Yes, it Should be Fun

If you haven't come across it anywhere else yet, let me acquaint you with the term "fanny factor." It refers to the amount of time people will sit before their attention to your presentation flags. Have you ever turned on a flashlight with weak batteries? The beam starts out bright and fades away. If you shut of the light for a little while and turn it back on the beam will start out just as bright as ever. So it is with the human attention span. We want to make our points when attention is at its highest, give our listeners a chance to recharge, then make our next point. Where does the recharge come from?
One good way to let your audience rebuild their attention span is to move them from passive listening to participation. Ideally you should involve them in an activity that helps make your point or enhances your lesson in another way. Whenever possible choose something lighthearted. For instance, at the beginning of a seminar where participants are strangers to each other, arrange for your audience members to pair up and introduce themselves. Assign them the task of creating an "award" that they could present to their activity partner. This award should be based on the life experiences and characteristics that help define the recipient. One person may spend a lot of time skydiving, spelunking, and hiking. Their partner could create the "daredevil" award for them. Audience members then introduce each other to the entire group by presenting the award and explaining how their interview partner earned it. Some groups may be too large for each member to be introduced, you could assign the pairs to join larger groups for the introduction stage.
Different authorities place the fanny factor at six, eight, or ten minutes into a presentation. Others place a second attention break at 20 minutes. One thing is certain, you should take this characteristic of audiences into account early and often.
Here's a little warning: make sure that you do not take up more of your time with activities than speaking, and make sure you do not allow more time than needed for the activity. In either case you are in danger of losing control of the direction your presentation takes, and possibly losing control of your audience.
So where do ideas for these activities come from? Surprisingly, I have found very few by using Internet searches for "icebreakers," etc. But there are many books available with games for trainers, parlor games that can be adapted, stunts, challenges, and of course, magic tricks. (You knew I would recommend magic tricks, didn't you?) If you know a teacher, they will certainly be able to give you ideas to help review, reinforce, or illustrate your points. And watch this blog, because every Friday entry will contain another fun activity you can introduce into your presentation. Hey, I've got to keep your attention, don't I?

Add a Little Fun

    You know that you should do more than just speak. You should break up your talk with a little variety, whether it is simply a story that helps make your point or an activity that will make sure participants remember your ideas. There are lots of places to find these types of items. There are even books full of these activities especially for trainers. As you might guess, I draw mine mainly from the world of magic. Here's a magic-related betcha that you can use.

    To work this effectively you will need a piece of rope between three and four feet long. Any length in that range will do. Ask someone to volunteer to help you. The best way to do this is to decide who you will ask earlier in your program. At the correct time look right at them and ask them to step up to you. While they are joining you drape the rope over one of your shoulders, where it can be easily retreived. You will alternate between actions and explanation for a few steps. Ask you helper to hold out their hands. Indicate the desired position by holding your own out about shoulder height, palms up. When they comply place one end of the rope in each palm. Now ask them to close their hands into fists and let the rope hang in front of them. Once the volunteer reaches this position you explain the challenge they face. They are not to open their fists for the rest of their time holding the rope. But they are required to complete the challenge by tying a knot in the rope. Stand back and let them try. Some will wind up and start twisting away. Some will hold still and look away while thinking up ways to make it work. Let them get coaching from the group. Give them enough time to be sure they have really tried, but don't let others get bored. Then show this solution.

    Have your volunteer hold the rope out for you in the starting position. Before you take it, cross your arms. Turn to allow the entire group to watch your fists, then uncross your arms. As the rope drops away it will form a knot. Take your bow. This is a good way to make a point that the right knowledge can enable someone to achieve results that they couldn't enjoy any other way. If you would like more involvement you could bring ropes for the entire group and let them try the exercise together.

    This is just an example, but I hope it encourages you to look for ways to break up your talks and illustrate them in memorable ways. Have fun!

A Quick Betcha

    As a speaker you will have the experience of feeling your listeners drift. It happens to all of us. It's not always your fault. But there are things you can do to hold attention. The basic plan is to make sure your talk is relevant to your audience. If you have done your homework this will happen at the stage where you choose your topic. As you plan your actual talk, though, there are other items to be considered. One of them is attention span. It is normal for a listener's attention to drift, and you can find ways to draw them back into your talk using activities that create a change of pace. Here is one that can be adapted to several topics as an illustration.

