Developing a Lunch and Learn · Developing a Lunch and Learn 9 Focus Group When conducting lunch...

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DevelopingaLunchandLearn

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CONTENTS

Preface 7

1 ThePrepWork 9

2 CreatingtheContent(I) 15

3 CreatingtheContent(II) 21

4 DuringtheSession 29

5 FoodandFacilities 35

6 TakeAwayMaterial 41

7 DifficultSituationsorPeople 47

8 WhataLunchandLearnIsNot 53

9 BestPractices(I) 59

10 BestPractices(II) 65

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PREFACE

The working lunch can develop a negative reputation amongemployees.Itofteninvolvesbeinginaroomfulofotherpeoplewith low blood sugar, trying to stay awake while someonedrones on about policies, procedures, etc. Lunch and learns,however, should be engaging and enjoyable. Hosting a lunchand learncorrectlywill improveemployeesatisfactionand thequalityofemployeetraining.

Global Workplace Skills Library

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Amanmaybeapessimisticdeterministbeforelunchandanoptimisticbelieverinthewill'sfreedomafterit.

AldousHuxley

Developing a Lunch and Learn

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ChapterOne:ThePrepWork

Prepwork is necessary to the success of every endeavor. Thesuccessoflunchandlearnsdependsheavilyontheprepwork.Itis important toplanout thedetailsof thegatherings.Planningrequiresmore thana timeandadate.Youmust find the rightlocation,andseteverythingupaheadoftime.Thiswillpreventsurprisesandensurethateverythingrunssmoothly.

FindingtheBestLocation

Themostimportantprepworknecessaryforlunchandlearnisfindingthebest location.Thiswillbedeterminedbytheneedsof the lunch and learn program you are facilitating. Youmustfind a location that holds all of your participantswhen eatingandprovidesenoughroomforanytrainingexercisesyouneed.A location that is too small will feel cramped anduncomfortable,andalocationthatistoolargewillallowpeopletoisolatethemselves.Youhaveanumberofdifferentvenuestochoose from when finding a location, whether you choose tohostitonsiteofoffsite.

Venues:

• Meetingrooms• Restaurants• Hotelconferencerooms• Publicvenues


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SettinguptheLocationDo not overlook setting up the location. Again, the learningitselfwilldeterminewhatyouneedtosetupaheadoftime.Askyourselfafewquestionstodeterminewhatyouneedtosetup.

Settingup:

• Will you cater the event? How much time does thecatererneed?

• What electronic devices will be used (computer,overhead,etc.)?

• Arethereaccessibleoutlets?• Whatdecoration/bannersareyouusing?• Howwilltrainingmaterialsbedistributed?• Arethereenoughgarbagecans?• Whowillberesponsibleforcleanup?

Once you have answered the questions, you will be able tomake all the necessary preparations and set up the spaceappropriately.


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FocusGroup

When conducting lunch and learns, you should try toaccommodatethedesiresofyouraudience.Conductingafocusgroup is a useful method for determining which subjects youshouldaddress ina lunchand learn.Rememberthatnoteverytopic will work using a lunch and learn format. Still, it isimportant to have an idea of what your audience findsinteresting.

ConductingaFocusGroup:

• Choose8to12questionstohelpdeterminetopics.• Choose employees from different departments; create

abroadsampleofpeoplewhodonotworktogether.• Arrange a comfortable space, and prepare employees

forthetimenecessarytocompletethediscussion.


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PracticeLunch and learns are typically relaxed atmospheres, which iswhy they are effective. Although they are relaxed, it isimportantnottobecomesorelaxedthatyouforgettopracticefortheevent.Lunchandlearnsarenot long.Youneedtotimeeverything. Be sure to time the presentation, including anypresentationmaterials.

WhattoUnderstandaboutthePresentation:

• Content:Donotwingapresentation.Havethecontentoutlinedandwritten.

• Delivery: Determine how you will deliver thepresentation.

Practice any group exercises. This is helps you work out andkinks ahead of time and determine how long is needed tocompletetheexercise.


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PracticalIllustration

Donna was hosting a Lunch and Learn focusing on some newemailprocedures.Shewasveryfamiliarwiththematerial,andshedidnotthinkthatsheneededtopractice.Whenshebeganthe presentation, she realized that the slides were not in theorder that she thought. Donna had the room wait while shechangedtheslidestofittheorderthatshewanted.Bythetimeshefinishedthepresentation, therewasnotmuchtime left toanswer questions. Some people stayed late to clarify theinformation.


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Thecreationofathousandforestsisinoneacorn.

RalphWaldoEmerson


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ChapterTwo:CreatingtheContent(I)

Lunchandlearnsaremorethansocialactivities.Theyareusedto convey important information, which is why you cannotunderestimatetheimportanceofthecontent.Thecontentthatyou use should be focused and relevant. It should also beinformalandinteractivetobetterengageyouraudience.

