1. Unit 8: Implementing Training and Presentations Skills
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2. Unit 8, Class 1: Implementing Training and Presentation Skills
Learning Objectives: By the end of this unit, students will:
Identify the key tasks done to prepare for training.
Determine appropriate room layout for training.
Prepare a program outline.
Create an effective PowerPoint presentation.
Conduct an effective training presentation.
Objectives for Unit #8.
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3. Unit 8, Class 1: Implementing Training
Review:
Planning the training program:
Purpose of training.
Goals and outcomes.
As we prepare to implement our training program, there are a number of things to consider. It is important to remember that the best training design can fail if it is not properly implemented.
Review the purpose of the training as well as the goals and outcomes. What can they tell us about appropriate implementation? Think about the conditions of training and what must happen if the trainees are to accomplish the learning goals.
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4. Implementing Training
Audience
How many trainees?
Background/current skill and knowledge level.
Practice conditions.
Motivation and attitude toward training.
Don’t forget about your audience. How large a room will you need so that the trainees can work comfortably? Do they have the background and the necessary prerequisite skills to be successful in the training? If not, there may be some preliminary training that needs to occur before the full-scale training program is implemented.
Think about the kind of skill practice trainees may be doing during the training and ensure all the necessary materials and equipment are available for practice and feedback during the session.
Are trainees excited about the training program and prepared to learn when they arrive? If not, you may need to generate enthusiasm for the program before the training begins. If employees see training as just another chore required by management or as unnecessary time away from the office while the work they need to do just piles up, you may have a group of hostile, unmotivated trainees. This is not a good climate for learning.
Everyone wants to know what’s in it for them. Therefore, before training actually begins, trainees must understand how it will benefit them personally. Will this training make their job easier, faster or more rewarding? Will this improve their chances of promotion or salary increase? Trainees must understand the benefits of the training. You may need the support of management to ensure that trainees are sold on the benefits before the training begins.
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5. Implementing Training
Space
Room: size, comfort level, distractions.
Equipment availability.
Determining best seating arrangement.
Consider the room you will use for training. It must be large enough to accommodate the needs of the trainers and to provide a comfortable training atmosphere. Think about temperature, lighting, tables and chairs, electronic media, etc. Make sure the room is adequate for what the trainer needs to present the curriculum and for what the trainees need for learning.
Think about the equipment necessary for both the trainer and the trainees. Will the trainer need PowerPoint projection, whiteboards, flip charts, audio-visual? What about the trainees? Do they need computer stations, writing desks, electrical outlets, room to move about? Consider what will happen during training and make sure the room is adequate for the learning activities.
Once you’ve determined that the room is adequate, decide how it will be set up. There are a number of ways to arrange a training room, and the seating arrangement will be determined by the size of the audience and the activities conducted during training.
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6. Classroom-Style Seating
This arrangement is good for formal presentations, especially to large audiences. It is appropriate for knowledge acquisition, with lecture and audio-visual being the primary training methods. Visuals are easy for the trainer to use and easy for the trainees to see.
However, this arrangement sets the trainer apart from the trainees and doesn’t allow for much interaction among trainees. It would not be appropriate for training that involves group activities. Classroom-style seating often makes trainees feel like they are back in school.
Source: Noe, R.A. (2008).
Noe, 2008
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7. Conference-Style Seating
Conference seating is suitable for small group interaction. It is much less formal than classroom-style seating and is an excellent way to promote discussion.
The downside is the difficulty of presenting audio-visual material to the group. It also tends to limit interaction to just those individuals at the table unless the trainer does something to require the groups to mix.
Source: Noe, R.A. (2008).
Noe, 2008
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8. Horseshoe Arrangement
Horseshoe style is appropriate for a variety of presentation formats. It facilitates the use of visual aids because it is easy for the trainer to present audio-visual material that can be seen by the whole group. It encourages the group to interact as a whole and enables small-group interaction. It gives learners plenty of space and allows everyone to see the entire group. This design is ideal for groups of less than 20; it would not be practical for a very large group of trainees.
Source: Noe, R.A. (2008).
