8 Triggers for Workshop Flops

Do you look forward to workshop presentations?  If not, why not?  Choices by leaders and participants often cause workshops to flop.  Flops originate in people - presenter and participant alike.  Ever spotted these culprits?

Presenter gaffes

1. Ike - Incessant talker ... Boredom sets in when folks sit and listen passively. Though Ike finds high stimulation through personal interest and deep research on a topic, does not mean the audience connects similarly.  The human brain is easily distracted when people merely listen to someone talk, no matter how famous.

2. Irma - Indifferent Warmth makes a difference in the way people receive Irma messages.  A leader's body language reflects how receptive she is to people and their contributions. A roll of the eyes or lack of eye contact distances Irma from participants.

3. Peppy - PowerPoint Wizard  One of Peppy's recent presentation included 77 slides with a text overdose.  Imagine sitting through that! There's little power and less point.

4. Freddy - Factoid  When Freddy leads managers to memorize new concepts or theories on transformational leadership, it does not guarantee they can actually do it on the job. Why?  When people learn something new, if they use it or teach it to someone else, it enhances their ability to transfer the skill in many environments.  The action of using a skill rewires brain dendrites and enhances memory. 

Participant turn-off's

5. Peter - Peacock  Takes a leader off topic by introducing a red herring to focus attention elsewhere.  Peter is needy.  Growth is needed in intrapersonal intelligence, since weakness is apparent in these actions.  This is problematic at a workshop and frustrates both presenter and participants.

6. Norma - Know-It-All  Announces she knows everything already.  Norma is not open to learn and add to what she understands already.  Narcissism is the culprit here and a person like Norma often cries for attention both intellectually and status-wise.

7. Tom - Take-Over  When people begin to work in groups, without a good plan to give equal time to each person,  Tom begins to dominate, perhaps to control or to "show off" what he knows. Others in the group often do not contribute as a result.

8. Sally - Stuck-in-a-Rut  Sally's stuck in a "comfort zone," likes her own way of doing things and isn't about to change..

What does it take for a presenter to stir the brain power of each person present? Ellen Weber offers excellent approaches to make workshops win.  What would you add?