Items Description of Module

Subject Name Human Resource Management

Paper Name Training and Development
Module Title Making training session effective- II
Module Id Module -16
Pre- Requisites Understanding of the basic concepts of training design
Objectives To study the significance of icebreakers and games in a
training programme
Keywords Questioning strategy, Non verbal communication,
 Quadrant -I

1. Module : Making training session effective- II

2. Learning Outcome
3. Introduction to Planning and preparation of an Input session
4. Summary

1.Module 16: Making training session effective- I

2.Learning Outcome
After completing this module the students will be able to-
 Explain the techniques to keep in mind before opening and during the session
 Discuss the significance of using nonverbal communication while delivering
presentation
 Prepare for effectively for a training session

3.Introduction to Planning and preparation of an Input session

Conduct of the training session by a trainer can be divided into three parts:
3.1 Before the session
3.2 Opening a session
3.3 During the session

3.1 Before the session

A trainer needs to focus on the following before the start of the session.
a) Selecting the appropriate approach
b) Conquer stage fright and manage Butterflies
c) Session Planning
d) The Training Environment

a) Selecting the appropriate approach

What approach a trainer selects for delivering his presentation would depend on the
following:
i) The Content:
Why you are making your presentation? Bear in mind what you want to achieve and what you want your
audience to take away with them. Once you have decided upon your objectives, you are in a much better
position to make strategic decisions about the design and content of presentation. For example, a
presentation to a seminar group might require a balanced argument, whereas a charity appeal might
require a more creative approach. Ask yourself:
 What do you want your audience to have understood?
 What action do you want your audience to take following your presentation?
 How can you best design your presentation to meet your objectives?

The aforementioned questions will help deciding the content of the presentation. If you don’t care
about what you have to say, why should the audience care? Find a way to discover what makes you
passionate in the subjects you speak about. This passion is essential in portraying positive and good
body language. Once you find that passion, research and learn intricately about what your subject is.
Use that information to piece together a simplistic and engaging presentation that will inspire
audiences to listen to you.

ii) The Audience:

Before preparing material for a presentation, it is worth considering your prospective audience.
Tailoring your talk to profile of the audience is important and the following points should be considered:
iii) The size of the group or audience expected.
iv) The age range - a talk aimed at retired people will be quite different from one aimed at
teenagers.
v) Gender - will the audience be predominantly male or female?
vi) Will you be speaking in their work or leisure time?
vii) Do they know something about your subject already or will it be totally new to them? Is the
subject part of their work?
viii) Are you there to inform, teach, stimulate, or provoke?
ix) Can you use humor and if so what would be considered appropriate?
x) Outline your Presentation

b) Conquer stage fright and manage Butterflies

“Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about.” – Michael H Mescon,
Founder/Chairman of The Mescon Group
A trainer can do the following for managing butterflies pertaining to stage fear.
 While waiting to start speaking, take several deep breaths
 Always remember to breath steadily and deeply. If you are anxious about making a presentation
your breathing will become fast and shallow. This will affect the quality of your voice and your
ability to speak clearly for extended periods of time. Try to take a few deep breaths before you
make your presentation, making a conscious effort to slow your breathing down and taking in
more air with each breath. During your presentation, use pauses after questions or at the end of
sections to allow comfortable breathing patterns. Don’t be afraid to slow down the pace of your
presentation if your breathing becomes uncomfortable.
 Rehearse the opening part until you are word perfect
 Clench and unclench your fists(out of sight)
 Speak more slowly than you usually do
 Start with simple things before moving on to complex arguments.

c)Session Planning
For planning a session well in advance a trainer needs to do the following:
 Keep session Brief
 List Headlines on A4 sheet
 Enter inter-heading summarised notes
 Edit the brief for final content
 The session brief working copy

