Podcasts

Sometimes you need to review the fundamentals.  For the Bob Pike Group training the trainer is where it all started 25 years ago.  Becky says it’s not as easy as it looks. In fact it can be surprising as a dance designed to answer a question. 

Emotions are the gifts that keep on giving long after the present is gone. Becky has a list of her favorite things for trainers that will help you be memorable.

BPG & Trainer Resources
BPG Free Monthly Webinar – Monthly free sessions hosted by The Bob Pike Group –https://www.bobpikegroup.com/webinars
Creative Training Techniques Podcast – BPG podcast with over 500 bite-size training episodes https://www.bobpikegroup.com/podcasts
Media & Presentation
Canva (Free Version) – Free design tool for creating slides, handouts, visuals and more
https://www.canva.com
Rick Altman’s Webinar Series – Free sessions on slide and handout design by presentation guru
https://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/events/3064?gref=LC
Web-Based Activities
Big Timer – Simple, large countdown timer to display during breaks or activities
https://www.bigtimer.net/?minutes=10&repeat=false
Calculator.net Dice Roller – More dice for more fun—multiple types and colors
https://www.calculator.net/dice-roller.html
Digital Story Dice – Roll story dice for spontaneous storytelling or warm-ups
https://davebirss.com/storydice/
Education.com Crossword Generator – Another crossword generator, perfect for themed vocabulary reviews
Emojidb Webinar Emojis – Emoji bank themed around webinars and virtual sessions
https://emojidb.org/webinar-emojis
FocusMe – Eliminate online distractions while designing or prepping content
https://www.focusme.com
IcebreakerIdeas.com – Huge list of icebreakers, openers, and energizers to remix
https://icebreakerideas.com/
Letter Dice Generator – Create letter-based dice rolls for alphabet games or prompts
http://letterdice.iphonemarks.com/
MakeBeliefsComix – Make comic strips with learners to reinforce concepts visually
https://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/
Motion Worship Countdown – 5-minute countdowns with calming video backgrounds – https://
www.motionworship.com
MovieClips (YouTube) – Licensed movie clips for use in trainings with proper license
https://www.youtube.com/c/MOVIECLIPS
MyWordle Custom Game – Custom Wordle generator for personalized word challenges
https://mywordle.strivemath.com/?word=pfrlymju
9 ©The Bob Pike Group. All rights reserved.
Web-Based Activities
Online Stopwatch – Use fun chance-based games like wheel spins and dice rolls
https://www.online-stopwatch.com/chance-games/
ProProfs Puzzle Maker – Make your own digital puzzles, games, and activities
https://www.proprofsgames.com/create-game/
QR Code Generator – Create scannable QR codes for quick links to polls, docs, and games
https://www.qr-code-generator.com/
Slido (Free Version) – Create interactive polls, word clouds, and quizzes; free for up to 3 events
https://www.slido.com/
Super Crossword Creator – Custom crossword puzzle generator—great for learning checks
https://www.supercrosswordcreator.com/
WordClouds Generator – Generate visual word clouds for brainstorming or feedback
https://www.wordclouds.com/
Wordle (Strive Math) – Play or create your own Wordle puzzles—great for vocab or concept
warmups – https://mywordle.strivemath.com/
Zoom Annotate Tools – Use stamps, text, draw, and more during training – https://zoom.us

You’re going to make mistakes when training.  What matters is how you handle them. Becky has some cringe-worthy incidents you can learn from.

According to research by Provine (2013), humor also enhances group cohesion.

Brookfield, S. D. (2017). Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher.

Medina, J. (2014). Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School.

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.

Covey, S. R. (2013). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change.

Welcome to the theme park of your mind! Becky is your tour guide.  And yes, she’s wearing a superhero cape to get your attention.

Resources:

Broadbent, D. E. (1958). Perception and Communication.

Miller, G. A. (1956). The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two.

McGaugh, J. L. (2003). Memory and Emotion: The Making of Lasting Memories.

How do you find the balance between work and life?  Becky says you probably can’t find it, but there are some tips to get harmony.