PickingtheRightTopic

It is imperativethatyouchoosetherighttopic fora lunchandlearn.Remember thatnotevery topic is suitable for lunchandlearns. Complex or formal instruction is not suitable for thesetting. You need to choose a topic that can be covered in ashortperiodof time.Forexample,emailetiquetteoravendorpresentation would be useful in a lunch and learn setting.Introducinganewmethodofproductionwouldprobablynotbeeffectiveforlunchandlearns.Thebestwaythatyoucanchoosethe tight topic is by referring back to the information gleanedfrom your focus groups and determining which ones aresuitableforthesocialsetting.


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HandsonWorksGreat

Lunchtime is not an easy time to hold the attention of youraudience.Theymaybesufferingtheeffectsoflowbloodsugaror food coma,dependingonwhenyou start thepresentation.Expecting people to give all of their attention to someonetalking in a dimly lit room while showing charts is notreasonable. You are responsible for engaging your audience.Thebestwaytoconnectwithyouraudienceistobringhandsonmaterials. Demonstrations are the most common method ofhandsontraining.Onceyoudemonstrateanactivity,youneedtomonitortheperformanceoftheparticipantsandcoachthemtosuccess.Notevery lunchand learncanusedemonstrations,butthereareotherhandsonactivities.

ExamplesofotherHandsonActivities:

• Quizzes• Props• Smallgroupexercises


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StayFocused

Lunchand learnsarebrief,and it is importanttostay focused.Donotgoofftopicduringthepresentation.Thisiswhypracticeis so important to the presentation. Look over your outlinecarefully to make sure that you do not wander off topic.Additionally, you need tomake sure that all of yourmaterialsarefocusedandfollowalongwiththepresentationthatyouaregiving. There is nothing more annoying than finding that thematerialsareoutoforder.Donotprovideofftopicmaterialsforalunchandlearn.Thiscanbeconfusingduringthemeetingandmaycausepeopletowanderoffmentally.Ifyouhavefollow-upmaterials,offer themto theaudienceafter thepresentation isover.

KeepItInformal

Whileyouwillbepresenting informationata lunchand learn,you must remember that it is not your traditional classroomsetting.Youmustkeeplunchandlearnsinformalforthemtobeeffective.Thesettingshouldbecasual,andquestionsshouldbeencouraged. Make lunch and learns as interactive as possiblewithhandsonmaterials,games,icebreakers,smallgroups,etc.YoushouldalsoconsiderincorporatingQ&Asandchatsessionsintotheprogram.Feedbackfromtheparticipantswillhelpyoudeterminewhichactivitiesareeffectiveforyouandwhichonesarenot.


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Thomasneededto introducethenewoperationssystemtohisemployees,anddecidedthatthemostcosteffectivewaytodoitwasthroughalunchandlearn.Hispresentationincludedover100 slides of information, and the handout material was 120pages. Halfway through the meeting, he noticed that peoplewerenotasfocusedashewouldhaveliked.Hetoldeveryonetohold their questions till the end. No one, however, asked anyquestions when the presentation was over. A very tiredaudience slipped back to work. A few weeks later, only ahandful of employees mastered the new system. Thomas feltthatthetraininghadbeenawasteoftime.


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Ourlifeisthecreationofourmind.Buddha


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ChapterThree:CreatingtheContent(II)

Thecontentthatyoucreateforalunchandlearnmustbeableto engage the audience. Make your presentations interactiveand tailor them to theneedsofeachgroupyoumeet.Revieweachpresentationcarefully,and,finally,backituptobesafe.Byfollowingafewbasicsteps,youimprovethechanceofsuccesswhenyoupresentthecontentthatyoucreate.

MakeItInteractive

Presentationsneed tobe interactive inorder tobe successful.PowerPointandotherprogramswillhelpyoucreateinterestingvisuals,butpicturesalonearenotenoughtomaketheaudienceinteract.Interactionscanbefacilitatedbydifferentactivities.


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InteractiveActivities:

• Games:Gamescanbeusedasicebreakersortomakeapoint.Chooseagamethatfitswithyourtopicandyouraudience.

• Round tables: Round tables facilitate conversationbetween presenters and members of the audience.Round tables work best if the audience knows toprepareaheadoftime.

• Stories/Testimonials: Ask a few people to sharerelevant stories or testimonials and take questions.Peopleengagewithpersonstories.

Regardlessoftheactivitiesthatyouchoose,itisimperativethatyouconsidertimeconstraints.Theactivitiesshouldenhancetheinformationthatyouprovide,nottakeitsplace.


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ReviewItThoroughlyWhencreatingalunchandlearnpresentation,youmustreviewit thoroughly. You must find a way to present all of theinformationthatyouraudienceneedstoknowinaninterestingformatwhilestayingwithinthetimeframe.Reviewthecontentcarefullybeforeeachpresentation.

WhattoReview:

• Basic Points: It is imperative that you conveyinformationcompletely.Takeamomentandreviewthepointsofthepresentation.Doesthecontentcontainallof the information? Make any adjustments asnecessary.