Construct a small but efficient toolkit. Following should be there in a Presenter’s Toolkit:
• One pad of paper,A4 or A5
• Pens, Pencils, Marker Pens
• Adhesive Tape
• Calculator
• Stapler

d) The Training Environment

What a trainer should do immediately prior to the event? There are Environmental and allied aspects
which need to be checked. As a trainer, you need to arrive at the training site early enough to ensure
everything in order. Check seating arrangements and make sure materials have arrived. Before trainers
begin arriving, ensure that all equipment is working and that you know how to operate it. Do not assume
that you can turn it on and find out. Check the overhead projector to see that a spare bulb is stored inside.
If not, find a spare (if you don’t, you are tempting the fates). If a video will be used, try out the remote
control to ensure that it works and that you know how it operates. Ensure that there are enough newsprint
and markers available. As the trainer, you need to be sure that everything is ready to go before the
trainees arrive; otherwise, you can lose your creditability before your get started.
It is important to have as much advance information as possible about the place where you are going to
speak. Ideally, try to arrange to see the venue before the speaking event, as it can be of great benefit to be
familiar with the surroundings. It does much to quell fear if you can visualise the place while you are
preparing your talk. Additionally, it would also give you the opportunity to try out your voice. If at all
possible, you need to know:
 The size of the room.
 The seating arrangements and if they can be altered.
 The availability of equipment, e.g., microphone, overhead projector, flip chart, computer equipment.
 The availability of power points and if an extension lead is required for any equipment you intend to
use.
 If the room has curtains or blinds. This is relevant if you intend to use visual aids, and so that you can
ensure the correct ambiance for your presentation.
 The position of the light switches. Check if you need someone to help if you are using audio/visual
equipment and need to turn off the lights.
 The likelihood of outside distractions, e.g., noise from another room.
 The availability of parking facilities so you do not have a long walk carrying any equipment you
might need to take.
Some Barriers to effective environment are given below:
• Room too large
• Room too small
• Pillars in large room
• Lighting
• Tables
• Irrelevant decoration and retained posters
• Glass doors, windows –external and internal
• Platform
• Podium

3.2 Opening a Presentation or Session:

Typically, the favorable or unfavourable impression that a job candidate makes in a selection interview is
made in the first few minutes. The same could be said impression that the trainer makes on trainees.
Since this issue is so critical to effective training, the first few minutes need to be managed well.
Delivering an effective presentation requires an excellent opening. A good opening creates a good
impression on the trainees. An effective presenter needs to be flexible, energetic and enthusiastic. This
guide will help you turn your written presentation into an imaginative public performance.

a) Introduction
Start on Time
b) Describe the Framework of the session
c) Set the mood
d) Seek Expectations
e) Begin with an Icebreaker

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a) Introduction
During the opening of your presentation, it's important to attract the audience's attention and build their
interest. If you don't, listeners will turn their attention elsewhere and you'll have a difficult time getting it
back. It is also during the opening that you want to clearly present your topic and the purpose of your
presentation. Clearly articulating the topic and purpose will help the listeners to focus on and easily
follow main ideas.
Strategies that you can use include the following:
 Make the introduction relevant to the listeners' goals, values, and needs
 Ask questions to stimulate thinking :
 Share a personal experience
 Begin with a joke or humorous story
  Project a cartoon or colorful visual
 Make a stimulating or inspirational statement
 Give a unique demonstration
Acknowledge your audience by making verbal contact with them. At the beginning of your talk ask if
they can see and hear you, or check that lighting and sound levels on audio-visual equipment are
satisfactory.
Start on time:
When trainees begin to arrive, greet them individually. Small talk with individual trainees before the
session helps make them comfortable and, in turn, will facilitate discussion once the training begins.
Starting on time is important. If those who arrive late discover that training has not begun, it reinforces
the belief that showing up on time is not necessary. A late start also punishes those who do arrive on
time. For the rule of starting on time to be effective, however, it is necessary to obtain commitment from
the trainees. Starting on time is important, but few trainers start exactly on time the first day. Most allow
for some tardiness the first day, when trainees might not know exactly where the training room is, or
simply did not give themselves enough time to get to the location.

b) Describe the Framework of session

Tell them what you are going to tell them. Describe briefly not only the stages you will be
following, but also a brief summary of what will be included.

