Leadership In Action » facilitation skills http://www.cmoe.com/blog a podcast & blog by CMOE consultants Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:56:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 © cmoe@ioventuresinc.com () cmoe@ioventuresinc.com() 1440 a podcast amp; blog by CMOE consultants cmoe@ioventuresinc.com No no http://www.cmoe.com/images/blog/leadership-in-action-iTunes-144.jpg Leadership In Action http://www.cmoe.com/blog 144 144 Cutting Edge Training and Facilitation Skills: The Adult Learner http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-the-adult-learner.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-the-adult-learner.htm#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:00:10 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-the-adult-learner.htm The adult learner is in charge of his/her own learning.  The trainer cannot impose or insert learning, but instead must serve as a leader, guide, and catalyst.

1. Adults are motivated to learn as they develop needs and interests that learning will satisfy.  Therefore, the needs and interests of adult learners are the appropriate starting points for organizing adult learning activities, and are the crucial guideposts for delivering training.

2. Adult orientation learning is either life-centered or work-centered.  Therefore, the appropriate frameworks for organizing adult learning are life-related and/or work-related situations, not academic or theoretical subjects.

3. Experience is the richest resource for adult learning.  Therefore, the core methodology for adult learning programs involves active participation in a planned series of experiences, the analysis of those experiences, and their application to work and life situations.

4. Adults have a deep need to be self-directing.  Therefore, the role of the trainer is to engage in a process of inquiry, analysis, and decision-making with learners, rather than to transmit his/her knowledge to them and then evaluate their conformity to it.

5. Individual differences among adult learners increase with age and experience.  Therefore, adult learning programs must make optimum provision for differences in style, time, place, and pace of learning.

Adapted from:  Frederic H. Margolis and Chip R. Bell, Managing the Learning Process, Lakewood Publications, Malcolm Knowles, The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species, and The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Androgogy.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-the-adult-learner.htm/feed 1 Cutting Edge Skills for Training and Facilitation: Concluding a Workshop or Training Event http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-concluding-a-workshop-or-training-event.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-concluding-a-workshop-or-training-event.htm#comments Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:19:15 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-concluding-a-workshop-or-training-event.htm Wrapping-up and concluding a workshop or training event can be difficult.  After a day or more of learning, questions, and discussions it is hard to sum things up in just a few minutes, while at the same time ending with impact and excitement.  To make this easier, here are a few ways to be sure you conclude workshops effectively.

When conducting a leadership training workshop, strategic management training, or coaching skills workshop, a few key points and tips will ensure training ends on a positive note.

1. Summarize the training by restating the main points.

2. Review the objects and highlight how they have been met.

3. Provide time for participants to create action plans and set goals for applying the training topics.

4. Use humor.  Here is a humorous way David Peoples from IBM frequently closes his presentations: “I fully realize that I have not succeeded in answering all your questions.  Indeed, I feel I have not answered any of them completely.  The answers I have found only serve to raise a whole new set of questions, which only leads to more problems.  To sum it all up, I feel we are just as confused as ever in some ways, but I believe we are confused at a higher level and about more important things.”

5. Close with a quote.  For example: Confucious said in 451 B.C. “What I hear, I forget; what I see, I may remember; but what I do, I understand.”  Another great quote that is recommended is by C.S. Lewis, “A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument.”

Adapted from: Robert W. Pike, Creative Training Techniques Handbook.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-concluding-a-workshop-or-training-event.htm/feed 2 Cutting Edge Training and Facilitation Skills: Fidget Toys http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-fidget-toys.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-fidget-toys.htm#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:03:32 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-fidget-toys.htm Toys, balls, and any other fidget reliever are great training tools.  When participant’s hands are busy, it can create a physical, emotional, and intellectual connection with the material they are learning, making it easier to recall the information when they need it.  Remember, it is important to have a toy for each participant in the class.  When only one person has a toy or game, other participants tend to shift their attention and watch the person play with their toy or game.  The variety of toys you can bring to a training session is as long and wide as your imagination.  However, be sure the toys you bring don’t have distracting noises, flashing lights, are too complex, or are too hard (may cause injuries if thrown).  Here is a possible list of toys, puzzles, balls, and other fidget relievers that have been successful for other facilitators:

    When conducting a training around leadership, coaching, teamwork, or strategic thinking, fidget toys can help participants make a connection with learning concepts.

