Phase 2 The Trainer

 The trainer as a facilitator

 Key characteristics of exceptional trainers
 Understanding the mindset of an experienced
trainer

This phase breaks into the mindset of exceptional trainers and gives a picture how
as a facilitator one can make a training program interesting, innovative and bring
about a difference in the mode of training.

The Trainer as a facilitator

Today a trainer is considered to be a facilitator of a continuous learning process.

Coaching, mentoring and self-directed learning make training a constant in working
life. This and the fact that a diverse workforce demands different approaches make
delivery not only different but more important than ever.

The Wikipedia defines a trainer as ―an individual who enables groups and
organizations to work more effectively; to collaborate and achieve synergy ... She
or he is a 'constant neutral' party who by not taking sides or expressing or
advocating a point of view during the meeting, can advocate for fair, open, and
inclusive procedures to accomplish the group's work." (Doyle)

The trainer as a facilitator's job is to support everyone to do their best thinking

and practice. To do this, the facilitator encourages full participation, promotes
mutual understanding and cultivates shared responsibility. By supporting everyone
to do their best thinking, a facilitator enables group members to search for inclusive
solutions and build sustainable agreements"(Kane)

1
Great trainers do three things very well.

 They understand exactly what their clients need

 They develop training designed to address that need
 They effectively deliver the training using
approaches that motivate the audience to
action.
This brings us to probably the most critical decision –
how to select the right trainer. The qualified person
will make everything function smoothly and
effectively, and attract participants.

Some of the characteristics of an ideal trainer are listed below:

 Has high degree of personal and professional integrity.

 Is well-respected and responsible.
 Is able to lead effective discussion and conduct meaningful skill development
session. In addition, the person must be able to communicate ideas in a
discussion format and help attendees transfer those ideas into action.
 Is willing to follow the class procedures, so that the class effectively helps
attendees develop their own.

A few of the methods a trainer can use as a facilitator in a training

program to make it effective and innovative are given below:

Method What it is When to Use It

2
 One person conveys In large groups where
Lecture
information to a group of discussion is not
learners by talking to practical. When an
them, with or without expert is relaying new
visual aids. There is no information to learners
participation by the who have no relevant
learners and little personal experience.
feedback to the lecturer.

Similar to a lecture, In groups where there is

Informal Talk
except involving feedback ample time for questions
and participation by the and feedback. Where
learners. Less formal. material being presented
is not entirely outside the
experiences of the
learners.

A person or team of Especially helpful for

Demonstration
persons show learners teaching a skill. Need to
how they would carry out have a small instructor to
a task by actually learner ratio.
performing the task while
explaining it. Usually
followed up by practicing
the task.

A planned conversation Where the ideas and

Discussion
(exchange of ideas or experiences of the group
viewpoints) on a selected will help them discover
topic, guided by a trained the point they are
discussion leader. learning. There needs to
be an experienced leader

3
 to keep things on track.

A realistic situation or a Where real-life situations

Case Study
series of actual events is get the point across most
presented to the learners, effectively. Where
either orally or by a multiple points of view
handout, for their will help learners to
analysis. better understand the
concepts.

Leaders or learners act Where high learner

Role-Playing
out roles presented in a participation is desired,
particular and when the subject
situation. Participants involves person to
must supply their own person communication.
dialog within the context
of the role and the
situation.

A more complex form of For disaster, rescue, first

Simulations
role-playing and case aid, or other crisis
study. Used to recreate management situation
the environment in which training. Any time an
participants would elaborate role-play can
normally carry out a job best teach the subject
and the situations that matter.
might arise.

Group members suggest When the things to be

Brainstorming
possible solutions to a learned involve pulling
problem in rapid-fire together the ideas of the
order, either orally or on whole group. For

4
 cards to be posted. All program planning.
ideas are considered;
criticism and editorializing
are not allowed.

