| In Medieval times people believed that when | | | | challenges. Some people accuse me of |
| mischievous sprites heard you wish for | | | | being an "Eeyore" on this subject because I |
| something they would make the opposite | | | | over-think potential calamities.It is true that I |
| happen. Many show biz professionals still | | | | spend a great deal of time exploring what could |
| believe in them. I can attest to their existence. I | | | | go wrong. I ask |
| have seen them in action.One time, when I was | | | | myself a number of questions: |
| attending an American Society for Training and | | | | * What technology issues could pop up? |
| Development | | | | * What questions might the audience ask? |
| International Conference and Exposition, a | | | | * What would a heckler say? |
| featured speaker began by saying that | | | | * Are there any electrical wires to trip over? |
| this opportunity to present in front of his/her | | | | * What health problems could someone in the |
| colleagues was the completion of a | | | | audience have during presentation? |
| lifelong dream. It was a bad choice of words. The | | | | I explore these potential dangers not because I |
| audience responded | | | | am a pessimist, but because the |
| enthusiastically. The sprites responding by | | | | more emergencies I envision, the less likely the |
| freezing the presenter's laptop.The presenter | | | | sprites are to surprise me.Protect |
| apologized and asked permission to reboot. As the | | | | Once you have identified a potential challenge, |
| computer tried to | | | | you should Protect yourself from it |
| recover, the presenter stalled. 10,000 people | | | | by devising a solution. You should then protect |
| waited ... and waited ... and waited. | | | | yourself again by devising a solution |
| After 10 minutes and a different computer | | | | for the solution. You should ask yourself, "What's |
| hookup, the presentation finally began.I had been | | | | the backup plan?" Then ask |
| forgiving up to that point. After all, the sprites can | | | | yourself, "What's the backup plan for the backup |
| attack anyone. It is | | | | plan?" Finally, ask yourself, "What's |
| what occurred next that astounded me. The | | | | the backup plan for the backup backup plan?"For |
| presenter could have continued without | | | | example, consider technology issues and ask |
| waiting for the PowerPoint to reload, but had not | | | | yourself, "What if the laptop |
| prepared for a sprite attack.I've seen the sprites | | | | crashed?" Then determine to bring backup |
| attack other presenters too. At the 2002 ASTD | | | | overhead slides just in case. Next ask |
| conference a | | | | yourself, "What if the overhead projector light |
| famous presenter was discussing the proper | | | | bulb blows?" Then resolve to bring an |
| usage of PowerPoint slides. Again the | | | | extra light bulb with you. Finally ask yourself, |
| sprites pounced. There was a misspelling on a | | | | "What if that light doesn't work?" |
| slide and a participant told the | | | | Then learn to present without your slides just in |
| presenter so. The presenter interrupted the | | | | case.Here's an example from my own experience. |
| presentation and changed the slide as | | | | In My Training With A Beat |
| the entire audience waited. The sprite no doubt | | | | presentation, I demonstrate the various uses for |
| laughed.In 2003 I was the presenter attacked. As | | | | music in learning environments. |
| I began a discussion of the distractions cell | | | | Without music there can be no presentation. I |
| phones cause during modern training programs, a | | | | have protected my clients (and |
| sprite commanded my computer | | | | myself) by integrating the music into the |
| to download software. I was forced to, like | | | | PowerPoint presentation. I then travel with |
| those presenters before me, halt my | | | | the music on a backup CD-ROM and a back-up |
| presentation and deal with a sprite.All three | | | | audiocassette. As an extra |
| examples are true. All put the presenter on the | | | | precaution, I have recorded the music onto a |
| spot. All inconvenienced | | | | VHS tape so that, even if all the usual |
| the audience. All were avoidable. In this article, I | | | | audio channels are unavailable to me, I can play |
| hope to help you outsmart the | | | | the music on a TV. On the remote |
| sprites by examining the extensive preparations | | | | chance that all these mediums should become |
| show biz professionals practice. In | | | | demagnetized, I also carry several |
| fact the acronym for those preparations is | | | | emergency musical CDs.Accept |
| P.R.E.P.A.R.E. We will discuss each of the | | | | In improv training, comedians are taught to |
| steps in the acronym sequentially, beginning with | | | | welcome the unexpected, to treat sprite |
| Plan.Plan | | | | surprises as gifts. These gifts lead to new |
| The Plan is the most critical part of any | | | | discoveries. I will never forget the time, as |
| performance but the least noticed by the | | | | a magician performing the linking rings (eight rings |
| audience. To gain insight into the length Hollywood | | | | link and unlink at will), a mike |
| goes when planning a movie, | | | | stand got in the way. Much to my surprise, the |
| consider the current movie phenomenon The | | | | sprites linked a ring to the mike |
| Lord of the Rings. The extended DVD | | | | stand! Even more surprising was the audience |
| version of The Fellowship of the Ring features | | | | reaction. They applauded! That bit |
