Focus Magazine - Winter 2015 - (Page 15)
FRONT OF THE ROOM
Brian Lange
'Where Is This Going?'
'Different' and
'unexpected'
are good!
I
had something memorable happen recently,
and want to share it as a reminder-and an
example-of how important "creative" or
"compelling" openings are in a presentation.
During a recent review activity where I gave
each table team one topic from the workshop in
order to prepare a five-minute recap
presentation, I found myself stumped and
intrigued during each of their openings.
It turns out the teams each incorporated a
"creative" opening by telling a story;
referencing a current-event from a
periodical/newspaper; or otherwise including
the audience in an interactive discussion. ese
openings served to deliver something different
to the audience - to take them out of the
classroom in a figurative way - in order to
generate a personal connection to the topic as
well as create context for the coming content.
What I came to realize during the opening
of each of the four presentation, was that I
couldn't recall - or initially tell - what topic I
had given each particular group! What I found
fascinating was how I had to really listen and
participate in order to see where they were
heading and which topic I had assigned to
them. is was in stark contrast to what
happens typically: e presenter gives an intro
to the specific topic being covered and outlines
exactly how the topic will be explored. is is
predictable - and quite frankly, expected -
and may not pull me away from checking my
phone for texts or email.
One facet of each of the presentations was
how the presenters engaged with the audience
throughout the openings. If they referenced an
article, they asked if anyone in the audience
was familiar with it - and then invited the
person to expand on the subject. When they
asked audience members whether they had
experienced a particular situation in the past,
they invited some to share the example (while
the remaining folks were able to "connect" with
their own experience, and "use" it moving
forward in the activity). In each presentation,
the presenters accessed the knowledge and
experience in the room and put it to work.
is serves to make learning more personal:
If I passively observe a slide and partially listen
to a speaker run through the outline of content,
I'm not really personally connected or invested
in the topic. However, when the presenter
engages me to consider my experience, and
bring it into the classroom, I become a part of
the learning experience. I can then adequately
compare the new knowledge being shared with
my own previous experience: it becomes twodimensional, versus one-dimensional.
It's easy to view a presentation as, "OK, I
need to get through this, this and that. And, I'll
wrap up by reviewing key points, and then
asking if there are any questions." However, if
we think about the audience - and try to
figure out how we can get them to care and
connect with our material - we might find that
the usual approach may not cut it.
"Different" and "unexpected" are good! If I
tilt my head as a participant to ponder what the
speaker is communicating - and why they're
communicating it - it pulls me in. By the time
the speaker makes the "bridge" to the real topic
at hand, I'm committed. My curiosity compels
me to follow-along to attempt to guess where
the speaker is headed.
As the bridge is revealed ("...and this is what
got me thinking about our time together: how
in this workshop we will be..."), I may nod my
head with the realization of the intention of the
speaker and - voila! - I may be hooked and
ready to learn. Certainly more so than if I just
read an objectives slide with multiple bullets, no
pictures and no part of me in the equation. ■
Brian Lange, blange@perim.com, is with Perim Consulting and serves as lead facilitator for LTEN PrimeTime! For
Trainers Core and Masters workshops. He blogs at www.WorkplaceInfluence.blogspot.com.
FOCUS | WINTER 2015 | www.L-TEN.org
15
http://www.WorkplaceInfluence.blogspot.com
http://www.L-TEN.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Focus Magazine - Winter 2015
Focus Magazine
From the President: Put a Bow on It!
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Guest Editor: Mastering Connections of the Construct
Directions: New Year, New Opportunities
Front of the Room: 'Where Is This Going?'
Neuroscience: The Neuroscience of Messaging
Carol Wells: Training's Shining STAR
LTEN Events: Connecting Members
The ACO Opportunity: Defining the Value
Cloud-Based Collaborative Platforms: Raising Productivity
Transformational Leaders: From Fear to Followership
Field Development: 4 Steps to Success
Delivering Messages that Drive Business
Virtual How: The Learning Technology Landscape
Ad Index
Focus Contacts
5 Questions with Thuy and Milo Sindell
Focus Magazine - Winter 2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017summer_supp3
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017summer_supp
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017spring_supp
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2016winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2016summer_supp2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2016summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2016summer_supp
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2015winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2015summer_supp
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2015summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2015spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2014winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/LtenFocus/2014summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2014spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2014winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2013summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2013spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2013winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2012fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2012summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2012spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2012winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2011fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/focus/2011summer
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com