Buzz Groups A way to promote the When the group is too

quick exchange of ideas large for general
on a single topic in a discussion or
short period of brainstorming. When the
time. Ideas are experiences of the
presented back to the learners can lead them to
larger group for discover solutions for
discussion. themselves.

Question and Answer An opportunity for an Near the end of a

Session expert to impart specific training session. When
knowledge about a topic an expert is available--
in direct response to the one whose knowledge is
desires of the group of either superior or whose
learners. authority makes his/her
answers correct.

A series of When desiring to teach a

Learning Centers
stations/tables/corners, lot of information in a
each accommodating a short period of
small group, all teaching time. When a group is
related parts of the same too large to teach
general topic. effectively through other
methods above.

5
Key characteristics of an exceptional trainer

What characteristics and behavior are expected of an exceptionally good trainer?

1. knows the subject well

2. organized

3. uses creative teaching approaches

4. Understands the needs of his / her trainees - individually and in a group

5. Encourages and challenges to ask thought-provoking questions and

6. Allows participants to learn from each other.

Above all, it begins with the feeling that one wants to serve. "The conscious choice
being to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader
first...."

Referring to Greenleaf's work, Saundra J. Reinke of Augusta State University wrote:

"Scholars are showing an interest in exploring the importance of values and trust in
work relationships, and the impact of values, leadership, and particularly trust on
work productivity and organizational climate."

Please watch the video titled: “How to become an exceptional trainer”.

What Does a Trainer Intend to do?

A trainer primarily has to carry out the following tasks:

1. Material should be presented in such a way that it can be easily understood.

2. Present material to facilitate the memorization of content and increase the
likelihood of retention after the course.
3. Encourage delegates to use the content by convincing them of its benefits,
ease of use and applicability to their real-world challenges.

6
Link the New Knowledge with Existing Knowledge

Concept:

Increase retention rate by linking the new with the old. In addition, provide the new
content with a structure.

Actions:

 Walk through the old way of doing it. Get them to try it out and allow them
to fail so they can see where they are going wrong.
 Get them to notice the similarities and differences between the existing
knowledge and the new way of doing it.

Implementation:
 Before explaining any new technique, ask for experience for a particular topic
under consideration to explore how delegates already approach the problem.
This can form the basis of your training where you want to show the
weaknesses of the old methods in use in comparison with the strength of the
new technique you are about to explain.
 You can also achieve this by asking guided questions captured in Content
Criteria and Verbal Delivery Criteria.

Organize the Information

Concept:

Minimise the confusion and reduce stress by providing the information in an

organized and structured way.

Actions:

 Provide an objective so they know the boundaries of the content they are
about to receive.
 Break the information into consumable parts. Don’t overwhelm your
delegates with too much too soon and too fast.

7
  Provide extensive content in workbooks, handouts and references so they
know where to obtain more information.
 Illustrate using visual content such as images, animations, videos and role
plays.

Implementation:

Use an Objective which starts with a verb to explain what delegates will be able to
do by the end of the session.

 Provide step by step guidelines and take advantage of memory techniques.

 Provide interactive exercises to engage the delegates.
 Exploit visual bias of human brain and use this medium to its fullest extent
when training.

Assimilate the new Knowledge with Existing Knowledge

Concept:

Integrate the new content with the old content. Make it look like an extension of
what was already there.

Actions:

 Extend the content to make it easy to sink in. Provide different views of the
same concept and use different approaches for teaching the same content.
 Use real-life examples both from your own experience and the delegates’
experiences.

Implementation:

Use examples and case studies to relate the skills to real world scenarios.

8
Strengthen Retention of Content in Memory

Concept:

The most effective way for delegates to learn is to practice something on their own.

Actions:

 Give them lots of practical exercises, interactive content, role plays, games,
puzzles, etc. to maximise repetition and immersion.
 Give them feedback. They need to know if what they are doing is right by
receiving specific and individually-tailored feedback.
 Summaries the content they have just learned in a concise and structured
format.
 Use recap questioning technique to test their general knowledge.
 Use demonstration tests to make sure the delegates have learned the new
skill. This also boosts the delegates’ confidence and increases their memory.
In addition, the delegates will be more likely to use the new skill in the real
world if they are confident to use it.
 Finalize by getting confirmation from them that the new skill is indeed
applicable to their real-world and they can use what they have just learned
on the job.

