ADMINISTRATOR GUIDE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

How can I make my presentation interesting? Be conversational. Always speak in simple, clear language appropriate to the participants. Be sure to use correct pronunciation and to enunciate clearly. Use a friendly tone of voice. Smile. Relax. Face the participants. Remember that you are talking to a group, not to a training aid. Practice writing on a flipchart and using overhead slides so that you can do so while still facing the group. Remember to maintain eye contact with the group. Establish a comfort level. Get to know your audience, even before the session starts. "Break the ice" at the beginning of the session. Express interest in participants' experiences and contributions. Connect to your audience by being authentic and accepting. Use humor appropriately. If the topic is serious, be very cautious in using humor. Use humor only if it is relevant and comfortable for you. It should be directed at yourself and not at others. Inappropriate humor can easily offend and you will have lost those offended for the rest of the session. Guard against annoying mannerisms. Repeated motions (tapping a pencil, twirling hair, stroking a beard, jingling coins, playing with jewelry, rocking back and forth) can be distracting. Participants will focus on them rather than on what you are saying. Vary facial expressions, tone, speed of delivery, and volume. Move around. Change your position in front of the group but avoid pacing. Moving around forces participants to follow you and keeps them from becoming bored. Don't stand behind a podium or table. How do I ask good questions? Questions serve to involve students in the session by drawing on their knowledge and expertise. Be conversational. Questions should be relevant and intended to expand upon course material. Ask questions in a friendly manner. Do not ask questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no." Ask open-ended questions that start with "how," or "why," or "what if." Vary the types of questions you ask. Repeat and acknowledge answers. Comment and expand upon them. How do I handle questions asked of me? If you don't understand the question, ask the person to repeat it or rephrase it. Be sure the group can hear a question asked of you. If not, repeat it for the whole group. It is okay to say you don't know the answer to a question. Ask if anyone else in the group knows the answer. If not, make a note of the question and tell the asker you will find out the answer and get back to him or her. Sometimes you will be asked a diversionary or inflammatory question. There is no formula for handling this situation. Acknowledge the asker and get back on track as quickly as you can. Feedback: How should I provide feedback? How should I look for feedback? Encourage participation by taking responses from everyone and by acknowledging every statement made. Reinforce positive contributions but respond to everyone, even if you think the comment is "off the wall." If you need more information than the comment contains, ask for more. If you cannot agree with the content of the comment, focus on the feeling being expressed and say something understanding or reassuring (“I can see that you feel strongly about that.") The point is to keep the group participating. Watch for signs of misunderstanding, confusion, or boredom. Actively seek feed back, acknowledge it, and modify your presentation accordingly. How do I handle a problem participant? Expect that some members of the group may not cooperate or may not participate. Be prepared to handle people who fit one of these categories ("know-it-all," too talkative or silent, complainer, wanders off the subject). Respond to these participants by being respectful, assertive, and directive. If the problem persists, speak to the person outside of the session. Remember that you are in charge but don't insult the individual. Don't correct him/her in front of others.