  • Koosh balls
  • Stress balls
  • Bouncy balls
  • Squishy balls
  • Wire puzzles
  • Slide puzzles
  • Lego bricks
  • Hacky sacks
  • Play dough
  • Modeling clay
  • Wikki Stix
  • Silly putty
  • Foam dice
  • Markers or crayons and paper
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Poppers

Because most of these objects are small in size, soft, and compactable, they are easy to take with in a small plastic container or plastic bag.  Trainer and facilitators can toss them in their luggage. If you can’t find these items in a local novelty store, many on-line vendors that carry these products for a reasonable price.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-fidget-toys.htm/feed 1 Cutting Edge Skills for Training and Facilitation: Stage Presence and Visual Aids http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-stage-presence-and-visual-aids.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-stage-presence-and-visual-aids.htm#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:01:41 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-stage-presence-and-visual-aids.htm Coaching for stage presence will ensure management training is successful. Visual aids in corporate team building programs create buy in and learner participation.When training and using visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides, flipcharts, objects, and so forth, it is important to do so in a way that is interesting, rather than distracting.  When you are presenting, you should think of yourself as if you were an entertainer on stage.  Notice how you walk, where you position yourself, and if your posture and poise appears confident.  An effective way to develop stage presence when presenting visual aids is to take a lesson from the forecast specialist on your evening news.  You will see when they explain the forecast, they will touch the visual aid, turn to the audience, and talk as they explain the forecast.  Keeping your body facing forward and your eyes on the audience will keep your participants engaged.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-stage-presence-and-visual-aids.htm/feed 0 Cutting Edge Skills for Training and Facilitation: The Eight Intelligences http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-the-eight-intelligences.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-the-eight-intelligences.htm#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:00:23 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-the-eight-intelligences.htm Howard Gardner, Harvard professor of education, believes that intelligence is more than what it has generally been defined.  He identifies eight intelligences, each being a different way to solve a problem or fashion a product that is valued different in various cultural settings.

When trainers and consultants conduct learning programs around strategy, facilitation skills, or leadership development, understanding the differenct types of intelligences people poses will increase learner satisfaction.1. Language Intelligence
This intelligence includes both verbal and written skills.  It applies to those who are drawn in by material that is written or verbally described by the facilitator.  Bring content to life with stories, descriptive narratives, editorials, well-written handouts, or even poems for these learners.  Key words, phrases, or quotes can be extremely moving and powerful for those of this intelligence.

2. Logical and Mathematical Intelligence
This intelligence involves logical sequencing of information and numbers.  Help these learners by teaching with statistics, facts, proven theories, and data.  Use step-by-step presentation of materials and activities that demonstrate logical application of knowledge, skills, and abilities.

3. Visual and Spatial Intelligence
This intelligence applies to those people who are able to use their imagination to create a picture, are able to see how something will look before it is finished, and are aware of and can calculate distances from one point to another.  Tap into their imagination and creativity during training with the use of experiential exercises and activities that allow them to think outside of the box.  Design activities that allow the participants to take a concept and explain it to others using visuals.

4. Music Intelligence
This intelligence is all about rhymes, rhythms, beats, and sounds.  These people are able to bring such sounds together in a manner that can be stimulating, refreshing, and relaxing.  Utilizing creative lyrics to support training concepts is a great way to draw out these learners.  Selecting the right type of music to play at the beginning of the training session, during breaks, and while they are having small group discussions and reflective time to help these learners process the material they are learning.

5. Physical Intelligence
This intelligence applies to such learners as dances, athletes, and surgeons.  These types have a physical intelligence that allows them to perform at maximum capacity using their body to get things done.  Target their training with hands-on activities that get them up and out of their seat and their bodies moving.  Learning by doing is essential to keeping their attention.

6. Interpersonal Intelligence
This is the social intelligence to communication and get along with others.  It translates into one’s ability to be a team player and deal with conflict in a proactive rather than a reactive manner.  Avoid lengthy lectures and presentations with these types.  Opt to use group learning activities and allow for opportunities to interact and connect with other participants during training.