Implementation:

Use Recap, Demonstrate, Application Confirmation to make sure the skills taught
are retained and obtain commitment from delegates that they will use the new
techniques to overcome their challenges.

9
As professionals involved in training and developing individuals and organizations,
Larry Spears, CEO of the not-for-profit Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant
Leadership, cites 10 characteristics, which can inspire trainers in their profession:

 Listen. Be receptive to what other people have to say. You'll learn more
about their needs and desires, which you can use to help them or someone
else. That will help you develop your ability to respond proactively.

 Heal. Seek ways to heal yourself and others from broken spirits and
emotional hurts. Individuals, teams, and organizations can be in need of
healing.

 Persuade. Use persuasion rather than your position or authority to convince

rather than coerce.

 Conceptualize. Create opportunities for you and other people to generate

concepts. Many of the ideas will die, but others will come to fruition.

 Develop. Create and take full advantage of opportunities for other people
and yourself to develop and grow personally, professionally, emotionally,
intellectually, and spiritually.

 Dream. Remain rooted in the past while living in the present and focusing on
the future. Take full advantage of opportunities that come your way and
build on them. You are creating your tomorrows.

 Communicate. That means open, honest, and direct communication to the

right person at the right time, by the right person in the right way.

 Trust and build. Through trusting other people and developing relationships
in which we can be trusted, we are able to work at a deeper, more
meaningful level with greater impact.

 Evolve. Seek to be wise as well as knowledgeable. That means growing,

developing, and emerging as a person and as a professional.

10
  Promote. Share the successes of other people so they can be recognized
and can benefit from accomplishments.

With those characteristics in mind, ask yourself the following questions:

* Am I attempting to use my position of authority to obtain agreement?

* Do I listen to what other people are saying through

their work and actions, as well as to what they're not
saying?

* Do I seek ways to heal my personal pain and that of

other people?

* Do I communicate effectively through my words and

behavior? Are my words and actions aligned?

* Do I take time for personal reflection on a regular basis as a way to grow?

* Do I seek challenges for personal and professional growth?

* Do I advocate for others even when it means I may not get what I want?

* Get to truly know our participants. What are their needs for knowledge and
experience? How can we most effectively communicate with them?

The answers to the above questions may lie in the following statements.

* Know our content.

* Be willing to experiment. We can learn in the process of teaching.

* Listen for the wisdom of our learners. Just because we're the instructors doesn't
mean we have all of the answers.

* Encourage continued growth through resource materials, making ourselves

available after training, and giving assignments that go beyond designated
classroom time.

* Recognize and appreciate the contributions of other people.

11
* Find appropriate ways to acknowledge and encourage learning and growth.

* Use many ways of communicating with learners. People are not all alike. We need
information presented in many different ways.

* Seek feedback, and use it for our personal growth.

You can add to the list from your own experience and by asking other people for
theirs.

These can be characterized by openness, stewardship, and vision and can extend to
personal value that can enhance individual, team, and organizational performance.
Some of them are as follows:

* Recognize and appreciate the contributions of other people.

* Find appropriate ways to acknowledge and encourage learning and growth.

* Use many ways of communicating with learners. People are not all alike. We need
information presented in many different ways.

* Seek feedback, and use it for our personal growth.

Further characteristics of a trainer which would help any organization to progress

can be as follows:

Please watch the video; “How to handle criticism”.

Character

By character it is meant the professional credentials and credibility of the trainer.

Training as a career choice is different from all other professions. You need to have
a passion towards training your disciples to success especially since you, as a
trainer, would be responsible for several young enthusiasts’ career. A trainer faces
his acid test when his participants undergo their final evaluation. Therefore, a good
trainer is one who considers his job a lot more than merely a source of income. If

12
you actually start believing that you are doing more than just earning your salary,
you would be able to influence and impress your participants a lot more effectively.