• Time: Review the time that each component of thepresentationwill take.Does theentire lunchand learnfit with the time constraints? Practice will help youdeterminethetimeforthetimeofeachpresentation.

After careful review, adjust the content and time for eachsection.Reviewitatleasttwicetobecertainthatthetiming.


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CreatingaCustomizedPresentation

It is important that you customize each presentation for youraudience.Youmaygivethesamepresentationmorethanonce,butyoushouldnevergiveitinexactlythesameway.Youneedto consider your audience. Ask a few basic questions for youraudience.

• Whatisthegeneralageoftheaudience?• Whatistheirskilllevelwiththesubject?• Isthelunchandlearnvoluntary?

Once you have identified your audience, you can customizeyourpresentationusingprops,tools,anddemonstrations.Eachonecanbecustomizedtofittheneedsofyouraudience.


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BackItUp!Onceyouhavereviewedandcustomizedthecontent,youmustback itup.Donot take the riskof losingyour informationandhard work. Fortunately, there are different ways to back upyourpresentation.Yousimplyneedtochoosethemethodthatyou feel comfortable using. There are basic physical methodssuch as flash drives and external hard drives. There are alsoonlineoptions,dependingontheprogramsyouuse,suchastheCloud. Online sources are useful if you forget physical copies,butyoumustexaminethesecurity.Therearealsooffsitebackupoptionsavailable. Intheend, itdoesnotmatterwhichtypeup back up you choose. You simply need to back up yourinformationregularly.


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Sam was certain that his lunch and learn was going to be asuccess.Hispresentationwasinteractive.Hehadgames,props,anddemonstrationsready.Thiswouldnotbeaboring lecture.On the day of the presentation, his game was a success. Thestudentshadfun,buttheyplayedlongerthanheexpected,andthedemonstrationranoverby10minutes.Altogether,hewas20 minutes over and had to condense his teaching timesignificantly.Hewasnotsurehowmuchoftheinformationtheaudiencewasabletoretain.


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Youhavetolearntherulesofthegame.Andthenyouhavetoplaybetterthananyoneelse.

AlbertEinstein


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ChapterFour:DuringtheSession

Once you have created the content, it is time to conduct thesession.Prepworkisessentialtosuccess,butyoumustbeableto follow through during the session. When presenting yourmaterial, it is imperative that you introduce a few, simplegroundrules,openquickly,andfollowup.Nomatterhowwellyou run a session, you must be flexible. The ability to adjustquicklycanmeanthedifferencebetweensuccessandfailure.

GroundRules

Youneed to have a fewbasic ground rules establishedbeforethe session begins. Ground rules will set the tone of themeeting. They also lay out clear expectations for theparticipants. Ground rules will cover the education, behavior,and communication. You should establish ground rules basedonthetopiccoveredandyouraudience.

CommonGroundRuleTopics

• Cellphoneuseorlackthereof• Respectfulcommunication• Transitions• Useofequipment/props

The rules need tobebasic, and you shouldbe able to explainthemquickly. Regardless of the ground rules that you choose,youneedtoexplainthembeforethepresentationbegins.


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QuickOpening

The opening of a presentation will establish your connectionwiththeaudience.Aquickandengagingintroductionwillhavea better impact than a long, drawn out speech. There aredifferentwaystocreateanopening.Youmaychooseastoryorpresent facts about the business environment. Regardless ofyour choice, you must develop interest within the first fewminutes. Your opening needs to get straight to the point.Explain the purpose of the presentation and give specificexamplesofhow itwillhelpyouraudience.Youmayestablishyourexpertise,butyoushoulddoitinasinglesentence;donotlisteveryachievement.

Example:

Theeconomicrecoveryremainssoft,butfinancialsuccessisstillpossible.Companiesthathaveadaptedthistraininghaveseen,on average, a 20% ROI. So, let’s begin the introduction toprofitabilityintheworkplace.

Remember thataquickopening isessential toyour success. Ifyou loseyouraudience’s interestearlyon, itwillbedifficulttogainitlaterinthepresentation.

ParkingLot

Lunch and learns are very limited on time, which is why theparking lot can be an invaluable tool. This tool allows you toplace off-topic topics in “the parking lot” and return to themwhen the time allows. The parking lot is only effective if youexplain its role upfront and outline the topics covered.Whenusingtheparkinglot,youmightwanttoassignsomeonetotake


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notoftopicsthataresetaside.

Typically,youaddressparkinglotitemsattheendofasession.Giventhelengthoftimeduringalunchandlearn,however,thiswill probably not bepossible. Beprepared todiscuss topics inemailafterthemeeting.

AdjustingontheFlyNo matter how well you prepare your presentation, you willalsoneedtopreparefortheunexpected.Thisrequiresflexibilityandtheabilitytoadjustonthefly.Adjustmentswillhappenforanumberof reasons. Participantswillmovearound. Spillswillcause disruptions. Equipment can malfunction last minute,sometimes because of a spill. When these interruptions dooccur,youmustremain incontrol. It isagoodideatocomeinwith preparations such as cleaning supplies for spills,replacementmaterials,etc.Bereadytothinkonyourfeet,andkeep your attitude positive. Panic or anger will alienate youraudience.