Noe, 2008
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9. Fan-Style Seating
Fan-style seating works much like a horseshoe arrangement but has the advantage of small-group interaction at individual tables. As with the horseshoe, it is appropriate for groups of 20 trainees or less.
This works best if chairs have wheels so the participants can swing around to see other trainees and the trainer.
Source: Noe, R.A. (2008).
Noe, 2008
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10. Implementing Training
Time and location
Company meeting room or off-site?
Time of day/multiple days.
Organization deadlines.
Besides considering how best to arrange the room, consider where to hold the training and when.
It is often convenient to use the organization’s training room if there is one. It doesn’t require travel time for employees, and some organizations have very sophisticated training rooms with the latest audio-visual equipment available. This may seem like heaven on earth to the training staff, but there is a downside to on-site training.
For many employees, when training is on-site, it can be difficult to stop working and focus on the training program. Expect that every time trainees take a break, some will run back to their work stations to check in with co-workers or to read their latest and then will return late after the training has already resumed. Co-workers may assume that even though someone is in a training session, as long as they are in the building, they are still at work, so there may be frequent interruptions as people come in and out carrying on other business.
Because of on-site distractions, many professional trainers prefer off-site training because it allows trainees to disconnect from work responsibilities and focus on their learning.
What about the time of day for the training? Most would agree that morning is the best because people are rested and not distracted by other events that need attending to. Certainly late afternoon is not the best time, especially on Fridays when people are thinking about the weekend. Be careful of cramming too much into one long training session. People learn best if they have time to think about what has occurred and have had some time to “digest” the material. Learning may be best in two or three short sessions instead on one long session where trainees are burned-out halfway through.
Remember to consider the weekly, monthly and quarterly deadlines that occur in all organizations. If you schedule training the last week of the quarter when all your trainees are stressed to get their quarterly reports completed, you will have a roomful of disgruntled trainees and no one will be able to focus on the training presentation.
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11. Selecting the Trainer Who will conduct the training program?
In-house staff.
Subject matter expert.
Outside consultant.
There are a number of options for selecting a trainer to present the program. The ideal trainer is someone who knows the subject matter and who is also a skilled presenter. It is sometimes difficult to get both in the same package. If the content of the training requires an SME–subject matter expert–but the SME is not a skilled presenter, you may need to have someone else present the material working in conjunction with the SME to ensure accuracy. Sometimes, an individual with content knowledge can improve his or her presenting skills with train-the-trainer coaching.
Using managers and employees as trainers can help increase the meaningfulness of the material because they are familiar with the organization and tend to make the training content directly applicable to the trainees’ work. This may also help control training costs because employees or managers may be less costly than an outside consultant.
In some cases, though, the best solution is to hire an outside consultant who brings in a fully prepared training program. If training doesn’t have to be customized to the organization, this can save curriculum development time and may be the most cost-effective method of obtaining training.
Source: Noe, R.A. (2008).
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12. What Else? Trainer Administrative support Audience Room
Training equipment
Materials and handouts
Food
What else?
It may be helpful to make an outline or checklist of all the details that need to be addressed before training begins.
Do you need to make travel and overnight arrangements for an out-of-town trainer? Do you have needed administrative support? Do you need someone for registration or for mailing information before training begins? What do trainees need before they attend the first training session? Do they need books or printed material to review before training begins? Is everything you need arranged in the room? Where will the trainees hang their coats? Do you need a registration table? Is all needed equipment available? Do rental arrangements need to be made for equipment? What about pick-up and delivery of rented items? Are all flipcharts, whiteboards, marking pens, printed handouts, etc. ready and available for training?
Don’t forget food! Coffee and pastry are a must for a morning meeting. Will trainees be served lunch, or is it lunch on their own? Either is acceptable, but trainees should know in advance. Snacks and soft drinks for the afternoon, please!
Can you think of anything else?
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13. Write an outline for all the details of your training program.
As a training manager, you will probably develop a generic checklist that you will use repeatedly for your training presentations. Try to itemize in advance all the details needed so your presentation day will go smoothly.
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14. Unit 8, Class 2: Presentation Skills
FIRST - Know your audience!
Who are the learners?
Why are they here?
What do they want to get from the training?
What do they need to be successful?
Design content and training activities to meet needs of the audience.
