Death by “boring” presentations and how to Eliminate them

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” Ralph Emerson

 When you have a captive audience take advantage of the opportunity, do not bore them to death. Presentations are critical in promoting your ideas and advancing your career. Presentations are a wonderful platform for capturing people’s attention, interest and changing their point of views. It is one of the few mediums that if used properly contain the human interaction  necessary for changing and promoting new ideas and behaviors. Yet with the innovation of PowerPoint and other presentation templates the opportunity to make a ” unique connection” is generally lost or squandered on uninteresting and boring lectures.  

Most presentations today could be finished in five minutes by simply handing out your deck of slides.  Most rules of “adult learning” are violated in boring presentations. For example, some speakers try to influence you by “telling and selling” rather than engaging and connecting with the audience needs and wants. These type of presentations end-up being speaker and content centered rather than audience-centered.

So the question becomes if presentations are so boring and unproductive, why do we continue to have meetings and presentations that are obviously a waste of time and resources?

New Science of Teamwork–Power of Team results is how they communicate

“A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

I am a big believer in Social Science research and not just fly by opinions. For many years, I have been studying and working with teams and was always trying to figure-out what made the difference between poor , average and superior work teams. Now comes some strong support that what makes a difference in separating superior teams from others is how they communicate not what they communicate.

HBR’s April Spotlight on teams describes in detail the ” new science of building great teams. We can summarize those points here. The data in this research provides evidence that great teams:

• “Communicate frequently. In a typical project team a dozen or so communication exchanges per working hour may turn out to be optimum; but more or less than that and team performance can decline.
• Talk and listen in equal measure, equally among members. Lower performing teams have dominant members, teams within teams, and members who talk or listen but don’t do both.
• The Coffee Break factor spend time in frequent informal communication. The best teams spend about half their time communicating outside of formal meetings or as “asides” during team meetings, and increasing opportunities for informal communication tends to increase team performance.
• Explore for ideas and information outside the group. The best teams periodically connect with many different outside sources and bring what they learn back to the team.

You’ll notice that none of the factors outlined above concern the content or messages of a team’s communication. The study was design to capture only how people communicate — tone of voice, gestures, how one faces others in the group, and how much people talk and listen. The researchers did not capture what people communicate.

This is purposeful. From the beginning, I suspected that the ineffable buzz of high-performing teams was more about the how of communication than the what. My hypothesis was that the ancient biological patterns of signaling that humans developed in the millennia before we developed language — which is a relatively recent development — still dominate our communication. We all know how powerful non-verbal communication can be between humans.

According to their data: How we communicate turns out to be the most important predictor of team success, and as important as all other factors combined, including intelligence, personality, skill, and content of discussions. The old adage that it’s not what you say, but how you say it, turns out to be mathematically correct.

Just how powerful these patterns of communication are can be surprising. For example, we can predict with precision whether a team will perform well or not, and we can predict with a high rate of success whether or not team members will report they’ve had a “productive” or “creative” day based solely on the data from the sociometric badges. If this seems like a statistical parlor trick, it’s not. By adjusting group behavior based on this data, we’ve documented improved teamwork.

Many people are uncomfortable with this. It suggests that a kind of biological determinism, that people who naturally display the good communication patterns will “win” and anyone not blessed with this innate talent will drag a team down. In fact, that’s not the case at all. In our work we’ve found that these patterns of communication are highly trainable, and that personality traits we usually chalk up to the “it” factor — personal charisma, for example — are actually teachable skills. Data is an amazingly powerful tool for objectifying what would normally seem subjective. Time and again I’ve seen data become an incontrovertible ally to team members who may otherwise be afraid to voice their feelings about the group dynamics. They can finally say “I’m not being heard” and they have the data to back them up.”

People should feel empowered by the idea of a science of team building, The idea that we can transmute the guess-work of putting a team together into a rigorous methodology, and then continuously improve teams is exciting. Nothing will be more powerful, I believe, in eventually changing how organizations work.

Anyone interested in the full article can go the HBR article located in the Insight Center. After that you can tune-in to other  blog posts about the power of visualization of the data, and where the technology and science are headed. If that isn’t enough information you can learn more by joining the author, Alex “Sandy” Pentland, who is the director of MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory and the MIT Media Lab Entrepreneurship Program.

