Last May, I got a chance to speak in India. It was an amazing experience. I hosted three two-day safety leadership training sessions. My audience consisted of managers and safety professionals from several different companies in three cities; Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi. Of course I was excited and a bit nervous. It was new territory for sure!
As I started the first session I quickly realized I was dealing with a different type of audience than I was use to. No smiles. No response to my playful ideas and animated style. It was painful.
During our first break in the morning I hightailed it to the rest room and tried not to have a nervous breakdown. At first I was thinking, “What can I do?. They do not like this or me at all! I have three of these to do! Maybe I should change my style, or fake a heart attack.” I was desperate.
Then a thought came to mind; one that made all the difference in the world. I realized that no matter what the situation, if I’m true to myself and give my best effort to help my audience, things will work out fine.
And they did.
In fact, by the afternoon of the second day we were having a great time. We were laughing, learning and becoming friends. (The same thing happened during the other two sessions.) They just needed time to get use to me and I needed the same thing. Yet, I didn’t give up on “making safety fun,” that’s what I mean by being true to myself.
I know from many years of speaking experience that humans, everywhere in the world, want to have fun—which in this context means “energetic enjoyment.” It just varies a bit with different cultures and situations.
When you care about your audience and want them to have a fulfilling training experience, not just a lecture full of facts, your chances of succeeding soar. Touching hearts is an essential factor to molding minds and changing behavior. That’s one important lesson that was driven deeper into my psyche during my memorable time with my new Indian friends.
Have you had any similar experiences? I’d love to hear about them.
‘till next time.
Richard
