During my Train the Trainer events, the most learning happens during the practical, where each delegate delivers a short training presentation, followed by personal reflection and honest, respectful and constructive feedback from peer group and tutor.

And three key points shine out. If you’re an aspiring, new or developing trainer:

Slow down

You’re talking about something you know well, may feel excited and passionate about, plus a few nerves.

All this can make you speed up.

Remember it’s not about you. Their brains need to process new information, compare it to what they already know – and maybe deal with resistance to the change it might represent.

So slow down. Breathe out. Breathe in from your diaphragm. Allow the pause.

It will help them take it all in, process it and retain it.

Show us

What’s the best way to describe a dinosaur – with words or a picture?

Our brains like images. Pictures can trigger understanding, illustrate a concept, fire up emotional reactions.

All those PowerPoint slides full of bullet points and paragraphs of text, your script on the screen … they aren’t visual. They’re just another voice talking at them at the same time as you, which confuses.

So go through those slides, edit out the text and add in some powerful pictures.

You and your presentation will be more memorable.

Involve us

‘What’s in it for me?’

That’s in all our minds.

‘How does this affect / impact / threaten / improve / advantage MEEEE?’

Adults come to learning with a brain full of existing stuff that the new information has to join, challenge and change. This can be an effort for trainer and learner.

So ask us questions. What do we know? What do we already think? Makes us feel comfortable, less vulnerable.

Tell us stories. We’re a story-loving species, and the storytelling skill is a great trainer asset. Links to something familiar and relateable, sets up mental images, captures interest, engages the emotions.

And give us something to DO. Activity and movement perks us up, gets us interacting and sparking interest in the moment.

For more about my Train the Trainer workshops and programmes Contact

Philippa Hammond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaders may not have ‘trainer’ on their JD – but developing their team comes with the role.

What’s training for?

To cause a permanent change in behaviour

How do trainers do that?

By introducing and facilitating new knowledge, skills and mindsets/attitudes in an environment and via methods that help learning go in – and stay in

How do we learn?

By hearing, seeing and doing

How does learning by doing work?

We have an experience, react and reflect then have another go

How much learning do we get by doing?

70% doing – practice, exercises, have a go, do a task

20% social – talking, reflecting, feedback, coaching, observing

10% formal – lectures, reading, e-learning

How do our brains learn?

Each new experience creates a new connection

If repeated, the connection strengthens and strengthens

The activity gets easier and more comfortable until it’s second nature

Learners contribute

By setting their own objectives and goals

Committing to learning

Putting it into practice at work

But the process can be uncomfortable, unsettling and imperfect

Mistakes happen

Resistance and anxiety can be strong

How do leaders support and promote learning?

Persistent messaging – being clear about the why as well as what and how, while role modelling the desired behaviour yourself

Creating an environment where learning can be put into practice, where mistakes are allowed and seen as development

Sharing feedback and coaching to support the transition, praising and recognising success

Learning is a community activity – and it’s part of a leader’s job to promote it.

More about my Train the Trainer courses and programmes

Contact

Philippa Hammond

In the past, the trainer was the one who stood up and taught, talked to and lectured a hopefully receptive audience.

While teaching and public speaking skills will always be essential, the training world has expanded and the effective corporate and self-employed trainer needs to become – and be able to do – so much more.

A learner, ever growing and developing, understanding that as methods and media change, so must we – a trainer’s first duty is to be a learner, and if we can’t learn, how can we expect others to learn from us?

A partner to the business, with the business’s best interests at heart, and the confidence and the network necessary to make a difference

A critical friend, able to hold a mirror up to the client’s situation, helping the client to understand what they and the business really need and want

A provocateur, with the confidence to ask those difficult questions, probing the grey areas and shining a light on what’s frightening the business

An explorer, going out there into new areas, looking at new knowledge and new ways of thinking that might then benefit the learner

A collector, a bee flitting around and picking up what’s out there that works

An adaptive user, discovering and making the most of available technology, platforms and media

A curator, gathering it all together, making sense of it and putting in order

A presenter, offering that curated collection to the client in a way that makes sense to all

A facilitator, making new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving as simple and effective as possible for the individual and the business to do

What’s new in your training practice?

I train aspiring, new and developing corporate and self employed trainers in the essential knowledge, skills and mindsets learning and development professionals need today.

More at www.speakingwellinpublic.co.uk/courses/train-trainer/

Philippa Hammond

Contact

How ums can damage your brand – and what to do about them

Um, er, like, y’know, sort of, so – these meaningless filler words are as annoying as litter on the landscape.

It’s a confidence issue – we produce a ‘thinking noise’, as if we’re scared that if we stop making noise, they’ll stop listening.

It’s a habit – it’s just what we usually do, and habits can be hard to change.

And it’s an awareness issue – we seldom know we’re doing it until someone tells us.

The problem is, it can make a speaker seem uncertain, unprepared and anxious about their message, which damages their credibility.

