Advancing the Art and Science of Professional Speaking

How Speakers Deliver Return on AttendanceBy Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP

What Is Return on Attendance (ROA)?

1. The measurable benefits gained by partici-pants in a meeting due to their applicationof the meeting’s content

2. The measurable value realized by a meetingsponsor from the total meeting experience

3. The measurable value realized by a meetingplanner from the total meeting execution

4. The measurable business result the organization, business or association receives from funding a meeting

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This white paper has several objectives. It will:

• Create an understanding of how professional speakers contribute to the ROA of a meeting

• Explore ways professional speakers can craft a competitive advantage by focusing on ROA

• Fill professional speakers’ toolkits with ideas and strategies that will produce a higher ROA from their programs

This white paper will be helpful for:

• Professional speakers • Aspiring speakers

• Trainers • Meeting planners

• Consultants • Meeting funders

In this white paper, the terms meeting, learning event and training are used interchangeably. They referto a gathering (either face-to-face or virtual) with the intent of exchanging information, knowledge andskills, or boosting morale.

Professional speakers are presenters who make their living by sharing their expertise through the spoken word, which can delivered live or electronically. Professional speakers include keynoters, breakout session leaders, content presenters, humorists, consultants, trainers and message-deliveringentertainers. The concepts presented in this white paper apply to all professional speakers, but not all techniques are appropriate for every speaker’s practice or presentation.

Before reading further, write down your answers to the following two questions. Committing yourthoughts to paper is a way to ensure ROA; or in this case, ROR: Return on Reading.

What do I need to learn from reading this white paper?_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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What do I want to learn from reading this white paper?_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Preface

Section Page

1. Why Should Professional Speakers Care About ROA? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

2. Who Are the ROA Players? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

3. How Are ROA Efforts Different From Program Evaluation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

4. What Does This Mean for Professional Speakers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

5. What Are ROA Best Practices Before a Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

6. What Are ROA Best Practices During a Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

7. What Are ROA Best Practices After a Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

8. What Should I Do Next? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

9. Why Is this Important? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

10. Where Can I Learn More? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

11. Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

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Table of Contents

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1. Why Should Professional Speakers Care About ROA?

All meetings are based on a budget. Some budgets are small and simple. Others are large and complex.In either case, all of the partners in the meeting have a different understanding of the budget and theirrelationship with this important document:

• The meeting attendee probably doesn’t give it a moment’s thought.

• The meeting planner lives or dies by it.

• A speaker knows his or her fees, expenses and materials are lumped into one or more of the line items.

• The meeting funder is concerned about ROI based on the budget’s bottom line.

It can be harmful for professional speakers to scrutinize line items for cost savings or ROI calculationswithout doing the homework. Sooner or later, the meeting funder will look at the line item forspeaker’s fees with these questions in mind:

• Can we find someone else who will do the same thing for less?

• Do we have someone in-house who can cover this subject for free?

• Can a vendor fill this slot in exchange for marketing?

• Would our people prefer an after-dinner DJ instead of sitting through another speech?

The only way professional speakers can counter the easy answers to these questions is to prove thelong-lasting, measurable impact of their presentations. It is difficult, but not impossible, to do—as longas speakers have built ROA into their business models and appropriate ROA techniques into theirpresentations. If professional speakers collectively cannot build a case that their presentations provide agreater long-lasting impact, then a subject matter expert, vendor or DJ becomes a cheaper and morereasonable alternative. To get credit for ROA efforts, speakers must effectively explain their strategiesduring the sales process, partner with their clients to implement those strategies, and carry them outconfidently with a practiced skill set.

Are your eyes starting to glaze over because this paper sounds training related to you? If you foolyourself into thinking that you’re off the hook as a humorist, large-audience motivator or musicalmessage deliverer, think again!

How would you answer this question posed by Fred Harburg about your presentation? “What capabilityhas been built and in what tangible ways has the organization benefited from the learninginvestment?” Learning happens because of information transferred, knowledge shared, and the eventexperienced. Regardless of what a speaker’s delivery method, we’re all considered part of a learningevent when we’re hired..

If you can make people feel good about themselves, inspire them to look at life in a positive way, orhelp them experience the healing power of laughter for 45 minutes, you have a powerful gift. You canmagnify that impact by keeping the magic of your presentation alive long after you have boarded theplane for home.

