Comments on: Difficult Participants: What’s an Instructor to do? http://www.langevin.com/blog/2010/01/04/difficult-participants-what%e2%80%99s-an-instructor-to-do/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:22:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Marsha http://www.langevin.com/blog/2010/01/04/difficult-participants-what%e2%80%99s-an-instructor-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-1528 Marsha Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:30:53 +0000 http://www.langevin.com/blog/?p=940#comment-1528 Love the "Blackberry ring tone icebreaker" idea! And Bob, what a great idea putting the choice back on the participants. A colleague of mine shared a great line with me, when someone questions the value of your training. "Do what's best for you." Your story reminded me of that. Love the “Blackberry ring tone icebreaker” idea! And Bob, what a great idea putting the choice back on the participants. A colleague of mine shared a great line with me, when someone questions the value of your training. “Do what’s best for you.” Your story reminded me of that.

]]> By: Bob Miles http://www.langevin.com/blog/2010/01/04/difficult-participants-what%e2%80%99s-an-instructor-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-1500 Bob Miles Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:35:49 +0000 http://www.langevin.com/blog/?p=940#comment-1500 I had the pleasure of presenting a second kick off of an ISO 9000 certification process with employees still angry from the first, failed attempt. As was the habit of the Director, the kickoff meeting was "mandatory for all employees". Having taken a workshop called "Investment in Excellence", I remembered one of the concepts learned. The concept is that there are only 2 "have-tos". One is that you have to occupy space. The second is that you have to die. Everything else is a choice, which has consequences. I told the participants that, contrary to the director's email, this kickoff is not mandatory. I said that if they did not want to be here, they could leave. To my amazement, not one person left! The attitude improved immediately, and we did obtain certification. I had the pleasure of presenting a second kick off of an ISO 9000 certification process with employees still angry from the first, failed attempt.

As was the habit of the Director, the kickoff meeting was “mandatory for all employees”. Having taken a workshop called “Investment in Excellence”, I remembered one of the concepts learned. The concept is that there are only 2 “have-tos”. One is that you have to occupy space. The second is that you have to die. Everything else is a choice, which has consequences. I told the participants that, contrary to the director’s email, this kickoff is not mandatory. I said that if they did not want to be here, they could leave. To my amazement, not one person left! The attitude improved immediately, and we did obtain certification.

]]> By: Monica Lee http://www.langevin.com/blog/2010/01/04/difficult-participants-what%e2%80%99s-an-instructor-to-do/comment-page-1/#comment-1423 Monica Lee Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:44:23 +0000 http://www.langevin.com/blog/?p=940#comment-1423 I like the humor approach to the "prisoner" and will keep this in my hip pocket for future use. On the added topic of Blackberrys: In Jim's recent Certified Instructor/ Facilitator class in Phoenix a suggestion was made to make Blackberry ring tones an ice breaker. I thought this was a great idea. Clearly a statement about "G-rated" or appropriate ring tones only should be made in advance. I like the humor approach to the “prisoner” and will keep this in my hip pocket for future use.

On the added topic of Blackberrys: In Jim’s recent Certified Instructor/ Facilitator class in Phoenix a suggestion was made to make Blackberry ring tones an ice breaker. I thought this was a great idea. Clearly a statement about “G-rated” or appropriate ring tones only should be made in advance.

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