Source:

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/03/the_new_science_of_building_gr.html

Part 1–Art and Science of Presentology

” …the key question for Mastery: is the potential for mastery innate or just hard work ? …How  anyone can commit to 10,000 hours of deliberative practice… the difficulty is how anyone can motivate themselves for 10000 hours of grueling deliberative practice” ? Boscoh

Four Pillars of Presentology–Designing and Delivering Extraordinary Presentations

Successful Strategies for “Winning from Within”

1. Message

2. Methods

3. Mechanics

4. Mental

So what makes a Master Presenter? I didn’t create any kind of scientific ranking while making my choices, but did consider five criteria:

1. Does the individual’s message and ideas resonate to the audience—Relevance Factor?
2. Are the ideas presented in a way that connects with the participants needs and expectations? Unique Connect Factor?
3. In what ways can the message inspired me to take action or put the ideas to work immediately? Action Factor?
4. To what degree has the presentation affected me personally? Memorable Factor?
5. Know your strengths and “go with what you have” and make improvements from this starting point to reach your goals? Focus Factor?

For example, if you want to be more expressive and charismatic find out through feedback what you need to change and then use Ericsson’s Deliberative practice or a process like “Smart Steps” for personal change.Tell me what you think works or doesn’ t work with this Presentology framework.

New Leadership Model for 21st Century–Get started now “Walk the The Talk” of Strategic Action

Strategic Action Leader–Risk Taker not just talker. 

“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes… Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action”.

Peter Drucker  Happiness is seeking a balance between pleasure, commitment and meaning – a sense of purpose in one’s life. Happy managers will find it useful to apply this thinking to themselves, and to the people they manage. This final quote again echoes this fundamental philosophy of “The Happy Manager”. Drucker argued that the critical question we should all ask ourselves is not:

“How can I achieve?” but “What can I contribute?”

Read more:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/peter_drucker.html#ixzz1hNvBOJX6Peter Drucker

One thing you need to be as a leader is the ability to take strategic action with limited information. In other words you must be a risk taker. One of the most often overlooked aspects of leadership is the need for pursuit. Great leaders are never satisfied with traditional practice, static thinking, conventional wisdom, or common performance. In fact, the best leaders are simply uncomfortable with anything that embraces the status quo.  The new leader is always imaginative, focused on quality, truthful, and aware of what’s next, of what to do in times of rapid  change and how to produce value and results by being of service to others

So now let us examine –what it means to “walk the talk ” of leadership. I’ll examine the value of being a strategic action leader. Here’s the thing – pursuit leads to visible “walking the talk”. What you  act on will determine  your journey , the people you meet and connect with,, the character you display and ultimately, what your happiness and fulfillment in life. Having a mindset focused on strategic action is critical to leadership that lacking this one quality can be costly. The manner, method, and motivation behind any action is what sets truly great leaders apart from the masses. If you want to become a great leader, become a strategic action leader no matter what position you occupy in the organization.

A failure to embrace opportunities and be action orientated is to a follower. A leader’s failure to act relegates you to the routine and status quo. Your failure to take initiative leaves you stuck  with the present situation.  Your failure to be action orientated  subjects you  to be marked as expendable and of little value to the organization. Let me put this as simply as I can – you cannot attain what you do not act on.

Smart leaders understand it’s not just enough to have a vision of where the organization is going, but action and risk must be a part of it. Action must be   consistent,  focused, assertive and thoughtful. You must take action on the right situation at the right time to the right people by weighing risks and upside potential.  Perhaps most of all, the best action is thoughtful and strategic. Agility and building coalitions to accomplish your goals are the cornerstones of leadership.  Leadership at the core is highly dependent on collaborative,  inclusiveness and transparency. The greatest strength of leaders is the ability to leverage resources and relationships.

I also want to caution you against trivial pursuits – don’t confuse leadership and strategic actions with tactics.  Outcomes are clearly important, but as a leader, it’s what happens after the outcome that you need to be in pursuit of. Pursue discovery, seek dissenting opinions, develop your ability unlearn what you have learned by embracing how much you don’t know, and find the kind of vision that truly does see around corners. Knowing what not to act on is just as important as knowing what to do and when to do it.

It’s important to keep in mind that nothing tells the world more about a leader than what they do. – that which you do not what you say is who you are as a leader.  If your message to your organization you value talent, but don’t treat people well and don’t spend time developing the talent and rewarding them, then I would suggest you are a hypocrite  Put simply, you can speak  all you like, but your actions will ultimately reveal what you truly value.