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Speakers have the ability to partner with the people who hire them to help ensure the impact of theirmessages in the participant’s real world. This is critical to a speaker’s success. Brian Klapper summed itup in a recent article titled The CLO’s Role in Business Transformation.

“Regardless of the type of training programs, it is important that the participants:

• Feel a sense of urgency and responsibility

• Realize that the danger of clinging to old behavior patterns is more dangerous than embracing newbehaviors

• Recognize that the outcome of the transformation will make the organization not only more com-petitive, but a more satisfying place to work.”

The same success qualifications apply to training programs or speeches, live or via webcam. No matterwhat a speaker’s main messages are, the participants must go through a defined cycle to maximize thevalue of those messages and turn them into high-performance actions. If adults don’t experience everystep of the learning cycle (preparing, acquiring, analyzing, interpreting, sharing and using), obtainingcontent in a session or having an enjoyable experience with a message, no matter how deftly delivered,runs the risk of little long-term impact.

Speakers must support a participant’s efforts to complete the learning cycle. The chart shown in FIGURE 1 on page 7 will help you evaluate how well you are embedding ROA in your business services for your clients and supporting your participants’ ROA within the structure of your currentpresentations. The subsequent sections of this paper contain best practices to support anyenhancements you might be inspired to make.

Before reading further, answer these questions in writing.

Based on what I’ve read so far, how important is it for me to know and understand this information?

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Based on what I’ve read so far, how important could this information be for the effectiveness of my presentations?

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Readiness to LearnAdults who understand whatthey’re about to learn and whythey need to learn it are usuallymore receptive as they considernew information. This step is usually done pre-session.

Acquiring InformationNew information must be pre-sented in a meaningful and con-vincing way for adults to accept.This step is predominately doneduring your session.

Information AnalyzedAdults will always filter what aspeaker says through their ownlife experience before acceptingor rejecting it. This step is usuallydone during your session, whetheryou’re aware of it or not. Whynot figure out a way to guideyour participants through it?

Information InterpretedHow does this apply to me? This question needs to be considered by each participant.This step is usually done best during your session.

Information SharedThe best way for adults to learnsomething well is for them toteach or share it with someoneelse. This step is usually doneafter your session.

Information Acted OnNodding “yes” to a suggestion during a session doesn’t meanthat it will be acted on in the participant’s real world. The ac-tual test for this step will occurafter your session is over. Howcan you help make that happen?

FIGURE 1: Evaluating My Presentation According to the Learning Cycle

Before My Presentation

How? and Who?

During My Presentation

How? and Who?

After My Presentation

How? and Who?

How do I support the learning cycle…

Stages of Learning

Have I consideredthis stage?Yes/No

Meeting Conveners

• Decide a meeting or learningevent needs to happen

• Establish outcomes for the meeting

• Develop a meeting theme basedon the desired outcomes

• Establish/approve the meetingbudget

• Assign responsibilities for meet-ing development and evaluation

• Determine who should attend themeeting

• Evaluate and provide feedback onmeeting effectiveness

Why are we having this meeting?

What value did the organization get from this meeting?

2. Who Are the ROA Players?

Every meeting has a purpose—something has to happen because the session occurred. People gather, learn,discuss, strategize, laugh, commune, argue and/or debate to reach a conclusion, solve a problem, or createa personal or collective plan of action. Unfortunately, too many meetings never reach these goals.

Multiple players have vested interests in a meeting’s success. Some may or may not actually attend thesession. Some may or may not participate even if they attend the meeting. And some may or may notbelieve they have responsibilities for the meeting’s outcomes at all. Research by Robert O. Brinkerhoff,Professor Emeritus, Western Michigan University, reveals that the results from a typical learning eventare pretty dismal. Evaluations after learning events of all types show:

• 15% of participants did not try to apply the information, knowledge and experience they gained at all.

• 70% tried to apply things a bit, had trouble, and then went back to their old patterns of behavior.

• The remaining 15% used the information, knowledge and experience to obtain valuable concrete results.