Command on the subject

The second most important trait that is important for a trainer to have is a
thorough grasp of his subject. Needless to say, a trainer with an imperfect
knowledge about his topics is jeopardizing the careers of his participants, and such
a person soon loses the respect of his class. The only way you can effectively grab
the attention as well as the respect of the trainees is to convey to them that you
indeed have a superior knowledge of the subject.

Communication Skills

Paraphrasing the tagline of the IBM ads – it is one thing to

have a grand vision and quite another to bring it to life.
Similarly, it’s one thing to have the necessary qualifications
and expertise of a subject and another to be able to
communicate your knowledge to an audience effectively! Some trainers lose the
respect and interest of their audience despite their superior knowledge of the
subject because they lack the confidence and the communication skills to connect
with their participants. It often happens that a discussion heading towards a certain
topic swings to something entirely different, which distracts the attention of the
class and leads to a wastage of valuable time. Now, it is the trainer's job to be on
the driver’s seat and ensure that everyone is on the same wavelength. This takes
not only confidence but also a lot of subtlety and tactfulness to keep the trainees
focused on the subject.

13
Contact

The trainer must be capable enough to address the needs of

every individual participant in his class. He shouldn’t allow
himself to get carried away by the superior understanding
and grasping prowess of a few bright participants and
neglect the needs of the rest of the flock. Every individual is different, as far as
intelligence is concerned, so the trainer needs to ensure that everyone is
progressing at the same pace and nobody gets left behind.

Clarity

A good trainer is one who is able to

make his subject as simple and
interesting as possible. His language
should be stimulating but prosaic. There
should be no element of ambiguity. If
the topic under discussion is challenging and complicated, the
trainer try to go slow and be patient enough to repeat himself as
many times as needed.

Charisma

Nobody is interested in listening to the droning drivels of a boring dud. No matter

how important a topic you seem to be discussing, if you don’t have a charismatic
personality, people simply won’t listen. Period! A successful trainer is one who is
able to enthrall and captivate his participants with his words. Being charismatic and
dynamic will dramatically improve the trainer's acceptability and likeability amongst
his audience. They then won’t have to make an effort to listen but will listen despite
themselves, and will keep up with everything that’s being taught to them.

14
TRAINER CHARACTERISTICS

POOR GOOD

Monotone / irritating voice or laugh Good inflection

Tone of voice annoyed, exasperated Tone of voice: unruffled

No visual contact Good visual contact

Solid knowledge base - Credibility in

Doesn't know material / program
area

Disorganized / unprepared Organized and prepared

Critical Understanding and attentive

Know-it-all Willing to share knowledge

Apathetic (indifferent, uninterested,

Enthusiastic - excited about topic
unconcerned)

Authenticates material with

Dwells on personal life / experiences
experiences and practical applications

Receptive to questions; listens to the

Defensive, intolerant
whole question before answering

Says things in the same way, Flexible; willing to stop and find a new
repeatedly approach

15
Lack of presentation skills Good presentation skills

Can't deal with surprise hurdles (i.e. Handles the unexpected calmly and
machines don't work, etc.) efficiently

Can't gauge the mood of the room Can gauge the mood of the room

Unprofessional appearance
Professional appearance (clothes, body
(incorrect / no uniform, poor
language, attitude, self-confidence)
attitude)

Has a sense of humor - someone who

No sense of humor can make us laugh in the first few
minutes

Too proper, stiff Likes to have fun

Understanding the mindset of an experienced trainer

Developing the ability to be a leader in life and business requires one to first
identify what it takes to be one.There are many qualities that make up a great
leader, but there are 3 leadership characteristics that are a MUST if you are to be
someone whom others trust and respect.

