This is an experiential synopsis of how to become a trainer and a speaker we aspire to be. And it’s a pinhole opinion. I suggest that intellectually defensive friends avoid being bothered by it.
It is not true that no one likes to be told what and how we can do things better, there are some who are all ears, all heart and spirit to listen, learn and transform their capacity. And for those who aspire to become a better stand-up inspiration, an engaging, powerful and moving speaker, a trainer and a teacher, we can always learn from others. When we think of our role model as being a motivational speaker, we must know that everybody learnt, was mentored, had been open and adventurous. What made them models are the flaws they overcame, adapted and amended with willingness and veracity of their consistency and focus.
Avoid mixing language (Dzongkha-English)
and interchanging language every few sentences. No amount of axiom or anecdote
will make sense when meaning gets diluted by attempts at jumping from one
language to the next. Use language for some time, and shift when required for a
purpose.
Reason: It disrupts the flow,
diminishes the power and distracts attention.
2. 2. Example usage
Examples should be few, relevant
and personally experienced rather than many examples that sometimes are
exaggerated, unrealistic and assumed. Share personal stories or draw
Reason: Helps to draw attention, trust and create awe if the story is few and powerful. Getting into many small stories, and drawing from others diverts focus from presentation concepts.
3. Refrain from making assumptions
Refrain from making assumptions
from examples, experiences and our own opinions. Assumptions must be foolproof,
not as a generalisation but defence for one or two instances.
Reason: Assumptions is a leakage of
weak grounding, such leakage weakens the integrity of the concept, skill, and the
trainer.
4. 4. Maintain focus on slide
The talk must always be connected
to the slide, without getting away from one story to the next and into
ambiguous and irrelevant matters. It is unwise to read from the slide to
convince the matter. The intention should be to align as strongly to the slide
image or message than to solve and prove the questions from the floor.
Reason: Focus and alignment strengthen the attention and engagement of the participants. It helps to minimise time use and time waste. The longer we linger on a slide, the more irresistible it is to wait to see what comes.
5. Use humour as an embedded statement
and anecdote without telling ‘Now I am going to tell a joke.’ Telling things in
a funny way requires wit and experience. Have an awareness that many of the
funny stories could already be heard and be sensitive to the quality of humour.
Reason: While humour defines and
draws attention and value, it can be detrimental to the diversity of beliefs.
The lack of laughter after a joke can indicate that its either obsolete, weak
in delivery, irrelevant or monotonous.
6. Teach
practicable skills, models or ways
6. The theories and concepts must be
introduced in brevity, with a set of models, principles and strategies. In the
digital world, most concepts are accessed and available to people.
Reason: The training or talk reinforces
what was mostly learnt or experienced. What people need from a session are one
of many; a moment of awe and inspiration that evokes hope and possibility, a
model that is relevant and applicable, principles that define process and
pathways, statistical data to relate, and research to rely on for change.
Opinions are assumptions that are information that must have a foundation.
7. 7. Study
and experience
To deepen trust, and dependence and
ignite change in belief systems, the speaker must have read the background, depth
and diversity of books, research papers and materials that build strong
substance.
Reason: Scientific basis,
statistical data, and references to books and authors are a compelling resource to
motivate, drive and build integrity.
8. 8. Tap on to listener resource
It is not always necessary to
reason and defend what we know. The participants are explicit resources we can
tap into for discussions and sharing, and draw conclusions from the diversity
of experiences.
Reason: Allowing sharing sessions
and deliberations, and listening to opinions creates ownership and acceptance
of the content learnt in progress, while also gaining the opportunity to learn
from the experiences of others.
9. 9. Communication power and flow
Oratory fluidity and power is a
singular instrument that drives empowerment and awe, acceptance and learning,
and a memorable experience. When in a presentation mode, avoid drinking water from
time to time, chewing gum or doma, and attending to the crowd in a scanning
mode. These are very few things to begin to present as a powerful speaker.
Reason: Models of inspirational speakers
are commonly flawless speakers, powerful, graceful and eloquent in language and
content. They are prepared to the teeth. Eating and drinking disrupt eloquence
and flow and cause distraction or loss of attention.
1010. Maintain connection and flow
The presentation when using
powerpoint must move from slide to slide in a flawless process than introducing
a topic or concept. There is no necessity to say ‘Now we will talk about…’ when
the presentation is on the slide. It is crucial to avoid reading and explaining
what is evident for everyone.
Reason: The presentation is a
jigsaw puzzle that intends to teach a topic or two, therefore when presented in
a flow, it draws attention. Even when closing a session it must be in a smooth
and compelling close than an abrupt ‘Let’s break for tea.’
Of the many things to avoid what
must be placed on a slide, the information or image must be visible to the last
bench, avoid using multiple textual colours throughout, and be careful what
colour to use to make it prominently readable, refrain from filling whole slide
with information but three to six lines, where unavoidable, it must be visible
and relevant, maintain relevancy between image and exposition. And be thorough
with the slide to its optimal detail. These are a few.
Reason: The quality of the
presentation slide defines some qualities of the session and the trainer. The
slide quality also contributes to enhancing enthusiasm and learning engagement.
11 12. Create
Takeaway gifts
Every talk session, training or
sensitisation programmes must be imbued with a few ‘Takeaways’ apart from material
learning is what will connect people to the session, creating relevance and
memory. In every few minutes of the presentation, the speaker should able to provide
the takeaway gifts that are something new, relevant and powerful.
Reason: The existence of gifts
maintain participant connection, attention and enthusiasm. Gifts can be a
story, anecdote, proverb or experiences.
13 13. Preparation,
Power and Pleasure
To honour every minute of service the speaker gives and participants attend to, the primary requirement is Preparation. It is the act of lifelong learning on various subjects through various resources and mastering the content in the presentation slides from all angles to ensure Power. The power depends on the quality of delivery, engagement in the learning process and on all other suggestive shared from 1 to 12. Only when there is preparations done, power created, there is pleasure at learning, only when there is pleasure as an emotional spark, will there be rarely anyone asleep. When someone falls to the monotone of the session, it’s more about who is at the pedestal than about who are on the floor!
I
was introduced to becoming a trainer, a motivational speaker sometime in 2016
when nationwide training on Transformative Pedagogy and Communication Skills
began. I owe this to the door opener, my close friend Director Tashi Namgyel,
MoESD, to enter into the colosseum of opportunities. The battle was
unstoppable, learning was vast and celebrations unending. What made me able to
grow and stand without much hesitance, to make some contributions to the learning
and welfare of civil servants and students was my decades of reading habit since
childhood, my friendship with bibliophiles, and my courage to accept mistakes
and learn from others.
I
remind you, I am no Guru on how best to become a motivational speaker. Dr.
Simon Sinek probably would have told you many times about it. I am only sharing
from a small niche of my experience.
Namgyal
Tshering
Principal
Dechentsemo
CS