Are you ready for more depressing statistics? Additional research by Dr. Brinkerhoff revealed that speakersas content deliverers impact only 20% of the learning equation, no matter how well they present, howcutting edge their material, or how dynamic their presentation style. The first 40% of learning successhappens before the session even begins: The right people are attending the right meeting for the rightreasons. The final 40% of outcome success happens when participants return to their real world. Didanyone support their efforts, hold them accountable, or coach them into new behavior? If there ever wasa case for partnering with the people who hire professional speakers, this is it.

FIGURE 2 identifies the players behind any meeting where speakers might be asked to present. In manycases, the same person may have several roles, especially with smaller meetings. The following list isnot meant to be exhaustive, but is provided to spark your thinking about everything that must happenfor a truly productive meeting event.

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Meeting Planner

• Make all or some logisticalarrangements

• Manage on-site logistics

• Request, determine and/or getapproval for the meeting budget

• Manage the meeting budget

• Match set-up, facility choice andmeeting venue to desired outcomes

• Create activities and events thatsupport the meeting theme

• Establish timing protocols

• Coach content providers on established meeting outcomes

• Connect content deliverers withmeeting conveners when possible

How are we doing this meeting?

How did the meeting go?

FIGURE 2

Meeting Players and their Primary Roles

Desired BehaviorsBeginning Evaluation Steps & Questions

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Attendee’s Manager/Supervisor

• Establish need for meeting attendee’s participation

• Before the session, discuss andestablish goals for session partici-pation with attendee

• Review the meeting agenda withattendee to focus choices for par-ticipation

• Confirm the appropriateness ofthe learning goal for the session

• After the meeting, review the attendee’s action plan based onthe session

• Coach attendees as they work onnew behavior

• Provide feedback for integratingthe new learning into the at-tendee’s job

What do you intend to get out ofthis meeting?

What did you get out of this meeting?

Are you clear about my expecta-tions for your actions based on thismeeting?

Meeting Attendees

• Ask why they need to attend this meeting

• Request permission to attendmeeting or conference

• Receive a meeting invitation

• Request and study meetingagenda so they are prepared toparticipate

• Review conference materials tojudge applicability of content totheir current situation and pres-ent a compelling case for partici-pation to their manager

• Establish a learning goal for the session

• Complete assigned pre-work

• At larger meetings, study the offer-ings to select appropriate sessions

• Attend and fully participate in the session

• Create, share and execute an action plan based on what theygot out of this meeting

Why am I going to this meeting?

What did I get out of this meeting?

Meeting Players and their Primary Roles

Desired BehaviorsBeginning Evaluation Steps & Questions

FIGURE 2 (continued)

Meeting Emcee

• Keep the meeting flowing and on time

• Tie the meeting theme to varioussessions and activities

• Deliver housekeeping informationsuccinctly in an engaging manner

• Encourage networking

• Handle in-the-moment eventsand/or emergencies

• Manage timing protocols

Are we on schedule?

Are attendees comfortable, connected and learning?

Content Provider (including Professional Speakers)

• Prepare and present appropriatematerial that meet the meetingattendees’ needs

• Ensure the content supports the meeting convener’s desiredoutcomes

• Write accurate program descrip-tions that allow participants tomake informed decisions

• Develop and deliver meaningfulcontent to the audience

• Create innovative ways to makethe main messages stick with theattendees

• Partner with the other meetingplayers to help them support theinformation, knowledge, and

experience that participants obtained during the session

• Incorporate best practices forlearning implementation into the presentation

• Share best practices that can beused before and after the presen-tation for outcome success

Am I clear about my client's desiredoutcomes for this session?

Did I deliver what I promised?

Before reading further, answer this question in writing.Based on what I’ve read so far, what previous lessons learned and ideas have these concepts triggered?_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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3. How Are ROA Efforts Different From Program Evaluations?

Every professional speaker has a version of a program evaluation form or uses the evaluation providedby the meeting planner. Usually, these so-called “smile sheets” only measure a participant’s immediatereaction to the experience. They provide little credible ROA information.

In their article, How Executives View Learning Metrics, Jack J. Phillips and Patricia P. Phillips report,“While 96% of CEOs want training leaders to tie their efforts to meaningful business results, only 7%comply.” Or, as Josh Bersin wrote in the July 2010 issue of Chief Learning Officer magazine, “When we look at what people measure, we find that almost 70% of the measurements being captured arerelated to satisfaction. Only 3% of the respondents said that their companies try to measure some form of business impact or ROI. This number hasn’t changed in the past four years.”

