How you finish your presentations or training matters way more than how you start, I use to think otherwise, but now, after 50 years or so in front of hundreds of audiences, I’m positive your finale matters most. (The first time I was formally in front of an audience was in fifth grade. I was a leprechaun. I don’t remember what the play was about but I do know it was a career-affirming experience. ) Yes, how you start matters but your audience will mostly remember how they felt when you finish.
That’s why I save the best for last; my best story if it’s a talk and a fun activity if it’s a training session. My favorite way to end a one or two-day seminar is to have the teams I’ve set up compete to see which one can create the best limerick, jingle, parody or some other creative rhyme that captures what we’ve delved into or at least something humorous about the training.
Three weeks ago I was in Houston spending a day and a half with six Safety Specialists from Kinder Morgan. We had a blast! They got to practice all kinds of presentation skills. I videotaped their “performances” and coached them on how to increase their strengths and remove any distracting habits. We also spent some quality time on the value and pitfalls of slides. (That part was a real eye-opener for a few of the Specialists.)
Here’s the winning rhyme:
Twas the day before the session and all through the group
Not a Specialist was happy to be doing this poop
We were given our assignment to our disdain
But as time went on we had much to gain
The instructor was pleasant a great teacher of men
And he gave us positive feedback again and again
We learned new skills and how to slow down
And improve our presentations so we don’t look like a clown
So as we go forward into next year
We’re confident we’ll be successful
And live with plenty of cheer/beer
(Funny, the team wasn’t sure whether to end the last line with cheer or beer!)
So, at your next safety meeting or training class, why not end with a fun activity that sums up your session. End with a bang!
Here’s an update to this blog. If you send me an idea of how you’ve made your safety and health training more exciting than the typical “do this don’t do that safety meeting you could get yourself two of these “Safety Rocks T-Shirts!!
