Written by: Melissa It happens every four years in the United States; it’s time for the presidential election. A crucial part of any election campaign is the debate between the candidates. This is the candidate’s chance to persuade the voters, inspire trust, and ultimately get votes. A debate can be highly competitive, and when competition is fierce, projecting confidence can tip the scales in the speaker’s favor. As a speaker myself, I found myself critiquing the public speaking skills of the candidates rather than their policies. After watching (and critiquing) the first two debates during this recent presidential election cycle, I felt compelled to research public speaking (specifically, speaking with confidence), to see what the experts had to say. One such expert is Carole Hale Alter, author of The Credibility Code (one of my favorite books on public speaking). Her book outlines five simple steps for speaking with confidence. And while you may not be planning on running for President of the United States, chances are you’re a training professional and/or a public or motivational speaker who not only needs to be competent, but has to look competent. Below are Ms. Alter’s five essential tips for projecting confidence and competence: Keep your head level. This means no raising or dropping your chin, which can appear either aggressive or submissive. Speak with optimal volume. If you’re a Seinfeld fan, you’ll remember the "low-talker" episode. Even in business, people often speak too softly or drop their volume at the end of sentences. Recognize the difference between adequate and optimal volume. Use a microphone if you’re soft-spoken (like the Presidential candidates do). Hold eye contact for three to four seconds. Eye contact is a key indicator of confidence. Yet there is a difference between making eye contact and holding eye contact. Duration is critical! In the Western world, holding eye contact for three to four seconds is optimal. Keep your hands in the gesture box. In poker, a "tell" is a subtle signal revealing the strength or weakness of a player’s hand. Gestures can be telling to others. The most effective hand gestures happen inside the "gesture box," no higher than your sternum, no lower than your hips, and no wider than your shoulders. Avoid using speech fillers or uptalk. Fillers are superfluous sounds or words, such as "um" and "you know." Uptalk is misplaced upward vocal inflections that sound like question marks at the end of sentences. Today, both vocal patterns are widespread in our culture. Be vigilant in not picking up these habits, as both can erode your credibility. Experts agree that watching and critiquing other speakers (be it the Presidential candidates or others) can be helpful for your own growth and development. But when it comes right down to it, there’s nothing like actually doing. Practice, Practice, Practice! Consider attending our one-day workshop, "Polish Your Presentation Skills," for practical application and valuable feedback. I, uh, hope to, uh um, see you in a workshop like, uh, soon! How do you use instructional techniques or presentation skills to project confidence?

Written by: Linda We know, as trainers, how important it is to prepare. We must prepare and learn our content, we must prepare our classroom to make it inviting for our participants, and we must prepare ourselves and practice our delivery. And yet, how does all this preparation help us when unexpected events occur and rain down upon us? We are all familiar with Murphy’s Law, "If anything can go wrong, it will." I often like to reflect upon my experiences as an actress. I was once in a play when I had an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction during one of the performances. I could have panicked (inside I did). Instead, staying in character, I improvised and my fellow actors improvised with me. We had to be in the moment and go off script. The audience, of course, was clueless and just thought it was part of the scene. This was an unexpected event. I’m sure, as trainers, we all have stories to tell about the unexpected situations that occur in training. However it begs the question, how do we handle these situations effectively and with grace? Know your content - As an actor I knew my lines and the overall script so well I was able to improvise, be in the moment, and eventually get us back on script without the audience having a clue. We actually have more freedom as trainers because we are not "locked into" a script. However, the more we know our content, the better prepared we are to deal with any unexpected occurrences and get back on track with ease. It’s also important to know that if we do forget something, the participants don’t have our lesson plan. Know your classroom - Blocking is a term we use in theatre which identifies where everyone should be on the stage at any given time. We also need to know our props and where they should be. Knowing where everything and everyone was on the stage during my mishap allowed me to improvise with confidence. It is no different for us as trainers.  We should know where everything is in the classroom and we need to check that it is working, particularly when technology is involved. We should also know our "blocking" in the classroom. Walk around, sit, stand, and become so familiar with the room that it almost feels like home. This may be challenging if you are in different rooms or traveling to different spaces. In these situations, I always ask to see the room the night before, or arrive early to get familiar with the space. Practice your delivery - Actors rehearse extensively before actually getting on the stage to perform. This type of preparation allowed me to improvise and think quickly on my feet. In addition to knowing our content, it is important to practice our delivery. We must remember to smile, use inflections, project our voices, use gestures and eye contact. Plan for contingencies - We have all experienced a fire drill which prepares us in the event of a fire. We should also plan for the unexpected "what ifs" by accessing previous experiences. For example, after my wardrobe malfunction, I always had a second and third look before entering the stage. Identify what has happened to you in the past that caught you off guard and create a plan to prevent it from happening again or prepare ways of handling it if it should. If you anticipate issues with technology, having handouts to distribute as backup is an example of being prepared for the unexpected. It’s impossible to predict everything that can happen; life would be boring if we could.  However, if we prepare, remain present and in the moment, we will discover that there is always something to learn from the unexpected. What instructional techniques do you use to prepare for the unexpected?

