In our 2-day Training The Trainer courses you'll discover a vast array of training tools, techniques, and tips that you can utilize the moment you return to your classroom.
The street app on a modern phone is a great blessing. You just need to open it up and it will tell you exactly where you are. Sometimes, however, the Location Finder is so precise that you have to zoom back out again in order to get a clearer overview of your position.
Increasingly I find myself asking presenters to zoom out from the details of their speech or trainers to zoom out from the details of their content to achieve a clearer overview of the overall structure. Before someone runs through a presentation for me, I stop them and ask them to step back and give me a quick aerial view of the material:
ie: opening statement: key themes or significant structure elements; closing statement.
If they cannot manage that easily, then I fear they are vulnerable to getting lost in the middle of their material.
I imagine the structure of a presentation more like a compass with a few key landmarks rather than a roadmap with lots of details.
The problem with a roadmap is that if you get too close to the ground you end up getting bogged down in precise directions:
1st left; 2nd right; 2nd exit on the roundabout; 3rd left etc.
The problem starts when you get one of those specific directions slightly wrong and find yourself going in the wrong direction;
whereas if you know that for the first part of your presentation you need to go 'north' for a few minutes until you reach a certain landmark (key point or message), even if you do not take the exact same route each time you still know you are going in broadly the right direction. Once you have reached that landmark you can now take the next steps and go 'east' for a few minutes until you reach your next significant moment.
There is no substitute for knowing your route well, and the more options and possible shortcuts you have the less likely you are to get lost.
Over time the details of the route become familiar, but always within the context of the greater landmarks.
A further benefit of orientating the presentation around larger landmarks becomes clear should you take a wrong turn;
or should you need to get to your landmark quicker than you expected;
or should you need to tarry at that point for a few moments longer?
You will always have the aerial view of the presentation structure to guide you and keep your mind uncluttered.
In training, it is the equivalent of prioritizing which learning outcomes matter most. Pages of session notes become bewildering unless there is a clear view of the key messages and outcomes.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but just before a large speech or presentation rather than trying to remember ' too much', try remembering 'less'. Remember key points and landmarks, so that, rather than getting lost in detail, and unable to see the wood for the trees, you stay above the forest and always maintain the aerial view.
Vince Stevenson - Founder College of Public Speaking 2006 Ltd.
If you have a great attitude and look forward to making a difference in your life, I hope you consider joining one of our training the trainer courses or public speaking course soon. It's always possible to improve your skillset and take your work and achievements to a higher level. Three strong reasons to support training
