Saturday 20th March 04:18

"Treat Your Trainees Like Hollywood Superstars!"

Hi everyone,

If you're looking for a great new way to break the ice amongst your trainees, why not treat them like movie stars and give them the Bernard Pivot 10 question treatment?

To explain. The 10 questions I refer to originally came from a French TV series, "Bouillon de Culture", hosted by Bernard Pivot. They were then spotted by James Lipton and added to the end of his Bravo TV show in America called "Inside the Actor's Studio".

Now, whenever Lipton has a famous movie star on his show, he ends the interview with the 10 questions. And often gets amusing and revealing answers, as I'll show you in a minute when I give you one Hollywood superstar's replies.

So, here are the 10 questions. Why not first answer them yourself?

1. What is your favourite word?
2. What is your least favourite word?
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
4. What turns you off?
5. What is your favourite curse word?
6. What sound or noise do you love?
7. What sound or noise do you hate?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

OK. As an illustration, here are Hollywood superstar Whoopi Goldberg's answers to the 10 questions:

1. What is your favourite word? Amore
2. What is your least favourite word? Stupid
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Life
4. What turns you off? Voluntary ignorance
5. What is your favourite curse word? S***
6. What sound or noise do you love? Laughter
7. What sound or noise do you hate? Children crying
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Ambassador
9. What profession would you not like to do? Judge
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Whoop!

And, finally, since I know you were dying to ask, here are my answers. (See how addictive this is?)

1. What is your favourite word? Conquistador
2. What is your least favourite word? But...
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? The music of Beethoven
4. What turns you off? Jazz
5. What is your favourite curse word? Merde
6. What sound or noise do you love? The gentle lapping of waves on the seashore at night when I'm in bed.
7. What sound or noise do you hate? Fingernails scratched on a blackboard
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? TV news anchorman
9. What profession would you not like to do? Butcher
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Congratulations, Eric. Your angel application has been successful!

I don't know how revealing the answers really are, but they're great fun and will certainly get your trainees thinking and laughing and comparing.

And it could even make them feel like top Hollywood superstars!

Eric