The needs assessment process gives trainers a lot of information about the training audience.
Who are the learners?
Why are they here?
What do they want to get from the training?
What do they need to be successful?
Training is not one-size-fits-all. The training must be designed for the specific needs of the audience. If the learners are well educated professionals and the level of training is far below their abilities, they will be bored, unsatisfied and will consider the training a waste of time--they may even be hostile to the trainer. If your audience has low skill levels and your training is above their abilities, they, too, will be frustrated and turned off by the training. The most exemplary training will be ineffective and poorly received if it doesn’t fit the audience.
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15. Presentation Skills An effective presentation includes: Content.
Structure.
Packaging.
Human element.
By now you’ve done your research, developed content and training materials, and you are ready to present your training to the trainees. Your job as a presenter is to convey information to your audience in such a way that they will remember what they’ve learned and be able to use the information.
An effective presentation contains:
Content: Information that the audience needs and can use.
Structure: A good presentation has a specific sequence—a beginning, middle and end. It is presented in such a way that it holds the audience’s attention and the audience can understand and relate to what is being said.
Packaging: A good presentation must be well prepared and well presented. It has been carefully planned and integrated with learning material that engages the audience and reinforces learning.
Human element: If our purpose is only to convey information, we could distribute a report and skip the presentation. A report has no human element, however, and it is this human element that lends a face and personality to the presentation and makes it memorable.
Source:
Clark, D.R. (2007). Big Dog’s Leadership Page – Presentation Skills. Retrieved from
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16. Preparing for the Presentation
To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail.
Take care of the details in advance:
Room setup.
Printing/handouts.
Audio-visual equipment.
Training materials and supplies.
Food.
The preparation of materials and activities for training may occur weeks before the actual training session. Organization, careful planning and practice are paramount to a successful presentation.
If it’s time to present and you’re still worrying because the handouts aren’t ready and the audio equipment isn’t right, it will be impossible for you to do a good job, and your stress level will skyrocket. Allow plenty of time and prepare in advance.
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17. Preparing for the Presentation
Prepare:
Organize your presentation logically.
Tailor presentation to situation and audience.
Use notes or an outline.
Practice:
Rehearse and time your presentation.
Practice the activities.
Know how to use audio-visual equipment.
Prepare to answer questions.
Prepare and organize your presentation logically. Start with a strong initial point to get the audience’s attention. Think in a diamond shape for delivery of your message: start with one point, expand to the bulk of the message using examples, arguments and visuals to amplify the message, and then come down to a close.
Tailor your presentation to the needs of your audience and use examples and illustrations they can identify with.
Use an outline or brief notes for your presentation, but do not write out your presentation word for word! Written communication is far different from spoken communication, and writing your speech will make it sound stiff and contrived. It will also tempt you to read it – a sure recipe for disaster!
Rehearse! Practice your presentation, including the activities. The more you practice, the more you will be prepared, and presentation anxiety will diminish.
Time your presentation. If your presentation doesn’t fit the time allowed, adjust so you can start and end on time.
Check the equipment early to ensure that you know how to operate it and that all is working well. Don’t wait until you’re presenting to find there is an equipment malfunction.
Answer participant questions at the end of your presentation. Addressing questions in the middle of the presentation can get your message off track and ruin your carefully timed presentation.
Source:
Woolf, R. (September 2001). Stay Cool When Things Get Hot. National Public Accountant, 46, 7, 12.
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18. It’s Presentation Time
Greet participants and establish rapport.
Start on time.
Review your agenda.
Ask for and encourage participation.
Monitor timing.
Save questions for the end.
Review learning and summarize.
End on time.
Arrive early so you have time to make sure that all is well. Check to make sure the room is set up properly, handouts are ready and waiting and the audio-visual equipment is connected and ready to go. Greet participants as they arrive; this helps establish rapport with the group and sets the tone for the training.
Start on time!! If not everyone has arrived, ask participants to leave a few empty chairs by the door so latecomers can come in and be seated without disturbing others.
Review your agenda with the trainees. Tell them what they are going to learn, how it will be done and why it is important to them. Everyone wants to know, “What’s in this for me?” So tell them! Remind them that learning is a shared responsibility between trainer and trainees and encourage them to fully engage and participate in the process.