References:

• Clark, M. A., Michel, J. S., & Stevens, M. (2023).Flexible work arrangements and job satisfaction: The role of boundary management. Journal of Business and Psychology, 38(1), 134-149.
• Kossek, E. E., & Lautsch, B. A. (2018). Work-life boundary management styles in organizations: A cross-level model. The Academy of Management Journal, 61(4), 1091-1112.
• Park, Y., Fritz, C., & Jex, S. M. (2021). Self-care and employee resilience: The role of mindfulness and health-related behaviors in mitigating stress. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 26(2), 182-198.
• Butts, M. M., Becker, W. J., & Boswell, W. R. (2016). Hot off the press: The role of mobile email in job stress and work-family conflict. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(6), 795-808.
• Gardner, H., & Stewart, L. (2021). Delegation and its impact on performance and personal well-being. Harvard Business Review, 99(7), 64-72.
• Grant, A., & Sonnentag, S. (2020). Boundary management tactics and employee well-being. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 123, 103504.

This week we’re revisiting one of Becky’s most popular podcasts.
Friends don’t let friends create PowerPoint puke — it can ruin any presentation. How do you avoid making your PowerPoint presentation a poster child for “don’t”? Becky comes to your rescue in the first of two podcasts about perfecting your PowerPoint presentations. 

This week we revisit one of Becky's earlier podcasts.

How do you turn the unexpected to your advantage? Becky has some simple steps that will help you when an unexpected events happen at a training session. Sometimes the unexpected is more important than what you were planning to teach. 

This week we revisit one of Becky's earlier podcasts.

Games will help people learn, but only if they're content driven. Becky has a game you can try that really fits the bill.

This week we revisit Becky's most popular podcast of the year.

How can you make a video that works for your training?  Becky has 10 suggestions on how you can make your video sound good, look good, and get attention.

When you ask learners to evaluate your training, it’s important to ask the right questions. Becky says it’s also important to ignore some of the feedback.

Just how confident are you? Becky has some guidelines on how to quantify that.

How do you know if the training you’re doing is having an impact?  Becky has seven tips that can help you tell the story of just how effective your training is.

If you’ve got a short horizon to get your project done, you need structure.  Becky shares her step-by-step approach.

Remember the three most important factors in real estate value? Location, location, location! That mantra also applies to your competitive advantage for your next event.

There are so many things that can trip you up when scheduling a workshop or an event. Becky has a list of everything you should consider… including kids.

Becky shares more of her experiences in making classroom presentations. Strangely enough, one of the lessons is to give up control.

Becky has made countless presentations as a trainer. She’s learned, sometimes the hard way, what works and what doesn’t. There’s so much knowledge and experience here that she’s had to make it into two podcasts. This is part one.

This week we revisit one of our most popular episodes.

Sandra Masters is a virtual event producer for the Bob Pike Group. Like the Wizard of Oz, she’s the person behind the curtain making all the magic happen. This week she explains why producers are crucial and the best way to have producers help.

Nobody is impressed with average anything. To win, you need to impress. To impress, you need to get comfortable with presenting. You need to rely on your strengths.  Becky talks about why practice is important — and the one thing she always does before a presentation you probably haven’t thought about.

If you can’t get your brilliant ideas across, they don’t do anybody any good. Becky has a list of things good presenters don’t do. Follow this advice and you’ll be ready to make your ideas sing!

You can be ten times more effective if you plan your time. Becky says all it takes is five minutes and a few tools and techniques.

How do you get good at procrastination? You practice. And believe it or not, that’s a good thing.

What can you do in 15 minutes? Listen to several of Becky’s podcasts, for one! There are many useful things you can do in that amount of time. Becky talks about how to turn a quarter hour into a productivity engine.

How does your brain work? You’ve heard of left brain vs. right brain. But your mind is different than your brain. Becky has some good ways to get your brain and your mind going.

Mindfulness is important for the learner and the presenter.  Becky talks about how you can use mindfulness techniques when you present and when you prepare.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there’s been a huge growth in depression and anxiety which makes many things including learning harder to do. Becky has some thoughts on how you can give people more choices to help reduce that anxiety.

Time to revisit one of Becky's past podcasts. Talking about how much you should get paid is often a taboo subject.  But compensation is the number 2 factor for satisfaction with a job.  What should trainers get paid? Becky has statistics to help guide your discussions and decisions about pay

Are you fearful about what ChatGPT and AI could do to your training business?  AI can be a friend, not a foe, of training if you learn how to use it.  And you probably have been using it without realizing it! Becky has some tools you’ll want to check out.