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Michaelwasprepared forhis lunchand learn.He checked theequipmentandrehearsedeveryaspectofthepresentationandinteraction. During the presentation, however, he seemed tolose control. He began with some biographical background toshow his expertise and introduced his team. He saw a fewpeople looking at their phones. Later, one participant keptbringing up points that did not contribute to the main topic.Answering the questions lengthened the presentation, andMichael tried to condense the information to stay within thetimeconstraints.Finally,someoneknockedoverarowofchairsinthebackoftheroom.


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Cultivationtothemindisasnecessaryasfoodtothebody.

MarcusTulliusCicero


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ChapterFive:FoodandFacilities

The food and facilities are just as important to the lunch andlearn as the presentation itself. When teaching in a lunchsetting, you face a number of problems. You need to makeinformed decisions about the food, and make sure thateveryone’sneedsareconsidered.Makeapointtoconsiderthecleaning needs before and after the meeting. Additionally,request feedback from participants to improve the lunch andlearnsinthefuture.

ProvidingFood?

Providing food for participants may be easier for you,particularly if you choose a location that caters. Additionally,foodisawonderfulincentiveinlunchandlearns.Whenyoudochoose to provide food, youmust consider the needs of youraudience. It is best to provide a fair selection thataccommodatesaneclecticgroup.

Whattoconsiderwhenprovidingfood:

• Vegetarians/Vegans• Allergies• Religiousdietaryrestrictions• Tastesandpreferences

Remembertotrytoprovidesomethingforeveryone.Reachingout to theparticipants aheadof timewill help youmake yourmenuchoices.


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PeopleBringingTheirOwnInsomesettings,itmaybeeasierforpeopletobringtheirownfood.Forexample,itmaybeeasierifthelunchandlearnislastminute and there is not time to cater a meal. There are,however,considerationsthatmustbemadewhenpeoplebringtheirownfood:

• Allergies:Manypeoplehavesevereallergicreactionstofoodssuchasnutsandcitrus.Evenminorexposurecancauseareaction.

• Smell: A diverse group can lead to a room full ofconflictingodorsandsmells.Thesmellcanremainlongafterthemeeting.

• Mess: Some foodsaremessier thanothers.Whenyoucontrol the menu, you can control the level of messduringthepresentation.

Whenyouhavepeoplebringtheirown lunch, it isagood ideato send out amemo or email informing them of any allergiesandremindingthemtobeconsiderate.

EatDuringorAfter?

When dowe eat? Everyone at a lunch and learnwill want toknowtheanswertothisquestion.Youmaychoosetoeatduringthepresentationor after thepresentation.Allowingpeople toeatduringthepresentationaddressestheproblemofahungryaudiencewho is distractedby the smell of food.On theotherhand,eatingcanbeitsowndistraction,andyouruntherisksofdisruptivespillsduringthepresentation.Eatingaftereverythingis finished limits spills distracting from the presentation, butpeoplewillwaitimpatientlyfortheirfood,makingitdifficulttokeeptheirattention.Theyarelesslikelytoaskquestionsifthey


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believethatitwilllengthentheirwaittime.

AusefulcompromiseisallowingpeopletoeatduringtheQ&A.ConductingaQ&Aduringthemeallimitsdistractionsduringthepresentation.TheparticipantswillnothavetowaitthroughtheQ&A for the opportunity to eat. Additionally, having lunch atthistimemakestheQ&Aasocialeventandencouragespeopletocommunicate.

CleanuporTeardownCleaningupandtearingdownare,ultimately,theresponsibilityofthehost.Whilecaterersandrestaurantsoftencleanupafterthe event, youneed tomake sure that you ironout all of thedetails.

• Cleaningbefore:Whoisresponsibleforcleaningbeforethe event if it is not hosted in a restaurant? Caterersbringfood;theyarenotalwaysresponsibleforcleaningandsettinguptheevent.Coordinatewiththemanagerofthelocationsitetodeterminewhatyouneedtodo.

• Setup:Whowillmove tablesandchairs,andwhowillsetuppropsandelectronics?

• Cleaning after: Who will clean the room after theevent? This includes removing food, taking out trash,vacuuming,replacingtablesandchairs,etc.

• Teardown: Make sure someone is responsible forequipment,props,tools,handouts,etc.

Youdonotwantanysurpriseswhenitcomestothecleaningupand tearing down. You risk losing your deposit and damagingyourcompany’sreputation.


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Gina’s first lunch and learnwas a disaster. She found a cheapvenue, and decided to have it catered by a nearby fast foodestablishment. She arrived 15minutes early to find the tablesand chairs stacked in a corner. Sheworked quickly to put theroomtogether,butthismadeitimpossibleforhertosetuptheelectronicequipmentbefore theparticipantsarrived.The foodarrived,andGinawasn’tsurewheretoputit.Sheplaceditonatablewhileshecontinuedtosetuptheroom.Shedidnotplanon having people eat during the presentation, but people justgrabbedfoodandateduringherlecture.


