E-learning is Fast Catching On

Today, many people in business are caught in a dilemma of competing demands. On one hand, their business demands more of their time and attention. On the other, they need to upgrade their skills and accreditations or risk being left behind or shut out.

In many areas, technology is seen as holding the answer, with online learning becoming increasingly popular.

But, there is one area where it has been said that online learning cannot cover — presentation skills.

Well, up until now, that is. Recently completed programmes have provided the practical evidence that online training for presentation skills works despite arguments against it:

You can’t teach presentation skills if you don’t have an audience in the room. That depends on how you define “room”. You certainly have an audience.

During a webinar, the audience is sitting in front of their computers. They can see a list of the attendees. They can also hear and speak to everyone via their computers’ speakers and microphones or, ideally, headsets (that they may use for communicating via Skype or a similar VoIP service). Some attendees (especially those presenting) will have a camera while others won’t.

Webinar facilitators often use the phrase, “I’ll go around the room and get everyone’s opinion”, so while there isn’t a physical “room”, there is definitely an audience.

Participants can’t interact. At any time, participants can let the facilitator know they have a question via a “hand” icon that pops up on the screen. They can also type messages to the facilitator or one or all participants at any time. The channels of communication are numerous.

You can’t give feedback to someone you can’t see. I have previously run some presentation skill programmes by teleconference. Now, everyone acknowledged that these were a huge compromise, but they were the best you could do 10 years ago in most areas.

What they did teach me was that only around 30 per cent of the feedback to my participants was on their body language — often much less. Now, I know that up to 55 per cent of a speaker’s message comes from his body language, and I do not disagree.

But in terms of the feedback that a facilitator gives a speaker to try to help him improve his presentation, it is generally 40 per cent in the content and construction, choice of words (speech writing), 30 per cent in the use of voice (pacing, pausing, emphasising and tonality) and 30 per cent body language and any accompanying visuals (such as PowerPoint slideshows).

The reality is that you cannot give a speaking trainee more than three to five points to work on. Otherwise, it is counter-productive. Even when I cannot see him, I’ve never struggled to find five points for improvement.

Most trainees do have a webcam, but, to be honest, this is one area where the technology is lagging — mostly through low-light limitations of the cameras. Time and the march of technology will soon eliminate this problem. If they are using a slideshow, this can, of course, be visible to all so the presenter can receive feedback on it.

The feedback has been fantastic. The convenience for the participants is phenomenal. And the cost-savings for an organisation can be astronomical. On a programme I recently completed, the face-to-face option would have involved airfares from six different countries.

It’s not as engaging. It can be if you acknowledge that it is a totally different medium. The skills are the same, but they are applied differently, like the difference between a television and a radio programme.

As the facilitator, I have neat devices like immediate online polling and virtual discussion rooms I can use to ensure interaction and input from the participants.

Feedback on the programmes from participants has been encouraging, with many describing the online training as “engaging”.

In a perfect world, you will still have some face-to-face time blended with online learning, but with the constraints of time and travel expenses and the convenience for participants, it is inevitable that this method of training will become increasingly popular.

Article by Kevin Ryan, an international speaker, workshop leader and author with Training Edge International. 



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Speak with Confidence

As a young boy growing up in Ohio, USA, I remember the Boy Scouts' motto: "Be prepared".


What does this mean? Being prepared means to have on hand all that you need for any given scenario.

As a presenter, being prepared will also be your greatest defence against the nervousness and unpredictability you will face.

Here are a few tips you will find useful when getting ready to speak publicly:

Prepare yourself

The first thing is to prepare your notes and material. This means giving yourself adequate time for selecting and developing every aspect of your presentation, including the introduction and conclusion, support materials and audio-visual aids.

Give extra attention to work on the first three to five minutes of your speech to develop rapport with your audience.

You do not need to memorise your presentation. An easier way is to make notes that capture key words and concepts.

Mind mapping is a great tool for presenters as it allows you to see main ideas, sub-ideas and their relationship to each other, in a colourful, visual format. I make an overall map of my entire topic, and then I make smaller cards with mini mind maps of specific topics that I keep at hand for quick reference.

Prepare physically

You can also learn to prepare and make better use of your body. Our caveman ancestors would feel a rush of blood and accelerating pulse when faced with a giant predator. The human body devised this to meet challenges and rise to the occasion.

You still experience this "fight or flight" response before you are about to take the stage. You can learn to accept the extra energy as a natural response to the unknown and use it to your advantage.

One useful technique is simply to breathe deeply. Deep diaphragm breathing - where you push out fully the area just below your navel - will help you to harness some of that energy and to calm the butterflies.

Do this before you stand up to present and just before you speak. Before taking the stage, perform this deep breathing exercise and combine it with powerful physical movement, such as jumping in place, or making a Tiger Woods-style action of fist pumping and smiling.

Keep moving

Another way to leverage on the energy in your body is to move around. I am sure you have seen a presenter who seems to have both hands glued to the lecturn while he spoke.

The speaker has lost the use of one of his best tools - the gesture. Beware of the lectern. Move it away from the usual prominent place on a stage.

This gives me the flexibility to move about, and tells the audience that I am more available to them. You can also try using a simple music stand positioned in the centre of the stage to hold your notes instead. It is friendlier than the formal lectern and serves the same purpose.

Practise your delivery

Have you ever seen someone present eloquently and naturally? It is because they have practised. Prepare your delivery. This is where a video camera can be your best friend.

If you do not have a video camera, try practising with your child, spouse or even a mirror. One speaker said he practises with a clock. It has a face, possibly more movement than some of the audience, and it allows him to time his delivery.

I sometimes practise with my nine-year-old daughter. It allows me to practise in a light-hearted way, and creates a fun experience where she can also be the teacher.

Making a connection

Presenting and speaking is an opportunity - to share, inspire and instruct others. It is also an opportunity for you to grow and to become a leader. Through overcoming your fears and doing a fantastic job in your delivery, you create a platform for others to do so as well.

Article by Tim Hamons, a senior consultant of Training Edge International. He has worked for over 12 years with corporate clients and students to develop and facilitate experiential-based learning solutions. E-mail: tim@trainingedgeasia.com Website: www. trainingedgeasia.com