How about you? Can you prove that your program has a positive effect on your client’s businessresults? It appears that professional speakers are in this non-measurement boat together. It is notsurprising because real ROA measurement is complicated, lengthy and expensive—descriptions thatturn off all but the truly dedicated.

Based on Don Kirkpatrick’s ground-breaking work, James and Wendy Kirkpatrick have developed “The New World Kirkpatrick Four Levels of Evaluation” shown in FIGURE 3. This model is coin-of-the-realm in learning circles.

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FIGURE 3

Level Based On Potential Measures

1. Reaction The degree participants react favorably to the learning event

• Engagement• Relevance• Customer satisfaction

2. Learning The degree participants acquirethe intended knowledge, skills andattitudes based on their participa-tion in the learning event

• Knowledge• Skills• Attitude• Confidence• Commitment

3. Behavior The degree participants applywhat they learned during trainingwhen they are back on the job

• Monitor• Reinforce• Encourage• Reward

4. Results The degree targeted outcomesoccur as a result of the learningevent and subsequent reinforcement

• Leading indicators• Desired outcomes

Getting to Level 4 is a complex process that requires time, resources and commitment. It is highlyunlikely that clients will be thinking of that level of evaluation for what they consider a one-time event,but listen to what their executives are learning about organizational learning from sources like theBersin & Associates Study: High-Impact Learning Cultures: 40 Best Practices for an EmpoweredEnterprise. “The companies that scored in the top 10 percent in learning culture had 37 percent

greater productivity, were 44 percent more likely to be innovators in their markets, were 32 percentmore likely to come to market before their competition, and were 17 percent more likely to be themarket share leaders in their industry.”

Full-blown ROA analysis may be beyond the reach of most learning events, but that does not excuseignoring its significance for the future of the participants, the planner and the content presenter.Incorporating proven ROA techniques before, during and after learning events will increase thelikelihood that the meeting’s outcomes will be reached and the learning is implemented. As BillSherman reports in Managing the Motivation Equation, “Recent studies have been able to raiseperformance behaviors fivefold—from 10 percent to more than 50 percent—by guiding learners through a specially designed exercises that established concrete implementation intentions.”

Before reading further, answer these questions in writing.

Based on what I’ve read so far, at what level am I currently evaluating my presentations?

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Based on what I’ve read so far, how could I deepen the level at which I measure the impact of mypresentation?

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4. What Does This Mean for Professional Speakers?

Professional speakers want to provide a meaningful service—rich, entertaining content packaged in aunique and significant way. And they need the means to prove that they are doing just that, even whenthey only own a relatively small piece of the ROA puzzle.

Consider the following five questions about your programs and then develop your own measurementsfor each one. Over time, you will have the ability and credibility to talk seriously about the ROA value ofyour presentations in your own unique marketplace.

1. What should participants know how to do by the end of the program?

2. Will participants be motivated to do this new thing by the end of the program?

3. Have I provided the information and/or tools so that the participants will be able to do this newthing by the end of the program?

4. How will I know that my answers to the first three questions are honest?

5. How will my clients know that my answers to the first three questions are honest?

Before reading further, answer this question in writing.

Based on what I’ve read so far, how could I meet with another speaker or a group of speakers to shareand discuss the concepts of ROA?

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Techniques from the Trenches

The next three sections list ROA techniques for dealing with conflict and team issues before, during and after meetings. They were developed by NSA members, who have earned the Certified SpeakingProfessionals (CSP) credential, the highest designation of NSA and the Global Speakers Federation. Only 663 speakers worldwide have achieved this designation.