Hopes for and Needs from the event Concerns and fears about the event

Following or concurrent with the introductory step, go through the agenda to indicate what will be
happening over the duration of the training. Explain how breaks will be distributed and how messages for
the trainees will be handled. One way to determine these things is to ask for a short discussion regarding
the rules that will be set down for the training period. In this way, the trainees abide by these rules
because they helped to develop them. To expedite the process, prepare a set of suggested rules and
explain why they are useful. Then as the trainees for any suggestions to modify, add, or delete from the
list. At this point, the rule of starting on time can be discussed and decided upon. Involving the trainees
in setting the rule builds their commitment to the rule.

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c).Set the Mood

 Use Humour : light hearted approach will let the learning group know that session will not be too
heavy. Only use humour if you know it will work. Humour needs to be relaxed and confident - if
used badly, it will only heighten senses of awkwardness and anxiety if these are already present.
Use humour if you know you can and if you feel it is appropriate to do so.
 Use of quotation must be relevant and add something to the opening, ensure that group can relate
to it. Keep it short
 Asking a question to start to involve them: It lets the group know that you want to involve them
and that the session is going to be interactive
 Start involvement with a short introductory or Icebreaking activity : Knowledge and Skill level of
the group can be assessed in a natural and apparently non testing manner. A good practice is to
start training with an icebreaker—an exercise that allow for those who arrive a little late to fit
right in with little disruption. This topic has been discussed at length in next module.

d) Seek Expectations
Trainees might come with different expectations about what the training will be about, and they also
come for various reasons. After an icebreaker, it is useful to ask trainees what they expect to get from the
training. Simply ask each person or ask small groups to develop lists to present to the larger group.
These expectations are written on newsprint for future reference. Indicate to the trainees which of the
points mentioned are a part of the training. For any points that are not part of the training design, offer to
try to fit them in if they coincide with your objectives. If not, explain why they are not appropriate for
this training session. Also, promise to go back to the list periodically to be sure all the things that were
promised to be covered were in fact covered.

What do you expect from this programme? What can we do to make it better

3.3 During the Session

Purpose is to get your message across and you will need to use a range of strategies During the session
following techniques can be used for making the input session as effective as possible.
a) Where to look?
b) How to stand?
c) Making your case
d) Using your voice
e) Using effective nonverbal Communication
f) Having an effective Communication Strategy
g) Listening

a)Where to look?
Following should not be done:
• Staring at individuals for a longer than normal time.
• Looking over the heads of the people all the time, perhaps at the clock at the back of room.
• Rattling keys or coins in your pocket
b)How to Stand?
Using the Podium
Stand as naturally as the circumstance allows you to, without a hand in your pocket.If a table is
provided move from behind it and stand at its side.Do not sit on the corner of the table or in a
front ,central position, otherwise you may be tempted to swing your legs.A podium is worse to be
behind than a table if it is tall, It will hide you and lessen your contact with the group. Do not
stand rooted to the spot with no movement,but don’t go to the other extreme and prowl around in
front of the group all the time you are talking
One of the authors was hired to assist a consultant in training automobile workers in a new plan.
The consultant hired a number of local people because of the size of the project. Concurrent
training sessions allowed opportunities for the trainers to observe one another. One trainer was in
the habit of sitting behind a table while talking to the trainees, another stood behind a podium,
and the rest stood and moved around, going back to their notes only occasionally. Which
procedure is best? Again, it depends. Standing behind the podium or sitting at a desk is
acceptable for one-way communication, but it is not the most effective style for training adults,
for whom two-way communication is important. In these cases, any barriers (desk, podium)
present nonverbal impediments to the communication process. Additionally, seeing someone
who is teaching them sitting behind a desk might remind some trainees of unpleasant school
experiences. Being out in front of a desk or podium and moving around helps make the trainer
look more accessible and open to input. In any event, two-way communication is much more
important in the lecture/discussion method, whereas for the straight lecture, a podium is perfectly
acceptable. A skilled trainer will use the podium to signal to trainees when interruptions and
comments are acceptable and when they are not.