What’s been the best thing you’ve done as a leader of others’ this year? When and where have you “walked the talk” of an action leader either at work, in the community or with your family? Based on that personal evaluation what do you commit to differently in 2010?

Daily quote and Reflective Exercise–Goal Achievement through Smart-Steps

Quote:  ” You go into flow when your highest strengths are deployed to meet the highest challenges that come your way” Martin Seligman, author of new book on well being and happiness called –Flourish 

Smart-Step Exercise : Goal Achievement = Clarity + Concrete + Compelling             

Step 1:  Get clarity by focusing on reality and strengths to accomplish goal  

Too often, we don’t really set goals – we just have dreams and hopes for the future. Some call these pipe dreams.   We don’t get clarity on what we want to see accomplished so we don’t commit ourselves to making them happen.  To get clarity, review reality the relity of your situation and resources such as time, money and support.. Then specific  a goal you would like to achieve in a specific time period next week, month, or year.  (example: I’d like to quite smoking and be healthier by the end of December.2011)

Goal to be accomplished –-I want:  ______________________________________________________________________________.

Step 2:  Make your goal concrete and tangible– Be specific.

When our goals are at 30,00 feet off the ground orvague generalizations we don’t end up ever commit to or take action on them . Increase the tangibility and concreteness of the goal, by asking yourself what the situation will look like when you have accomplished the goal or how you will KNOW when you have reached your goal.  What will positive results look like by such and such a date??  What matrix or measurement will show you have reached your desired results.

Success is to be measured by______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Step 3:  Get Motivated – Make your goal  a challenge but not too difficult that you give up before you start. Make goal realistic given your experience and skills.

It turns out, people are more successful, and achieve more, when they set goals that are stretch you but are not out of the range of possibilities.  Ask yourself, how willing are you to stretch to reach this goal or am I not challenging myself enough? In other words given your strengths and resources is this goal realistic?

Revise your goal TO REALLY CHALLENGE yourself. My new and challenging and realistic goal is_________________________________________________________________________________.:

Good Luck and keep us posted on your success.

“Worry less about cholestero

Exercise on Interpersonal Conflict: How to control frustrations and anger to solve problems

 

“If we don’t change the direction we are going, we are likely to end up where we are heading.” – Chinese Proverb

Of the three basic emotions that lead to poor productivity and interpersonal flare-ups —disappointment, frustration and fear—frustration leading to anger is the most destructive. Your particular situation may involve enormous frustrations and disappointments with others or yourself.  (“I needed to find better ways to handle Danny’s tantrums before I create a never-ending battle of the wills.” Darn him for always having a melt down when I need his cooperation.”) or enormous self-anger (“Why, why, why can’t I be a better Dad when things are not going well with the kids; m expected reaction just raises the temperature and sets him off. I really hurt our relationship when I get anger.” Whatever the proportions, some feel frustrated guilty but resist letting the situation escalate to anger, shouting and demanding; others acknowledge their frustration and inability to handle the situation but feel “stuck” in same old patterns.. Most of these regrets get you stuck in unproductive perseverance.

Considering frustration and anger separately makes both more useful. Right now, think of something or someone you are frustrated with… With that situation or person in mind, finish this sentence: “I’m frustrated that __________.” Repeat the exercise until you run out of frustrations and things related to that person or situation. For example, if you are  frustrated with a building contractor not finishing on time or making major errors on the project, you might say, “I’m frustrated and extremely disappointed that I have to stay on top of every piece of this remodeling project or it doesn’t get done on budget or in a timely manner. I’m angry that I chose such an incompetent builder and that this project is taking up all my time and energy. ” So this first exercise gets at the root causes for the frustrations.

Now that you have fully itemized the causes for the frustrations make another list of possible solutions needed to be implemented to solve the causes. In this part 2 of the exercise begin each sentence with the phrase, “I’m frustrated and angry at ________ because________ and I want to resolve this by _____________” For example, “I’m angry at Bill, the builder,  because of the cost and time over runs and I want to solve this by instituting a daily meeting to set priorities and action items for completion. To ensure we stay on task I am immediately bringing in a new supervisor for the project.” I’m sad about the need for this tight structure and supervision and the finger-pointing and blame game that has been going on” Write down the solution based  on your identification of the causes for the frustrations and anger about the personnel and situation.

