THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS CONFERENCE

In this conference you'll learn...

The backbone of the successful training session is an informative, attention-grabbing, memorable presentation. In this session, you´ll learn how to develop presentations that deliver new knowledge ... build skills ... and change attitudes. From research to practice to delivery, you´ll learn the "how-to´s" from the best in the business.
With an average attention span of just 12 minutes, adults can be a challenge to train. But don´t believe the old trainer´s tale that you can´t teach an old dog new tricks. The secret is in the way you do the teaching. This session shines a bright light on how adults learn—or don´t learn—and how you as a skilled trainer need to approach every session.
Looking to add visual excitement to your training sessions? Who isn´t? If you have basic computer skills, PowerPoint can be a key skill in your training arsenal. Here you´ll explore how to give your sessions a big-budget feel without the big-budget cost. There won´t be a glazed eye in the house when you unleash the power of this incredible—and incredibly simple-to-use—software program.
Trainers typically love them. Trainees typically dodge them. Interactive training techniques—such as role-plays, games and discussions—are educational but can be difficult to pull off. In this session, you´ll find out how to design activities that keep your classes involved ... without running the risk of confrontations or learners losing face.
"Did ya hear the one about ...?" Humor can build rapport, break tension and drive your key points home. But if humor isn´t used appropriately, it can doom a training session. Learn how to add humor in the "right´´ way and make your presentations more memorable ... even if you´re not "naturally funny."
It´s a fact. Independent studies have shown that companies that spend more on training per employee tend to have higher profits. But some executives aren´t so sure. They want to see profitability charts and return on investment. In this insightful session, you´ll learn how to give the money people the hard facts they crave by compiling and presenting accurate, credible evidence that shows that your department is a business partner with bottom-line effects.
On one side, you have line managers and higher-ups saying "We need training NOW." But you know that effective training should be based on an accurate and timely needs assessment. There is a way to make everyone happy ... and you´ll learn it in this session. You´ll master needs-assessment skills that will help you build a training program that solves specific performance problems—without weeks or months of research time.
Have you ever tackled a performance issue that was seemingly bulletproof? Most experienced trainers have. These situations call for more than traditional training. The next step is performance consulting, and it´s where many experts say our profession is heading in the next century. This session will be your personal blueprint to the expanding performance improvement process. Don´t be left behind.
You poured your heart and soul into planning, preparing and presenting a dynamic training session. But now comes the big question ... did it work? (And management would like to know the answer to that question, too, to justify training expenses.) Attend this session and you´ll learn how to document and measure the effectiveness of your training. From the one-hour, "brown bag" skill builder to the weeklong, hands-on workshop, you´ll be able to measure your training session´s strengths and correct any weaknesses.
Every group of trainees has unique backgrounds, interests and frames of reference. As a trainer, your greatest challenge may be conveying your training message in terms your audience can relate to. Your key to overcoming this challenge? Learn as much about the learners as possible. Attend this session and you´ll find out the secret to digging beneath the surface to discover what motivates your audiences to learn—and what turns them off.
Do you want to raise the visibility and credibility of your training programs? Try marketing your department to internal clients. After you apply the skills you learn in this session, the results will be twofold: Management will see your department in action—even if they don´t attend the training sessions—and your classes will fill up faster with eager participants.
The true measure of training success is seeing new skills and knowledge being applied on the job. One way to reach this goal is to create an environment that not only reinforces your training, but also encourages its evolution and application. In this in-depth session, you´ll find out how to create a "learning organization" where employees are continuously learning ... and using these new skills to better perform their duties.
Ideas are like noses. Everybody has one. But will your training ideas rise above the crowd to get the attention—and action—of higher-ups? The answer is yes ... if you learn to push your thoughts, needs and wishes up the ladder. Attend this session and you´ll learn how to position your ideas so training is at the top of the "must-have" list.
As a trainer, your job is to help the company run better. So why do some managers view training as an imposition? Fortunately, these negative attitudes aren´t set in stone. With some creative customer service, you can build trust, cooperation—and even enthusiasm—among skeptical managers. In this session, you´ll learn how to better connect with managers and form a training team that benefits both the employees and the company.
Got 30 seconds? That´s all it takes to communicate a key message to any audience. The secret isn´t talking fast or speaking in "bullets." It´s clear, concise communication. This session will give you the edge that most successful trainers share—the ability to communicate succinctly and powerfully. Apply these skills at your very next training session and see the difference for yourself.