Your Kronos Training Technique - Keep the Energy Up! - Part I

A high energy level, when focused, can keep help keep your learners actively participating in your Kronos Workforce Central training class.

OK, time to play "Name that Teacher." For me, it was Sister Mary Lorraine. Junior year, Elizabethan Literature (in case you were wondering, I went to a Catholic high school.) I don't  remember her feet moved during any part of her 50 minute class, I can't recall if her hands ever let go of the podium. I'm not sure if she ever looked any of us in the eye, or knew any of our names. I absolutely remember her voice... that monotone droll that induced most of her students into a coma-like state, myself included.

I just don't think Geoffrey Chaucer had me (or anyone in the 21st century) in mind when he wrote The Canterbury Tales, but I do know the combination of Archaic English literature, and the presentation style of an octogenarian didn't to anything to help me understand the stuff.

When training, how active are you? By active, I don't mean leading a pep rally cheer about holiday tables in Workforce Timekeeper active; (give me a J! give me a U! give me an L!  give me a Y!) but is your presentation energetic?

How do you speak when training? How is your pace? How is your volume? Speaking of pacing, did you know we speak far slower than we comprehend? Studies have shown that we speak at a rate of 125 words per minute. Often that number is lower when training. The mental capacity of our learners enables them to understand upwards of 400 words a minute. Let that soak in for a moment; 400 words a minute! So our learners are using about 30% of their mental capacity listening to us. What are they doing with the other 70%? Is it any wonder that the their minds may wander from time to time?

I am not suggesting that speak at 400 words per minute when training, but the following will be helpful:

Speak a little faster - Increase your pace a little. Don't speed up at the cost of being hard to understand, but don't be afraid to hit 150 to 175 words per minute. You will have a hard time knowing exactly how fast you are going, but just speed up a little. You will notice it, but your learners won't. 

Change your pace - When making an important point, slow down for a sentence or two. By doing this, you learner will inherently understand that something must be understood, that they should focus. Don't hesitate to speed up a little more when repeating something. Repetition is helpful in class, but you will lose some learners if you repeat the same information at the same tone and pace. 

Change your tone - Don't be afraid to raise your tone. Be a little excited when someone answers your question correctly. Soften your tone a little when you want to make a point. Along with slowing your pace, you will be sending an instinctual message to your learners that this is important and that they need to pay attention.

Are you visually active, energetic even? Well, come back to the blog series as we will discuss this in our next entry. I hope you have picked up some good information about energy in your presentation. More is to come.

Good luck with your training presentation.