TOP 7 websites to find free photos for your presentations

June 2009 Issue

A thought-provoking photo on a slide adds depth and feeling to the presentation apart from making it appealing to the eyes. Trainers have frequently complained that Google does not always provide suitable images. In this edition of Chrysalis, we share with you our secret hoard of websites containing good photos.

Website*

www.turbophoto.com

www.freedigitalphotos.com

www.stockvault.net

http://www.pdphoto.org

www.dkimages.com

http://www.bigphoto.com

www.morguefile.com

http://www.flickr.com

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx : The BEST !

* To use any of these for commercial purposes, kindly refer to the terms and conditions on the website.

Free resources

Photos, used the wrong way, can cause your presentations to look frivolous. Check our blog for ‘Minimal’ rules to keep your presentations looking professional: http://metamorphhome.blogspot.com/

Customer Speak: Advanced Content Creation Workshop

Divya Nair Joshi , Learning and Development Team, Life Insurance Co.

“Just wanted to thank you both for the workshop you conducted for our company which I attended. It has changed the way I approach training content design completely.”

Advanced Content Creation Workshop for Trainers: 7-8^thAugust at Hotel Sea Princess

Hurry! Ask us for a brochure and book your seat right away!

CDs Watch:

Check the newly uploaded samples of our CDs online:

Sample of Fire Up: Inspirational CD: http://www.metamorphtraining.com/SampleFU.aspx

This CD has 20 audiovisuals that provide instant solutions for use in motivational/ behavioral training and is greatly in use by all types of trainers and managers (Sales Trainers/ Behavioral Trainers/ Freelance) .

Contact us on 0961 951 4490 to buy or to know more

Sample of Powerful Presentations CD: http://www.metamorphtraining.com/SamplePP.aspx

It contains 2 days of intensive high-quality training in a simple and convenient-to-use CD format. This CD is used by middle/ senior level trainers and managers who want to make their presentations contemporary and world class.

Powerful Presentations CD uses our revolutionary 'Minimal Approach' to help people who present often.

With this approach, you reduce the time taken to create content, add impact and hold audience attention.

Contact us on 0961 951 4490 to buy or to know more

How to avoid ‘stuffing the backpack’ in training

May 2009 Issue

Even seen travelers who stuff EVERY possible item into their backpack –

‘just in case’ they need it? The backpack ends up bursting and spilling out its

contents on the way.

Many trainers too, suffer from this ‘stuffing the backpack’ syndrome.

When creating the agenda for training, they stuff it with EVERY possible topic

‘just in case’ the participants need to know.

But, do participants really benefit from such crowded agenda?

To answer this question, let us look at the results of two landmark scientific studies on human memory.

1: Short-term memory: Human memory has limits on its capacity to process

information. In the short-term, people can remember and process only about 7 things (give or take 2 items)^*1.

This means that in a training environment when faced with too much information,

participants simply stop processing information!

What is even worse is that this magic number “7” reduces if:

- the topic being covered is not familiar to the participants

- they do not use tricks like repeating items or grouping items together.

If participants manage to understand and process what they learnt in the classroom,

what happens later? Do they retain what they learnt?

2. Storage capacity: The storage capacity of the mind over time is a mere 3-4

things.^*2 That is, post the training, participants remember only 3 to 4 aspects of what

they have learnt!

The implications from these studies for a trainer are clear:

1. Do not overstuff the training agenda. Cover no more than 3 to 5 topics
2. For better retention there should be time for repetition

References:

^*1 George A. Miller, Princeton University study, 1956:

The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two

^*2 Study by Cowan, Rouder, Morey of University of Missouri- Columbia Study 2008

Published in the National Academy of Sciences Journal

How to run house-full behavioral training

April 2009 Issue

How to run “house-full” behavioral training

It is especially difficult to get managers to commit their team’s time to a behavioral training. The secret to attracting nominations is to show

the managers the impact of training in terms they can understand – numbers and business.