Written By: Lynne Imagine this: You’re driving on a long car trip and you get lost repeatedly because you did not put your final destination address in your GPS! "That would never happen," you might be saying to yourself! "I would never forget to put the destination address in my GPS! How silly!" Well trainers, believe it or not, some of us can get lost when training others because we do not properly write and include training objectives in our design process! Perhaps you’ve heard the expression, "If you don’t know where you’re going you might end up someplace else!" See what I’m driving at? In our Instructional Design for New Designers workshop we teach you the three main components that make up a well-written objective. First, you need to explain to the learner what they will be doing in that lesson or class (task statement). Next, you need to explain under what conditions they will be performing the task (condition).  Lastly, you need to explain how well they are supposed to perform the task (standard). How you write these three parts is up to you, but here are three additional tips on writing objectives: Keep them short! My journalism teacher once said to me, "Why tell them the story in 100 words when you can do it in 50!" The same principle applies to objectives. Use as few words as possible. Avoid using words that end in the letters "ly" as these words tend to be subjective. For example, when you write objectives avoid words like "successfully" or "efficiently." These words can have different meanings for different people. Keep the SMART goals acronym in mind as the same principles apply to writing objectives. When you write objectives, keep them specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, and timely. It is important to spend some time writing objectives with all these things in mind, but do not get carried away. If you are designing instruction, trust me, you have bigger fish to fry! Some learners ask me how many objectives you should include in a course and where should you put them? The number of objectives should directly match up with the number of tasks you are teaching students to perform in the course. You can put the objectives on slides, on flipcharts, or in your learner guides. Typically you would include one primary course objective and then you would have groups of lesson objectives that explain what students will be doing in each individual task. So there you have it! If you follow these tips when writing your course objectives you will keep both yourself and your learners on the path to enlightenment without getting lost along the way! So, when going on a long car trip, don’t forget to type in your destination address, and when you are designing training, don’t forget to include well-written objectives! Do you have any other tips on writing good objectives to share?

Written by: Paul We’re always looking for icebreakers to get a workshop up and running. Here’s one that gets people interacting with each other, acknowledges participant experience, and provides the facilitator with a quick look at the background of the group. At the beginning of the class, hand out a sheet of paper with a bingo card on it like the one below. The card should be five squares by five with a free cell in the middle. Populate the squares with statements relating to the content of the workshop. For example, if I were using this icebreaker for a design workshop, I might fill each of the 24 available squares with statements like: I have conducted a task analysis I have attended Langevin’s Training Needs Analysis workshop I have been on an instructional design team I have participated in a virtual classroom session Tell the participants to go around the room, briefly introduce themselves to their classmates, and see which squares their colleagues can help them fill. Give the participants a maximum of five to ten minutes to write the names of the colleagues who meet the descriptive phrase. The first person to get five squares in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, shouts "bingo" and wins a "not so fabulous prize." If no one is able to fill five squares in a row in the allotted time, the winner could be the person who fills the most. When selecting statements, it is a good practice to have a row that will most likely be filled with the expected experience of people in the room. The activity debrief would be to have the winner validate the win by describing each square and mentioning the name of the participant who matched the statement. Meanwhile, the participants have gotten to know each other and the debrief gives the trainer an idea of the experience level of the group. Fun and effective! Any icebreakers you can share that you find to be fun and effective?

Written by: Ron Imagine you are the instructor in a classroom when one of your students falls asleep. Quick! What is your immediate reaction? "That student is so rude" or "OMG! Am I that boring?" The human mind is such a complex thing, that even with today’s scientific and medical advances, we still don’t have a complete understanding of how it works. We are always making immediate judgments or impressions about the situations we find ourselves in based upon our own histories. Those who claim they don’t do this are not being honest with themselves. Becoming aware of this human tendency to make first impressions or judgments when in the classroom is a difficult skill for instructors to master. We all know that when a group of people get together, some amazing human dynamics can occur. A good instructor will be aware of his or her surroundings and strive to be in tune with his or her judgments. Quickly and objectively evaluating a situation before reacting will allow us to respond appropriately rather than jumping to a conclusion. This is a skill that is rarely taught in instructional techniques courses. There have been many times when I have misinterpreted a person or situation, only to find out later how "off the mark" I was. Think about the last time you met someone you initially did not care for, but are close friends with today. It is critical that we stay open-minded to people and situations, trying to see things from their perspective. I am not saying that you must agree with everything that is surrounding you. However, if you are too preoccupied with your own thoughts and views, then you risk closing yourself off to new ideas. I learn so much when I stay focused on the events around me and do not allow myself to become consumed with my own feelings or prejudices about the event or situation. Listen and observe carefully and try to stay as objective as you can. That’s all you can ask for. Then you will be able to respond accordingly instead of making a snap judgment and reacting inappropriately. And by the way, regarding the student who falls asleep in class - maybe he or she had little or no sleep due to a new baby or other crisis at home and the sleeping has nothing to do with either you or the course. You will never really know unless you keep an open mind. Our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors course can help you develop this skill as well as many others.

Written by: Steve My wife and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica. It was a memorable trip to a beautiful country. The volcanoes, the beaches, and rainforest are spectacular. After a few days of lounging by the pool we decided to take a tour of the rainforest. We left the resort in a vehicle that could drive through rivers and go up and down steep and bumpy dirt trails. Our tour group consisted of a few couples and a family with two inquisitive teenagers. Once the tour was under way, it didn’t take long before the teenagers started to ask our guide lots of questions. "What would happen if that monkey in the trees jumped into the truck?" one of them asked. "What would we do if one of us fell into the river near that crocodile?" asked the other. The "what if" questions continued for some time and seemed to annoy the guide. To put the teenagers at ease the guide told us how he was trained for the job. He was trained by his father when he was 17 years old and was only allowed to drive the vehicle on flat, dry roads at first. Once he was operating the vehicle comfortably, he was allowed to drive it on bumpy roads and dry river beds. He went on to explain that his father would challenge him by presenting different situations. These situations included wildlife approaching the vehicle, crossing fast-moving rivers, and challenging tourist situations. The guide assured everyone he was very prepared for any situation. Our guide’s on-the-job training made sense, probably because it’s the same three-step process that we use when training employees for more traditional jobs: Teach the basic skill first. Add real life conditions. Reinforce to ensure retention. Once the basic skill is mastered under ideal conditions in training, we must try to simulate as many real life conditions and "what-if" situations as possible. The learner may never face some of these situations on the job, but if they do, they have been prepared for them in training. I’ve heard it said that if we are training people properly, the training should be harder than the job. By following this three-step process, we can prepare our learners for just about anything, and build their confidence and ensure their success both in training and back on the job. What instructional techniques do you use to ensure your learners are prepared back on the job?

