: Salad Fifth day of recipes: Glazed Pecans

Here are two conversations relating to how training projects can be prioritized. They are fictional. The names of the participants and the projects are imaginary. Our conversers are Terry the Training Manager (TTM) and Sam the Sales Manager (SSM). Conversation 1 SSM: Hey Terry. I thought I’d stop by to talk about that new project I e-mailed you about. TTM: Oh hi, Sam. Sure thing, come on in. SSM: So our new TPS report procedures will be finalized next month. It looks like all my sales people will need training on them. TTM: Okay, so the deadline for delivery is 30 days. Do you still have about 150 people across all regions? SSM: That’s right. It shouldn’t take more than an hour to deliver this training, so we can get everyone trained within a week of the new procedure launch. TTM: Hmm, looking at my available resources, I’m not sure I can meet those deadlines. SSM: This is priority one, Terry. It’s got to happen. TTM: But, what about that consultative sales course you want delivered by end-of-year? SSM: Oh, that’s still priority one as well. TTM: I also have a project going for Chris in Customer Service about the new product launch. SSM: Oh yeah, I don’t want to override Chris. That’s also priority one. Let’s give Terry a new prioritizing tool - using organization objectives - and go back in time. Here is the conversation again. Conversation 2 SSM: Hey Terry. I thought I’d stop by to talk about that new project I e-mailed you about. TTM: Oh hi Sam. Sure thing, come on in. SSM: So our new TPS report procedures will be finalized next month. It looks like all my sales people will need training on them. TTM: Okay, so the deadline for delivery is 30 days. Do you still have about 150 people across all regions? SSM: That’s right. It shouldn’t take more than an hour to deliver this training, so we can get everyone trained within a week of the new procedure launch. TTM: Hmm, looking at the strategic plan, I’m trying to decide which organizational objective this project relates to. SSM: Strategic plan? TTM: Yes. Here, have a look. Would you say this relates to the objective about reducing costs by 5% this year? SSM: Well, yeah. That’s the whole reason we redid the TPS reports in the first place. TTM: So it fits between the new product launch and the push to increase new customer business. SSM: Makes sense. TTM: So Chris’ new product launch training would be priority one. This TPS report course looks like priority two. And the consultative sales course we’re working on now becomes priority three. SSM: I guess that’s how it’s going to have to be. I’m not suggesting that all competing projects can be easily resolved using a list of organizational objectives, but it does help to keep the discussion rational and unbiased. It also allows training professionals to manage client expectations in a realistic way. Let your client see a list of prioritized organizational objectives and relate the new project to one of them. This will help you and your client set deadlines and allocate resources in a way that addresses the needs of all stakeholders across all projects. How are training projects typically prioritized in your organization? Alan