Manage Peoples States
Strategy: Managing State
Energy in a workshop ebbs and flows. But you are responsible for managing the energy or state of your students. If they are bored, emotionally down, non responsive, that is your fault, not the content. Either you have to liven up the presentation (group involvement, exercises, jokes, entertainment, or just management them physically). You might try grabbing a book, like Games Trainers Play, McGraw-Hill. Or one of these tactics.
- Stand up and stretch. Folks get tired or bored just sitting there. So, get them to breath. Deep breaths. Change their physiology. Stretch back and forth.
- Massage train. Turn to the left. Put your hands on the shoulder of the person in front of you. Give them a 30 second shoulder massage. Ok. Turn to the other person. And do the same.
- Meet a long lost friend. Imagine you, just meet a long lost friend, from 20 years ago. Say hello. Passion. Excitement. OK. Now meet them again. But this time, u just won the LOTTO. You won 20 million. How excited would u be? Tell them.
- Education Kinesiology. Three exercises. Get them to do something. Like opposite hand, knee in front. Or behind.
- Dance Contest. Give a reward for being on time. Draw names from registration forms (people back from lunch on time). Pull one name. Ok. I have a 500 dollar price. If I am, going to give u something for nothing, should you give me something in return (talk to audience). Yes. Well what can you give usโฆโฆโฆ Well how about your best dance moves?
Great for groups. But even one on one you can manage peoples state with simple things. Example:
- Hey. Follow me, we are going to get a coffee in the lobby.
- Would you mind switching seats with me OR lets move your chair closer to me.
- A funny (clean) joke.
- Ok. Now this going to seem silly, but I want you to take a deep breath in, now out. Relax this not brain surgery.
- Let us sit down over there.