The following CSPs contributed their words of wisdom to the “tips” listed on pages 14 through 16:

CSP Email address Website

Kristin Arnold, CSP, MBA, CPF, CMC Kristin@KristinArnold.com www.KristinArnold.com

Alan Black, PhD, CSP Alan@cr8ng.com www. cr8ng.com

Terry Brock, MBA, CSP, CPAE Terry@TerryBrock.com www.TerryBrock.com

Jolene Brown, CSP Jolene@JoleneBrown.com www.JoleneBrown.com

Kathy B. Dempsey, CSP Kathy@KeepShedding.com www.KeepShedding.com

Mike Domitrz, CSP MikeD@DateSafeProject.org www. DateSafeProject.org

Steve Epner, CSP Steve@bswllc.com www.bswllc.com

Cher Holton, CSP, CMC Cher@HoltonConsulting.com www.HoltonConsulting.com

Elizabeth Jeffries, CSP, CPAE Elizabeth@TweedJeffries.com www.TweedJeffries.com

Marion Madonia, CSP Marion@MarionMadonia.com www.MarionMadonia.com

Lynda McDermott, CSP LMcDermott@EquiProInt.com www.EquiProInt.com

Peggy Morrow, CSP Peggy@PeggyMorrow.com www.PeggyMorrow.com

Anne Sadovsky, CSP Anne@AnneSadovsky.com www.AnneSadovsky.com

LeAnn Thieman, CSP, CPAE LeAnn@LeannThieman.com www. LeannThieman.com

Joyce Weiss, MA, CSP Joyce@JoyceWeiss.com www.JoyceWeiss.com

5. What Are ROA Best Practices Before a Program?

“Don't bother to get on the plane to come to training without meeting with your manager first.”

“Learners remembered four times as much from training sessions that were perceived as highly relevant to their jobs than they did from sessions that were seen as low in relevance.”

“I create a customized targeted development action plan, which goes to the managers of theattendees. It describes the program and goals, and asks that they meet with their folks who will beattending (one-on-one), and together create specific targeted issues the employee(s) will be focusingon in the course. Both employee and manager sign it, and the employee brings it withhim/her to the program.”

“I learned to use pre- and post-tests to demonstrate apparent learnings.”

“Where are they now? What are their goals for the program, whether speech, workshop, trainingprogram or university course?”

“Create a password-protected website for the meeting that contains materials relevant to mypresentation, as well as some Skype video interviews with organization leaders about the importance of the meeting.”

“I have a one-page branded document, How to Engage Attendees Before, During, and After the Event,that is filled with ideas. Some involve me and others are for the planners, attendees and attendees’managers to do.”

“Use social media channels to give participants things to think about before your meeting.” NOTE:Social media has not yet proven its own ROA, except anecdotally. Leaning too heavily on its cool factorcan create an ‘us/them’ friction between generations or between ‘have/have not’ technology users.”

“Encourage your presenters to use the Twitter hashtag that you created and promoted to build interestin the session and the meeting.”

“Pre-meeting teleseminars and webinars can help participants focus their learning needs and goalsbefore your program.”

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6. What Are ROA Best Practices During a Program?“We discuss the attendees’ goals and keep track during each session.”

“In the course, employees create action plans related to their targeted goals.”

“I’ve used a simple postcard with my key message as a giveaway to participants at keynotes. Clients tellme that they see my postcards tacked up around the offices and hear people repeating the phrase toeach other, thus driving home the message.”

“As attendees enter the auditorium, we hand each person a blue customized Post-it Note™. They aregiven specific instructions on who to hand the Post-its to after the session, thereby putting the lessonsinto action.”

“I often present seminars for a client’s key customers on the topic of family business leadership,management and succession planning. During the seminar, I make sure the client's account managersattend, sit in the audience and participate.”

“At the end of my programs, I take about three minutes before my final wrap-up and ask the audienceto stop and take a deep breath. Then, I ask them to think through what we have just covered (whetherin a 45-minute keynote—which I do very rarely—or in a full day of training—which I do more often).My handout contains a place to write out the one thing they will take action on as soon as they returnto the office. I give them time to flip through their notes to find something they want to focus on.Then, I ask them to identify the first four tasks that have to be done to make progress. Each one shouldnot take more than one week to accomplish (we have talked about defining deliverable results, pickingchampions, and setting target dates). Next, they are asked to consider the resources they will need(money, people, equipment). Finally, they identify potential roadblocks so they can eliminate themquickly before they become a problem. In many groups, I ask everyone to take out a business card. I emphasize that it is not for me.

They write a couple of words on the card that will remind them of the first task they have to do. Then, I tell them trade cards with another person in the room and promise to call each other in one week to embarrass each other into getting the first task done. It gets lots of laughs, raises the energy level,and when I do my close, everyone is hyped up.”