Here are the 3 simple steps to do so:

STEP 1: DEFINE SUCCESS IN ADVANCE

Agree in advance with the business manager about how you will measure and evaluate training success.Does a 20% improvement in targeted skills mean that the training has been successful?Doing this in advance removes subjectivity from the process.

STEP 2: MEASURE

There are 2 ways you can use to show the impact of training. Get business to sign off the measure you plan to use.

1: Pre and Post: Observe and evaluate participant behavior before the training. To evaluate, use a concrete measure based on the process you will suggest in training. For example, if you are going to use the 3A objection handling process, on a scale of 1 to 5 observe and evaluate the participants in each of the 3 parts of the process.

Repeat this exercise after the training to get a concrete number that shows the improvement in skills after the training.

2: With and without: Use 2 control groups, one that will undergo the training and one that will not.The difference in their performance/ behavior after training is attributable to the training.

STEP 3: BROADCAST SUCCESS

After the first program, get a sign off from business on its impact based on the measurements and broadcast the success of your training program. Remember not be a Van Gogh* at work!Show your internal customers that your training program is rewarding and watch them queue up.

* Refer our Feb article below

Workshop and CD watch

APRIL 16-17: Advanced Content Creation Workshop

Workshop for Trainers at Juhu, Mumbai

This intensive workshop helps trainers take their skills to the next level.

It covers:

- How to create your own structured games for behavioral training

- How to use stories and AVs for inspirational training

- How to revolutionize slides using ‘Minimal’ way instead of the traditional way.

- How to use Analogies to make complex content easy to recall

Previous participants include trainers from Banks, Insurance/ Finance companies, Pharmaceutical companies, BPO/KPOs etc.

Contact us at metamorphtraining@ gmail.com for brochure or nominations.

Ask us about dates in May.

Fire Up: Inspirational CD

A first-of-its-kind CD with 20 ready made audiovisuals that you can use as energizers, icebreakers and

to reinforce motivational / behavioral messages. Keep your audience engaged by using a new training tool.

Powerful Presentations CD

This CD uses our revolutionary 'Minimal Approach' to help people who present often like trainers, to take their skills to the next level.

It is the first CD of its kind that deals with the thinking process behind powerful presentations.

In Mumbai? Contact us for an obligation-free demo

Free resources

Metamorph’s free shared Presentations have received so many hits that we are now SlideShare Rockstars! Visit our blog for the top viewed slides.

For a free presentation on how to evaluate your slides,read slide test-o-meter at our blog www.metamorphhome.blogspot.com

Contact us at 9930 16 9191 or email metamorph.training @gmail.com

Great Training but Lost Learning problem

MARCH 2009 ISSUE










































































AC2E: Advanced Content Creation Workshop for Trainers
April 16-17th,
This intensive workshop helps trainers take their skills to the next level. It covers:
- How to create your own structured games for behavioral training
- How to use stories and AVs for inspirational training
- How to revolutionize slides using ‘Minimal’ way instead of the traditional way.
- How to use Analogies to make complex content easy for audience to recall
Contact us for brochure or nominations.

Email: metamorph.training@ gmail.com or call 9930 16 9191





























View the presentation at this link: www.metamorphhome.blogspot.com

For more details about products offered by Metamorph visit: www.metamorphtraining.com

Are you a VAN GOGH at work?

EZINE CRYSALIS: FEB 2009 ISSUE

HOW NOT TO BE A VAN GOGH AT WORK

Think About This..

Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanized rubber. He revolutionized the tyre industry. Artist Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings sell for millions today and he has had enormous influence on art in the 20th Century.
Here is the most interesting part of their stories. Both Charles and Vincent died poor. The reason? They could not ‘sell’ the value of what they had. Great ideas or products do not ‘speak’ for themselves. You need to be able to communicate their value clearly.

Many managers and training departments face this problem. They bring in revolutionary change but, their contribution is not valued enough. They fall into the trap of expecting their work to speak for itself. Showcasing the value of your work is a simple process...