1. Get fresh with new openers and energizers that are mental like toothpick/ matchstick puzzles/word puzzles https://bit.ly/BPGMatchstick
2. Use QR-Codes for surveys, quizzes and games. It is free and easy:

https://www.qr-code-generator.com/

1. Turn icebreakers into openers or energizers. https://icebreakerideas.com/
2. Take back time – create and use to do lists on paper or virtual www.todoist.com
3. Eliminate distractions when designing www.focusme.com
4. Track time spent on designing and developing www.toggl.com, https://app.clockify.me/en/login
5. Make pre-test and post-test fun through gamification www.C3Softworks.com
6. Comix are fun and different www.makebeliefcomix.com
7. Make yourself an avatar for microlearning segments or welcome slides

https://avatarmaker.com/

1. Record, download and send a quick audio lesson or greeting https://vocaroo.com/
2. Generate word clouds as visuals or to show data https://www.wordclouds.com/
3. Everyone loves dice! Create activities and go digital www.diceroller.com or google dice roller, want lots of dice? https://www.calculator.net/dice-roller.html or http://letterdice.iphonemarks.com/ among the many that are out there
4. Virtual brainstorming www.mentimeter.com, www.slido.com
5. Digital engagement, content teaching and assessments www.C3Softworks.com
6. Use more technology like this cool wordle app

https://mywordle.strivemath.com/?word=pfrlymju

1. Need even more places to create puzzles?

https://www.proprofsgames.com/create-game/

30% of workforces will remain remote for the next year. So what about the 70% that has to go back? A lot of workers do not want to return to office. Becky talks about navigating this new normal from both the manager and the employee perspective.

You’re amazing because you listen to this podcast! That’s us, recognizing what you do. Employees crave recognition that is not biased.  One in five have never been recognized for the good they do. So how do you spot the good and recognize it, particularly when not everyone wants it the same way?

Taking a break will keep your learners refreshed and focused. Becky has some suggestions on games you can play that don’t require much preparation.

You don’t need a specialty app to engage your learners.  They probably have what you need right on their phones.  Becky has some great ideas that not only teach, but also give them a needed break!

How do you get the entire room to participate in learning? Opportunities to participate help. So does praising people when they ask questions. But Becky says the real answer is chemical based.

Blended learning is a tool you should have in your tool belt for either in person or online.  Becky walks us through seven methods — including making it all a competition!

We're revisiting some of Becky's most listened to podcasts
Is stuff piling up on you? Too many things to read, too many things to do, too many emails in your inbox? You’re not alone. Becky talks about how she uses OHIO (Only Handle It Once) and other techniques to get rid of the clutter in her life.

This week we revisit one of our most popular podcasts.

Becky has learned important lessons from running marathons that apply to teaching classes. It has to do with running a marathon in new shoes.  What does that have to do with teaching a class?  You’ll have to listen to find out.

The mark of a good presentation is that people will remember it.  So it makes sense that you should know how memory works. Becky talks about the different types of memory and how you can remember something for life.

With so much to do every day, people sometimes forget they need time to relax.  Without relaxing, stress can take a toll on you.  Becky has a no-stress quiz you can take to find out if you’re too stressed.

You’ve got your presentation down.  US audiences love it. But will it fly in Amsterdam?  Will you be awake when you get to Amsterdam? Those are some of the issues Becky faces as a world traveler and speaker. Today she shares some planning and traveling tips.

You’re doing the talking, but are you paying attention to the body language from your audience?  Some of it is easy to read. But what about raised eyebrows, tight lips and smiley foreheads?

Want to avoid things going wrong during your next training session?  Checklists are your friend. Becky shares her presentation checklist with us, including that very important instruction — take a deep breath.

Props are one of the easiest things to add to a presentation, but most people don’t think about it. Becky is not most people. So she has some great suggestions on what to bring (squishy balls for fidgeters) and what to avoid (chocolate during the summer.)

One of the biggest challenges presenters have is making a good PowerPoint to support their presentation. Becky has seven rules you should remember — including when to use a blank screen.

How do you stand out in a crowd?  Get certified!  Becky talks about the reasons to get certified and how you go about it.

You’re a trainer, but do you also think of yourself as a speaker?  How about a facilitator, author or coach?  These are all hats you need to wear occasionally to be successful in your profession. Becky has some ways to get started.

We’ve all heard about The Great Resignation. The Bob Pike Group has an incredible record of retaining talented trainers even through the pandemic. Becky talks about three things you can do to make your workplace somewhere people want to be.

Your trainees have different ways to learn. Becky says there are ways to make your training appeal to multiple styles at the same time, so no group is left behind.

