2. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Overview
• What Makes a Great Trainer?
• Creating a ‘Safe’ Learning Environment
• Be Prepared for Participants’ Reaction to Possible
Change
• Managing Challenging Classroom Situations
• A Few Facilitation Reminders
3. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer?
• Active Listening
• Selecting Words Carefully
• Read Your Audience and Check for Learner Understanding
• Using Repetition to Reinforce Learning
• Summarizing vs. Reviewing: Differences in Skills
• Effectively Engaging Participants
Be sincere, confident, enthusiastic and
have a sense of humor
4. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Active Listening
Active listening encourages a true dialogue that achieves mutual
validation and enables understanding.
• Tunes in and out
• Mainly focused on him /
her self and own thoughts
• Is quiet, passive, and
unresponsive
• Has a detached posture
• Hears words but does not
really listen
• Stays on surface of
communication
• Listens logically
• Is emotionally detached
• Receives information by
being talked to rather than
being equal part of
conversation
• Fully focused on listening
• Is alert and directly involved
• Maintains eye contact
• Restates what person said
• Asks clarification questions
• Is emotionally fully engaged
Level 1:
Non-Listening
Level 2:
Passive Listening
Level 3:
Active Listening
5. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Selecting Words Carefully
• Create a positive environment with your words
• You may say one thing, and the participant will
hear something completely different
Trainer – What you Say Participant – What they Hear
“If you look carefully….” You didn’t do careful work
“I know you’re trying, but….” No matter how hard you try, you
wont get it
“Most people here
understand…..” “As most of you
already know…”
You’re not as smart as most of
the other people here
6. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Read Your Audience and Check for Learner
Understanding
• Listen and watch for non-verbal signs of confusion,
frustration, or disinterest
• Turn non-verbal signals into words:
o Are you with me?
o Shall I go over that again?
o How are we doing?
o Is something not quite clear?
o What questions do you have?
• Maintaining eye contact will help this
7. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Using Repetition to Reinforce Learning
• Using Repetition is key for adult learners
• In everything you will be delivering, you want to:
o Set it up
o Tell them in the form of demonstration or practice
o Summarize key concepts and main points
Tell them
what you told them
Tell them
Tell them
what you’re going to tell
them
8. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Summarizing Vs. Reviewing
• These are similar concepts, but require different skills:
Reviewing
• Prepares learners for the
next lesson by refreshing
their understanding
• In the course materials, we
use “Knowledge Check” and
“Q&A” as the primary
mechanisms for content
reviews
9. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Technique How to
Active, two-way communication
facilitates learning.
Rather than asking the learner, “Do you
understand?” ask “What isn’t clear?” This
encourages the learner to talk.
People learn best in a non-
threatening environment.
Make the learner comfortable. Don’t use your
“expertise” to impress.
Adults learn best by doing a task.
After explaining and demonstrating a skill, let the
learner try.
Adults deserve and need reasons
“why”.
Supply the learner with a logical reason “why”.
Effectively Engaging Participants
10. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
What Makes a Great Trainer Cont.?
Technique How to
People learn faster when they
know how they are doing.
Constantly tell the learner what he / she is doing
well and what to work to improve on.
“Jargon” intimidates. Explain the technical terms you use.
Learning increases when a
difficult, complex job is broken
down into steps.
Explain step by step. Check for understanding
before going on to the next step.
Adults want to be recognized for
what they already know.
Ask the learner what he / she already knows about
a given task or what related experience he / she’s
had.
Effectively Engaging Participants Cont.
11. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Creating a “Safe” Learning Environment
Module 1: Overview of Classification
Relate training to real life
Be sensitive to resistance
Introduce yourself
Student introductions
Set ground rules
Create InterestIntroductions
Be open to questions
Learning by doing
Applaud effort
Respect questions
Encourage Participation
12. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Creating a “Safe” Learning Environment
Prepare me for what is new or changing
Prepare me with job expectations
Tell me what I am supposed to produce
Tell me what I must be able to do
Show me how it works
Show me how an expert does this job
Let me practice in safety
Let me learn from mistakes
Help me use on-line help
Help me be self-sufficient
Prepare Me
Tell Me
Show Me
Let Me
Help Me
13. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Be Prepared for Participants’ Reaction to Change
Training usually take place in a corporate environment due to impending change. People react to
change in a wide variety of ways which can have an effect on the learning that happens in the
classroom. The reason for these reactions is often because people:
• Lack the appropriate information, skills and knowledge, or understanding of business rationale
and context
• Are not ready to change or have to change their ways
• Are anxious about being left behind, fear appearing unprepared or ridiculous, etc.; fear new
technologies
• Feel a total loss of control over their future; are adversely affected by rumor mill; have displaced
feelings
• Remember or have heard of a previous training experience that may not have been beneficial;
can’t see the benefits
• Perceive that time / energy is being taken away from job or personal life to be trained; workload
imbalance
14. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Managing Challenging Classroom Situations
What is a “Challenging Classroom Situation?”