Underneath frustrations is the feeling of disappointment when looking back at what we could have done. It does have a piece of self-loathing. Also, anger for what took place or is still happening. Try learning the lessons the experience is teaching you now rather than looking back and obsessively contemplating what could have been. Reflecting on Warren Buffet’s view of looking back may help you put frustrations and disappointments in perspective–”I never look back. I figure there is so much to look forward to that there is no sense thinking of what I might have done. It just doesn’t make any difference. You can only live life forward.”  So as you think about your frustrations right now–If you had the opportunity for a “do over” what would you do differently? What can you do now to correct the situation or put the project back on track?

Finally, remember that you need to focus on living and working fully and intensely in the present, with minimal infringement from the past failures or miscues to solve this problem and improve productively and enable others on the team to do their best work.

Is there a Group Intelligence Factor and Does it make a difference in Problem Solving?

Quote: “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. The achievements of a team are the results of the combined effort of each individual” Vincent Lombardi

For many years there has been an explosion of using teams to increase productivity from software conversion projects to employee problem solving and innovation. Many questions remain about how and why teams are successful and why other task forces or teams fail. For some researchers it is all about team make-up and group dynamics. Many questions remain that need answers. One important experiment was recently completed by Anita Woolley at Carnegie Mellon University to examine if there is  general intelligence in teams. The results of the research suggest that “individual brainpower contributes little to collective team smarts as measured by their ability to solve problems.  Dr. Woolly was motivated to conduct these studies because she felt there is a lack  of agreed to  criterion in predicting which groups will perform well and which won’t. Addition she wanted to test she the hypothesis of whether groups behave as individuals in having the  an underlying factor (intelligence) that seems to drive how individuals perform in multiple situations and different cognitive domains. 

To determine whether something similar also operated in collective minds, Woolley’s team divided 600 test subjects into groups of two to five people, then had each group complete a variety of problem-solving tasks. Afterward the researchers interviewed the groups and each participant. They measured group cohesion and motivation, individual intelligence and personality, and other factors previously associated with group performance. Their analysis was reviewed in Wired Science which reported that researchers found several characteristics linked to group performance — and none involved individual intelligence. What mattered instead was the social sensitivity of individual members, the proportion of women (who tend to be more sensitive) in each group, and a balanced participation of interaction and “air time” for conversing and discussing the problem to be solved and appropriate solutions.  Gender and social sensitivity are linked, said Woolley, making emotional intelligence and conversation balance the most important factors in group performance. Not only was individual intelligence irrelevant, but group cohesion mattered little. Neither did motivation or happiness — a finding that most workers would find disconcerting.

The results for the study are not that surprising for team leaders and experienced facilitators-it’s emotional intelligence and social awareness — the ability to pick up on emotional cues in others — that seems to determine how effective and smart a group can be. What do you think ? Does this research square with your experience? Let us know your thoughts.

 

Daily Quote and Reflection: Why Trust begins with Yourself and other observations

Quote:  Emerson once said: “Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great”

Reflection: Emerson was talking about how to connect with others and loyalty. Is point of view is that trust doesn’t start with the other person,but begins by looking in the mirror and deciding what it takes for you to trust others. Do you give automatically until the person disappoints you or do you make others earn it ?  Essentially, Emerson is talking about how to connect emotionally with others. He is expressing his belief that in order to build an effective relationship we must start with trusting others. Trust needs to be demonstrated through your behavior not just by mouthing the words.  As i reflect on my own experiences in building an effective team I think trust is the cornerstone for being working and building together.  If your team individually and collectively is supportive of others and loyal you can build on this climate to great more synergy (1+1 =3) to reach way beyond what any one individual could to by themselves. Team members go way beyond what is expected by being engaged in both work and personal issues. Trust like this reduces defensiveness and unhealthy competition so that you team can produce spectacular and high levels of satisfaction for themselves and clients or peers they work with.  This respectful treatment of giving trust away reduces individual insecurities and opens the door for maximizing possibilities. Your expectations and ability to trust will great enormous energy and self-belief in others and after growing in this positive environment, they’ll not only believe and trust you,they will prove themselves great. I think Emerson is coining the idea of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (SFP) before Robert Merton, social psychologist identified and label the power of this concept.

