Corporate sessions, professional development workshops, continuing education classes and conferences ... Business training comes in all shapes and forms, and there are days when I feel I have logged every one million hours. Over the years I have trained a wide variety of people. Sequestered scientists from disadvantaged teens, I tried to enlighten or to the best of its ability to help each group. I also participated in countless hours as an apprentice. Eagerly taking notes, I will try to catch every word the speaker shared. Other workshops on this occasion will find yourself fighting back tears of boredom. Speaking and training after a particularly busy season I decided to boil down to a simple checklist.
For instructors:
Defined minimum of jargon as you go. Not everyone wants to hear every cent seventy-five words you learned in graduate school. Keep your words simple and memorable. After all, you want people to take this information away and would like to implement it. Absolutely necessary for the terms: currently defined, and is clear with an example.
Intelligence and skills Acknowledge your audience brings into the room. When people come to training they are not blank slates. Entrepreneurs, corporate type, and mix the instructor as the students can make their jobs easier to get ideas and experiences. To offer something to respect all people as apprentices.
Be prepared to be challenged and vague principles speak in terms of results. This is especially important when you talk to business owners, remember that they want things fast and flexible. Entrepreneurs are my particular area of expertise. Of course you can tailor your training to your specific audience's background.
With your PowerPoint slides or handouts do not fall in love. You can spend hours creating your content, but it does not mean that they will always attract your group. Off the script to answer questions or be prepared for the inevitable technical difficulties.
Do your homework on both sides of a training session. In the training room of the group and advance as much as possible. Carefully evaluate the training and review with an open mind. A phone call or email to see if you can be helped with further follow up.
For Attendees:
Do not plan to stay home to learn. Nothing more than one or two stubborn everyone attendees who are determined to never have a training session derails, never change. If you know that you absorb new ideas or to master a new skill, your colleagues a favor to call in sick and have no intention of trying. Negative effects of the attendees malcontent because I recommend that companies "should" steer clear of the training sessions whenever possible. Safety training and the trainer and manager like to make the best of it.
Off your phone - yeah, I mean. No "Jingle Bells" or whatever, clever sound as your ring tone is selected while they are trying to concentrate to hear.
Take notes and follow through. Let the business card, hand-written notes or a stack of recording your training sessions do not just collect dust.
Speak and ask questions. Most training includes one or more interactive pieces. These parts so you ask questions, offer their ideas and to help the trainer to help you include. If you live full time mother and then a laundry list of complaints out an evaluation of the filling, then you probably missed a great opportunity.
Karen Southall Watts is an entrepreneurial and management trainer.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
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