The rules of engagement

This week we are doing prep in anticipation of the next two weeks of teaching. One of the things that we have been delving into in quite a bit of depth is facilitation. If you thought that it was just a case of standing up in front of a group and talking you were WRONG. There is way more to it than that. What follows is just a small selection of the tips, tricks and things to keep your audience engaged and participating:

• Use humour to keep people engaged. Try to keep it at your own expense to avoid offending anyone. ALSO, unless you are a really good joke telller don't try and be a stand up comedian. I console myself that it's ok if noone gets my quips. People will generally laugh if you are cracking yourself up, even if they are laughing at and not with you.
• Try to be encouraging at all times. Instead of saying "Mary, have you not been LISTENING? We've just been talking about this for the last ten minutes?" rather say "Thanks for your question Mary. I think it highlights just how difficult the previous topic can be to grasp." Our facilitators are awe-inspiringly polite and patience. They just never seem to lost their cool.
• Be confident. Studies have shown that confidence and not ability convince people that you know what you're talking about.
• Know your tell. Like poker, in public speaking, people often have a "tell" that gives away that they are nervous like speeding up or tailing off their sentences.
• Vary your tone and volume.
• Work the room - apparently there's no better way to bring a delinquint back into the discussion then to subtley go and stand behind them and present from there for a while.
• Take your cue from the editorial yawn. Read your audience. If they are losing focus, take a break or do an energiser or something. Also recognise that there are high and low energy times during the day. Straight after lunch is a notorious low energy period when everyone's blood is rushing from their brain to their stomach and it's time for a siesta.
• If your audience is being non-participative employ the 7 second rule. Ask a question and then be absolutely quiet. Guaranteed, someone will crack under the pressure of the silence by the time you get to seven seconds.
• Unless you are using it, put the pen/white board marker/ruler down. You are not conducting the audience. You are speaking to them.
• Get the right speed. Whilst you don't want to bbbboooorrreeee yyyyoooouuuurrrr aaauuudddddiiieeennnccceeee to sleep, you also don't want them to mss th pnt either.
• Avoid being patronising and treating people like they are in primary school. Going up to someone and slamming their laptop closed because they are checking their email may not be the best way to deal with a situation.
• Try and get everyone to participate. Coax the quiet people to contribute too.
• Oh ja. And don't try and picture your audience naked. Not only is it distracting for you but it can also be a little creepy - "Is she undressing me with her eyes?"