In any big company you’re likely to sign-up for training courses with people you don’t know. Like any large meeting, you can get away with doing nothing in a training class by nodding often but never volunteering an opinion. In fact, you can go through umpteen development courses without ever having to learn a thing.
Most people remain deathly quiet throughout the course, repelled by the prospect of public speaking, especially on a public speaking course. To overcome the silence trainers often ask people to introduce themselves and answer an oddball question: an ice-breaker. I went to one course where each person was asked to state their name, role, how long they had been at the company for and what type of musical instrument they would be and why.
I answered “A triangle because I have no concept of scale”. I thought that was quite good for a management course but it was met with a squirming silence; I could have heard a triangle. I regret not answering “Right now I feel like a huge organ”.
;)
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I'd be a piano so there would be 88 places you could touch me.
Once again…extremely funny!
I would have paid to have been there when you let loose the second response!
classic!
The "what do you expect from this class?" is the worst question ever. "Uhm, to learn something?". I can never find a good answer, especially to those classes that have been assigned to us, and we have no clue what they're really about.
See, I would have laughed at that … another reason I have Left The Corporate World…
hahaha……. I really liked that, especially because I AM a trainer and facilitator.
People won't learn anything if they don't know why they have to be there and WIIFM (what's in it for them). That's the downfall when management sends them to training course.
Having said that, not too many people (especially managers) are willing to take the initiative to learn and grow!
Great Blog!!!
"Right now I feel like a huge organ." Friggin' brilliant. Either that or, "I'd be a harmonica, 'cause right now I wish you'd just blow me."
Post and comments……….so funny!!