For many people delivering a webinar or virtual classroom is something not done on a regular basis. Therefore it can be hard to stay confident with the tools and your own delivery skills, especially if you are a subject matter expert rather than a full-time trainer.
In this blog I look at some ways you can maintain your confidence and skill levels.
1) Practice with others
It seems obvious, but sometimes the obvious answer is often the best one! When was the last time you did a run through of your online presentation or session? You might be thinking that time is tight, both for yourself and others you would ask. You could all be working on other things and it’s easy to assume you will improve as you do each session.
Even if you have a fantastic feedback process after delivering a session will you get the same level of response as a colleague or a friend giving you honest feedback in the moment? There is great power in delivering a short section, getting instant feedback, adapting and trying again until you are at a level you are happy with.
Taking the time for you and your colleges to really understand how an activity will work in live the environment will not only help you in the current sessions but also as you develop and design more in the future.
2) Speak with others
How many times have you had issue at work or personally and it seems to get resolved once you’ve spoken to someone at the metaphorical water cooler? Open communication with others in similar situation to you, finding out how they resolved issues or just getting a different take on a situation can open your mind to amazing possibilities.
You can do this in loads of different ways, such as joining a learning network, following people on social media and posting questions, joining a Facebook group, such as ours, or if you don’t use Facebook, our free virtual classroom community.
You are not alone in what you are doing and with the internet you can instantly get in touch with people who can help you.
3) Watch others
Another obvious one but it is great! Sign up for free webinars, ask to sit in one of your colleagues’ virtual classrooms or find some other sources that you think are good… or even bad! Watching others even if they are terrible will help you confirm what not to do or how to make sure you don’t do the same as them.
Watching people who are good will give you something to aspire to. Break down what they did well and how you can transfer that to your own sessions. The more information you get, the more you practice with others to test what you have picked up, the more you will improve your skills and confidence!
4) Self-reflection
Do you assume that you naturally self-reflect? I know I did. But as I’ve focused on this skill more, I’ve found that it’s improved my awareness and development of my skill set.
Taking the time to self-analyse your session after you have run it, or if you can stomach it – watch the recording, pays dividends. Even just five minutes self-reflection can help: think about a specific activity, what worked well or not so well? Were your questions clear enough? Why did you get great engagement in one area but not others?
Being open and honest with yourself and asking the questions is a great first step. Answering those questions either yourself or combined with speaking to other people about those issues will help you advance.
5) Develop yourself
At Lightbulb Moment we offer training services in the skills of designing and delivering live online learning. Click here to read more about how we can help you and your team.