ANNOUNCE: Tell your seniors and colleagues about what you propose to do and how it will resolve a critical issue at work.





MEASURE &UPDATE: Use a concrete way of showing the results that will show the impact of your work.

Instead of saying “better” be specific and talk about ‘75% improvement’. Update people at frequent intervals

Remember, Great Work + Clear Communication = Guaranteed Success

CUSTOMER SPEAK
Amrita Saurabh Garg, Associate VP , Distribution Training, Bharti Axa Life Insurance:

"The content creation workshop was a huge hit with the team. There was a lot of ground to cover in a short period of 2 days but Ram handled it very well. The training session was invaluable. It was very informative and very well thought out and we were able to see how the concepts can be applied back at work for various programs.

Ram moved at a pace everyone was comfortable with and presented the material in a confident manner recapping the various concepts several times during the workshop. The part on Analogies and Games was specifically very useful and intriguing. Thanks Ram and Arte. You did make a difference."

Hemlata Nikam, Dty Manager Training, Sia Lifestyles:

When I started developing training content, it was a nightmare for me. However, the ‘Advanced Content Creation Workshop’ taught me a unique ‘Minimal Approach’ that helps develop content in simple and easy manner. Using of visuals and games really helped me make training more interactive and fun.
Now I enjoy working on content development. Thank you Ram and Arte for such a wonderful learning which I will cherish through out my life."


WORKSHOP DETAILS
----------
MAR 5th - 6th: Advanced Content Creation Workshop for Trainers
Learn the revolutionary approach to training with unique aspects like how to create your own structured games, analogy, AVs etc. For brochure contact us or download at: www.metamorphtraining.com/Workshops.aspx

For details, brochure and demo contact us Email metamorph.training @ gmail.com

Top 2 Mistakes in Behavioural Training

Article: January 2009

The number one mistake made by trainers is to approach ‘Behavioral training’ in the same way as ‘Knowledge training’. They end up informing participants about the skill, rather than allowing participants imbibe the essentials of the skill through rigorous practice. Unfortunately, in training, “What’s sauce for the goose is NOT sauce for the gander”.

At the end of a program, when a participant recites the 5 step sales process verbatim, we cannot automatically assume that s/he knows how to apply it during a customer interaction. There are 2 essential differences between ‘Knowledge training’ and ‘Behavioral training’:

1. Approach: Typically, in knowledge training, a trainer knows more than the participants. So, an approach of ‘downloading’ might still work. However, in behavioral training, a trainer needs to influence participants to a new way of ‘doing and being’. So, the training is not effective till we guide participants to ‘self discover’ the new way.

2. Tools: The training tools used for ‘Knowledge’ training are meant to simplify complex information. Typical tools used are – slides and documents. The training tools used for ‘Behavioral training’ are meant to practice the skill under various challenging situations. Some typical tools used are – role plays and simulations.

In our workshop for trainers, we teach exciting new tools to help you aid self discovery. Tools like creating your own structured games, developing powerful stories and creating Audiovisuals. These tools are rarely, if ever, taught in any other course.

The second most common mistake is to force a new behavior, before the participants are completely convinced about why they need to change their existing behavior.

As adults, we hate change. The pain of being in the current situation needs to exceed the discomfort of changing to a new situation. Remember when you visited the dentist for a root canal? You did not go when you had a ‘slight’ discomfort. It took a swollen face and unbearable pain to make you move.

The same way, your audience will not practice an ‘ABCD’ model of objection handling or use the ‘Financial Planning tool you recommend unless they realize the loss in sales with their current way of behaving.

In our 2 day Advanced Content Creation workshop, we teach trainers new ways to bring in ‘Realization’. The trainers need to use these before teaching their model to ‘Resolve’ the issue. This will ensure that their audience will apply the new behavior on the field because they realize the need for it.

Contact us to know more about our workshops...
Email metamorph.training @ gmail.com