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Liveasifyouweretodietomorrow.Learnasifyouweretoliveforever.

MahatmaGandhi


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ChapterSix:TakeAwayMaterial

Youneed to consider the subjectof takeawaymaterial.Whatwill you provide? What type of follow up will be necessary?Take away materials include handouts, quizzes, self-tests,websites,referencematerials,andwhitepapers.Yourtopicwilldetermine what you materials you need to provide. Alwaysprepareyourmaterialsaheadoftime.

HandoutsandTakeAwayMaterial

Handoutsareuseful tools thatallow theparticipants to followalongwiththepresentationandtakenotes.Takingnoteshelpsparticipants engagewith thematerial on apersonal level. It isimportant, however, to make sure that handouts are focusedand not filled with too much information. Handouts aresupplementary material. They should not provide all theinformation in your presentation or people will simply readaheadandnotpayattention.

Handouts:

• Basicpoints• Roomfornotes• Interestinggraphics

When you create take away material, make sure to review itcarefully.Youdonotwanttosendout thewrong information.Include your contact information in the handouts, and makemore thanenough copies for your class. Younever knowwhowillneedmorethanone.


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QuizzesorSelf-TestsQuizzesandself-testsarestaplesofthebusinessworld.Peopleliketakingquizzesandself-testsandtheyareofteninspiredbytheirresults.Quizzesandself-testscanseemdauntingtocreate,but you do not have to make complex exams. Simply createquizzes for your area of expertise and self-tests that help youdetermine how well participants understand the informationyouarepresenting.Therearea fewbasicpoints to rememberwhenmakingquizzesandself-tests.

• Createquestionsbasedonclearobjectivesorskills.• Identify at least three different levels of skill when

creatinganswerchoicesforself-tests.• Makesurethattheanswerchoicesarenotconfusing.• Testyourquizzesandself-tests.

Youcanask friendsandcolleagues to reviewyourquizzesandteststohelpyoucreatethemosteffectivematerials.

WebsiteswithMinutesandSessionNotes

Participantswill find it useful to refer tominutes and sessionsnotes before the meeting. Minutes are official records ofeverything thatoccurredduringameeting, andyoumightnotkeepminutes in a casual setting. Sessionnotesarenotesoverthe informationpresentedduring the lunch and learn.Makingthe notes and minutes from past sessions available onlineprovide participants with the opportunity to look up theinformationandpreparefortheirownlunchandlearns.

It is also a good idea to link referencematerials on awebsite


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with the notes and minutes. Video clips will give potentialstudents the opportunity to understandwhat they can expectfromtheclass.Keepingthisinformationonlinewillalsoprovidetheparticipantswithvaluablereviewsafterthelunchandlearnisover.


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ReferenceMaterialorWhitePaperParticipantswillwanttoconsiderwhattheyhavelearnedafterthelesson,andtheywillprobablywanttoresearchthesubjectfurther. This is why you should provide reference material orwhitepapersfortheparticipants.Referencematerialsthatyoumay choose include relevant news stories, statistics, andresearch. You may also choose to provide reference books ifyoucanfindonesthatareinexpensive.

Whitepapersarewrittenasauthoritativereportsorinformativepapers that help organizations relate to customers. Whitepapers are brief but effective means of communication thatillustratetheimportanceofthematerialandhowitcanbenefitthe participants. Most companies create their own whitepapers,whichallowthemtotailortheirinformation.Providingawhitepaperandreferencematerialhelpsstudentsfurthertheirunderstandingof the subjectandassist them inexplaining thetopictoothers.


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Sarapreparedforherlunchandlearn,includingthetakehomematerials. She created in-depthhandouts thatexplainedeverypointofherpresentation.She left somespace forparticipantstowritenotes,butshenoticedthatonlyafewpeoplebotheredtotakenotes.Also,peoplereadaheadofherpresentation.Shefound it difficult to focus their attention, and theydidnot askmanyquestionsduringtheQ&Aportionoftheevent.


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Allthingsaredifficultbeforetheyareeasy.

ThomasFuller


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ChapterSeven:DifficultSituationsorPeople

Wheneveryouhostalunchandlearn,youwillhavetodealwithpeople. Most of the people you encounter will be pleasant.There is a small percentage,however,whowillmakeyour jobdifficult. It is imperative that you learnhow tohandledifficultsituations or people before you encounter them. Beingprepared for the worst will enable you to give the bestpresentationpossible.

Disruptions

Disruptions are annoying. They take valuable time away forpresentinginformation,andtheycauseeveryonetolosefocus.It is important to understand that most disruptions are notdeliberate attempts at sabotage. So, remember to stay calmand be polite when handling disruptive behavior. Being politedoes notmean ignoring poor behavior; youmust address thedisruptionimmediatelyoryourisktheentiresessionunraveling.

