As you know, the heart of any effective training is experiential education – exercises, activities, role plays, small group projects, and so forth. Every successful activity begins with a set of instructions – what you want people to do – and the context for why you want them to do it. You can design a terrific workshop, but unless … [Read more...]
When Bad is Good: How to Facilitate a Great Exercise Based on Bad Behavior
How many times have you heard somebody (probably your mother) say to you, “Learn from your mistakes!” It turns out that your mother was on to something. We can, in fact, learn a lot from our failures, missteps, and missed opportunities. When it comes to training fundraisers to make the all-important face-to-face ask, encouraging … [Read more...]
In Praise of Role Plays – Because Sometimes You Need to Make People Uncomfortable
After leading a recent fundraising training, I read the following comment on one of the evaluation forms: What was your favorite part of the workshop? The role play. What was your least favorite part of the workshop? The role play. Clearly, this person had participated in something uncomfortable, learned a lot from the experience, … [Read more...]
How to Include Everyone: It’s As Easy As 1, 2, 3
Do you remember feeling left out when you were a kid? Perhaps you weren’t picked for a sports team…or you were picked last. Maybe when your classmates paired up for a school project, you were the odd person out. Most people have experienced that uncomfortable sense of not being wanted. It felt lousy when you were a kid. Now that you’re … [Read more...]
The Most Important Training Skill: Three Tips to Help You Become a Better Listener
What do you need to become an effective facilitator and trainer? We can talk about preparation or humility or courage – all of which are essential – but from my perspective, the most important skill is listening. For some people, this is counterintuitive. Maybe you think of trainers as presenters, armed with agendas and slides and … [Read more...]
Take It Outside: Why Your Next Training Should Include Time Outdoors
This post was inspired by a photo. Take a look. You want to be part of this workshop, right? It was a lovely fall day in Colorado, at an event sponsored by the Community Resource Center. We had more than one hundred people in a church hall – good light, great acoustics, a very nice venue. And yet – a hundred people can only sit … [Read more...]
Trainer Funny: How to Add Humor to Your Next Workshop
Are you funny? Some of us have a natural gift for humor, while others may want to develop their funny side. Humor makes a challenging subject like fundraising easier to learn and embrace. A big group laugh can break a tense moment or add a burst of energy just when you need it. If you’re looking to add some funny to your training … [Read more...]
Finish Strong: Three Options for Ending an Effective Workshop
You designed a solid agenda. You delivered a terrific training, with lots of engaging exercises and activities. Everybody learned a lot, laughed a lot, and is anxious to try out their new skills. Now what? Before they return to their busy lives, everyone needs to take a breath, prioritize what they’ve learned, and make a plan. As a … [Read more...]
Tearing Up Money (and other tricks for addressing the money taboo)
Several years ago, at the beginning of a fundraising workshop, I took out a $20 bill and passed it around, asking, “Is this real currency?” Everyone examined the bill and agreed that yes, it was the real thing. Then, to the amazement of the group, I ripped it up. The pieces floated to the floor like confetti. Silence – a long, … [Read more...]
Training Prep: How Much is Too Much?
Are you the type of person who likes to design every detail in advance? Do you take pleasure in anticipating potential challenges and preparing contingencies for each one? Or perhaps you’re more of a free spirit – someone who’s comfortable watching things unfold and responding in the moment. When we apply this to training and … [Read more...]
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