It can disconcert and irritate an audience, who may even start keeping score with a five bar gate. Now you’ve lost them – their attention has so completely fixed onto logging the ums, they’ve stopped listening to what you’re saying.

Be mindful of your audience. They’re the most important thing in the room; not you, the PowerPoint or the message. They need to like, trust and understand you before they’ll pay attention to your message, and it’s your job to ensure they can.

Listen to effective speakers presenting TED talks on You Tube, and you’ll probably find they’ve mastered the art of the pause.

Good things happen in those pauses.

You’re taking a moment to refuel with air and maybe a sip of water. This helps clarify your mind, giving you a moment to collect your thoughts, plus that quiet focus on clearly saying your next sentence can only improve your voice.

Pausing instead of umming and erring will allow the audience time to think, digest what you’ve said and keep up with you.

To help you become more self aware of the impact you’re having on your audience, practice reading aloud and making yourself pause at the full stops and commas.

Try recording yourself reading aloud, and when you’re practising your presentations.

Get used to hearing yourself allowing the pauses, hear how natural you sound – and how much more engaging and credible. Losing the meaningless noises and allowing the powerful pause can become a habit that will improve your personal brand.

Philippa Hammond

 

A virtual and face to face business networking resource.

Do you tell yourself ‘I hate networking … ‘ and so give yourself permission not to bother going?

If so, you’re missing a great opportunity to promote yourself and your business – not through hard sell, but through your personal and social impact.

It’s so often not what you know but who knows you.

People want to like, trust and understand each other and taking part in face to face networking events can help you make friendships and relationships that can only build your business and your brand.

Julia Chanteray‘s website The Joy of Business has information and links to a great selection of networking groups, several women-only.

www.thejoyofbusiness.co.uk/networking-groups

Sussex Playwrights is for those who love to write, watch, hear and discuss new drama – all welcome. A monthly networking meeting at the New Venture Theatre Bar, Brighton. Usually the first Sunday of every month 7-9pm. Prize playwriting competitions, rehearsed readings and discussions by actors and SPC members. Free to members, visitors £2 inc wine and juice.

www.sussexplaywrights.co.uk

Facebook Groups

Brighton and Hove Business Women FB Group is for networking, discussion, sharing only – no promoting. We meet once a month, and there is usually a business skills presentation plus conversation. Free.

There’s a sister Group, Promoting Brighton and Hove Business Women, for advertising and promoting your work.

Brighton Actors Networking Group is for aspiring, new and established actors in the region. The first meetup social happened at Christmas 2016 – there will be more.

Shooters in the Pub, Brighton has a free monthly meeting for anyone interested in film making. Writers, producers, directors, actors, sound and camera crew, editing and post production, musicians, makeup, costume and props artists … everyone welcome. Free – buy a drink or coffee if you like. Usually the first Monday of the month 6.30 onwards.

Join the online Groups – and invitations to events will come.

Practice your elevator pitch – who you are, what you do and what good things you offer.

And go along, take your business cards, get talking, asking and listening … whatever your field, the relationships will start to develop.

Enjoy networking!

Philippa

What’s the main purpose of all training?

To bring about a permanent change in behaviour.

To achieve that, the trainer needs to help the learner gain new knowledge, new skills and new attitudes.

Tell, show and let them have a go with feedback and support tends to work.

Here’s a great example of how ‘show’ worked for me.

Marie Kondo is a Japanese phenomenon who has created a business empire helping us to turn our filthy chaotic disaster homes into things of beauty and joy.

Well I’ve a long way to go there, but this little video helped me change one piece of my behaviour permanently.

Before I saw this I would just chuck everything into a drawer, maybe vaguely sorted into relevant piles but things would be tangled up and it was difficult to see what I had.

But after seeing this video I immediately thought ‘I want this’, went upstairs and KonMaried my underwear drawer. I love it.

Now knickers origami may not be your kind of thing but this video has changed how I think, feel and behave in just one small aspect of my life and I’m not going back to the old way.

It’s the perfect example of how one training session can bring about a permanent change in my behaviour.

Thank you Marie Kondo!

Watch the video here (tip: sound down … )

For details of my Train the Trainer courses and programmes, Contact

Philippa Hammond

Something public speakers often forget is … it isn’t about you, it’s about your audience.

Three tips to capture their attention, keep their interest and get your message across:

1) Slow down!

Breathe.

It’ll help keep you calm, master those nerves and give your voice resonance and power.

If time’s short, resist the urge to speed up.

Speaking less can sometimes mean they remember more.

2) Keep it clear

A few tongue twisters before you go on will help you warm up.

Control your pace, volume and articulation to give your speaking impact.

It will help keep their attention.

3) Allow the pause

Um / you know / sort of / kinda / like …

Those meaningless noises just get in your way.

Edit them out.

Allow the pause instead, to let your audience catch up and think over what you’re saying. They will keep listening to you – and they”ll understand more.

Read about my Confident Public Speaking Training for leadership, management and business here

Philippa Hammond