When other trainers have the chance to ask Bob Pike anything they want about his experience in training, some surprising and fun answers come out. At the 2008 Pike Ascent, concurrent session attendees were able to sit at his feet,as it were and listen to the The Top 10 Questions Trainers Ask with some of those questions coming from the audience.

Here are a few of the questions and the answers Bob gave:

In your career, what one book that you've read has had the greatest impact on training and role model who is still alive?

The Bible. You can learn more about teaching in the Bible. As one is thinking so one becomes, as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. There is more about care and concern, being prepared to discipline when you need to. In some Bibles, the words of Jesus are in red. Read the red and see: how did he coach them, teach them, what if I looked at Jesus as greatest teacher of all time, taking deity out of it. Bob made reference to Ken Blanchard's general session on the first day of  The Ascent. Ken mentioned two things from Norman Vincent Peale: patience and persistence. [Jesus was with his disciples, teaching them, for three years.] Three years of training and still being taught the same lesson uge patience! And the disciples still have not gotten the very first lesson.

Role models: my grandmother demonstrated unconditional love better than anyone I've ever known.

Negative role model: I've seen more in business from negative examples--being treated in a way where I said I'll never treat someone that way.

What is your favorite training tip?

A magic card trick can reinforce things over and over (modify, adjust, adapt, adopt) during a trick and if you do something where it appears you've blown it, magic can be really cool because you can make a huge learning point over and over again. People are so caught up, it doesn't seem redundant.

Bob suggested the Magic Coloring Book for the intrepid trainer who plans on blowing the trick. Bob then also gave step by step instructions for a simple card trick.

Have a participant pick a card and show the card to the audience. While the victim is showing the audience, the trainer slyly looks at the card that is on the bottom of the deck. The victim then puts his card back on the bottom of pile. You know what card is directly on top of that. Cut the deck a few times making sure those two cards don't get separated. Weave a story through to reinforce some learning point. Begin flipping cards face up one by one. When you see the card that was second to the bottom, you know your victim's card is next. Note what card was really his and keep flipping. Then announce the next card I turn over is your card. The victim thinks you've already blown it because his card already passed. However, just go back to your pile, find that card and flip it face down, wowing your audience.