Written by: Melissa It’s been a while since the beginning of 2013. How are those New Year resolutions going? Do you even remember them? (Did you even make any?) Well, even if you didn’t set goals for yourself at the start of the year, it’s never too late to start. In fact, New Year resolutions might just be another form of procrastination when it comes to setting the goals that will last you a lifetime. ("I know, I’ll do it next year!") So, let’s get down to brass tacks…what will it take for you to accomplish the goals you’ve set for your life: starting a new job, a new hobby, getting that certification, or learning a new skill set? In other words, what will it take for you to be successful? As luck would have it, I recently came across an article in Investor’s Business Daily (one of my husband’s favorite publications) on what makes people successful. IBD spent years analyzing leaders and successful people in all walks of life and put together a list of the ten traits which, when combined, can turn dreams into reality: How you think is everything. Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment. Decide upon your true dreams and goals. Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them. Take action. Goals are nothing without action. Don’t be afraid to get started. As Nike says, "Just do it." Never stop learning. Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills. Be persistent and work hard. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up. Learn to analyze details. Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes. Focus your time and money. Don’t let other people or things distract you. Don’t be afraid to innovate; be different. Following the herd leads to mediocrity. Deal and communicate with people effectively. No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others. Be honest and dependable. Take responsibility. If you don’t, numbers 1-9 won’t matter! Do you already possess some of these traits? Have you had success as a result of these traits? Finally, do you have any secrets to success you would like to share? I’d love to hear them!

Written by: Marsha People have been using stories to communicate information and teach since the beginning of time. So, if you’re a new trainer or you’re looking for new ways to deliver your message, stories are the way to go! They bring life to your training and more importantly, they actually stick in people’s minds. But did you also know that they appeal to the three different learning styles? In our How Adults Learn Workshop, we address and explain the different learning styles. You see, people process and learn using their senses and each of us tends to have one preferred sense. Of course, I’m referring to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Visual learners think in color, size, and shape. They create diagrams of what they hear and run movies in their minds. They use typical phrases like, "It’s not clear to me," or "I get the picture," or "I don’t see the point of this." Auditory learners prefer facts, details, clear vocal presentations, and audio recordings. They pay particular attention to the speaker’s voice - the tone, energy, pitch, enthusiasm, and modulation. They use phrases like, "sounds good to me," or "I hear what you’re saying," or "I like the sound of that." Kinesthetic learners prefer to put their hands on and touch something. They like participating in groups and moving about doing several different activities at the same time. They relive the sensation or the feeling they have experienced. They use phrases like, "it feels right to me," "I feel good about this," or "I’m really excited about the future." Eric Jensen, author of the book Superteaching, has found that in a typical learning group, you can expect 40% of your learners to be predominantly visual, 40% auditory, and 20% kinesthetic. Obviously, it’s difficult to cater to each person, and that’s why storytelling can be so powerful. It appeals to all three! Visual learners will remember your story if you create a picture in their minds. Auditory learners will gravitate to your voice and respond to a well-delivered story. And finally, kinesthetic learners will make associations between the content of the story and their own emotions and feelings. They will connect to the story if it touches them in some way. Over the years, I have shared many stories and will continue to do so. Amazingly, I’ve had repeat clients, who see me years later and are able to recall what I shared. Now, that’s pretty awesome! So, remember to continue using stories and keep building your arsenal of instructional techniques. They’re memorable, powerful, AND everyone likes them!

Written By: Steve As trainers we are continually looking for ways to make our participants’ learning experience better. We try to find the latest and greatest instructional techniques to connect with our learners. We are also often under time constraints to deliver the content and, as a result, we end up overlooking the simple things. Here are five tried-and-true, yet simple ways to connect with your learners: Be available Announce your availability before and after class. Make an effort to be available to your learners outside of class time to answer any questions they might have. Strive to meet individual needs. Use learners’ names Make a point of learning participants’ names. Address each participant at least once per day by name. Using names provides a strong connection with learners. Show an Interest Listen to your learners; they will often mention details about their family or hobbies. Show an interest in their personal lives. Share a little about your interests as well. Empathize Recognize that learners have busy lives and often work in stressful environments. Acknowledge that training is important but that there are still things happening outside of the classroom. Be sincere Always try to be genuine and sincere when dealing with learners. Ensure coaching and feedback are meaningful. By using these five simple tips you will make much more of a connection with your learners. This connection will enhance the learning experience for all and will add to your credibility as a training professional. Are there any tips you’d like to add to this list? I’d love to hear from you!

Written by: Melissa I love music! I love to dance to it, study to it, exercise to it, even clean house to it. As a kid, my mother would find me holed up in my bedroom doing nothing more than listening to one of my favorite albums. Yes, I said ALBUM and yes, I’m dating myself! My love of music continued into my college years where I made music a part of my academic agenda and joined my University’s top-rated, non-profit radio station as an on-air personality. I enjoyed that so much that, after I graduated, I got a job at a local top-forty radio station. I was actually paid to play and listen to music! Fast forward twenty years (this is not an article about what I did with my radio career) and I STILL get paid to play music as part of my job. I’m no longer an on-air personality, but a seasoned training professional who knows the impact music has on learning and retention. You see, music impacts us in powerful ways. It can evoke strong emotions, increase productivity, and even help with learning and memory. Studies have shown that music may positively impact learning and recall in a number of ways. Listening to music you’re familiar with stimulates the hippocampus, which manages long-term memory storage. Consequently, your recall is better when you listen to the same music during studying/learning and testing. While the research isn’t conclusive, some studies suggest that faster music may make you and your brain work faster! Similarly, other studies suggest that listening to music improves your mood when you are doing something boring, which can help fight fatigue. This occurs because listening to music triggers the release of dopamine. While most people study to any type of music that allows them to concentrate, some types of music may be more beneficial than others. As one who facilitates instructor-led training and plays music during workshops, I find this information insightful and hugely relevant. The message is clear—choose your music wisely! Below is a list of suggested music to play in an instructional setting. It’s not all-inclusive, but it is a good place to start: Classical/Baroque music activates the right and left sides of the brain, which can increase our participants’ learning capacity and information retention. Play during study/reading time, reflective activities, or any individual exercise (when there’s not a lot of small group discussion). Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven, and Handel all work well. Studies show that Mozart’s music can actually increase one’s IQ over time. Jazz is not only viewed as an alternative to classical, but one study revealed students were more productive while listening to jazz. Try the Branford Marsalis Quartet, John Coltrane, or Miles Davis. Repetitive music (3-4 rhythm repetitions) can cause the mind to shut down or enter a state of sub-conscious thinking. Beware of pop music, as it is largely repetitive. If you want to play upbeat pop music, use it for "welcoming" music as learners enter the classroom or on breaks. I play Michael Buble, Taylor Swift, and Bruno Mars on breaks and as clients enter the classroom in the mornings. When information is accompanied by music, there’s a greater likelihood that the brain will encode it into long term memory. With that said Trainers, how are you incorporating music into your training courses? What kind of music do you play and when do you play it? Finally, how do you use music in your technology-based training? I look forward to hearing from you!