Want more effective Mental Maps? Try using this learning process technique…

“Our view of reality is like a map with which to negotiate the terrain of life. If the map is true and accurate, we will generally know where we are, and if we have decided where we want to go, we will generally know how to get there. If the map is false and inaccurate, we generally will be lost.” -M Scott Peck.

If it is obvious that asking questions is such a powerful way for learning. So why do we stop asking questions and give more advice or try sell our arguments at any cost. Self-protection? Fear of cognitive dissonance? Or are we just lazy learners? Most in order to create a comfort zone   assume they know all the main things they need to know on a subject and then go through life looking for examples and evidence to reinforce our own believes and view of the world. They don’t bother to ask questions because they do not want to upset their views and beliefs. So they don’t ask questions because would require change and pain for them. They cling to outdate  beliefs and remain certain in their assumptions – yet they often end up saying stupid things like the world is flat or all those “people” are lazy or do such and such. This inability to be open minded and flexible leads to absolute dogma and in many situations looking or sounding foolish.

Other people are afraid that by asking questions they will look weak, ignorant or unsure. They like to give the impression that they are decisive and in command of the relevant issues. They fear that asking questions might introduce uncertainty or show them in a poor light. In fact asking questions is a sign of strength and intelligence – not a sign of weakness or uncertainty. Great leaders constantly ask questions and are well aware that they do not have all the answers.

Finally some people are in such a hurry to get with things that they do not stop to ask questions because it might slow them down. They risk rushing headlong off the cliff.

With prospect, with clients, at school, at home, in business, with our friends, family, colleagues or managers we can check assumptions and gain a better appreciation of the issues by first asking questions. Start with very basic, broad questions then move to more specific areas to clarify your understanding. Open questions are excellent – they give the other person or people chance to give broad answers and they open up matters. Examples of open questions are:

• What business are we really in, what is our added value?
• Why do you think this has happened?
• What are all the things that might have caused this problem?
• How can we reduce customer complaints?
• Why do you think he feels that way?
• What other possibilities should we consider?

As we listen carefully to the answers we formulate further questions. When someone gives an answer we can often ask, “Why?” The temptation is to plunge in with our opinions, responses, conclusions or proposals. The better approach is keep asking questions to deepen our comprehension of the issues before making up our mind. Once we have mapped out the main points we can use closed questions to get specific information. Closed questions give the respondent a limited choice of responses – often just yes or no. Examples of closed questions are:

• When did this happen?
• Was he angry?
• Where is the shipment right now?
• Did you authorise the payment?
• Would you like to go to the cinema with me on Saturday evening?

By giving the other person a limited choice of responses we get specific information and deliberately move the conversation forward in a particular direction.

Asking many questions is very effective but it can make you appear to be inquisitorial and intrusive. So it is important to ask questions in a friendly and unthreatening way. Do not ask accusing questions. “What do you think happened?” will probably get a better response than, “Are you responsible for this disaster?” Try to pose each question in an innocent way and ensure that your body language is relaxed and amicable. Do not jab your finger or lean forward as you as put your requests.

Try to practice asking more questions in your everyday conversations. Instead of telling someone something, ask them a question. Challenging questions stimulate, provoke, inform and inspire engagement and learning. Questions help us to teach as well as to learn.

Smart-Steps for more positive mindset and action

1. To strengthen our own “stress hardiness” and lessen the likelihood of anxiety and burnout: Practice answering the following questions  :

√ Passion and Commitment: What brings purpose to your life?

√ Challenge: Try reframing  difficult situations as  opportunities for learning.

√ Self-Control : To focus your time and energy on areas of your life over which you have  some influence and control.

√ Change intensity of response: Focus on things that happen to you that are unpleasant as inconvenient rather than awful.

Want to be a Team Leader? Improve you ability to accept, include and involve others.

“The world connects through inclusion and involvement, This linking defines the essence of being.” MW Hardwick, Ph.D.

Inclusion and Involvement.  Everyone wants to feel welcomed and part of something bigger than themselves. Teamwork and  team meetings are a social and interpersonal process so establishing early and strong connections with your team members is critical for creating a positive climate for being productive. Begin to establish strong rapport before meeting begins by knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your team.  One way I have found that is helpful is to welcome everyone with a one-on-one contact and check how their expectations and dreams are being  blocked  or met Asking questions such as, What is important to them and motivates them to do good work? What has been their experiences in working on teams? Are they preoccupied or cleared to go? Do they need time to re-focus before taking up the agenda?  As the meeting proceeds try to include and get comments from everyone around the table or on the phone. I find using the “go around” tool helpful in getting everyone involved from the beginning of the meeting. At the end of the meeting be sure to check on what went well in the meeting.? What didn’t work? and How can future meetings be improved?

