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Are there steps a trainer can take to be prepared for the unexpected?
Asked at:
Sales Training Blunders of 2011
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- Catherine Goldberg,
- Andrew Mosson
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4 Answers
Brian, I think that a great trainer - just like a great sales leader or individual contributor, is always ready for just about anything.
Have a "plan A" which is most likely what is going to happen - but then come up with "plan B" and in some cases, you might need a "plan C" or "plan D". Then no matter what, you are not rattled and you've prepared for the best possible scenario and also the worst.
Even if you are not prepared, be prepared to react - and it is that reaction that people connect with you much more than the fact that something other than planned happened.
One of the best things a Trainer can do is enroll themselves into an improv class. If you want to know how to expect the unexpected and learn to go with the flow, then improv is the way to learn it.
While things may come out slightly on the ridiculous end of the spectrum for a minute or two, ideas will start to take shape and structure will return soon after that. If for nothing else, you'll at least keep your audience entertained in the interim.
Brian, the single most important element of training is to know fully the practical application of your material.
If your audience challenges your data, it is easy enough to come back to that and, if you just don't know a fact based answer, say so then follow through with the information right away after the presentation. It is also wise not to make definitive statements if you do not have the backup data readily available.
BUT, if your audience challenges the practicability or usability of your material in real world ways, you can look really goofy really fast if you hem and haw. You must be clear on the practical application.
If you are adept and smooth handling such challenges, the session will actually be much more fun, natural and believable to your attendees.
I love Cale's improv class suggestion. An improv class will not teach you the practical application of your material, but it would sure help with delivering answers to challenges in a manner that still keeps the flow of the session on-topic.
There are other unexpected's that come in the form of environmental changes not planned for; power outages, projector or sound system failures and the like. Preparing for environmental changes is largely a matter of not relying too heavily on a given technology for dissemination of your material. Be ready to crack a projector joke and keep right on going without your Power Point, laugh at your laptop, or point out that with good preparation no one can keep you in the dark for long.
Together, let's put the fun back into work!
Belldon Colme
belldoncolme@gmail.com
Probably the best advice is to “expect the unexpected” !
Projector bulbs burn out; computers crash; there is usually a jokester in the crowd; Power outages etc.
Preparation is the key. Always have a backup plan, and a copy of your PowerPoint on a jump-drive or disk.
Bill
http://twitter.com/wblake
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