Moving around while talking

This technique does not imply methodically pacing back and forth, but rather moving out from
behind the podium. If a podium must be used, step away from it at times. If possible, stay away
from it altogether. Moving around while lecturing shows knowledge of, and comfort with, the
material. Approaching trainees form time to time and talking specifically to them sets up a
friendly atmospheres. The movement also requires trainees to follow the trainer with their eyes,
perverting the “glazed state” that can occur if the trainer is stationary.
c).Making your Case
• Major part of session will be making your case-imparting the knowledge or describing the
relevant skills. To do this , following a logical and clear structure is recommended.
• State in summary form your view,description etc.
• Develop your arguments, showing evidence and proof to support them
• Repeat,in summarised form, the arguments you have delivered.
• Seek questions, views and agreements.
• Summarise the key points of the session

d).Using your Voice

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Your voice is a very flexible and powerful tool. However well prepared, interesting informative your
material may be, if you present it in an ineffective manner ,there is little guarantee that learning will be
achieved. How you use your voice can have a significant effect on how you are received. It is a good idea
to have some liquid to hand to quench your thirst if you are speaking for a long time. However, be careful
not to gulp ice-cold water before you go on as this constricts your throat and affects the quality of your
voice. Drink a warm (not hot) cup of tea to relax your throat and ease your speaking voice. Your use of
language is particularly important in developing and sustaining a relationship with your audience. Try
using language that involves your audience. For example, asking questions such as “What can we learn
from this?” or “How did we arrive at this conclusion?” involves your audience in an exploratory process
or discussion. When looking at visual aids, introduce them by saying “If we look at this slide we can see
that ..” or “This slide shows us that…”. Use language that is welcoming and involving throughout your
presentation.

You can use it in many different ways by varying the:

 volume;
 pace;
 pitch.
Volume
Make sure that your voice is loud enough for your audience to hear clearly. Speaking too loudly or too
quietly can make it difficult for your audience to follow your presentation. Listen to people speaking in
normal conversation. They tend to raise or lower their volume for emphasis. For example, they may speak
loudly when giving an instruction but softly when apologising. To add energy to your presentation, use
these colourful changes to your best advantage: a conspiratorial whisper can draw an audience in; a loudly
spoken exclamation can make them sit up and listen.
Pace
Make sure that the speed of your delivery is easy to follow. If you speak too quickly or too slowly your
audience will have difficulty following your talk. To add life to your presentation, try changing the pace
of your delivery. A slightly faster pace might convey enthusiasm. A slightly slower one might add
emphasis or caution.
Pitch
The pitch of your voice also varies in day to day conversation and it is important to play on this when
making a presentation. For example, your pitch will raise when asking a question; it will lower when you
wish to sound severe.Play around with the volume, pace and pitch of your voice when practising your
presentation. Find different ways of saying the same sentence. Explore different ways of adding emphasis
to your main points. Always try to convey enthusiasm and energy through use of voice.

Mnemonic: MERK
• M: Modulate the tone of your voice to make it interesting
• E: Emphasize certain parts of your speaking for effect
• R: Repeat key words and phrases to emphasize their importance and to ensure understanding and
recall
• K: Keep your eyes away from your notes, only glancing at them when you want to refer to
something or remind you of your progress.