As a leader of a team you need to have passion for your work and be generous to anyone on the team that needs support or good kick in the ass to get going. Most people on your team will evaluate you as a leader by looking at your fairness, honest feedback, openness and realness in dealing with issues and with them.

Want “Sticky” Presentations–Try Using Experiential Activities

“A  ” Sticky” presentation is a sequence of experiences , examples and stories  that when seen and experienced as a holistic event form a compelling argument to change. Let your audience discover the answers to powerful questions, get them engaged in the material and remember that audiences remember only a third of what they read, half of what you told them, but 100 percent of what they discover and experience..”  Mark W. Hardwick, Ph.D

If you apply Aristotle’s rules of rhetoric–verifying and testing the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos of your presentation–and if you hone your delivery with practice, you may not make people march, mobilize policy changes, save a your company, but you’ll make a presentation that states your position with clarity and strength and keeps your audience’s attention. Focus here is on Pathos or making an emotional and meaningful connection with your audience. Pathos is captured well in this quote from the Dali Lama ‘RESPECT for Self, RESPECT for Others… RESPONSIBILITY for All your Actions”

Pathos is best explored through conducting experiential activities during your presentation or training session.  The major barrier or disadvantage I have seen with experiential exercises is that they can be seen as artificial or gimmicky. To over come this obstacle it is important to design the activity to mirror reality to the workplace as possible. Many times you will here from participants that is was a fun activity to build a tower together out of index cards and tape, but was the point and what was I suppose to learn? As a presenter-facilitator your role  must be to help the participants see not only the value in the activity, but help them process how the experience relates to them and their real lives. You must relate the activity to real life or risk the possibility that participaants will perceive the activity as a waste of time or just fun and games. In addition, taking the time to process the learnings and experiences  can provide an opportunity for participants to discover and discuss  their unique learning from the activity.    Now let’s review the stages for designing and presenting a powerful and valuable experiential activity.

1. Planning

2. Preparing and presenting

3. Unpacking or processing learning experience

Planning. The critical issue in planning an activity is to make sure the activity is aligned with learning objectives.  Answering questions like–Why are we doing this activity and Where are we going with this activity will help you keep the learning mission on track.

Preparing and presenting. The major questions addressed in this stage are: What are the participants being asked to do or experience that can help them achieve and master the learning objective? What is it that the participants will need in order to accomplish the activity. In the presenting phase make sure your instructions are clear, concise and include all the steps required to perform the activity. Presenting requires you to set the stage and create a comfortable environment for learning. Make sure the groups have all the materials necessary to complete the activity. Be very specific in outlining the steps in the activity, checking with groups to see if they are understand what is required to conduct the activity. The facilitator needs to set specific timelines for completion of the activity and be involved in managing the activity by walking around the room to observe the groups and make sure they are on task. and if need be refine your instructions to support their successful completion of the activity.

Processing or unpacking an experiential activity. This is the most important stage of conducting an experiential exercise. Once the activity is completed, the facilitator needs to take the time to bring closure and get feedback from the groups on their learning experiences. Your role is to help clarify and make sense out of the experience. A facilitator must resist the temptation to tell learners what they should have learned. So in unpacking an activity the facilitator needs to ask a series of opened questions to help participants interpret their experiences. You always want participants to reflect and answer the questions–What just happened and what did they experience during the activity and what does it all mean to them and their life?

So next time you want to conduct an experiential activity make sure you pick an exercise that is appropriate to your group’s learning activities, make the exercise goal clear and always take time to process the activity so important training and learning connections are made.

Want to improve your Presentation Skills–Don’t miss this unbelievable offer to “Jump Start” the New Year.