Monitor your time during your presentation. It is important to start and end on time, but it is equally important that you don’t leave significant points unfinished. As much as you have practiced and timed all activities, you’ll still find that training time varies depending on the level of participation from the trainees, so be flexible and be prepared to adjust as necessary.
Occasionally, questions will come up that must be addressed during the presentation, but ask trainees to save their questions for the end (whenever possible) as questions in the middle of your presentation will ruin your timing and may detour the training into unrelated territory.
Review periodically during the presentation. This helps trainers retain material and see the sequence of content. Give a final review and summary at the end of the presentation.
End on time!! Monitor your time carefully; it’s better to end a little early than to run over.
Source: Clark, D.R. (2007).
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19. Delivery Voice: Body: Listening: Answering questions. Nerves.
Volume, tone, pitch, pace.
Body:
Eye contact, facial expression, gestures, posture.
Listening:
Active listening.
Answering questions.
Nerves.
The most important voice issue is that you must be heard. Speak loudly enough to be heard throughout the room. If the room is large and volume is an issue, use a microphone. Vary the pitch and tone of your voice. Monotone will put your audience to sleep, and it will sound like you too are bored with your presentation. Vary your pace. Slow down and pause to make an important point and speed up when appropriate.
Make eye contact with audience members. Allow your focus to stay on one individual for five seconds or more. Flitting your eyes quickly from one person to another makes you look nervous and creates tension in the audience. Do not read from your notes or read from the media screen. Talk to the audience! Facial expression should be congruent with the discussion. Don’t forget to smile, but smiling inappropriately looks insincere. Make sure your gestures are relaxed and natural. Don’t stuff your hands in your pockets and stand ramrod straight! Relaxed posture and comfortable gestures build rapport with the audience.
Listen to your audience and respond appropriately. Be respectful of what others say even if you don’t agree. Pay attention to body language and facial expressions. You will know from their non-verbal communication if they are with you or if you have lost them to the evil devil of boredom! If they are fading away, change something to bring them back. Change your tone, give an illustration, present an activity, take a break – do something to reenergize the group.
Unless someone asks a question that must be addressed in the middle of the presentation, ask participants to save questions until the end. Many speakers dread questions, fearing they won’t know the answer. Anticipate in advance the questions that might be asked and think about how you will answer. Remember, answering questions gives you another opportunity to emphasize the main points of your presentation. If the question is not clear to you, ask the individual to repeat it again or ask him or her to explain the question further. Realize that you may get a hostile question or a question from someone who does not agree with you. Remember, every question deserves respect. Thank the individual for presenting a different point of view and be prepared to say that difference is a part of learning and then move on to another question.
Expect to be nervous! Even seasoned presenters and Hollywood stars get nervous. Practice your delivery and engage in some relaxation techniques before you present. Remember, nerves actually enhance a presentation; they keep us sharp and alive. Without them, we would come across as boring and flat. If you are passionate about your message, that passion will come through to your audience.
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20. Answering Questions: Do’s and Don’ts
Things to remember for answering questions:
Do:
Anticipate questions in advance.
Listen carefully to what is asked.
Ask for clarification if you don’t understand.
Answer completely.
Treat the questioner with respect.
Don’t:
Show that you feel the question is inappropriate.
Divert the question to a different point.
Put down the questioner.
Argue with the questioner.
Be prepared in advance for answering questions.
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21. Closure Summarize learning. Transfer of training: Job aids.
Next steps.
Obstacles to transfer.
Assessment .
Summarize the main points of training. Remind trainees of what they learned and ask them to reflect on how they will use their new knowledge.
Ideally, transfer of training has been built into the presentation and addressed throughout the training. Remind trainees of the importance of practicing what they learned on the job. Discuss an action plan for transfer. What will they do when the training is over? Ensure that they understand the next steps for utilizing the training. If there are any job aids available to trainees, such as worksheets, checklists or handouts, make sure they know how to use the material. Discuss any obstacles they may encounter in using new knowledge on the job and how they will overcome the problem.
Conduct assessment activities.
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22. Practice Your Training Presentation
Students should practice for their presentations.
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