Training the Trainer
I’m sometimes asked to conduct workshops on "training the trainer." It usually means I’m working with HR people or sales folks who will in turn help their people improve their presentation skills. It is a tall order to train the trainer. Giving someone feedback on a presentation might mean addressing 25 different things, from technique to content. But most presenters can’t possibly absorb all of that feedback. The result is awful. The trainer is angry because no one listened to her. The presenter is bummed because he has lost all of his confidence (or however much he had when he started). What makes the assignment more difficult is that most trainers aren’t accomplished speakers themselves, so it becomes even more complicated a task.
So, with that proviso, I offer some thoughts for any would-be-trainers. Start by letting the presenter have a full run-through with no interruptions. It’s very important that the trainer understand the gist of what is being said. Then, follow these guidelines:
- Your #1 job is to make the presenter feel confident. So heap high praise on everything you liked.
- Technique is very important in a presentation. Did the speaker have good posture? Good eye contact with the audience? Speak in a strong voice? Good smile. These are simple things to comment on.
- From a content standpoint, focus on the open and length. Did the opening communicate the big idea of the presentation? Could the whole presentation be made shorter? Short is almost always better in a presentation.
- Don’t critique word choices. If you would say it one way but the speaker says it another, let the speaker say it her way. It’s the way she is most comfortable.
- If there is something particularly critical you need to say about the presentation, say it privately. Not in front of everyone else.
- Finally, go back to the first tip above. Your job is to make the presenter confident. Confident speakers always make a good impression.