HowtoHandleDisruptions:

Mostdistractionscanbepreventedwithyourgroundrulesandusing the parking lot. It may be necessary to take remindstudentsoftheseguidelinesduringthepresentation.

Youmay assign tasks to participants who seem to need extraattention. Tasks may include keeping time, taking notes,monitoringtheparkinglot,etc.

Inextremecases,youmayneedtoconfrontsomeonedirectly.Trytoaddressthepersonawayfromthegroup.


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Ifaparticipantisunstableordangerous,donothesitatetocallsecurity.

FoodIssues

Food can be disruptive, butmany of these disruptions can bepreventingbycompletingyourprepwork.Manyofficebuildingsand offsite locations have food policies, which you shouldconsultbeforemakinganydecisionsregardingfood.Evenifthelocationdoesnothavefoodpoliciesinplace,itisagoodideatoconsulttheparticipantsaboutcommonfoodissues.

CommonIssues

• Smell• Mess• Allergies

Allergies are always a concern, particularly when people areeatinginaconfinedspace.Additionally,smellisexacerbatedbyenclosed spaces, and some foods are more likely to causemessesthanothers.Determiningthemenubasedonadialoguewith participants will diminish food issues and help the eventrunsmoothly.

SeniorManagementBuyin

The buy in of senior management is useful in any businessendeavor. The same rule is true of lunch and learns. Whenseniormanagement is involved, theparticipants see theeventascredible.Thiswill limitthenumberofdifficultstudentswhoattendandyourlunchandlearnsanddrawthetrulymotivated.


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WaystoCreateBuyin

• Maketheneedforchangeapparent.• Showthevalueofthelunchandlearn.• Provideadetailedvision.• Bewillingtobeflexibleintheimplementation.

Donotunderestimatetheimportanceofmanagementbuyin.Itwill trickle down to employee buy in and improve your lunchandlearn.


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PeopleNotParticipating?Everyone who presents at lunch and learns will face thedilemma of participants who do not participate. Lunch andlearnswithoutparticipationareawkwardandboring.Engagingparticipantswillimprovethechancesofparticipation.Thereareafewwaystoliventhemeetingandimproveparticipation.

• Be Interesting:Makethetopic,visuals,anddeliveryasinterestingaspossible.Amonotonedroneof technicaljargonwillnotgenerateinterestorparticipation.

• Create the environment: The set up can affectparticipation. Setting up the room so that people faceeachotherisanincentiveforparticipation.

• External incentives: Provide incentives topeoplewhoparticipate.Considerhandingoutcandyorotherprizessuchascouponsorgiftcards.


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Oliverwasdisappointedafterhisfirstlunchandlearn.Manyoftheparticipantsdidnotseemtohaveanyinterestinthetopicatall. One person told him that the company stronglyrecommends taking these classes occasionally, butmanagement never follows up. The attitude in the room wasthat the lunch and learns never change anything. During thepresentation,nooneparticipated.Heevensawpeopleplayinggamesontheirphoneswhilehewastalking.Oliverconsideredneverhostingalunchandlearnagain.


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Yesterday’shomerunsdon’twintoday’sgames.

BabeRuth


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ChapterEight:WhataLunchandLearnIsNot

Lunch and learns that fail often do notmeet the criteria of alunch and learn. In order to be successful, it is important todefinewhatalunchandlearnisandwhatitisnot.Bycreatingalunch and learn according to the appropriate definitions, youincreaseyourchancesofsuccess.

HeavyorSeriousTopics

Lunch and learns are not the appropriate setting for heavy orserious topics. The short amount of time requires that youbeconciseandavoidanythingserious.Serioustopicsrequiremuchmore time than you have to offer. This does not mean thatlunch and learns are not informative, they can be extremelyuseful training tools. Simply use basic topics such as the onesbelow:

TopicExamples:

• Businessetiquette• Emailetiquette• Socialmedia• Managingchange• Teambuilding

Youmayfollowupwithfurthertrainingifthereisaneedforamorein-depthstudylater.Youshould,however,avoidcomplexinformation that you cannot adequately cover in a singlesession.


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RequiredTrainingLunchandlearnsarenotusefulformostrequiredtrainingsuchas health and safety training. This type of training is legallymandatedor companymandated.Required training requiresaleveloffocusthatyoucannotprovideinalunchandlearn.Forexample,youwouldnotusethelunchandlearnfortrainingonharassment or OSHA standards. Additionally, required trainingtypically demands the taking attendance, which is difficult inlunchandlearns.

Lunchandlearnsshouldbeoptional.Thisplacestheparticipantin controlof the learningexperience.Making lunchand learnsrequired does little to motivate people. Optional lunch andlearnswillhelpweedoutdisruptivepeopleandensurethattheparticipantshaveaninterestinthesubjectmatter.

