How to Keep Your Audience Active During a Training
By: Obaro Aziza
Have you attended a training and observed that people were sleeping or engaged in other activities while the trainer was talking? Or maybe you were the one training and members of your audience were sleeping? This is not unusual.
In this article I will be suggesting some things you can do to keep your audience lively while you deliver your training. These tips are not complex, they are simple, straight forward and easy to implement. Learn and apply them.
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Be passionate
I have noticed that passion is contagious. As a speaker or trainer you have to exude a high level of passion while you are speaking. Through your passion, you communicate to your audience that you like and believe in what you are talking about. Always keep your energy level high.
Watch Your Body Language
Non-verbal communication is important during training sessions. As the trainer, you have ensure that you are sending the right messages to your audience through your body language. You have to communicate strength and skill with every posture. Careless postures may be interpreted by your audience as lack of confidence, pride or inexperience.
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Control your speech
You need to control your intonation while you speak. Know when to alternate between a high tone and a low tone. Your speed is also important, you need to know when to go fast and when to slow down. It’s interesting but you can control the mood of your audience by the way you speak.
Make It Interactive
The Idea is not to stand in front of people and pour out all you know, then step out when you are through. You want to ensure that the audience understands the subject and that the training objectives are met. By encouraging people to share their views and ask questions while you train, you keep their attention. It has to be a two-way activity between you and your audience.
Be Observant
Have you noticed how some speakers do not even notice that members of the audience are lost or distracted? Some notice this but decide to ignore and continue with their talking. If you want to keep your audience alive, you must pay attention to their body language every time.
Use Questions and Humour
I have observed that asking random questions is one very effective way of keeping the audience glued to you while you speak. You can state in the beginning of your speech that you will be asking questions throughout, make them understand that you may pick on anyone to answer. This way everyone is alert. A good sense of humour is an added advantage for any trainer, this will help keep your audience awake and interested.
You don’t have to be boring again when you deliver trainings, you can spark up enthusiasm in your audience when you effectively use the ideas I have shared in this write-up.
About the Author
Obaro Aziza is an HR professional with specialties in Learning and Development, Training Facilitation, Talent Acquisition, Business Partnering, Performance Management, Talent Management, HR and Business Consulting, Business Development, Strategy, Business Analysis, Business writing.
You can reach him on LinkedIn here.