“Make follow-up calls after one week, one month, one quarter, and then sporadically over the next yearor longer to find out what they are using and if they still feel that the training, workshop, keynote oreven an entire university course has been beneficial to them.”

“Keep asking participants what they believe they are learning and find valuable.”

“I capture brief video clips of participants talking about their key learnings, and then post them on themeeting website I created, or provide the files for the meeting planners to use.”

“Set the room with round tables to encourage participation and networking.”

“Stop your presentation periodically and ask participants to discuss their response to a question with apartner. A simple question to use is, ‘How could you use this concept in your real world?’”

“Create and announce a Twitter hashtag for your meeting so participants can share their real-time experiences.”

“Instead of asking if there any questions, ask the audience what specific questions they have regardingthe approach, concept, process or behavior that you just suggested. You also could ask if they havedoubts about what you have said that would keep them from implementing this new approach.”

“Adults don’t truly learn until they actually do the thing they’re learning. Look for ways to build timefor practice into your presentation, even if it’s very short.”

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7. What Are ROA Best Practices After a Program?“I interview key people after the project to discuss changes in their behavior when it comes to conflictand team issues.”

“After the program, employees are expected to schedule a follow-up meeting with their manager to shareactions, discuss how the manager can support the actions, and set up ways to follow up on results.”

“I offer coaching after the program to ensure that attendees will be accountable for their actions.”

“After each program, speech, coaching session, retreat, etc., I explain personal accountability and itsimportance to success, how to work with an accountability partner, why it's tough, etc. I ask eachperson to choose a partner right on the spot, share an action step from their learning with eachother, and make a 30-day commitment to follow up with their partner. I explain best ways to do this(personal contact, email, phone) and how to measure.”

“If I go back for more work with the group, we discuss the outcomes. If it's a one-time deal, I get avolunteer internal person to help keep this going. I personally follow up with the internal person, theowner of the group (CEO, etc.), or one of the participants.”

“I have had great response to an email campaign that follows up after one month and three months.The emails contain more tips on what they learned heard at the seminar. The HR/meeting planner canforward the email to the attendees with his/her own comments.”

”To guarantee ROA, I offer to write a short article for the client that summarizes my message and canbe emailed to attendees or published in their newsletter. This article reconnects me with the attendees,reinforces my message, and gives me an opportunity to praise and credit the boss for bringing me infor them. Win/win/win.”

“I offer one conference call to discuss the attendees’ progress and what else can be done to ensureprogress. That call must take place within 90 days of the training.”

”For projects that are designed for a team or intact work group, I create a three-month plan for themanager with calendar dates and a specific number of actions for following up and reinforcing theproject goals with employees. It helps the manager continue the program’s momentum. I alsoschedule follow-up sessions and webinar/teleconference updates with the group.”

“I was able to get them to identify how enabling behaviors had changed after three months and thenagain after six months, and share their perceptions on how those changes had impacted theindividual's or team's performance.”

“After the seminar, I meet with the account managers and offer specific guidance on what to do intheir follow-up accountability calls with each of their customers. They become the face-to-face coachwho is continually available, cares and has local solutions. I continue to support the account managersand, through them, their customers. Relationships continue the results.”

“I provide the client with 52 email messages to send once a week to all of the participants. I also givethem exercises they can use in staff meetings or at other times when everyone is together.”

”Send emails, make phone calls, tweet and post blogs and surveys asking: What did you find valuable?What are you using now? How did you benefit from the program? What changes would make theprogram even more valuable?”

“Capture video comments from participants and create additional content from your presentation.Then, add it all to the meeting website that you created for the event.”

“Teleseminars and webinars can help participants and teams focus their actions to implement whatthey’ve learned.”

8. What Should I Do Next?Complete this ROA Action Plan in writing and share it with someone. You can use this form or createyour own. The form isn’t important, but doing it in writing with accountability is!

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ROA ACTION PLAN

Based on what I’ve read, this is the most meaningful insight for my work: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is what I’m going to do to increase the ROA value of my programs:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

This is what I’m going to do to increase ROA before my programs:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

This is what I’m going to do to increase ROA during my programs:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

This is what I’m going to do to increase ROA after my programs:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

This is what I’m going to share with my clients about teaming for ROA:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

This is how I’m going to keep myself accountable for increasing the ROA from my programs:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

This is how I’m going to promote the ROA value of my programs:

What? __________________________________________________________________________________How? ___________________________________________________________________________________When? __________________________________________________________________________________

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9. Why Is This Important?