Speaker Training “TASTER” OFFER—Jump start your career by starting the New Year Right

LEARN the KEYS TO “STICKY “PRESENTATIONS

“It is not enough to have sticky concepts and ideas. You have to present them so people get it.” Jay Ehret, The Marketing Spot

Sometimes you’re just not sure whether something is right for you, particularly if you’re thinking of skill training or personal changes. Taking up a new approach or breaking through an old fear, like speaking before a group, can seem daunting.  When it comes to public speaking, it’s usually seen as a bit like going to the dentist – you know that you need to do it to stay healthy or you ignore it till it hurts so much you hardly have a choice or you hate it so much you have to be dragged to the office.!  I took some time to listen to the feedback from a recent survey I ran with participants in my presentation seminars regarding their feelings about learning to be better presenters. Two of the main issues raised were the need to have a more convenient (less time away from office and easier access to coaching at a reasonable and affordable cost) way to get speaker training. Second, is the need to be able to experience 1 on 1 coaching and the opportunity to try out some of the more pertinent and customized advice before committing to a bigger investment in speaker coaching.

I am now ready to be responsive to your needs. I’ve designed a special ‘Taster Offer’ especially for those who’d like to experience a more personalized exposure to improving their presentation skills and confidence without any major financial outlay or time commitment. This special Presentation Training Package is brought to you by Mark W. Hardwick, Ph.D., who has over 30+years of coaching executives, lawyers, accountants and other professionals in how to improve their communication skills.

The current Taster Offer I’ve put together has additional bonuses valued at just over $1,500 and as such, limited seats are available for the program.  The offering consists of the following:

• TASTE training Module will focus on the following: assessment of present skill level and style, planning and preparation basics, as well as feedback on a video tape you will send me along with your application and fee for the “Taste” offering.  This module deals with planning your presentation, how to design compelling and “sticky” messages from the listener’s point of view.  There is also an assignment and several exercises for you to work through with specific and individualized feedback.
• Bonus One you get lifetime access to the private email support group where you can talk to other presenters who have taken the “taster” module about how to overcome any barriers you’re having in executing the presentation system or Smart-Step tools provided.
• Bonus Two you also get access to the private Facebook group, this is a closed membership group and entry is strictly limited to “Taster” participants and presentation coach.
• Bonus Three – two sessions of speaker coaching.  I will personally spend time with you during two 30 minute sessions of speaker coaching.  These normally cost $250/session and take place via Skype. These are 1 on 1 coaching and feedback sessions not a group webinar.
• Bonus Four – a special incentive.  If you like the “TASTE Module” and feel that you’d like to continue with the rest of the course then for those who purchase the Taster Offer there is a discount of 50% off the rest of the course, meaning that you make an investment of $195.00 for the “Taste Module” (including bonuses) as opposed to the regular price of $795-995 for live but not customized group seminars.
• Extra Offer—An on going Coaching and feedback package. You receive Video feedback for three speeches you give during the year for additional $150/review and feedback report.

100% satisfaction or money back—no questions asked. Let’s get going. Just respond to this posting in the comment section with your e-mail or phone and we can set you up for your first session.

Thanks –Mark W. Hardwick,Ph.D.

Eliminate Death of Meetings–Improve Communication by Clarifying roles and functions on Team

Facilitators need to possess basic skills to help a group communicate in an open and involved manner.Timely interventions are the key to you success. The tools we are focusing on will be active listening, questioning, and empathy.  Special tools and techniques are utilized to diagnose and address specific issues that face the group. The focus of this blog is to improve your awareness of specific skills such as conflict resolution, reflection of feelings, and honest direct communication. Building interpersonal skills and dealing with problems that block adult learning can dramatically improve the overall productivity of the sessions.Today many organizations are using committees ,task forces and project groups to improve efficiency and effectiveness in operations and functional decision-making activities.  So I thought it would be helpful to dig into two critical Group Processes  ”task and maintenance” roles and functions that if you understood would make your meetings more productive and satisfying experiences.

Group Processes

Task Functions and Roles. Helps facilitator and members understand the purpose and goals of the group. Understanding these roles and functions focus the group on using their time and skills to get the job done. The group will  often need assertive and firm leader-facilitators to keep things moving and on target. They relate to and are passionate about the reasons and purpose of the groups assignment and rationale for existing.

“Maintenance” Functions and Roles. These roles provide the ‘oil’ or “glue” for effective small group discussions. They look at how a group goes about getting it’s work done or decisions made. During this group process the focus is on the emotional life of the group. For example, what helps or interferes in helping to get the work of the group accomplished, consider the needs of individuals or communicates to whom etc.  These roles  open up the channels for two-way communication and problem solving.

