Stef Heijnen-Bakker, Vivitek’s new Training and Documentation Specialist, offers some advice for anyone conducting a professional training session – how to keep things professional, how to be well prepared in terms of content, and how to keep things interesting for the audience. For more, check out Stef’s article.
The business world is evolving at lightning speed, and those who don’t keep up can easily be left behind. That’s why training and professional development are more important than ever. However, as anyone who has ever led at training session or seminar well knows, it’s more difficult and daunting than it seems. With a few helpful tips and a healthy dose of common sense, your training sessions can be efficient, effective, and enjoyable.
Planning is key
You’re an expert in the subject. You have years of experience. You’ve conducted a handful of training sessions before, with modest success. So, you can just wing it, right? No! No matter how much experience you have, you should always have a plan. Get as much information as you can about your audience – how many people, their professional backgrounds, their prior knowledge of the subject, etc. Then, sit down, establish a clear objective, and plan your agenda. As you gain more experience, your plans may be simpler and simpler. Also, always remember – if you think something will take only five minutes, it will probably take ten – at least the first time around.
Keep it focused
Unless your audience has no prior knowledge of the subject whatsoever, you probably don’t need fifteen minutes of background information. Stick to content the audience needs to know, and break it down into logical, ‘digestible’ pieces. Try organizing your content using PowerPoint or other presentation software – this will help you avoid the tendency to provide too much information, and especially too much text.
Make technology work for you
Technical problems can ruin even the most well-planned training session. We’ve all been there – you’re just about ready to go, and then… where’s the projector cable? No not that one, the other one. Oh, wait, I have that graphic on my tablet, not my laptop. And so on, and so on. Before you know it, 20% of the session is wasted on technical issues. Modern presentation and collaboration solutions such as Vivitek’s NovoConnect take all the hassle and headache out of the equation. A wide range of connectivity options, compatibility with all Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices, and easy screen sharing and content management make NovoConnect perfect for corporate uses, including training sessions.
Debrief
As with any form of teaching, it’s important to debrief your audience. After making sure you’ve addressed all questions, ask them to confirm what they’ve learned. Even more, ask them to summarize it back to you. This allows the audience confirm your own understanding and lets you know if there is anything that needs revising before finishing up. When planning your session, always allow a good amount of time for debriefing.
Feedback
A motto for the modern age – none of us is too great for feedback! Ask your audience what they thought of your training session, and how you can improve next time around. You want to know the truth, right? After all, honest feedback will help you develop your own teaching and presentation skills.
With careful planning, diligent debriefing, and constructive feedback, you can deliver your message efficiently and effectively. The right tools also make a world of difference. For more information on how NovoConnect solutions are right for your training, collaboration, and presentation needs, visit us at www.novoconnect.eu.