1) Have an Abundant Mindset: A person who becomes successful in life almost

always has a mindset of abundance. If you think luck, you will create luck. If you
have a mentality of luck, you will inevitably attract others who complain and also
see luck as well. Building a strong organization requires that YOU do your

16
homework by personally developing yourself at all costs. This industry is 90%
personal development and 10% skill set. You can only go as far as your mind
conceives.

2) Integrity: Integrity is by far the most important quality to have because it is the
backbone of a person’s character. A person of integrity does not have to lie or cheat
to become successful. When you are just beginning to build your team, make sure
that you are straightforward when others ask you about yourself and your
intentions. Are you someone who would steal your teammate’s prospect just to
make a buck? Do you tell your members to do things that you yourself do not
implement? Do you lie about making big money when realistically you are new and
haven't produced anything as of yet? If you are a fake others will detect it and your
credibility will be ruined. Have integrity in all that you do by being honest, sincere
and reliable. As a result, your reputation will precede you and make others want to
work with you even more.

3) Take Massive Action: All leaders have the ability to take massive action and
pursue their dreams regardless of their circumstances! If you are scared to act then
how do you think your team will act? As a leader, others are always looking towards
you for inspiration, courage, and strength. Consistently doing what needs to be
done and not making excuses for oneself is the only way to achieve anything in this
lifetime. Become the hero by acting BIG!

A trainer should have the mindset to answer the toughest Questions.

The Calm & Competent Trainer: Mindset of Effective Trainers: What are the
factors that influence the effective trainer’s mindset?

They have researched their topic and

 Knowledge of their subject
are well informed; learners perceive
matter
them as credible.

17
 They demonstrate respect for, and
 Take the time to get to know
listen to, the learners. They call
their audience
learners by name, if possible.

They validate everyone’s experiences

 Being nonjudgmental and their right to their own
perspective.

They know that key learning can take

place when people express different
 Respecting differences of opinion
viewpoints and bring their own
and life choices
perspectives into the adult learning
classroom.

They are aware that their cultural

background shapes their views and
 Being culturally sensitive beliefs, just as the perspectives of
learners are shaped by their own
culture and life experiences.

They recognize their own biases and

 Being self-aware act in a professional manner when
their ―hot buttons‖ are pushed.

They encourage all learners to share

their experiences and contribute to
 Being inclusive
the group-learning process in their
unique ways.

They use humor, contrasts,

 Being lively, enthusiastic and metaphors and suspense. They keep
original their listeners interested and
challenge their thinking.

 Using a variety of vocal They vary their pitch, speaking rate,

18
 qualities and volume. They avoid speaking in
monotones.

Their body posture, gestures, and

 Using ―body language‖ facial expressions are natural and
effectively meaningful, reinforcing their subject
matter.

They present one idea at a time and

show relationships between ideas.
 Making their remarks clear and
They summarize when necessary.
easy to remember

They use examples, charts, and

 Illustrating their points visual and audio aids to illustrate
subject matter.

They are comfortable with conflict

 Understanding group dynamics resolution and know how to facilitate
and are comfortable managing an inclusive course or workshop,
groups where everyone’s participation is
encouraged.

They read and interpret learners’

responses—verbal and nonverbal—
 Being flexible and adapt training plans to meet
their needs. They are ―in charge‖
without being overly controlling.

They are aware that they do not know

 Being open to new ideas and all the answers. They recognize that
perspectives as well as offering their audience new
knowledge or perspectives; they can

19
 also learn from course participants.

They understand that the topics

addressed during training may have
an emotional impact on learners.
 Being compassionate
They are empathetic and
understanding about learners’
emotional reactions.

They encourage co-trainers and

learners to give them feedback, both
informally and through formal
evaluation. When they receive
negative feedback about their

 Being receptive to feedback performance, they critically analyze

this feedback instead of becoming
defensive.

Even the most experienced trainers

can improve their training skills.

 Continuously working to improve Effective trainers seek out

their own teaching and training opportunities to learn new skills and
use negative feedback as an
opportunity to improve.

Please watch the video: “Understanding the mindset of an experienced

trainer”.

20