Written by: Jeff Networking. It’s very likely we’ve all heard the term. However, I’ve long been curious if we, as training professionals, actually network with each other and reap its many benefits. I first became interested in professional networking back in the late ‘90s when I worked as a trainer for a mid-sized organization in Atlanta, GA. This organization had a group of about 15-20 trainers company-wide. We were all scattered about the company, working for various departments, from advertising to information technology to human resources. A few of us would go to lunch on "Casual Friday" simply because we were friends. In addition to socializing, our lunch-time conversation always ended up focusing on something training related (e.g. the latest book, a tried and true tip/technique, issues with a problem participant, etc.) In these conversations I remember hearing statements such as, "Do you know Ann who trains in marketing? I’m going to ask her what program they’re using." Because we constantly referenced trainers from other departments, a colleague of mine got the brilliant idea to start inviting those other trainers to our Friday lunch gatherings. To our surprise our invitation was very well received and our informal lunch meetings eventually morphed into a formal, company-wide Training Consortium. I proudly attended the consortium’s meetings until I left the organization to begin my employment with Langevin Learning Services. Although I missed the ongoing networking opportunities with my former colleagues, I soon realized the vast network of new training professionals I now had access to as a Langevin instructor. Here are four of the benefits I’ve discovered while networking with other training professionals: 1.  Access to Industry Best Practices When I’m networking with professional trainers, either face-to-face or via an online professional networking website, the conversation often focuses on sharing some type of industry best-practice. From instructional techniques to instructional design authoring tools, networking is a great way to learn what other training professionals are doing and using. 2.  Enhancement of Skill Set Because I am primarily a platform facilitator, I’m always looking for an opportunity to practice my communication skills. What might seem like a simple "meet and greet" at a network mixer is a great way to hone your interpersonal and communication skills. Meeting and carrying on conversations with new people has given me countless opportunities to master my "elevator speech." With each interaction, I walk away with more confidence about my communication skills and my personal brand. 3.  Increased Career and Business Opportunities Whether you’re looking to advance your career or just attempting to gain a business lead, networking with industry professionals can be advantageous. We’ve all heard the old adage, "It’s not what you know, but who you know." Professional networking can put you in direct contact with those who are in-the-know about employment leads, corporate partnerships, or other business ventures. I personally know of several people who have made their latest career move simply by exchanging a business card and striking up a conversation with a peer. 4.  Lasting Friendships Although they do have to be cultivated and nurtured, professional networking can give you an opportunity to make lasting friendships and relationships. To this day, I still keep in touch with a few trainers from the Training Consortium from my last job. Nor is it uncommon for me to receive a "just keeping in touch" email from various participants who attended a Langevin course I facilitated years ago. If you haven’t given professional networking a try, I encourage you to do so. Join a professional organization, attend a networking mixer, surf a professional networking website, keep in touch with your classmates from a former Langevin course, or become a member of the Langevin Alumni Group on LinkedIn if you haven’t already done so. With these activities, be prepared to benefit from the many positive aspects of learning, growing, and developing with a community of your peers. And please, don’t forget to keep me posted and up-to-date on your professional networking success stories.

Written by: Paul Langevin usually gets us into the classroom the night before to set up, but sometimes you may have a workshop where you cannot get into the training room until a few minutes before the class starts. When your setup also involves technology, a number of hiccups with the computer, adapter, and/or projector can occur at the start of the class. The first few minutes may, therefore, not go well. First impressions are lasting impressions, so that’s a difficult way to start a workshop. Here are a few tips regarding classroom technology that can help you get off to a positive start. Set up early. Test all equipment the night before the training if possible. This includes projector/computer, power sources, internet connectivity, and any other technologies important for the training. Have the required slides loaded on a USB drive so if your laptop computer goes down, you can still access your slides on an available workstation. Carry extra batteries for accessories. Use your smart phone for extra copies of needed files (music, PowerPoint, etc.). Make sure cords are secured and hidden if possible. Tape down, or cover, exposed power or AV cables. Neatness counts for that first impression and some of your participants are probably accountable for safety or technology responsibilities in their organizations. Sloppy cordage gives a negative impression of your preparedness. Have a "Plan B" (a contingency plan), if there are technology problems the day of the training. Plan B might include notes to support what would otherwise be on slides and the ability to switch to handouts instead of PowerPoint slides. If you are conducting software training, make sure the appropriate software is loaded and functioning correctly, any shortcuts necessary to navigate to the software are installed, and necessary software exercise files are loaded. Oh, yes. When traveling overseas, make sure you have a plug adapter so you have power for your computer. Ultimately, classroom technology is an aid to instruction. The instructor is the one charged with transferring the knowledge and skills of the training to the participant. These tips can help ensure the technology doesn’t get in the way of instruction, but aids it instead. What tips do you have for avoiding technology issues in your training room?