7. Intrapersonal Intelligence
This intelligences deals with innermost feelings, what people know and feel about themselves.  It is one’s intrapersonal intelligence and understanding of self that gives us our individual levels of confidence and abilities to perform.  Engage these learners with opportunities to exam themselves, their skills, and their knowledge. Personality profiles, self-questionnaires, tests and quizzes, and opportunities to give and receive feedback are great ways to keep their interest and challenge their learning.

8. Naturalist Intelligence
This intelligence applies to those who have a sensitivity for and an appreciation of the natural elements of the environment.  These people respect and understand the delicate balance between humans and natural and are very in tune with their surroundings.  Help these learners by establishing an optimal learning environment.  Pay special attention to room temperature, set-up, and appearance to avoid their senses from distracting their learning.  If possible, conduct part of the training outside.

Adapted from:  Jim Vidakovich,  Trainers in Motion.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-the-eight-intelligences.htm/feed 0 Cutting Edge Skills for Training and Facilitation: Colors to Enhance Your Training http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-colors-to-enhance-your-training.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-colors-to-enhance-your-training.htm#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:57:24 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-colors-to-enhance-your-training.htm Trainers and facilitators often use color to enhance the training experience.  Whether it be PowerPoint slide backgrounds, markers for flipcharts, or bright colored handouts, different colors can elicit different responses in people.  Here’s a look at what colors can do! Trainers, consultants, and facilitators can enchance workshop delivery by using colors in corporate leadership training and executive coaching programs.

  • Blue: Relaxes people and sparks creativity. Use blue when brainstorming, but avoid it for writing or posting warnings or cautions.
  • Red: Stimulates people (increases blood pressure, pulse, and respiration). Use red for cautions, warning and exclamatory tiles. When writing or printing in red, make word big because red is hard for people to see.
  • Green: Both excites and pacifies people, so use it with caution. Great is great for borders and accents.
  • Purple: Creates a sense of power and confidence. Unlike red, purple reduces blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates.
]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-colors-to-enhance-your-training.htm/feed 1 Cutting Edge Skills for Training and Facilitation: Increasing Participantion http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-increasing-participantion.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-increasing-participantion.htm#comments Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:55:51 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-increasing-participantion.htm There are a number of ways trainers, facilitators, and consultants can increase training participation.  Below are just a few ideas to help you get started.

Increasing participation in training class around business coaching, leadership, teambuilding, and strategic management will translate to bottom line resutls.1. When participants ask you a question, ask another member of the group to answer it.

2. When you feel the need to reach consensus or to move the group along, call on someone to summarize.

3. Give participants enough time to think out their answer to a question before calling on someone to answer.  Then, call on others to add to what was said.

4. Don’t wait for volunteers to answer questions; call on people by name.  This will avoid having the same people answering every time.

5. When someone answers, do not say, “I don’t agree.”  Let the group make their own decisions to ask participants to “weigh-in” on what was said.

6. As leaders emerge within the group, ask these people to summarize your discussions on a flip chart.

7. Encourage participants to sit in different places at each meeting to get to know others in the group and to provide a diverse learning experience.

Adapted from: Scott B. Parry and Edward J. Robinson, Participative Techniques of Group Instruction.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-increasing-participantion.htm/feed 0 Cutting Edge Skills for Training and Facilitation: Identifying and Handling Resistance http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-identifying-and-handling-resistance.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-identifying-and-handling-resistance.htm#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:53:19 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-identifying-and-handling-resistance.htm In most organizations and in most situations, people come into a training session to learn, willing and eager.  But sometimes you may encounter resistance from one or more of the participants.

Tug of war training and development can be difficult. Learn how to identify and handle resistance. There are four reasons for training resistance

Clues to resistance include:

  • Refusal to participate.
  • Disruptive and/or inappropriate behavior.
  • Excessive questioning by participants who are trying to make a point rather than gaining knowledge.
  • Questions that challenge the relevance of the training and/or the competence of the instructor.
  • Questions that are aimed at trapping or baffling the instructor.
  • Numerous side conversations between participants.