Identifying and defining Group Process Roles and Functions of Facilitators

“Task” Roles and Functions of Facilitator

Initiator	Start things off; or helps change direction. Initially often the leader.
Energizer	Provides challenes, inspires and stimulates group to discussion and action leading to accomplishing goals of discussion.
Clarifier of Opinions	Takes individual contributions and clarifies them – encourages people to be specific “are you saying that …”, “it seems to me what you are saying is …”
Information giver/and Seeker	Gives or seeks to find out certain information. It may relate to the exact structure of the task.
Coordinator	Clarifies various suggestions, ideas and opinions and seeks agreement to move group ahead
Questioner/Evaluator	Asks fundamental questions about the task of the group. Main factor is the ability to step back from what is going on and challenge assumptions. Confronts the groups level of engagement or activity level.
Summarizer	Does not add anything but provides the facility of checking and clarifying what has been said and achieved. Provides breathing space.

“Maintenance” Roles and Functions of Facilitator

Gatekeeper	attempts to encourage communication, bringing persons into the discussion who have not given their ideas, keeping the discussion  on track and to the point, etc.
Supporter/ Encourager	Provides warmth to individuals “yes, I think that’s a good point”, “that was really helpful” etc. Recognizes and exhibits acceptance of different points of view.
Harmonizer	Tries to reduce conflict and discord in the group by encouraging members to be respectful and considerate yet allows them to share feelings; such as frustrations or anger at others .
Standard Setter and Role Model	Expresses standards and best practices for the group to attempt to achieve, and applies them to evaluating the group process
Self-Discloser	Shares experience like, “This also happened to me” – helps breakthrough to the personal level.
Process observer	Often shows himself when the group gets stuck. Helps unblock group dynamics and get conversation back on track .

Are your team meetings “Stuck” –Try this feedback exercise.

”A team is more than a collection of people. It is a process of give and take.”

Guidelines For: Constructive Feedback

• Cover only behaviors over which the individual has some control
• If the situation is not changeable, do not offer feedback
• Refer to performance and be specific, not abstract
• Specific behavior or outcomes rather than criticizing the person
• Describe behavior on a continuum, for example, on a 1-10 scale–how high (10) or     low (1)  do you see  my need to control others and always be right
• “More or less” – discuss highs and lows of performance
• Focus on the sharing of ideas, listening and asking meaningful and challenging questions
• An exploration of alternatives – if there are technical solutions of established     procedures, suggest as many as possible.

Team Exercise Instructions: Try this at your next team meeting .

• Each team member writes one role clarification message to each team member.
• The team members then exchange messages.
• Each team member then reads their message and has an opportunity to ask for clarification.
• Next, the message receiver responds to the message sender as to whether they can or will comply with the request.
• The message sender and the message receiver then have an opportunity to negotiate expectations and reach agreement and commitment.
• Finally, the message sender and message receiver draft an action plan outlining the agreed to tasks, responsibilities and completion dates.

An effective role clarification message needs to be:

• Be specific and action oriented
• Describe the help you need and the reason you need this help (the why)
• Describe the action required from the other team members (the what)

Message Form-Use this form to capture and facilitate feedback-

To:  _____________________________________

 

From:  ___________________________________

 

In order to help me:

I need you to:

Do More:  ______________________________________________________________

Do Less:  ______________________________________________________________

Do the Same:  _____________________________________________________________

 

 

The glue to “Sticky” teaching and learning

 

Life is amazing: and the teacher had better prepare himself to be a medium for that amazement. Edward Blishen

At a presentation have you ever felt talked down to? Are you lectured about things you already know and understand ? Do you feel like you are being treated with disrespect or as if you don’t have life experiences ? If so your teacher-trainer has violated important rules for teaching adults. So you don’t mis-design or deliver this way let’s review some critical principles of Adult Learning.

1. Relevance…make learning relevant to their daily work and family life

2. Learn what they need and want …Tell them why they need to listen and learn this material

3. Respect experience… take advantage of their maturity and experience they bring

4. Law of Frequency… practice, practice and practice to learn new skills

5. Law of Association…learn and add-on to knowledge they all ready possess.

6. Law of Effect…learn best in a supportive and respectful climate

7. Self-directed… Discovery learning… use involvement and interactive action learning tools to engage and challenge learners.

8. Small doses…Smart-Steps…Plus 1 … take them from where they are to where they want to go in small and doable steps.