ReplacementforTraditionalTraining

Lunch and learns are not replacements for traditional trainingsessions. They should be supplementary learning, or it can beusedtointroduceanewtopic.Thelunchandlearncanbeusedto provide training in work skills, employee development,producttraining,andlifeskills.Traditionaltrainingtakeslongerthan30to40minutesandoftenrequireshandsonworktobeeffective.


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MethodsofTraditionalTraining:

• Demonstrations• Coaching• Computertraining• E-class• Teamtraining• Lectures

While lunch and learns may integrate aspects of traditionaltraining, theyarenot thesame.Lunchand learnsarenot longtermtrainingprograms.


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JustaFreeLunchThereisasayingthatthereisnosuchthingasafreelunch.Youneedtokeepaneyeoutforpeoplewhoareonly interested inthe food. People who want a free lunch have no interest inlearning and are more likely to cause disruptions during thelunchandlearn.Thereareafewwaystospotpeoplewhoonlycameforthefood:

• Theyonlyaskaboutthefood.• Theydonotpayattention.• Theymaytrytoslipoutearly.

You should encourage people to come only if they areinterested in the material to prevent problems. If you noticeoffenders, ask them why they are attending. This lets themknow that you are aware of their behavior. You may make agroundruleaboutparticipation.Additionally,choosingtoservelunchduringtheQ&Awilldiscouragepeoplefromcomingwhodonotwanttositthroughtheevent.


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The CEO of EGC Beauty was looking for a way to trim thetrainingbudget,anddecidedtotryusingmandatory lunchandlearns to instill new information. The lunch and learns werefrequently scheduled because of their short time frame. Afterthreemonths, he discovered that employees did not seem tofullyunderstandtheinformationbeingpresented.Additionally,he saw a rise in turnover. According to interviews, employeeswerechoosingto leavebecausetheyfelt thattheirbreakshadbeenstolen.TheCEOchosetoreinstateothertrainingmethods.


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Youcan’thiresomeonetopracticeforyou.

JacksonBrown


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ChapterNine:BestPractices(I)

There is always room for improvement, even in lunch andlearns. Always find what works best for you and choose theimplement the best practices. Tweak your actions based onfeedbackandinvolveemployees.Aboveall,rememberthatyouneed to create a comfortable environment that engages yourparticipants.

ObtainFeedbackandTweak

Feedback will allow you to lead the best lunch and learnspossible.Youneedtosolicitfeedbackfromyourparticipants.Donotsimplyrelyonthemtovolunteertheirthoughts.Creatinganevaluationformwillhelpyoucollectfeedback.Youcanpasstheform out at the end of the lunch and learn and ask theparticipantstotakeafewminutestofill itout.Makesurethatthe form is brief and asks pointed questions. You should alsoleavesomespaceforcomments.

Review your evaluation forms carefully to discover theconsensus.Donotmakeadjustmentsbasedontheopinionofafew. Tweak the lunch and learn based on repeated feedback.For example, if 60% of your participants think theQ&A is toolong, consider shortening it. You should continually ask forfeedback so that you can continually improve yourpresentations.


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UtilizeStarEmployeesWhen implementing lunchand learns, youwill need to recruittalent.Considerutilizingstaremployeesratherthanlookingforoutside talent. Internal employees are wonderful sources ofspecialistknowledgeandtechnicalknowledge.Theyarefamiliarwith thecompany’spoliciesandprocedures.Additionally, theyhavetherespectoftheotheremployees.

You should already have identified the star employees fromtheirperformance.Onceyoudeterminetheirareasofexpertise,explaintothemhowvaluabletheirskillsetsareandthatotheremployees would benefit from their knowledge. Rememberthat you are asking them to take on more work, so becourteous. Persuade employees to volunteer to teach; do notdemandthattheydo.Acoercedteacher isnotaveryeffectiveone.You should considerproviding incentivesand rewards fortheirefforts.


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ProvideanAgendaAheadofTime

Lunchandlearnsarecasualsettings,buttheystillneedtohavebasic agendas. These agendas should be provided toparticipants ahead of time. For example, you can email anagendaafter theparticipantsRSVP. Theagendawill help keepyou on track, and it will prevent any confusion amongparticipants. The agenda will vary according to the topicaddressed,class,etc.

Sampleagenda:

• 10:55am Arrive/checkin• 11:05am Introduction• 11:10am Interactivepresentation• 11:40am Q&A(lunch)• 12:00pm Wrapup

Theagendawillhelpkeepeveryoneonthesamepage.Itisnot,however, set in stone. Allow for some flexibility during theactualmeeting.Remembertokeepthesettingcasual.


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KeeptheSessionCasualandLooseLunchand learnsareeffectivewhentheytakeplace inrelaxedsettings.Remembertokeepthesessioncasualandloose.Thereareafewwaysthatyoucanhelpsetthetoneforyourlunchandlearn:

• Create an atmosphere: Have everyone sit around asingletable;avoidlecturestyleseating.

• Usehumor:Engagepeoplewithhumor.• Dress casually: Business casual attire is more relaxed

thanasuit.• Invite discussion: Encourage interactions and

conversations.

