Training hack: keeping classroom discipline

A great trick I learned from a former colleague, during a sales person conference. Set it up as a ground rule before you start presenting: if a person is late/falls asleep/cell phone rings/... then that person will have to stand in front of the class and sing.

It works like a charm. The class stays sharp and you get a comic break every now and then.

It popped into my head since the last time I tried it was in India and I'm scheduled to travel to India next week to give another course. The last time I did it, I "rewarded" my students by singing a song in Hindi at the end of the course (it wasn't such a reward... but at least they got a chance to laugh).

Oh... and don't turn this into American Idol... some people love to sing in front of audience... :-)