Written by: Marsha I just watched the most inspirational video, narrated by Alan Watts, called, What if Money Didn’t Matter? The premise of the video is asking yourself the questions, "What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really like to spend your life?" Unfortunately, most people don’t ask these questions and spend their lives doing things they don’t like. They earn money to keep doing what they don’t like and the cycle continues! The video really spoke to me because I wasn’t particularly happy in my former career. You see, I went to law school, graduated, articled, and worked in a law firm for several years. I did everything that I thought I was supposed to do and yet, wasn’t happy. I realize that I was very logical growing up and throughout my schooling. Unfortunately, I also had a creative side that never got utilized. In my mind, I thought, "How was I going to earn any money pursuing the arts?" Somehow I stumbled into training, (yes, I am one of those accidental trainers) and it really changed my life. I was able to use my business background and allow my creativity to flourish in the classroom. Let’s face it - there’s not much room for creativity in a courtroom. So, how have things changed since I became a trainer? Well, I can remember dreading going into the law office. I knew each day would be another battle, whether I represented the plaintiff or defendant. Now, I can’t wait to get to class. And by the way, I’m not a morning person. Yet, even when I get to class at 7:00 am, it never feels like work. And why else do I love this job so much? Well, I’m passionate about what I teach (yes, I was put on this earth to abolish death by PowerPoint!) I also get to meet interesting people from all over the world AND we have such meaningful discussions. The icing on the cake arrives when I hear from people, weeks or months later, telling me how the workshop has, literally, changed their lives. Just recently, I got an email from a former participant telling me that our workshop motivated him to review all of their material and focus on making it more interactive for the audience AND have fewer slides. He also noted that he has seen a change in the way he works and presents with a group as well as his team. Nothing makes me happier than when I receive this kind of feedback. Of course, it can be difficult trying to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. Most people these days have 3 or 4 different careers before they find the answer. I’ve heard that when you’re passionate about what you do, you never work a day in your life and that’s exactly how I feel. I am grateful that I finally found this career and I’ve never looked back. What about you? Have you found your passion - and is it training? And are you doing what you really desire in life?

Written by: Ron A recent story in the USA Today newspaper was titled, "Always Working: Our All-Mobile World is Killing the Desktop - and Our Personal Lives." According to the USA Today survey, 7 in 10 US workers say technology has allowed work to move into their personal lives. Wow! That’s 70%! Is that a problem for you or does it just mean the new "working normal?" I would like to devote the next few paragraphs to providing three helpful tips in creating a healthy work-life balance. If you are interested, then read on… Time Management. You’d be amazed at how much time is wasted at work surfing the internet, chatting about non-related work topics, and other time wasters. While I certainly don’t endorse being a non-social "hermit" at work, I do suggest we can become more diligent and focused about our work duties. With proper time management, we can often get most of our work done during the day, avoiding any unnecessary phone calls/emails after hours. Prioritize. At the end of each working day, we can take a look at what is ahead for tomorrow. If we plan on tackling the most critical items first thing in the morning, we can get them out of the way. Maybe we can even arrive at work a little early, before the office gets busy, and get some important work accomplished. Some people like to get organized by writing a "To Do" list for the next day. Create Informal Policies/Agreements. Since we’ve made a solid effort to get as much work accomplished during normal working hours, maybe upper-management would be open to supporting a policy/agreement where no contact is made after hours unless it is a true emergency (which would be clearly defined). I know clients who have established informal policies or understandings that they should not be contacted after work. Most importantly, they are not viewed as lazy, rude, or poor employees because they have a track record of solid results - the key to this tip’s success. When we put 100% into our work day, we should be able to leave the office knowing we have fulfilled our duties. Personal time is an opportunity to relax and recharge your batteries, so that tomorrow can be another successful and productive day. Remember, and take a hint from, that famous Jack Nicholson movie line, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!" It can apply to employees, too. What best practices do you follow to ensure a balance between work and life?

Written by: Steve Today, more than ever, groups play a critical role in effective organizations. Employees are being asked to attend meetings to solve problems, find efficiencies, and manage change, just to mention a few. Facilitation skills are in high demand. Facilitated sessions are much more successful when the facilitator can get the session off to a good start. Here are six tips to get a facilitated session off to a great start: Conduct an icebreaker Consider using a simple icebreaker (even if the participants already know each other) to bring the group together and to focus them on the task at hand. Clarify the roles of other people in the session Introduce anyone who has a role in the session. You might have a timekeeper or a recorder who captures key points on a flipchart. Explain these roles to avoid confusion. Review housekeeping items Cover key housekeeping items to ensure participants are clear on items such as the length of the session, breaks, location of restrooms, and when and how to ask questions. This will bring a sense of comfort to the participants. Establish ground rules If necessary, state a few key ground rules to minimize confusion, disruption, and conflict during a session. A simple, but effective ground rule is, "Only one person speaks at a time." Review the agenda Post an agenda with the main activities to be covered in the session and review it. Participants need to know how the session will unfold and what they will be asked to do. Identify the objectives of the session Participants need to know the measurable result or outcome of the session. Objectives should be brief, concise, and written as a clear goal. Participants need to know if the objective has been achieved when they leave the session. Facilitators can set their session up for success by implementing these six simple, yet very effective tips. If the session does not get off to a good start it can be difficult to recover.