You can learn from Becky’s mistakes. She talks about one of the worst training sessions that she did, what she learned from it, and four things you can do to prevent it from happening to you.

Technology is out there to help improve your training. But you need to use it correctly. Becky has five tips to help you maximize your learners’ performance.

Talking about how much you should get paid is often a taboo subject.  But compensation is the number 2 factor for satisfaction with a job.  What should trainers get paid? Becky has statistics to help guide your discussions and decisions about pay.

When it comes to budgets, if you don’t ask you don’t get. Becky has some tips on how to get the budget you need to do training and development.

Whether you’re in person or online you need to get people to come to your session.  So how do you stand out?  Beck says the key is how you write your class description and objectives. She has four ideas to invite people to learn.

The Bob Pike Group is the industry-leading firm to train your trainers and design your training programs.  Visit at www.bobpikegroup.com

This week we revisit one of Becky's most popular podcasts.

Can you rattle off the names of everyone you had in your last class like you’ve known them for your entire life?  Probably not.  Becky will be the first to admit she doesn’t have the talent for remembering names like her dad Bob Pike can. But she says there are ways to make up for not having that natural talent. 

Do you like to include everyone, even when you don’t know much about them?  If so, you’re probably an includer. Becky has some specific ways you can use this strength in training.

Becky’s strengths are:
Achiever
Communicator
Activator
Woo
Relator

What are yours?

If you’re impatient for action, you make be an activator—just like Becky.  If you get bogged down on getting things going, you could benefit from hearing how an activator overcomes procrastination.

Becky’s strengths are:
Achiever
Communicator
Activator
Woo
Relator

What are yours?

Do you like to check things off a to-do list?  If so, you may be an achiever, just like Becky. So how do you use this strength? Becky has some things you should remember, including taking time to celebrate!

Becky’s strengths are:
Achiever
Communicator
Activator
Woo
Relator

What are yours?

Communication is key no matter your job.  Most people could do better on this. Communication is more than standing up and speaking in public.  It’s listening and taking your audience captive. You can bring dry, boring content to life if you have this. Becky has some tips on how to use your strength as a communicator.

Becky’s strengths are:
Achiever
Communicator
Activator
Woo
Relator

What are yours?

Do you feel exhausted after you present? It may be that you’re not putting your health first—and it can make your work suffer. Becky has some tips on cues, routines and rewards that will help you in the long term.

You can make your content memorable if you reinforce it. Becky says it’s even more memorable if it is fun.  She has some suggestions you may have not considered before. Listen and you’ll hear how learning can become poetry.

Building trust and a positive connection is crucial to having a good classroom session. Becky has some tips on how to cultivate kindness in your next presentation.

Expectations and ground rules are important to managing your classroom. Becky has some thoughts on that, and how to recover from a challenging conversation.

Getting back to school sometimes means working with other teachers. What makes a great collaboration?  Becky has four ways you can improve your co-facilitation.

When you do back-to-school shopping, you have a list. Likewise, there’s a list for teachers and trainers. But instead of supplies, it’s a list of things to we might do when we’re training. Becky has eight things that should be on your back-to-school list.

This week we revisit one of our most popular podcasts of this year.

Becky has learned important lessons from running marathons that apply to teaching classes. It has to do with running a marathon in new shoes.  What does that have to do with teaching a class?  You’ll have to listen to find out.

Sandra Masters is a virtual event producer for the Bob Pike Group. Like the Wizard of Oz, she’s the person behind the curtain making all the magic happen. This week she explains why producers are crucial and the best way to have producers help.

Last week, Sara Davis of the Bob Pike Group talked about how to keep your presentation on time by avoiding six things.  This week she has the flip side — six things you should do.

Sara Davis of the Bob Pike Group fills in for Becky this week.  You probably never find yourself talking faster and faster to fit in your entire presentation because you have amazing time management.  But perhaps a friend could use Sara’s advice on how to keep things moving, entertaining, but also on time.

Janis Brown of the Bob Pike Groups fills in for Becky this week. Janis says you need to know and understand your audience so they pay attention and understand you.  Engineer curiosity!

People pay attention to charismatic people.  So how do you become one?  Becky has five steps for you, starting with your own confidence.  You can’t sell what you haven’t bought!

Send your thoughts to Becky at: bpluth@bobpikegroup.com

People are obviously motivated when their job or money is on the line.  But if that’s not the case, motivation becomes a little harder.  Becky has several ideas for solutions… including collecting stamps!

