Nando's PERi-PERi North America

Vanessa Moya

Vanessa Moya serves as a link between individual and organizational performance, with a focus on raising future leaders, combining years of expertise in establishing and managing employee development programs. Moya’s training sessions encompassing goal setting and performance management have helped many build leadership skills and increase productivity.

In an interview with Manage HR, Moya talks about the need to be passionate about carrying out effective training processes and ensuring interactivity.

What process do you follow for keynote speaking?

I always consider the audience, their age group and experience and focus on the topic while also being prepared for any pre-emptive questions that may need addressing. Incorporating anecdotes from my experience in learning and development helps in providing helpful answers to the questions. I’ve talked about many topics related to leadership, behavioral skills and ways to use it in the operational aspects. An important aspect that goes unnoticed by the directors and trainers is the failure to connect their insights to an operational perspective. I make sure to include ways to practice the skills that are talked about, such as behavioral skills, leadership, trust, empathy and team building in their daily lives.

What are the tools that you employ to ensure effective training?

I choose a single topic for every session and cover every aspect of it elaborately. Extensive information focusing on the benefits of the practices introduced will help them understand better. Most of the trainees are professionals who are passionate about building their skills, and as they actively participate in activities, it becomes easier to help them.

“I choose a single topic for every session and cover every aspect of it elaborately. Extensive information focusing on the benefits of the practices introduced will help them understand better.”

To aid these sessions, I make use of tech tools but refrain from using videos. It’s highly possible that the client might get distracted by this passive activity, which also breaks interpersonal interactivity. I include activities they could practice in their respective locations and learn from the results. My team and I are always available for our clients for any further assistance.

It will take years of activity and influence to be able to see the impact of improving leadership and behavioral skills. As a result, having the resources and tools that will help them practice the skill set they want to attain becomes important. I make sure to follow up on my clients to see the progress they’ve made.

I highly prioritize learning from feedback, carrying out extensive surveys to make sure that my process is effective, and doing an in-depth analysis of the survey results.

How has keynote speaking changed with the surge in speaking formats?

Web-based and in-person training has its advantages and disadvantages. In web-based training, the speaker will have the convenience of carrying out the training without leaving their work environment. As far as trainees are concerned, they might lose their focus during web-based training just as much as they would in ineffective in-person training. The trainer must be passionate, have good communication skills and training materials to help the trainees stay engaged regardless of the avenue. We must be involved in the process and maintain interactivity through activities to take the training up a notch.

What would be your advice to professionals who want to improve their skills in the field?

It is important to practice what you preach. Your team will notice the passion when you try to practice and put in genuine efforts. It’s truly fulfilling in keynote speaking when people see the love that you have for the training or the topic.