Thetonethatyouadoptforyourlunchandlearnwilldependonyourpersonal style and the topic. Inevery situation,however,you must help the participants relax and engage with thematerialyouareteaching.


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Kenwantedtotapintothetalentinhisoffice.Hetookthetimetoreviewemployeeevaluationsandidentifytheirstrengthsandweaknesses. Once this was done, he sent an email to hisexceptionalemployees,askingthemtoteach lunchand learns.Hewassurprisedwhenonly twopeople toldhimtheywantedto teach.Hewasnot surewhat todo, and consideredmakingteachingpartoftheirjobrequirements.Afterspeakingwithhisemployees, however, he realized that somewerenervousandotherswereconcernedthatteachingwouldinterferewiththeirdaily activities. Ken decided to offer his employeesencouragementandthe incentiveofanextradayoff foreverythree classes taught. The response was positive, and Ken’scompanywasabletohostalunchandlearneveryweek.


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Knowledgeisofnovalueunlessyouputitintopractice.

AntonChekov


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ChapterTen:BestPractices(II)

Part of successfully implementing lunch and learns isrecognizing when they will be the most effective. Rememberthatlunchandlearnsarenotusefulineverytrainingendeavor.Theycanbeusedasrefreshers,Q&Asessions.Additionally,theyprovide networking opportunities and are extremely effectivewhen scheduled regularly.

UseItasaRefresher

Wehavealreadyestablishedthatthetimeconstraintsonlunchand learnsmake it impossible toaddresscomplex topics.Theyareuseful,however,as refreshercourses.Youshouldconsiderschedulinglunchandlearnsasfollow-upstotraditionaltrainingcourses. For example, you could host a lunch and learn theweekafter training innewprocedure.Refresher coursesallowyou to address any learning gaps in that participants have. Bythis time, the participants will have experience using thetraining by the refresher course, and they will ask educatedquestions.Refreshercourseswillalsoprovide feedbackonanyweaknessesinyourtraditionaltrainingcourses.


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NetworkingOpportunityLunchandlearnsaremorethanlearningopportunities,theyarealso effective networking tools. The voluntary nature of lunchandlearnshelpconnectpeoplewhohavesimilarinterests.Itisup toeveryoneattending tomakethemostof thenetworkingopportunities. Simply showing up and eating will not createmeaningfulconnections.

HowtoNetwork:

• Come early: Take the opportunity to meet peoplebeforethereisacrowd.

• Ask questions: Ask questions and share your personalstories.

• Exchange information: Bring business cards toexchange.

• Follow up: Email new connections to foster arelationship.

Do not make networking too complicated. Use it as anopportunity to meet with peers and share ideas.

UpperManagementQ&ASession

UppermanagementQ&Asessionsarevaluableopportunitiesforuppermanagementtoconnectwiththerestofthecompanyandexploretheplansforthefuture.Youmaychoosetohosttheseonceamonthorquarterly.Thetimingwilldependonthetypeofbusiness.LunchandlearnsaretheperfectsettingforthisQ&Asessionbecausetheyfacilitatethecommunication.IfyouattendaQ&Asession,taketheopportunitytoaskquestionsaboutthecompany.Itisimportant,however,toask


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thoughtfulquestions.Thisisnotaplatformforairinggrievancesorshowingoffknowledge.

PutItonaRegularSchedule

Lunch and learns are effective when they are scheduledregularly.When theyoccur regularly,peopleknowwhen to fitthem into their personal schedules. Your participants will beprepared, and it is likely that your numberswill grow. Peoplewho have positive experiences are likely to recommend thelunchand learns to their friends.Over time,yourstudentswillrepeattheirattendanceandbringotherswiththem.

The schedule that you createwill dependon theneedsof thebusiness. Somecompanieswillbenefit frommonthlymeetingsandothers fromamore frequent schedule.Regardlessofhowoftenyoumeet,youshouldschedulethelunchandlearnsatthesametimeandonthesamedayoftheweek.Itisagoodideatoavoid meeting on Fridays because people are likely to befocusedoncompletelytheirtasksbeforetheweekend.


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Bill’s company had a history of poor training results, whichequaleda5%dropinrevenueduringeachquarterwithchange.It was time to alter procedures again, and he was concernedabout the loss that the organization would face from thechange.Hedecidedto followupwithemployeesbycreatingalunch and learn refresher courses for each learning group. Heattended the first follow up session and was amazed by theresults. Theemployees askedpractical questions and cameupwithsuggestionstomakethechangeprocesseasier.Therewasa small dip immediately after the training, but the quarterendedwithoutanylosses.


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ClosingThoughts

• Epictetus: It is impossible for aman to learn what hethinkshealreadyknows.

• Voltaire: Judge a man by his questions not by hisanswers.

• Proverb: Some people make things happen, somewatch things happen, while others wonder what hashappened.

• Robert Bly: The best presenters have conversationswiththeiraudiences.

• Alexander Graham Bell: Before anything else,preparationisthekeytosuccess.

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