“Most of us aren’t performing at the level of our potential, we are performing at the level of our preparation.”
Steven Furtick
As trainers we often talk about this philosophy relative to the people in our organizations. Do we have the same conversations about ourselves?
As a trainer, teacher or coach you will only perform at the level of your preparation. If you want to perform at your best, to give your people the best training possible so they can perform at their best, then you need to prepare. Your time spent in preparation should exceed the time spent delivering the training, regardless of how many times you have taught that class before.
Preparation is not memorization.
Preparation is:
- Studying the material so you have a deep understanding of it.
- Understanding the key learning objectives for this audience.
- Reflecting on the sequence of the material to determine if subtle changes could improve the learning for the participants.
- Doing deeper research into the stories you weave into the training so you can gain a greater insight and perhaps learn some new elements or nuances to the story.
- Reviewing your PowerPoint or Keynote slide deck to see what you can do to enhance the visuals, color schemes and font type and size as well as fix any typos you may have overlooked in the past.
- Imaging questions or concerns the participants may put forward during the presentation.
- Crafting questions to pose to the participants for small and large group discussion as well as for personal reflection.
- Reflecting on the exercises from the last time you did this presentation and figuring out how to enhance them to make them more impactful.
- Reading, watching, and listening to enhance your abilities as a speaker, storyteller and facilitator.
Preparation is hard work. You expect your people to work hard. They expect the same from you.
Preparation takes time and time is always something that seems to be in short supply. If you are going to accept the responsibility that comes with being a trainer then make the time. You owe it to the people you train. Their lives may depend on it.
Take care.
Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training – Dedicated to helping good trainers become great trainers and great trainers to deliver awesome training.
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