Trainers’ tips: ‘Alternative’ team building exercises
A recent post which caused a stir in the community has also thrown up some great resources. Jane requested ideas for an alternative team building day, and here is what the community said… The question: "I have been asked to source a team building day, but not the kind that has you lighting fires in […]
Trainers’ Tips: Measuring success
Daviesr4 asked about how best to measure success of a training session for the delegates themselves and was looking for tips on things to try, things to avoid. Here’s what the community said. Observe – don’t test Both Paul Kearns and Nkellingley suggest setting baselines prior to training and then observe the differences in the […]
Seasonal solutions: Training exercises with a festive focus
With Christmas almost upon us, we have trawled the Any Answers forum for the community pick of the best seasonal training exercises. The Christmas Panto ‘Annah’ suggested a fun panto exercise she has used on a project management course as a team building activity: “My aunt had the whole family around one Boxing Day and […]
Trainers’ Tips: Training handouts
Earlier this month Wendy posted in our Any Answers forum asking about the likely take-up of training handouts – do you find they are well received? Is is all a lot of effort to go to when half of them remain left in the training room? We got some great responses from the community… Sue […]
Selling yourself with NLP
Using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) as a communication tool can offer trainers a useful insight. Christine Knott gives her tips on using the discipline to sell more effectively. Identifying the ‘preferred’ language The selected words in sentence construction will give a good indication of someone’s ‘preferred’ language. Some of us use visual words such as: ‘see,’ […]
A guide to navigating the digital copyright maze
Avoid getting into legal bother with Martin Addison’s handy tips on what you can and cannot do with digital resources and content. Can you copy a photograph from someone else’s website and paste it into a PowerPoint presentation? Is it okay to link to a YouTube video and show it to an audience of delegates? […]
Creating the engaged learner
Nigel Paine gives his top tips for creating better learner engagment. I spoke to a Colleague last week about work in general. ‘Hey, not too bad, all things considered’ he said, ‘apart from all this rubbish that I blame you for!’ The ‘rubbish’ he was talking about was, in fact, the development plan that he […]
Most popular Trainer’s Tip ever
Taking the top spot in our most popular Trainer’s Tips is Lindsay Campbell’s voice projection exercise. It scooped over 28,458 reads and prompted lots of great discussion. There are two key areas to focus on for voice projection: breathing technique and resonators (the ‘speakers’ in your head). I have one technique for each. Breathing technique […]
Best ever Trainer’s Tip: Customer service role-play
Our fourth most popular Trainers’ Tip comes from Eddie Newall whose fantastic customer service role-play can be adapted for any organisation. If one of the learning outcomes is to have enhanced skills for dealing with irate customers then role-play is one way of helping the participants to achieve this. This can be structured to run in […]
The most popular Trainer’s Tips ever: The best learning style questionnaire
Coming in at number five in our rundown of most popular Trainer’s Tips: What is the best questionnaire to use to identify someone’s learning style? Lots of trainers contributed their advice, on Honey and Mumford and other alternatives. Clare Anderson advises: If you haven’t already discovered this you’ll be battling against copyright issues with regards […]
The most popular Trainers’ Tips ever! Feedback Exercise
Number six in our list of the best ever Trainers’ Tips is Colin Boxer’s fun exercise to show the impact of feedback, be it positive, negative or even silence. Use one of those safe dart-boards (with velcro darts) and invite participants to provide: constructive encouragement, negative comments, and silence. It needs to be managed so […]
The most popular Trainer’s Tips ever! Team communication exercise
Joanna Howard submitted this fun exercise, which helps open up discussion about team communication. I’ve used this with surprising effectiveness: my colleagues have had the same experience. The debriefing often shows amazing insights about work style and communication. You need to have the people in a circle and up to eight soft juggling balls. 1. […]
The most popular Trainer’s Tips ever! Feedback exercises
This month the theme on site is Tips, Tools & Free Resources’ so we’re bringing you some of the most popular Trainer’s Tips ever! In ninth place Andrew Bradbury shares two role plays to help staff give feedback. 1. In pairs: A is the manager, B plays an employee. A should think of an actual […]
The most popular Trainer’s Tips ever! Win-Win Exercise
This month the theme on site is Tips, Tools & Free Resources’ so we’re bringing you some of the most popular Trainer’s Tips ever! In tenth place, Nik Kellingley explains a straight-forward negotiation model. While Jeremy Thorn adds his thoughts below. Helen Taylor asked on our Any Answers forum for help with negotiation models: I […]
Trainer’s tip: Virtual team-building
Adriana Ferguson asked on our Any Answers forum for ideas to keep people engaged whilst on a one hour virtual team building event. Some people will be dialling into the event, others will be based face to face and they’ll be using Webex meeting as well. Several trainer’s made helpful suggestions. Alun Barrett had a […]
Trainer’s tip: PowerPoint presentations for all learning styles
Looking to put together a PowerPoint presentation with slides that cater for all learning styles and disabilities? Our trainers have some great guidelines. Lisa Jones asked on our Any Answers forum:I am in the process of putting together a PowerPoint presentation and know that there are rules and guidelines around how the slide can look […]
Trainer’s tip: Ten tips for effective presentations
Not one, but ten tips this week, courtesy of Laura Gaillard, who offers advice on how to present with confidence and competence. 1. Know your subject/ material:– Research the material;– Use anecdotes/ ‘war’ stories.2. Know your audience:– Try early introductions as they enter; – Imagine them as friends not an audience.3. Practise, then practise, then […]
Trainer’s tip: Making IT training more memorable
IT training can cover complex material that is hard to digest so how can you make it more memorable? Our trainers have come up with some valuable advice to help you ensure your trainees remember what they are taught. Charlotte Wetton asked on our Any Answers forum:Does anyone have advice on how to make my […]
Trainer’s tip: Training experience for rookie trainers
Are you a roookie trainer looking to gain more training experience? Our trainers have come up with some great advice to get your career on track. Nick Anderson asked on our Any Answers forum:Can anyone advise how I can gain training experience in training? I have been on a ‘train the training’ course and have […]
Trainer’s tip: Excuses, excuses
You’ve probably heard all the excuses under the sun for participants not to get involved: ‘I’ve got no imagination’, ‘I can’t think what to say, ‘I don’t like being observed’. How do you counter these arguments? Trainers share their experiences and advice. Liz Hollingsworth asked on our Any Answers forum: Delegates come up with all […]