| hours of material showcasing the | | | | immediately became a part of my act.It is an |
| years of planning that went into that production | | | | axiom among magicians that the magician has |
| including concept development, | | | | greater power because the |
| scripting, storyboarding, scenic selection, | | | | audience never knows what is coming. Chances |
| character development, music creation | | | | are that when something |
| and actor casting. All these details added to the | | | | unexpected happens, the audience will, as they |
| success of the film. Any one of | | | | did with my link to the mike stand, |
| them handled poorly could have ruined | | | | regard the occurrence as planned. This fact gives |
| it.Presentations, although not as involved, still | | | | the performer a decided |
| require planning. That planning often | | | | advantage. If you Accept whatever happens as |
| starts with a concept that is developed into a | | | | a gift, the audience will likely never |
| script. I realize that some presenters | | | | know the sprites struck.React |
| prefer an outline. Outlines do offer spontaneity. | | | | Accepting is not the same as compliance. Even |
| But what they lack is specificity. A | | | | when something unexpected occurs, |
| show biz production contains a myriad of details | | | | you should still take charge. React with an aura |
| not readily apparent in an outline. | | | | of confidence knowing that you are |
| The very act of scripting places a discipline on | | | | prepared. Ironically, the amount of preparation |
| the performance that cannot be | | | | you have engaged in will rebound to |
| obtained in any other way.For an example where | | | | your advantage. Your client will be impressed by |
| the stakes can literally be life or death, consider | | | | the amount of preparation you |
| the legal | | | | went to the deliver for them. In this perverse |
| profession. Lawyers script their opening and | | | | sense you should welcome the sprites. |
| closing arguments, witnesses script | | | | Your reaction to their mischief will only make you |
| their testimony, and judges script the | | | | look more professional.Enjoy |
| explanations of their rulings. They plan what | | | | You've planned, rehearsed, explored, protected, |
| they will say in the courtroom so that it will be | | | | accepted and reacted. The final |
| factually correct and logically | | | | step is to simply Enjoy whatever happens. You |
| thought through.Scripting forces you to | | | | control the dynamic so relax and |
| determine exactly what you mean, how what | | | | place your focus where it belongs, on your |
| you mean | | | | audience. This focus will drive the sprites |
| connects with what you've already said, and how | | | | crazy.A Show Biz Tradition |
| what you will say leads inevitably | | | | So, remember to P-R-E-P-A-R-E. And as a wish |
| to a grand finale where every detail of the | | | | for luck (and in case the sprites are |
| performance connects. So therefore, the | | | | listening), break a leg!Visit Lenn on line at |
| first step in foiling the sprites is to capture it all | | | | Lenn Millbower, BM, MA, the Learnertainment(R) |
| on paper.Rehearse | | | | Trainer is an expert in applying |
| In entertainment you can spot the true | | | | show biz techniques to learning. He is the author |
| professionals. They Rehearse so much that | | | | of the ASTD Info-Line, |
| they look unrehearsed. They "flow." Flow occurs | | | | Music as a Training Tool, focused on the practical |
| when you know something so | | | | application of music to learning; |
| completely that concentration is no longer | | | | Show Biz Training, the definitive book on the |
| required (much like our daily commutes: | | | | application of entertainment industry |
| we've rehearsed that drive for | | | | techniques to training; Cartoons for Trainers, a |
| months).Constant, repetitious, mind-numbing | | | | popular collection of 75 cartoons for |
| rehearsal beyond endurance is the price | | | | learning; Game Show Themes for Trainers, a |
| performers pay to achieve flow. They examine | | | | best-selling CD of original learning |
| the script line by line to plot the | | | | game music; and Training with a Beat: The |
| logistics of the performance. They determine | | | | Teaching Power of Music, the foremost |
| where the props should be placed, | | | | book on the application of music to learning. Lenn |
| how each item and person will get from point "A" | | | | is an in-demand speaker, with |
| to point "B" and correct | | | | successful presentations at ASTD 1999-2005 and |
| disconnects in the script. These run-throughs, | | | | SHRM 2006; a creative and |
| although tedious and time | | | | dynamic instructional designer and facilitator |
| consuming, eliminate many of the flaws that | | | | formally with the Disney University |
| attract sprites. As a result the | | | | and Disney Institute; an accomplished |
| performer becomes one with the | | | | arranger-composer skilled in the |
| presentation.Explore | | | | psychological application of music to learning; a |
| With practice and repetition behind you and flow | | | | popular comedian, magician and |
| in front of you, the sprites must | | | | musician; and the president of Offbeat |
| seek another opening. They look for the | | | | Training(R), infusing entertainment-based |
| unexpected. Accordingly, you should take | | | | techniques into learning to keep 'em awake! |
| time to Explore all the potential unplanned | | | | |