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What do you do when you’re preparing to facilitate a training session and the materials you’ve been given by the instructional designers feel a bit dull and boring? Here are three strategies to spice things up and deliver an engaging and interactive learning experience!
1. You can tell a person anything and they may or may not remember it, but if you tell them WHY it benefits them, it will resonate more. People relate to the cause and effect of “what’s in it for me” (WIIFM). Not only do they want to know what they’ll be doing, they also want to know what’s in it for them in doing it YOUR way.
Simply telling your learners what the benefits are can be boring—don’t be afraid to get creative! Find different ways to convey the WIIFM through facts and statistics, a personal experience, real world examples, or maybe sharing an expert opinion. Remember, conveying the WIIFM increases your learner’s investment in the training. Finding creative and engaging ways to get the point across is an effective way to make your content more relevant for them.
2. Break up the flow of the presentation. There are many ways to facilitate a course and present material without standing in front of the participants and speaking to PowerPoint slides and flip charts. One instructional technique you may want to try is to conduct an interview with the participants and encourage them to question you about the subject-matter. Role plays and skits are other options to add to your toolkit. While people sometimes shy away from role plays, you can make them less threatening by pairing your learners or using small groups to promote participation.
You can also present course content with games and activities, full class discussions, and table talks. Remember, your main goal is to deliver the content to the learners and ensure they “get it.” Spicing up your delivery methods and using variety will keep you and your learners energized.
3. Give your class and content a little sparkle by letting your personality shine through! A class full of new learners can make even the most experienced course leader nervous. The key is to relax and convey confidence—just be yourself and it will carry you a long way. People innately connect with who you are and are more likely to listen and engage with you in a training session when you relate to them on a personal level. If you pretend to be someone you’re not, they will pick up on it immediately. Just be yourself—there is no better version of you, than YOU!
So, the next time you have materials you consider “dull and boring,” remember these training strategies and remind yourself you have the power to spice up your training! Let me know what spice you use in your training sessions in the comments below.
Learn more about facilitation and presentation techniques by bringing the Certified Instructor/Facilitator workshop on site for your team.