• Side-Bar Discussions
• Inattentive Learners
• Reluctant Learners
• Oppositional Learners
• Argumentative Learners
15. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
Managing Challenging Classroom Situations Cont.
Do This…
R Relax and restate course / training objectives
E
Empathize and acknowledge expertise and acceptable behavior; give
negative feedback privately
S Spend time with then over breaks and listen
P
Provide positive reinforcement; let them know their concerns are valid,
but they can still achieve goals
E Explain or give examples of “what’s in it for them”
C
Capture issues that cannot be resolved in the classroom; use the
“parking lot”
T
Thank the participant and involve the larger group in addressing the
concern
When Being Challenged, Use R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
16. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
A Few Facilitation Reminders
• Prepare for and create an effective classroom
environment
• Know your content and your audience
• Manage the agenda, time, and questions
• Be flexible wherever required – YOU own the
classroom
• Use training aids to enhance learning
• Frequently summarize and review
17. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUD
A Few Facilitation Reminders Cont.
• Encourage questions and follow-up on issues
• Apply feedback to subsequent classes
• Be positive and practice!
Remember:
• Training is NOT the same as KNOWING
• Telling Ain’t Training
Classroom environment affects a learner’s ability to learn. It also influences the learner’s perception of training and motivation to learn. One of your primary tasks as a trainer is to create an environment in which participants feel encouraged to learn and ask questions.
“No matter how well we configure the new system, if the users don’t feel prepared, they won’t use the new system.”
Following are some guidelines for how to best present the course; however YOU own the classroom. You will need to adjust the flow to meet the needs of your learners.
Introductions make everyone feel more comfortable
Set ground rules around time, breaks, asking questions, parking lots, distractions (cell phones, emails, web surfing), respecting each other and facilities, etc.
Be enthusiastic about training (for example, illustrate the positive, be an advocate for change, be sensitive to resistance, avoid overselling)
Encourage participation
Be conscious of your individual style
Practice! Watch your hands, face, pacing, volume, clarity
Take breaks… “The mind can absorb only as much as the seat can endure!”
Talk slower, talk louder, face the audience
Encourage note taking in the participant guide
Check for understanding – look for disinterest and ask participants if they understand (“How are we doing”, “Do you have any questions”)
(30 Minutes)
Capture on whiteboard/flip chart.
Determine who will be the spokesperson. Spokesperson comes to front of class.
Users need help coping with the learning curve by having trainers provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to be effective.
Resistance is a behavior that attempts to preserve the known and avoid the unknown. It is a natural and expected part of any change.
As agents of change, you will notice people will fall into 3 “profiles” as they go through the change process – the “30-50-20 rule.” On an average:
30% will actively promote the change
50% will “wait and see”
20% will always resist
What is most important to know is that:
the 20% will not sabotage your efforts
you will invest most of your energy on swaying the 50%
you need to support and encourage the 30%
and, you will never convert a full 100%!
There are different ways to address resistance to change – one of which is training.
Relax and take a moment to collect yourself. Review ground rules, if necessary.
Empathize with their feelings and clarify the meaning of words and phrases:
Saying "I know exactly what you mean," is vague and impersonal.
Saying "I know how difficult this was for you because I also had to learn this recently,” can open up a dialogue with the recipient.
Spend time with them over breaks, show interest, listen to their grievance, talk about your experience with SAP / project / change.
Provide positive re-enforcement for competence, let them know their concerns are validated, but that they can achieve the goals.
Explain or give examples of “what’s in it for them.”
Capture issues that cannot be resolved in the classroom and forward to the right people.
Thank the participant for the criticism and involve the larger group in addressing the concern; ask the rest of the class how they will deal with it.
Read your materials; make notes (comments that you want to make during the class) on your copy of the training materials
Ask questions of subject matter experts, if required
Practice transactions to allow for easy demonstrations and exercises
Check steps and data to practice exercises
Complete a dry run of the course to practice timing
Become comfortable switching between Course PowerPoint slides and SAP
Know where to get support
Check and become comfortable with the equipment
Locate supplies
Use visual aids
Arrive early to become familiar with the equipment, layout of the room, etc.