| "The truth isn't the truth until people believe you, and | | | | educators and trainers arenot immune. |
| they can't believe you ifthey don't know what you are | | | | Entertainment engages more of the brain |
| saying, and they can't know what you're saying if | | | | Great entertainments routinely establish one |
| theydon't listen to you, and they won't listen to you if | | | | perspective, and then, once theaudience has fully |
| you're not interesting, and youwon't be interesting | | | | embraced it, reveal that perspective to be false. The |
| unless you say things imaginatively, originally, freshly." | | | | surprises ofcomedy, magic, and drama are all |
| So stated Bill Bernach in Luke Sullivan's 1998 book, Hey | | | | achieved by in this manner. Using theseentertainment |
| Whipple, Squeeze | | | | techniques, learners can explore the multiple |
| This. Bernach was offering advice to advertisers, but | | | | perspectives of anysubject. |
| he might as well havebeen talking to us trainers. If | | | | Seminar leaders already have facts and figures at |
| trainees don't pay attention to you, they can't hearwhat | | | | their disposal for the logical,analytical portions of the |
| you say, and they won't pay attention to you if you're | | | | brain. Entertainment appeals to the emotive portionsof |
| not interesting, and youwon't be interesting unless you | | | | the brain. When both the logical and emotive regions of |
| present your information in an imaginative, originaland | | | | the brain aresimultaneously engaged, more neurons |
| fresh fashion. | | | | fire, more brainpower works, and greaterillumination of |
| Advertisers methodically use entertainment techniques | | | | the subject can be achieved. Rather than a |
| to meet the demands | | | | one-dimensional view ofthe subject, the learners |
| Bernach spells out. From comedic bits, to magical | | | | experience multi-layered insights. |
| illusions, to popular music,commercials entertain as they | | | | Entertainment overpowers negative emotion |
| capture and maintain interest. Advertisers | | | | Negative emotion rarely sleeps: especially in the |
| useentertainment for legitimate reasons. Trainers | | | | learning environment. Learnersuncomfortable in a |
| should too! | | | | classroom, fearful of their own learning disabilities, |
| Novelty attracts attention | | | | orsuspicious of facilitator motives can become so |
| People are stimulated by novelty. Studies demonstrate | | | | wrapped up in emotion that learningis blocked. Given |
| that people seek out newexperiences and behaviors. | | | | that emotion cannot be stopped, smart trainers find |
| Entertainers have known this for years. The | | | | ways toharmonize with and harness that emotional |
| mostsuccessful acts are those who offer something | | | | energy. |
| different from the norm. They havethe greatest | | | | Studies have demonstrated that the right hemisphere |
| chance of being noticed. | | | | tends to process the negativesaspects of emotion |
| Training programs, presentations and other learning | | | | that block learning while the left hemisphere processes |
| events that are perceived asboring and mediocre also | | | | thepositive aspects of emotion that open a trainee up |
| will have difficulty maintaining participant attention. If | | | | to learning. Entertainmentrelaxes the fears the limbic |
| onthe other hand the same program is filled with novel, | | | | system urgently relays to the right hemisphere. In |
| engaging learning connectedstimuli, it will, one the other | | | | effect,entertainment style activities baby-sit the right |
| hand, capture and maintain attention. | | | | hemisphere, keeping it busy withthings it likes; cartoons, |
| People expect to be entertained | | | | music, games, activities, visuals. Once the right |
| We have become a service, rather than an industrial, | | | | hemisphereis playfully engaged, learning can |
| society. The assembly-linestyle orderliness of past | | | | commence without the blocking negative |
| generations has been supplanted by a focus on | | | | emotionbrings forth. |
| individualneeds and emotions. People today expect to | | | | Entertain 'Em |
| be catered to and will spend more topatronize | | | | Entertainment is not a substitute for solid instruction. It is |
| organizations that provide an enjoyable experience. In | | | | only a vehicle forpresenting your message in an |
| response, manyorganizations have entertainmentized | | | | imaginative, original and fresh fashion. Entertain 'emand |
| their products. | | | | you will be more interesting; your learners will listen to |
| The result is a culture where the lines between | | | | you; they will knowwhat you are saying; they will |
| entertainment and non-entertainment are evaporating. | | | | believe you; and what you say will become their truth. |
| Entertainment is becoming the norm. Shakespearewas | | | | If you keep 'em awake, the learning will take. |
| right. The world IS a stage and speakers, presenters, | | | | |