1. Drive: Why did they come to your session? Was it a required district training or did they come because they know you are an awesome presenter? Do they know who you are? Obviously, if you are a fan of 90's country music, you are familiar with Garth Brooks--but if you are a kid or live under a rock--you may not know who Garth is. Knowing why your audience is there is so important.
2. Be grateful: Even if people didn't want to come to your session, thank them. They are the reason you are able to do what you do and stand up in front of a crowd. Thank your participants for coming. Garth thanked us so many times, it wasn't overdone--you could tell that he was grateful for his fans.
3. Give 'em what they want: Don't be afraid to survey your participants about what they want to get out of your session. Do they already know a lot abut _________________? If so, how can you share information in a new way? In the case of Garth Brooks, he knows his audience wants to hear his "old" music, so that is what he plays. But, I would imagine even if you have been to a dozen Garth Brooks concerts he doesn't play the same show twice. In fact, he played a song that someone wanted to hear because he noticed their sign.
4. Be exciting: I am not saying that you need to jump around and get all sweaty, but have some passion about what you are discussing. Passion shows through to your participants and gets them excited about what you are talking about. Garth Brooks is known for being an entertainer. He definitely has a level of excitement and passion in his shows. That passion makes the audience excited to be there.
5. Don't forget your influences: Garth Brooks mentioned that he was heavily influenced by George Strait. He even paid tribute to him by singing one of his songs. When developing professional development properly cite your influences, and don't be afraid to show a video or something that one of your influences has shared in the past. (I am thinking of some of the amazing videos that George Couros shows in his presentations. Those videos hit you right in the heart!)
As the summer ends, and a new school year starts--let's get excited about new learning! You don't have to be Garth Brooks, but you can still lead awesome professional development!
What do you think? Do you have anything to add? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!