Written by: Melissa Does your corporate training department "aim to be on the cutting edge of the training industry and continually foster world-class learning opportunities?" Well, so do hundreds of other training departments. Sure, this statement sounds nice, but it means very little to your learners - and training department staff. An intelligible mission statement is essential to clarify the intentions of your Training Department, as it broadly defines what the training department will and will not do (it’s also part of the strategic planning process). I believe a mission statement is a carefully crafted blend of realism and optimism - two terms that are generally at odds with one another, so striking a balance between the two is the ultimate key to writing a great mission statement. So before you start crafting, review these five guidelines: Get your hands on your organization’s mission statement, as your mission statement should reflect that of the organization. Does your organization even have one? If not, don’t despair! Creating a training department mission statement is fairly simple. Keep reading. Keep your mission statement short and sweet - it’s a mission statement, not a mission essay. Don’t over complicate it. One to two sentences is ideal. Include the following key components: The basic product or service you provide, the markets you serve, and the function to be performed. See the example below: The training department will provide management and operations training (product) to all staff and departments (market) to support the quality mission of the organization (function). Revisit your mission statement often - evolution is inevitable! All too often, it’s written and then forgotten about. Tweaking your statement ensures that it constantly parallels the direction of your organization. And finally, once your mission statement is complete, spread the word. Broadcast it on your business cards, brochures, LMS, and consider posting it in your classroom! Every training department needs a mission statement. When done right, it’s meaningful, memorable, and clearly describes the reason for the existence of your department. When done wrong, it’s quickly forgotten! Does your training department have a mission statement? Are you happy with it, or do you think it needs revision? Consider attending our The Successful Training Manager workshop, where we cover mission statements as part of the strategic planning process.

Written by: Jeff Of the myriad of presentation methods available to a classroom instructor, a discussion is one of my favorites. A discussion is defined as an exchange of ideas on a topic of mutual concern. It can be highly structured and facilitated by a leader, or it can be spontaneous and leaderless. I often use a discussion as a "go to" presentation method because it: •Allows learners to share their knowledge and experience on a subject. •Can increase the energy and activity level (especially after lunch or at the end of the day). •Encourages learners to recognize and value the contributions of others. •Is a great technique to explore knowledge-based or conceptual content. Just like any other instructional technique, a few guidelines must be taken into consideration in order to ensure the effectiveness of a discussion. Below, you’ll find four tips that I’ve found helpful when conducting discussions. 1.  Ensure prior subject-matter knowledge In order for the discussion to be productive, your learners need to know a bit about what is being discussed. If they have no prior knowledge on the subject matter, the discussion will not go very far, as your learners don’t have enough insight to contribute to the discussion. For this reason, I find that discussions work very well when instructing an experienced or seasoned group. These learners usually have some content background and are able to share their expertise, opinions, and perspectives. Discussions can be used with an inexperienced group; however, you have to be mindful of the way in which they are positioned. I actually used a discussion to teach customer service skills in a new hire course. Instead of asking the group to discuss our organization’s guidelines on customer service, I first had them share their best and worst customer service experiences with other customer service providers. Once they shared their own personal stories, I then segued into the standard of customer service for our company. 2.   Establish a "Safe Zone" Discussions are most effective when everyone contributes. Before conducting a discussion, it may be helpful to conduct some sort of icebreaker where participants have an opportunity to get to know and get comfortable with each other. It’s also imperative to establish some rules and guidelines before getting a discussion underway. I usually focus on things like mutual respect and equal participation when addressing these ground rules. 3.   Consider the discussion variation There are different ways in which to conduct a classroom discussion. You might consider the Large Group Discussion, where ideas are exchanged among the entire group. For variety, the large group can be broken into "buzz groups," where small groups of learners (usually table groups) meet simultaneously to react to a topic, generate ideas, or discuss an issue. Lastly, I’ve had success (especially with small classes) by facilitating a Neighbor Discussion. This variation encourages 2 - 3 participants to partner with each other to share their thoughts and opinions. 4.   Incorporate an instructor-led debrief At the end of a discussion, I’ve always found it beneficial to include an instructor-led debrief. A debrief is especially helpful, if not critical, if you use the Buzz Group or Neighbor Discussion variations. With these two leaderless techniques, there is a slight chance the learners can get off track in their discussion. Debriefing can address any disconnects and ensure understanding of the content. The instructor-led debrief is also a golden opportunity to: •Give positive feedback on insightful or interesting learner comments. •Consolidate and pull together learner ideas. •Summarize information before moving on to the next topic or activity. So the next time you’re looking for a way to engage your participants, reach into your instructor’s tool kit for a discussion. It is an effective, learner-centered tool which gives your training participants an opportunity to express themselves, share their insights, and affirm they truly understand the subject matter and content. What are some of your most effective discussion tips and tactics?

Written by: Linda Stories seep into our lives daily. I recently had dinner with friends and we found ourselves riveted by the story of one of our friends’ recent trip to Russia and how she reconnected to her roots. But it was not just the content that was profound; it was her ability to tell the story. I was so consumed by her story, that I realized how we all are impacted by stories on a daily basis. There is no news without a story, no TV and film without good stories, and no fairy tales without the story. Upon reflection I realized how much I love to tell stories in my training programs and how it adds to the success of my classes. Some of my favorite memories as a learner were the insightful stories shared in the classroom from either the instructor or participants. Therefore, it is my belief that good training should consist of good storytelling! Novice trainers often feel they lack experience and do not have any stories to share. I believe we all have life experiences that we can weave into a story and connect it to the content. I have different stories for different courses. One of my favorite stories is about my grandmother trying to encourage me to eat okra when I was a young child. If you have ever seen okra you know that, when cooked, it has a slimy appearance which isn’t very appealing. One day after some bribery, I took the bait and tried it. I remember being pleasantly surprised and to this day I love okra, particularly my grandmother’s recipe which includes tomatoes. Now you may be wondering, "What does okra have to do with training?" I use this story when I anticipate push back from the participants. I use it to highlight the benefits and to encourage participants to keep an open mind and to think outside the box. This three-minute story allows me to have a positive eight-hour day. Training should not just be about delivering facts. Storytelling in training allows us to connect to the learner on an emotional level. Studies have shown that learners comprehend and retain more through stories. Therefore, we should weave stories into the instructional design and delivery of all of our courses. In an upcoming blog, I will discuss some tips on how to tell a story effectively, considering that most trainers are operating under tight time constraints. In the meantime, I would love to hear how you use stories in your training!

