Okay, I’m not quite there yet, but that’s the goal in the next two days. Instead, I’ll try to incorporate here gradually where I can and where it makes sense.

I started my day trying to connect to the Internet, but to no avail. I suppose it’s a high-demand period what with business travellers and visitors for the Toronto International Film Festival. After several attempts I decided to venture down for breakfast. And what a spread it was. Scrambled eggs, sausage, bacons, French toast, regular toast, danishes, bagels, fresh fruit salad, juice, tea and coffee. You were given a choice of bar, indoor table or patio table. Since it wasn’t raining, and hotel rooms are pretty stuffy, I opted for the outdoor option. Silly me, forgot to bring the newspaper to pass the time.

Surprisingly I had a good night’s sleep, only hearing sirens a few times. To make my life easier, I decided to take a cab to training, and arrived with plenty of time to spare. I walked around the neighbhourhood looking for the subway station, but didn’t find it on my first attempt. After class, one of my classmates waited for me so that he could get me on the line. I was fairly confident I could find my way to the Eaton Centre (natural nose for shopping and all), and then from there back to the hotel. Toronto is fairly easy to get around, and Catherine’s stop was only one stop past the Eaton  Centre, so I know may way around a bit. Jarvis Street is the five lane road with a middle lane that changes direction based on the time of day.  This is not something I’m used to.

Today’s training at MDC was broken into three parts: in the morning we learned about three plans, at lunch we walked to a nearby restaurant, and in the afternoon we learned another three plans and how to bridge. I’ve left my notes at the training centre, but I’ll see if I can remember some of what I’ve learned. To package information, you can use three methods: clock, globe and triangle. Using these, you communicate for clarity, brevity and impact. The clock, as you might have guessed means presenting the information in terms of past, present, future or short, medium and long term. It’s good to explain an action plan. The globe is used to present things spatially. It could be as simple as at my desk, in meeting rooms, and off site or HQ, regionally and internationally. Triangle is one of the easiest ones that we all already used. It’s describing any three aspects of your topic. The key is to use only three aspects. This means really thinking about and analyzing your topic to not go on and on. Like I’m doing now.

Lunch was tasty, an Italian buffet just around the corner from the training centre. It gave us all an opportunity to get to know each other better. I learned that several other federal workers were there, and a few pharmaceutical companies. We all seemed to find some way to connect.

In the afternoon, we learned about bridging techniques: ask, clarify and adapt. It can buy you time, but also allow you to make sure you really understand the question. We also learned about three other plans: the zoom lens,  pendulum and benefits. It really is true, the group of three works. I had to think and visualize and then it came to me. The zoom lens can bring people from up in the clouds to a more detailed level, or vice versa, getting someone to understand the big picture. The pendulum looks at two sides and finds common ground. The benefits plan goes beyond taking features and moves it to benefits for your listener.

I was a good  girl and used real work situations until the very last exercise, when I couldn’t resist selling the idea that New Zealand is the best place in the world to vacation because it’s far away, good value for money, and provides an active vacation that leaves you healthier by the end. Ah, I need a vacation.

Some observations on Toronto. It’s really smelly. All I can smell downtown is garbage. Apparently I shouldn’t go out at night from this hotel. Note to other single female travellers. Who was that guy who got off on the ninth floor in the hotel, with duct tape wrapped around his shoes for laces, and a bunch of keys (like a hundred)? He wasn’t in the hotel’s uniform….

Any how, haven’t decided how I’ll get back to the training centre. Guess I’ll see how I feel in the morning and whether it’s raining.

Totally forgot to mention, there must be something wrong with my sense of shopping, because I left the Eaton Centre empty handed. Must be saving for the addition that’s blocking it.