ICEBREAKERS and ENERGIZERS in training and presenting? Not used here!

In a training forum I once participated in, questions frequently arose about icebreakers and energises, requesting suggestions for both. Unfortunately, I wasn't the best person to ask on this topic. Simply because: I never use them. Never have... never will.

Of all courses I attended at my prior employment (a training company), none of the trainers used icebreakers nor energisers... they simply weren't needed.

So why have them? Icebreakers are needed where ice exists. Ice exists in frosty and inhospitable environments. Rather than break the ice... why not just have a warm and welcoming environment? Why not start off with a pleasant open greeting, keep things rosy?

That's all we did. Everyone walking through the door was immediately greeted with tea, coffee, biscuits, fruit - by a smiling pleasant receptionist worth her weight in densely-pressed gold. By the time trainers came to collect awaiting students, they found happy relaxed students chatting away with others, already establishing a rapport within the group.

So there's your first lesson:

icebreakers are unnecessary if ice isn't permitted develop. 

Let's face it: would you rather be an ice-breaker in Antarctica, or a pleasure cruise in the Caribbean? I know which of the two is more welcoming to me!

And I have a similar viewpoint on energizers:

• Why have them? Because the audience needs pepping up.
• Why are they lifeless? Because they're bored.
• What causes this boredom? A dull trainer.

That's the harsh reality, folks. Face facts: it's not the subject, it's how the subject is presented. A good trainer can inject enthusiasm and energy into the most uninteresting topic; a poor trainer will reduce an exciting subject to the mundane.

What's the solution? Let's break up the monotony with some brief but interesting activity! Great! A small game, a puzzle, something that's diverting attention away from the boredom. Great! A reinvigorated audience. Great!

And then the training session recommences. And pretty soon chins begin to rest on hands, heads start to nod, eyelids droop, attention wanes.... an uninspiring delivery drains the life and energy from the room, and those wonderful energisers actually have the reverse effect: the delivery looks even worse in comparison.

And the entire session will be remembered as prolonged periods of boredom interspersed with some interesting - but completely irrelevant - puzzles.

So there's your second lesson:

energisers are unnecessary when sessions are interesting and engaging.

Of course, this doesn't mean you shouldn't take breaks; far from it. People's productivity ebbs the longer they slog away, so taking breaks gives the mind a chance to concentrate on something else to return renewed. I've even had to drag programmers kicking and screaming away from their prized keyboard to give their eyes a break.

But here's a novel thought: during the sessions, they should also take breaks from YOU, the trainer. Consider:

1. What percentage of time are you talking, compared to others talking?

Don't just deliver information: raise questions, have people recount anecdotes, compare and contrast experiences. Facilitate discussions between people, have them actively provide input into the topic at hand. You're not the only expert here - make use of others. Students may be there to learn, but there's no rule stating they can only learn from you.

There's an added benefit: not only does it give people a break from your voice, it gives your own throat a rest, too!

2. What percentage of time are they listening to you, compared to listening to others?

Reflect questions poised to you back to them: ask what they would do. Deflect questions to the wider audience: canvass their opinion. Recall snippets that people mentioned earlier, have them recount it back to the class. Break people into groups to huddle for discussing some topic, perhaps elect a spokesperson to present their findings at the end of the huddle.

Again, don't adopt the position of (and definitely do not proclaim the position of) being the only expert in the room. Use others: stimulate debates, thinking, exploring, analysing, assessing...

3. What percentage of time are you delivering theory when they could be doing practicals?

People can listen to you telling them what to do and how it's done... or they can actually expend that time trying it out for themselves. Research has shown the benefits of experiential learning, that people learn through doing rather than listening - and concepts are more anchored mentally if they've had to think and do for themselves.

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I've long maintained that training is supposed to benefit the student, not the trainer. So, take a good long look at yourself, your materials and your delivery techniques and ask yourself: how am I educating the student? What benefit do they gain from me?

Many trainers forget that they themselves are still students, so they can learn better ways of doing things.

Perhaps in doing so, students will emerge inspired and enthusiastic from their sessions.