“Our clients are successful in getting behavior change to happen after workshops when they handle two key elements. First, they are consistent across learning content using aninteractive, layered learning process. Participants are required to perform skill, at higherdegrees of complexity during the entire learning process. Second, these organizations holdmanagers of learners accountable for coaching and giving feedback on the behaviors learnedin the training. Our clients expect to see a return on investment in training. We’ve learnedthat these two acts differentiate those who will get that return and those who won’t.”

—Kelly L. Fairbairn, President, PPS International, Ltd.

No matter what your topic, you ask your audience to consider your information, embrace the skills youshare, or consider your philosophy, and then change themselves in some way. This white paper focuseson that change. Without practical and observable change in the real world of audience participants,professional speakers’ presentations are empty, ephemeral collections of words. Consider this analogyabout yoga:

Yoga teaches many things, including how to breathe and be flexible while staying in the moment.Occasionally, it even offers insights into speaking and learning. At the end of the Yoga for DummiesDVD, the instructor reminds the viewers, “Anything new is always a challenge but, with practice, yogacan be fun and really feel good. Even practicing one pose is beneficial. With yoga, a little is better thannone. Try to bring the feeling of yoga, this nice feeling with you.”

Now apply this message to ROA:

Anything new is always a challenge, but with practice, ROA can be fun and really feel rewarding. Even practicing and using one element is beneficial. With ROA, a little is better than none. Try to bring the feeling of ROA accomplishment, this nice feeling of the significance of your work with you to each of your presentations.

10. Where Can I Learn More?

Start a dialogue with the people who hire you. Ask them what they expect and want from theprofessional speakers they hire to increase the ROA of their meetings. Expand that dialogue with yourprofessional peers and share best practices, wild new ideas, and lessons learned.

To gain insight into C-suite expectations, sign up for a free subscription (electronic, print or both) to Chief Learning Officer Magazine at www.clomedia.com.

Books of Interest

Do not blanch at the word “training” in some of these titles. You will find ROA value in each of them,regardless of your presentation format.

The Accelerated Learning Handbook: A Creative Guide to Designing and Delivering Faster, MoreEffective Training Programs by Dave Meier

The Accelerated Learning Fieldbook: Making the Instructional Process Fast, Flexible, and Funby Lou Russell

Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve, and Inspire Your Audience toAction by Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, CSP

Courageous Training: Bold Action for Business Results by Tim Mooney and Robert O. Brinkerhoff

Creative Training Techniques: Tip, Tactics, and How-To’s for Delivering Effective Trainingby Robert W. Pike

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook; Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organizationby Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, Richard Ross and Bryan Smith

Proving the Value of Meetings and Events: How and Why to Measure ROIby Jack J. Phillips, Monica Myhill and James B. McDonough

Seven Rules for Designing More Innovative Conferences by Ed Bernacki

Training for Impact: How to Link Training to Business Needs and Measure the Resultsby Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson

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11. Author Biography

Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP, is a master of change (from small tosubstantial) and a lover of storytelling (both true and slightlystretched). As principal of Change101, founded in 1984, she hascreated and presented programs to audiences around the world.Her clients, which include Fortune 500 companies and local non-profits, pay her the highest of compliments: They bring her backand recommend her to others.

As an award-winning speaker, trainer and author, she is a devotedstudent of words, both spoken and written. She is the author of and contributor to 14 books. One of them, 78 ImportantQuestions Every Leader Should Ask and Answer, has been sold in 12 countries and translated into 10 languages. Her practical,interactive programs on leadership, teamwork, conflict andfeedback incorporate the training principles she shares in herbook, The Instant Trainer, co-written with Leslie Charles, CSP.

Chris is committed to all participants getting ROA (Return on Attendance) from each one of her programs. She guarantees that attendees will look at their world from a fresh perspective, apply new knowledge and take action. When she was president of NSA in 2000-01, her theme was “Leading the Way to Learning,” an apt precursor to this white paper. Chris can be reached at Chris@Change101.com.