A useful mnemonic is “The 4 P’s”

 PROJECT your voice, so that volume is linked to the size of gr and room, ensuring everyone can
hear without difficulty
 PRONOUNCE your words carefully. Have you a regional accent? Could it cause some people
problems?
 PAUSE frequently: Doing so gives you time to think about what you are saying and what will
you say next and also gives the listeners time to catch up with the contents of your word.
 PACE VARIATION: A delivery at a constant pace becomes monotonous and is likely to turnoff
listeners.

e).Using effective Nonverbal Communication

• Words : 7 %
• Voice : 38%
• Visuals: 55%
Everyone is always sending out nonverbal cues, so it is important that these cures are the correct ones.
Keep eye contact on a trainee who is asking a question; do not turn and walk away while the trainee is
talking. Give a head nod when a trainee answers a question, and hold eye contact. Also, maintain eye
contact with the trainee group as a whole while talking to hem. Avoid talking to the overhead projector,
the image on the screen, or the lecture notes. Avoid folding you arms, as it can suggest displeasure or that
the discussion is over. If writing on the board or flip chart, turn your head to the trainees while
talking.The key to nonverbal behavior is to convey enthusiasm about the information being discussed. If
the enthusiasm is real rather than feigned, it will show in nonverbal expressions. Think of someone
passionately arguing a point of view. Are her arms out in front her and her palms up? Perhaps she is
moving her hands up and down in short gestures. In any case, it is unlikely her arms are folded across her
chest. What if the trainer is not enthusiastic about the material that must be presented? This lack of energy
can develop after presenting the same material a number of recall training sessions in which you were the
trainee. It is easy to distinguish the good from the not-so-good trainees. The good one was enthusiastic.
So the trainer needs to psych himself up to generate enthusiasm. The trainer needs to give himself
reasons to be enthusiastic about the material. Starting off enthusiastically will be infections, for both the
trainees and the trainer. Body language of a speaker is important. Following things can be covered in
body language:
• Posture
• Presence
• Gestures
• eye contact;
• Mannerisms :Get rid of Disfluencies

Posture
It is important to appear confident at all times. Different postures create different moods. A very formal,
upright and still posture will create a very different atmosphere from a relaxed and active one. Remember
to match your physical behaviour to the objectives underpinning your presentation. If you want to be
either formal or informal, make deliberate choices about your physical style and stick to these.
Presence
Have the confidence to fill your space in front of an audience. Avoid apologising for your presence by
saying “sorry” (although you must be polite if circumstances so demand— e.g. the session is running over
time, or the microphone has stopped working). Also, avoid physical apologies by hiding behind a desk or
lectern. You must be confident that the audience wants to listen and that you have something interesting
to tell them. Don’t be afraid to wait for an audience to settle down before you start speaking or to ask
them to keep quiet if this does not happen.
One of the key challenges faced by the presenter is to establish links with her/his audience (a poor
presenter appears to be speaking to an empty room). Making contact helps to maintain an audience's
interest and encourages them to believe that you are genuinely interested in talking to them. You can
make contact with your audience in a number of ways, including:

Gesture
People use their arms and hands in every day conversation to add emphasis or to help describe events.
Presenters will therefore look rather awkward if they keep their hands in their pockets or rooted firmly at
their sides. Use gestures to welcome your audience, to add emphasis to your main points or to indicate an
ending. Try to use open gestures which move away from your body, extending them out to your audience.
This helps to break any audience/presenter divisions. Make sure that all gestures are controlled and
precise; too much movement will appear nervous and unfocussed. Always watch against distracting your
audience from the content of your presentation. You should continually be trying to find ways to help
them listen and understand.

