Guila Muir

Developing trainers, presenters and facilitators to make a difference

Articles Tagged ‘Train the trainer’

How to “Pump Up” What Students Remember

As a trainer, have you ever wondered why the information you provide doesn’t always “stick?” What do you know about memory? Take this quiz to find out

Presenters, Don’t Crash the Plane!

Do your presentations “run out of gas”? Many presenters take their audiences on a wonderful journey. But then, for the lack of a flight plan, they crash. Why are Conclusions Important? A closure is not just where you stop. A great conclusion reinforces, summarizes, and ties up the session. Take action to prevent YOUR crashing …
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Can a Room Kill You? Yes!

Presenters, prevent “Death by Room”! These three tips will help ensure your physical space works with you instead of against you.

The Myth of the Facilitator

Here’s a pet peeve of mine: Adult educators who call themselves “Facilitators”…and then go on to give a traditional, one-sided, PowerPoint-heavy training session. I estimate that 87.5% of trainers who call themselves “facilitators” are lying. Why? Because they model few skills of facilitation. Well Then, What is a Facilitator? A facilitator is content-neutral. Because of …
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How To Build “Home-Grown” Trainers

Have you ever wished you could reduce your organization’s dependence on outside trainers? How about developing your own workshops? Join the ranks of organizations that have benefited from developing their internal resources, saved money, and improved the relevance and quality of their training! What’s Not Working Over the last few years, I’ve worked with dozens …
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3 Rules for Excellent Presentations

I was excited to find John Medina’s great book, Brain Rules, in the San Francisco airport bookstore in 2009. The book is incredibly readable and valuable to trainers and presenters. I was thrilled most of all to see that Medina provides research to support 3 rules I’ve shared in my Train the Trainer classes for …
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Sharpen Your Training Brain

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com As a trainer, do you struggle mentally as you develop a new course? Are you ever “stuck” when you try to think of ways to improve your class? There is a scientifically sound way to boost your brain power, pick up your energy, and improve your focus as a trainer. Although …
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3 Tips to Deal With Audiences from Hell

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com Resis­tant dynam­ics can be found in any audi­ence. Here are three essen­tial tech­niques to stay sane as a presenter. 1. Check Your­self. Ask your­self: What am I feel­ing about this audi­ence? Why? What’s the worst that could hap­pen? Pre­pare your­self emo­tion­ally and phys­i­cally. Make sure you’ve had enough to eat, and …
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Avoid Audience Overload: Less is More

Pic­ture it: You’re a stu­dent in a class­room. The instruc­tor is throw­ing out fact after fact. At first, you lis­ten intently, try­ing to grasp every­thing that’s going on. After about 15 min­utes, your atten­tion drifts.  After try­ing to focus a few more times, you feel so over­whelmed (and pos­si­bly irri­tated and bored) that you just …
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What Separates Great Trainers From the Merely “OK?”

Many training participants would respond, “Great trainers make the learning easy and fun.” If probed further, they might mention the use of engaging training activities, or the trainer’s personal style. But most won’t be able to identify an important action that differentiates expert trainers. This action is subtle and powerful. It helps lubricate the session …
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A “Train the Trainer” Tip: Start Your Sessions With a Bang

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com What’s the best way to assure your training participants groan inwardly and “turn off” when you first open your mouth? Simply by doing what you’ve always been told: By introducing yourself and providing your credentials. Why not generate your audience’s curiosity, interest, and investment from the outset? Use a “Hook” before …
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The Seven Laws of Training: What Managers Must Know

by Guila Muir info@guilamuir.com You oversee training and possibly deliver it. How can you ensure that your agency’s training actually improves workplace performance?

How to Blow Your Credibility from the “Get-Go”

When you are speaking in front of a group, do you really want to blow your relationship with the audience immediately? These two common presentation behaviors will help to ensure that you do! Myth #1: You should start a presentation by thanking your audience or your hosts Picture it: You’ve prepared carefully and are about …
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How Do You Know They Know? Designing In-Class Assessment

How serious are you about your students actually learning? Most of us would say, “VERY serious!” Yet many trainers and instructional designers actually have no idea what, and even if, participants have learned by the end of a session. Because trainers operate in organizations and businesses, we typically don’t issue grades. Even in preparing participants …
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So You Want to Do a Seminar!

Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner? Have you been asked to present at a professional conference? Giving a great seminar can increase your business, your status, and your memorability. Yet most professionals don’t feel 100% comfortable with their ability to develop and deliver an effective seminar. Here are 3 tips to ensure your …
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