    You will need a dollar bill. If you choose to use a bill of a larger denomination you will add opportunites for humor. Or you can borrow the bill, again giving yourself a chance to use some humor. Hold the bill near one end between your thumb and first finger, letting it dangle. Bring the opposite hand up a few inches under the the bill, with the thumb and first finger in position to close on the bill. Let go of the bill and catch it with the opposite hand. Do this a few times to demonstrate to your audience what you want them to do. Make sure that everyone has a clear view as you bring a volunteer up, Hold the bill up for them to catch, and when their hand is in the catch position release the bill. They will find it almost impossible to catch the bill. You can repeat this several times, it is very unlikely that they will be able to react quickly enough to catch the bill.

    This illustration is easy to adapt to themes like having inside knowlege, or the fallacy of waiting to react in important situations. And the best part is you will almost always have the required material at hand.

Nothing to say?

    You have to make a tough point. No, the customer can't have an exception to the store policies. No, your employee didn't earn a bonus this year. It's bad news and you expect an argument, but you will not be changing your position. Sometimes you just have to let people figure it out. They know, and you know, but if you talk, you lose.

    If you have already stated your case clearly it is time to stop talking. You may get arguments and rationalization. Well, I was absent from class for a reason. Can't I make up the work? You might repeat "no" one more time, but then stop. If you have laid the proper groundwork, you are done. Let's say you are managing a group and find it necessary to fire an individual for failing to perform basic duties of the job. You have delivered verbal and written warnings, so the employee knows exactly where the matter stands. Call the employee in, review the situation, and come to the inevitable conclusion. A short version of this talk with all the polite words left out would be "You received two warnings about your failure to perform your duties. You knew that if the situation did not change you would be let go. I have documentation that you have continued to neglect your work. We need to ask you to clean out your desk and go."

    Here's the turning point. The employee will either comply or begin a discussion. The time for such conversations has past. There is no room for discussion if you've done your job. You've explained everything throughout the process, made sure of your facts and documented everything. There are no loopholes for the employee to bring up. So don't be drawn into an argument. You might say something that will be used against you. As the excuses and babbling (or crying) begin, simply listen and wait for a pause. Stand up, open the door to your office to signal that the conversation is at an end. Don't answer objections or accusations, make a simple statement to close the talk if you must, like "You need to get started." Remember, this is the end of a process. Any worthy objections should have come up long ago. Anything further you say will create confusion and prolong the agony.

   

Who's Doing the Work Here?

Lately I've seen a lot of business mottoes that ask "How can we help you?" and "What can we do to make your day great?" Of course my first impulse is to make a smart-aleck answer like "Well, how about you watch the kids for the day so I can go canvas for new business?" The problem here is that the motto is much too vague and requires the prospect to do all the thinking.
This type of motto also rings warning bells for me. It tells me that you may be trying to offer general consulting services, telling me where to take my business based on a business model of your own. I would not want to open up this much of my business to you. You probably don't know enough about my work. I've been down this road before.
What would work better? Pick a benefit you offer me, and put that in your motto. In other words, ask yourself the magic question, "What's in it for my client?" When you've got the answer you are ready to create a motto or a tagline. You don't have to be overly clever, just clear and positive. If you're really ready to go to work for me, then don't start out by making me do all the work.

Including or Inviting?

    It is typical to find a section on "inclusive language" in communication textbooks. Inclusive language is language that refers to people without dividing them by characteristics. In The Art of Public Speaking Steven Lucas uses the example of a business leaders who thanks the company employees and their spouses and partners. The underlying message: It doesn't matter who you are married to or live with, they all make the same sacrifices when employees work overtime. This type of language recognizes that different lives can receive the same recognition.

    What to do when the differences are the point of your message? You use inviting language. Not so much in the terms you use, but in the message itself. So you may not be able to say "We are going to change the world" when asking someone to join your cause, but you can say "Together we could change the world." This seems like common sense, but it is uncommon to hear a message that empathizes with others while disagreeing. Try it. It will help you avoid a lot of heated discussions while still making your point.

Award Icebreaker

Do you need a simple icebreaker? Here's one I have adapted for use in my Presentation Speaking course. It's a lot of fun, and should make the participants and the event more memorable. It will also help start things in a positive manner.

Have participants pair up and interview each other. But they should be looking for a theme. The idea is that rather than just introducing each other to the group, interview partners will create an imaginary award and present, using materials from their partners' lives. For example, one member of the group might be into mountain climbing, skiing, and skydiving. Their partner could create the "Daredevil" award for them.

This is a quick way to zero in on just one outstanding point in the life of a participant, and keeps the introductions short and on-track. Should people want to approach each other on your breaks, they already have conversation topics ready. Try it, you'll love the great mood it generates.