If you do enough webinars, you will eventually run into a difficult virtual learner.  Becky has some ideas on how you can deal with challenging behaviors.

Is your presentation compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)? Captions, colors and contrast all play a part in making your presentation accessible to all. Becky talks how you can make it part of the design instead of an afterthought.

Questions can provide zip to your presentation… if you do them the right way. Becky talks about “death by matching” and other unfair questions you’ll want to avoid. You can also take the Bob Pike Group’s three-hour crash course on assessment questions

Becky has written 10 books. How does she figure out when to write a new one?  Listen, take notes and you, too, can write a happy ending to your book dreams.

Facilitating can be very powerful. You can create a very motivating… or demotivating experience depending upon how you do it.  Becky walks us through the four main purposes of facilitating and how you can keep things moving.

Everyone likes being asked their opinion. Becky says you can use that to your advantage when doing presentations. She has 10 ways you can use polls—including making numbers fun.

The Bob Pike Group did a survey to uncover the worst mistakes people make in doing training. Laugh and cry as Becky talks about the things you should not try.

You know what a TED talk is.  Now listen and learn to do a TED-Ex. Becky has a selection of styles for you to select.

Tools, images, props, and consulting tips to make your life a little easier. Not only a podcast, but links!

A few of my favorite things

• www.umu.com This is a dynamic tool for microlearning as well as some tools for live online teaching. (Three-month subscription)
• www.c3softworks.com a gamification tool that students and adults alike love. (Three-Month Cloud-Based Subscription)
• www.simpleshow.com allows you to create vignettes quickly and turns content into “drawings” a bit like doodle. (Three-Month Cloud-Based Subscription)
• https://www.soapboxify.com/ Soapbox allows you to generate an entire lesson plan for face-to-face or virtual training. It includes activities (complete with step-by-step instructions)  connected to your learning objectives in less than 10 minutes. (Three-Month Cloud-Based Subscription)

Fee and Free Images

www.pixabay.com

www.canva.com

www.bigstockphoto.com

www.istockphoto.com

www.venngage.com

www.postermywall.com

Tools/Props

www.trainerswarehouse.com

www.orientaltrading.com

www.dollartree.com

www.hobbylobby.com

www.currentcatalog.com

Are you ready for Becky’s pop quiz? It has nothing and yet everything to do with doing memorable presentations. She has four tips plus a bonus.

Being on camera is intense work!  Why make your learners work so hard in a Zoom session? Get rid of the eye glaze. Becky has some tips to avoid the burnout from overusing virtual platforms.

You’re heading back into the office—what are your styles? Not just your clothes style (although that’s important), but how about your teaching style?  Becky dresses you up with a versatile wardrobe of ideas.

Becky has a Disney themed podcast for you. Come on and take a ride. It’s a whole new world of face-to-face training!

This week we're revisiting one of Becky's most popular podcasts.

Got something to sell? A product? A class? Yourself? Whatever it is, Becky says to be effective you need make your pitch in just one page. She has some tips on what to include and leave out.

This week we're revisiting one of Becky's most popular podcasts.

Ken Blanchard’s “One Minute Manager” is a legendary book for helping people become better managers. Ken has shared with Becky four important tips to creating learning champions within your own company.

If you’ve been doing the same thing in your presentations for the last 30 years, this is the podcast for you. Becky has a list of things you can do differently. Your job is to pick just one and try it out.

You can learn from Disney.  We’re not talking about cute characters, merchandising, and theme parks. We’re talking about emotion, attitude, and attention to details.  Becky tells us how you can use them all to make your next presentation magic.

Do you have an “elevator introduction” — five to ten words that say who you are?  You never know when you might need them.  Becky tells us how she parlayed an eight-word phrase into meeting NBA star Dennis Rodman.

Do you dream of doing a training video that goes viral? Sorry to shatter your dreams, but that’s not going to happen. What you can do is create videos that get the job done. If you follow Becky’s tips, you’ll get your message across, be clear — and maybe, maybe, have a chance of going viral.

Co-facilitating a session is a like a dance. Both partners need to coordinate and pay attention to what the other is doing. Becky has some advice on how you can be the best Batman to your partner’s Robin (or vice versa).

Becky has done hundreds of podcasts. She’s learned a few things while doing them. She invites you to do some R & D with her — ripoff and duplicate!