The Top 10 Tips to Ensure that Training is Effective

The budget is allocated. The coordination of the training dates is complete. The participants have been invited. The venue is arranged. Now – for the hard work! How do we ensure that the training that we have planned is in fact worthwhile and that the changes we hope for in terms of behaviour, skills and attitude in fact do take place?

After 20 years in corporate training and many grey hairs later, these are my top 10 tips for ensuring that the training achieves its aims and generates changes in performance to take your team or your organisation forward. There is no longer the luxury of training for training sake and every cent of money and time count – so follow these tips to ensure that your training programs are worthwhile.

1. Make sure you do your pre-work.

Before the training commences, have all your information well-documented. Know your 5 P’s – the purpose of the training; what product or outcome you want to achieve; who are the participants; what is the process to be used in the session and finally what are the potential problems that you could encounter.

2. Have a session plan

Don’t step in the room and simply hope for the best. Yes, we do need to think on our feet and adapt according to the circumstances but without a structure to begin with, the session has no logical progression and participants lose your key message. The plan can be very simple but it needs to be there and at every step of the way, it needs to link to the session purpose and outcome. The ‘nice to know’ information does not receive priority over the ‘need to know’.

3. Interactivity all the way

Interactive sessions do not mean having a quick discussion or debate followed by a large download of theory. Interactive does not equate to a few fun games. Interactive means that every 8 minutes the participants are engaged in another form of learning where they are the key drivers and not the trainer. There are points where the trainer should be able to stand at the back of the room and the session should still proceed with the participants empowered to learn in ways that suit them best.

4. Step out of the routine

If as a trainer you train the same session in the same way, the participants pick up on this really quickly. For their sake as well as for your sanity, keep generating new and fresh ways of conveying the information. Change the flow slightly or find new video content – Youtube is overflowing with videos that are begging to be used in sessions to convey key message.

5. Allow the participants to take their own notes

The more participants can write down what the messages are and put them into their own words, the better the chances are that they will remember what they have learnt. And that is certainly our responsibility. We need to make sure that the learning ‘sticks’ and that 2 or 3 months later, participants recall what they learnt.

6. Keep fit

This might sound rather trite but a trainer who is not fit cannot sustain the level of energy required from a great trainer. To keep the participants engaged and moving in the right direction takes energy and lack of fitness deprives you of that ability to create movement and fun from start to finish.

7. Be humble

Yes – we are the trainers and holders of the knowledge and skills. No – we don’t need to be condescending to our learners and in any way belittle their skills. No smugness, no arrogance. Instead, have the humility to accept different viewpoints and to encourage divergent thinking.

8. Read and read and read and read and learn more

I hate being in a session with a trainer who does not know their stuff well and who is not current with what is happening in the world. It is our obligation to keep up to date and to know what the key world events are. Read the newspaper and read magazines, blogs and articles in your area of expertise. Keep your qualifications up to date. No good preaching to your students about lifelong learning and you do not practise it yourself.

9. Have fun

Research has shown that when the endorphins are flowing, students learn more effectively. The more fun you have in your sessions, the greater the chance that your students will also have fun. This atmosphere puts them into ‘flow’ and creates a stronger possibility that the learning will remain with them for a long time post-training. If you are passionate about the topic, learners pick up on this and they become inspired to achieve more.

10. Learn from feedback

Actively request feedback. Yes – sometimes it might be unfair and less than constructive. But it can also be helpful to uncover your blind spots and help you to improve.

For more details on how you can improve your skills as a trainer, attend a program offered by the Management Consultancy International Trainer Academy. Our courses include train the designer, train the trainer and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY facilitator accreditation.

For information email info@mci.edu.au

Or call us on 1300768550.