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Eye contact
Eye contact is part of everyday communication and an audience can feel uncomfortable if they are denied
it. Making eye contact with individuals gives them a sense of involvement in your presentation and helps
to convey your objectives on a personal level. Make sure that you share eye contact with all members of a
small audience and all areas of a large audience. Regularly shift your focus around the room, not so that
you look nervous, but to help involve as many people as possible in your talk.If you can’t make eye
contact in a large group, don’t look at the floor or ceiling (this looks like boredom or rudeness). Try
looking at people’s foreheads. The people sat around them will read this as eye contact even if the
individual won’t.
Dysfluencies These are those Ums and Arrs “and uh, “like”, space fillers people utter and inject into
speech. Everyone uses them occasionally, but some use them far too often. This tendency is usually more
prominent when a trainer is nervous or unsure. It becomes immediately noticeable, and trainees tend to
focus on these utterances rather than on the material. Videotaping lectures, or simply asking others to
inform you when you use dysfluencies, can help you to get rid of them.

e)Having an Effective Questioning Strategy

A useful technique to involve the learner at different stages is to ask questions which can help to involve
them by speaking can elicit information, can help to determine the level of knowledge or experience of
individuals. At the end of your talk give the audience an opportunity to ask questions or to clarify detail—
this encourages them to take ownership of your material. The use of questions is an important tool.
Questions involve your audience’s mind in a more stimulating way than simply asking them to sit and
listen to your talk. Draw an audience in with clear, focused questions.

• Ask open ended questions rather than closed ones.

• “Have you experience of managing people?” This is a close ended question and not appropriate.
• “What experience have you had of managing people?” This is an open ended question and much
better than the close ended question.
Questioning Levels
Questions can be asked at three progressive levels:
 Establishing Facts: ‘What happened when you did that?’
 Eliciting Feelings: ‘How did you feel about what happened?’
 Identifying Values: ‘What did this mean for you?’
Correct and incorrect answers
Even when questions seeking answers are posed correctly and answered, these answers may be correct,
partially correct or incorrect. Whichever, there is usually some relevant action to take. If the answer is
correct, you will need to check that the other learners have understood it or agree with it. It is necessary to
ask:
 Does everybody go along with that?
 Is there anything anyone would like to add to that?
 Can anyone give an example?
 If answer is partially correct/ incorrect, further questions can be asked.
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f) Listening
Good listening and questioning skills separate good trainers from average or poor trainers. This statement
is not to demean presentation skills, but rather to stress the importance of listening and questioning. The
techniques discussed earlier cannot be emphasized too strongly. If you are using the lecture/discussion
method, use the experience and information provided by the trainees. Control the urge to tell them
continually about your experiences. Remember that trainees relate to one another and their experiences
more than often that to yours. In the beginning, it might be helpful to share your relevant experiences to
establish credibility and to show that sharing of experiences is desirable and useful. As training moves on,
you will want to encourage trainees to begin sharing their experiences that are related to the training.This
requires being a good listener. Good listening is difficult for several reasons including:
We can process information much faster than someone speaks, which gives us opportunities to do or think
of other things. We often believe we know what the person is going to say, so we interrupt to respond;
and we believe that speaking, not listening, is where the power and control are. Therefore, listening
requires practice. Active listening, originally developed for clinical counseling, involves three steps:
1. Listen carefully to what is said
2. Summarize in your mind what was said.
3. Feed the summary back to the individual.
Following this process helps to keep us focused, but more important, it confirms to the speaker (and all
other trainees) what has been said, and leaves little room for misunderstandings.

Summary
To make any training session effective plan things well in advance. Start with a Positive Note. Open in an
effective manner. Use simple language and make your point in a structured and sequenced way. Use
effective questioning techniques to make it more participatory. Use Nonverbal Communication /Body
Language effectively and move around while talking. Get rid of disfluencies .Speak slowly and clearly.
Maintain eye contact with audience. Modulate the voice. Provide variety in methodology by using
Exercises / Games. Use as much visual material as possible such as Graphics, posters, overhead projector
slides and so on. A picture is worth a thousand words. Use of Icebreakers / Energisers / Session Shakers.
Summarise frequently. Use examples and analogies, particularly real-life ones.Respond to the audience’s
needs, answering their unspoken question ‘ What is in it for me?’ i.e satisfy their objectives.