Written by: Jim In a recent instructional design workshop, we had a discussion about how to manage course updates. In areas like technology, where things change quickly and often, how can designers manage those changes without having to revise course materials monthly, weekly, or even daily? I worked in a technical training environment before coming to Langevin, so I’d like to offer three suggestions for managing course updates. Your involvement with other teams, the materials you create, and the design schedule you set, will all contribute to your success. 1.      Stay Involved With Other Teams As a designer, you can’t work in isolation. You need to be involved in the planning of meetings of other teams in your organization. Why? Because attending these meetings will give you a great perspective about what’s coming down the road. For example, if you find out that there will be a major system change in six months, you can get involved now to begin planning for the changes to your training courses. I encourage you to be willing to help create task analysis documentation, test the new system, and work with subject-matter experts (SMEs) to get a clear picture of the impact of these changes. 2.      Create Materials You know that creating course materials can be time consuming for a designer. The good news is that sometimes revisions or updates may only require minor changes to existing course materials. Maybe a supplemental handout is enough until you can incorporate the changes into the course manual, eliminating the need to reprint your entire manual every time a change occurs. If you incorporate a "Style Guide" to ensure consistent formatting, this becomes a much more efficient process. In addition, it is important to update your Lesson Plan, so the instructor is clear about where to find all updated materials. Provide each instructor with an "At-a-Glance" job aid with a high-level description and the location of each change. These references will help each instructor smoothly transition to the updated course. 3.      Set the Design Schedule You also need to determine when to schedule updates. Depending on your business, once or twice a year is usually often enough for major course updates. Remember, you may have created handouts along the way to address those "immediate" changes. Now is the time to add those documents to your course manual. It’s also a great opportunity to remove outdated content. When it comes to course updates, remember that your organization determines what will change, your SMEs provide insight on how that change will impact employees, and you manage those updates to create training that will prepare employees for success.

Written by: Lynne I live in New England and sometimes it snows in the winter. It doesn’t matter what TV station you watch. All meteorologists do the same thing when a snowstorm is about to happen. They hype it up way more than what actually happens or is going to happen. Why? They want to engage viewers in the hype so they will continue to tune into the TV station for updates and information. The increase in viewers thus boosts the ratings for the news program. What can we trainers learn from our local weatherperson? The answer is simple. Hype works! If we want to motivate our learners to get excited about learning and attending our online or live classes, we can do specific things to hype things up! It would be nice if we did not have to hype up our training programs, but unfortunately, given how busy employees are in their daily tasks, we do have to get their attention early and reel them in! You may not want to take the time to figure out how to build up up your training because you are busy designing, developing, and prepping, but there are some benefits to creating excitement about your classes. First of all, when learners are excited to attend training, they enter the room with a positive frame of mind, which eases the learning process. Second, if they believe up front that your class will be giving them something of tremendous value, they will be better participants during class. Third, if learners are excited about training and you deliver on that hype, they will be your cheerleaders going forward with other employees for future training classes! So, what specifically can we do ahead of time to hype up our training? Send out electronic invitations prior to your training sessions showcasing the benefits learners will receive after participating in the course. Post positive testimonials or success stories (in your LMS system) of past learners who have taken the class so people will see when they register for the course. Let them know if lunch will be provided as part of the training class! Food is a master motivator—use it to your advantage if it is in the budget to do so! Now that you have some ideas to put into motion, give them a try and start hyping up your training! What other ideas do you have to add to my list?

Written by: Martha There are times we all need a break and this may not be possible when we are conducting a training class. Additionally, a 15 to 20 minute "power nap" is not an option. Caffeine works well, but can decrease memory performance. What can you do to get a boost of energy? Exercise! The gym may be too far away (or you don’t want to get sweaty) so here are some of my favorite quick exercises/stretches you can do at your desk or in the training room. These quick exercises can be done whenever you have several minutes to spare. Make sure you have checked with your doctor before doing any type of exercise. 1.      Back Exercises When my back is feeling tense, side stretches help me to loosen up. These can be done standing or while seated at your desk. Variation 1: With your arms over your head, lean gently to your right side. Keep your body straight and lean as far as you comfortably can. Bring your upper torso to the upright position and repeat with the left side. If you are doing this while seated, make sure the chair is balanced. If you are doing this while standing, make sure to stand with your feet planted firmly and about shoulder width apart. Variation 2: Conduct the side stretches as above but with your hands placed on either side of your waist. Variation 3: Conduct the side stretches with one arm extended over your head and one hand on your waist. For example, place your left arm in the air and your right arm crossed at the waist and lean gently to the right curving the left arm over your head. Bring your body back to center and repeat with the other side (right arm extended over your head and left arm crossed at the waist). Complete several repetitions per side. The number of repetitions will be determined by the time you want to take and how your body feels. 2.      Arm/Shoulder Exercises My shoulders often show the first evidence of stress so the next three exercises will help to relax your arms and shoulders. Arm swings: Stand with your arms at your side and your body straight. Swing your arms forward trying to bring your hands together, then swing your arms to the back as far as you can trying to bring your hands together. Bring your arms back to your sides. Use slow deliberate movements, stretching as far as you comfortably can. Shoulder rolls: Stand or sit with your arms relaxed at your sides. Using wide circular movements, roll your shoulders to the front ten times. Rest for two counts, then repeat with wide circular movements to the back ten times. Shoulder raises: Stand or sit with your arms relaxed at your sides. Lift your right shoulder and raise it upward trying to touch your ear, hold for a count of five, and then relax. Repeat with the left shoulder. Try not to bend your head to meet the shoulder or hold your neck tense as you raise your shoulder. Complete several repetitions. The number of repetitions will be determined by the time you want to take and how your body feels. 3.      Leg Exercises Standing and walking can make your legs feel heavy. The following exercises/stretches will help to lighten them up. Leg extensions: While sitting in your chair, lift your left leg until it is level with your hip. Hold for ten seconds. Lower your leg to the floor. Repeat with the right leg. Complete several repetitions. The number of repetitions and how long you hold each leg extension will be determined by how your body feels. Calf raises: Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. If necessary, use the back of a chair or a desk for support. Raise your heels off the floor by standing on the balls of your feet and then slowly lower them. For added benefit you can squeeze your glutes as you lift your heels off the floor. Hold for ten seconds and then release your glutes as you lower your heels to the floor. Ankle circles: While seated with both feet flat on the floor, extend your right leg in front of you. Raise your leg a couple of inches off the floor, circle your ankle five times to the right, then reverse and circle five times to the left. Lower the right leg to the original position. Repeat with the left leg/ankle. Complete several repetitions. The number of repetitions will be determined by the time you want to take and how your body feels. You’ll be surprised how much better an exercise break can make you feel!