When you encounter resistance, your first task is to find out why.  Reasons may be due to a perception by participants that they are being controlled, coerced, or manipulated, and have little to do with you, but relate to experiences outside the training.  Most resistance is due to one or more of the following reasons:

1. People being sent to training:

  • inappropriately.
  • when they are too busy.

2. Participants not understanding:

  • why the program is relevant to them.
  • why the program is relevant or important to their job.
  • why they were selected to attend.

3. Outside influence from:

  • family, money, health, etc.
  • problems with a superior, subordinate, etc.

4. Emotional issues such as:

  • negative past experiences with training programs.
  • disruptive interpersonal behavior characteristic of the person (e.g. intense need for attention, need to dominate, etc.).
]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-skills-for-training-and-facilitation-identifying-and-handling-resistance.htm/feed 0 Cutting Edge Training and Facilitation Skills: An Introduction http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-an-introduction.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-an-introduction.htm#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:50:16 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-an-introduction.htm Training and developing others is an important aspect and function of the most successful and competitive organizations.  This series of blogs is designed to provide you with some fundamental information about training and developing others to increase individual and organizational success.

As S.I. Hayakawa says, “Good teachers never teach anything.  What they do is create conditions under which learning takes place.”  Through these series of blogs, readers will learn to bring learning to life with improved facilitation skills and a better understanding of adult learning.  The series will consist of the following topics:

Training trainers to providing effective leadership development training is important for organizations. Do you train your trainers? 1. Identifying and Handling Resistance

2. Increasing Participation

3. Colors to Enhance Training

4. The Eight Intelligences

5. Stage Presence and Visual Aids

6. Fidget Toys

7. Concluding a Workshop or Training Event

8. The Adult Learner

As you read, we encourage you to use this site as a forum for further discussion and to share personal insights and experience.  If you would like to request a blog to be focused on a specific topic around training and developing others, please contact us.   If you are a trainer within your organization, or would like to become one, please contact us for more information about our Train the Trainer Workshop.

]]> http://www.cmoe.com/blog/cutting-edge-training-and-facilitation-skills-an-introduction.htm/feed 0 The Plus/Delta of a Plus/Delta http://www.cmoe.com/blog/the-plusdelta-of-a-plusdelta.htm http://www.cmoe.com/blog/the-plusdelta-of-a-plusdelta.htm#comments Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:00:56 +0000 Cherissa Newton http://www.cmoe.com/blog/the-plusdelta-of-a-plusdelta.htm The Tool
For organizations, teams, products, and services to be successful in the business world, continuous improvement is necessary. However, far too often organizations fail to achieve the benefits of change because they don’t know what to change or where to start. The Plus/Delta assessment and feedback tool is quick and effective for both individuals and groups. This brainstorm-type format creates a comfortable atmosphere for openness and honesty. As an added benefit, when people give feedback they often experience a sense of responsibility to the changes and solutions to their feedback.

The Pluses
The best part of the Plus/Delta assessment and feedback tool is its ease of use. On a piece of paper or on a flipchart, divide the sheet using a “T” shape. The right side of the vertical line is for things that should be continued or the positives, the left side of the vertical line is for things that need to be changed or the negatives. Positive feedback can be given first, followed by the negative, or feedback can be given randomly and the meeting facilitator or individual can identify which side of the diagram it falls under.

In a training atmosphere, CMOE’s facilitators have found success with a small deviation of this tool for enhancing learning. Working on the Plus/Delta as an individual, participants use the right side of the diagram to identify what their strengths are in relation to the workshop topic and the left side of the diagram for areas needing change or improvement. The responses of the participants can be used to evaluate their implementation of the knowledge and skills learned at a later time.

The Deltas
While a Plus/Delta helps identify key problems, it may not surface root issues. As a result, it is often a great place to start, but once key problems are identified, other assessment and feedback tools may be the right next step. The brainstorm-type style can easily get out-of-hand in a group situation. People may speak out of turn, side conversations may develop, and feedback comments may be missed. Ground rules are highly recommended!

We hope you utilize and enjoy this simple, yet effective feedback tool!

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