Written by: Paul Without management buy-in training doesn’t occur, the right people aren’t in the classroom, and training is not reinforced in the workplace. Here are nine strategies that may work for you and the two levels of management where they might work best. Top Management (e.g. "C-level" executives or directors) 1. Demonstrate the return-on-investment for some of your training programs. Show that the benefit of training far outweighs the cost (Langevin’s Training Needs Analysis or Evaluation of Training workshops have some great tools to help such an evaluation occur). 2. Align your training department objectives, and the courses that result from those objectives, directly with organizational objectives. 3. Stress the value of more rapidly mastered standardized processes to the organization. 4. Find a high level "champion" for training and use that person as a center of influence for the other executives. Line Level Management (e.g. the people whom your learners report to back at work) 5. Show them how better-prepared employees (i.e. your learners), can affect their performance goals. Make sure they know what’s in it for them (line management) as well as for the people who report to them (your learners). 6. Involve some of the line managers in the instructional design or delivery in the role of: •Subject Matter Experts •Pilot Course Validators •Presenters 7. Publically acknowledge the participation of line management in the project team. 8. Conduct a brief session, perhaps a "lunch and learn," for line management showing: •The key elements of the course and how those elements support their performance goals. •A quick outline of the processes to be trained. •The key job aids to the managers capturing the processes to be trained. These job aids are the same ones that would be provided to the learners during training. 9. Finally, for all levels of management, publicize your successes. Spread the good news!

Written by: Marsha Someone once told me that I have a "GLAM JOB" and they were absolutely right! I meet interesting people every day, put on a show, AND get to travel across North America. No, I’m not a supermodel but sometimes I feel pretty close. I’m a trainer and proud of it. Well, I guess I’m really an "accidental trainer" - I didn’t know about this profession when I was planning my career - I just fell into it. The good news is I’ve never looked back. I’m passionate about what I teach and I get to work with clients from all over the world. Yes, it’s pretty glam! But it’s not always champagne and caviar. Being a trainer does have its challenges. Some trainers experience burnout because they’re on the road 40 weeks out of the year. Others get bored because they’re teaching the same course over and over. Some say they reach plateaus and feel stagnant in the position. I’ve heard others complain that their work appears to be of little value. Can you imagine teaching a room full of prisoners all the time? Finally, it can feel somewhat isolating because you’re usually on your own. Keep in mind, the life of a trainer can range anywhere from 2-5 years. Obviously, this is a concern because we want good trainers to stay in their positions. Luckily, over the years, Langevin has developed different strategies to overcome these negative concerns and have reaped the benefits. I have been with the company 13 years and many of my colleagues have been there even longer. So, what’s the secret? Here’s what they do. We typically spend, on average, 50 - 75 percent of our time in the classroom each month, so as not to suffer from burnout. We’re able to work from home when we’re not teaching. We also have other responsibilities outside of the classroom. We’re blogging, initiating discussions on LinkedIn, and working with on-site clients. Recently, we developed a mentor program where instructors chat a couple of times a month, sharing new ideas and insights. I am also lucky because I have developed a very close friendship with one of my colleagues, Melissa Satterfield, based out of Los Angeles. We usually like to plan a trip together, at least once a year. We have an opportunity to talk about work and personal stuff and it actually recharges me every time we get together. This year, we met in Las Vegas for the weekend, and I’ve never laughed and eaten so much in two days. I guess it’s true that we tend to like people that are similar to ourselves and Melissa is exactly that person. Having a colleague as a friend has helped me feel connected and part of the team. With all of these mechanisms in place, I have thrived and survived as a trainer. They help me to recharge my batteries! What mechanisms does your company have in place to retain its trainers? What do you do to prevent burnout? I’d love to hear from you. Oh, and if you ever take a workshop in Los Angeles, be sure to ask Melissa about "Thunder from Down Under." Tell her it’s our secret!

Written by: Ron I am sure we are all tired of hearing about the recent global financial crisis, depression, or whatever you want to call it. I’m also sure that many of us have been personally impacted in some way. Many people lost their training jobs or had their wages frozen. Training managers saw budgets slashed and were not able to fill new or replacement positions. All of these issues have caused us to face one of the biggest challenges in our training departments which bring to life the famous phrase, "Doing more with less." How do we accomplish all the critical objectives that have been identified for us, with a reduced staff? The next three paragraphs will provide a few useful tips on doing more with less. One of the biggest reasons people do not perform adequately in their jobs is due to a lack of clear and concise standards. I see this problem occurring all the time. As training managers we need to write out all of our employees’ job standards, and most importantly, communicate these standards to our staff. People need clear direction from their leaders as to what is expected from them, and the consequences of not meeting these standards. Consequences are one of the most efficient means of impacting behavior. Appropriate motivational techniques can also provide the stimulus for people to "rally" together and get a job done. Ask your staff to share what motivates them and then work very diligently to meet their individualized needs. Employees are much more engaged when they work with a boss who is looking out for their best interests. From an external perspective, I always suggest tapping into community colleges for free labor. Community colleges are called "community" for a reason. Developing a strong relationship with your local colleges or universities can be a super win-win opportunity.  I am sure there are more outreach-type organizations that you could rely on for free, or almost free, labor without any hiring obligations that permanent employees require. Internships are an excellent way to accomplish this. Do you have any other resources or suggestions to add? I know times are challenging, and this current work situation could very well be the new norm. All you can do is try your best, and stay positive and motivated as a leader!