From Teaching to Training - Articles - Andrew Schwartz

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From Teaching to Training
by Andrew E. Schwartz

What to be as a presentor-and what not to be - that is the question.

Training focuses on specific skills, knowledge, abilities, and attitudes necessary to the performance of a specific task or job. Unlike an academic course of study, trainings should be aimed totally toward practical application, with the underlying theory only introduced if it helps the trainee better to understand the training material and apply it more effectively. Since the objectives of training are measurable and concrete, emphasis must be placed on content and on the presentor’s presentation style, which aids in the transmission of the content. First, a good presentor establishes an environment which enhances adult learning factors being both physically and psychologically conducive to the learning process.

There are four conditions that must be met to establish such an environment

1. Respect for individual personality. Your personal feelings about certain people, particularly if they are negative, have no place in the classroom. Recognize that your students are equal partners in the learning process. Build upon their experiences to enhance the content of the course.

2. Participation in decision making. Allow adult trainees to share in making decisions about the training process. Encourage and accept their suggestions non-defensively, and, wherever possible, incorporate them into the instruction. Take seriously the input provided by the students’ program evaluations.

3. Freedom of expression and availability of information. Make available all information to which you refer and provide access to any additional materials used to develop the course. Respond to all trainees questions and comments with encouragement and support and integrate their comments into the flow of the presentation wherever possible.

4. Provide a physically comfortable environment. No successful training can take place where trainees are too hot or cold, or where they have to strain to hear the presentor.

If you can create these four conditions for an educative environment your training both well received and effective.

Trainers, and all people for that matter, often have unrealistic expectations of themselves. Here are five things you do not have to be.

1. Perfect. Trainers do make mistakes.

2. Expert. Remember that you don’t have to know all there is to know about the topic you are covering, but you should know how to go about finding an answer if someone asks something you do not know. Tell people when you don’t know an answer - trainees usually know when you are bluffing it. The class can unite in trying to make the instructor look foolish if a “know it all” attitude is expressed.

3. More Experienced. It is not unusual to find trainees who are more educated or experienced than you in specific of your specific topic. You have the responsibility to use their expertise to help broaden the course content and add new aspects to it.

4. In Total Control. Ironically, the more you give up control, the more adult trainees perceive your program as being responsive and sensitive to their needs. The control you give up may take the firm of a traditional authoritarian role or an inflexible lesson plan. For that matter, if the presentation you are making is not going well, you do not have much to lose by asking the class what they perceive as the problem and then responding by adjusting your training accordingly.

5. Entertainer. It is more important that the trainees learn the skills, knowledge, abilities and attitude that they were intended to absorb (even if the route you take to guarantee this learning deviates from your plan), than chuckle through the presentation but not learn much. Although ideally you want them to enjoy the learning process, the context should never be sacrificed to the rapping.

Many presentors put unnecessary pressure on themselves striving for those unnecessary and unrealistic goals. Their energies would be better directed towards being these things.

1. Yourself. You have a lot to offer just as you are. Trainnes easily notice when a presentor puts on an act.

2. Honest. You must be honest - personally, professionally, and intellectually. You must manifest a sense of integrity and pride.

3. Sincere. - in your concern for the quality of the instruction and the learning of the participants. You must be willing to adjust the program where necessary to improve its effectiveness and open to suggestions and criticism by the trainees.

4. Prepared. You must research your topic areas as fully as you can within your time frame, prepare a complete lesson plan, and develop handouts, overheads, or other training aids. Know how to use the equipment required for the lesson and have sufficient materials for all participants. Even if nobody else knows that you are not prepared, your presentation will suffer.

5. Confident. If you are not prepared it’s almost impossible to be confident since you know that you are not ready to instruct. This is likely to increase your nervousness and overall lack of composure. Being prepared is the key to confidence.

And confidence is justified when you have prepared, since preparation leads to success.

Andrew E. Schwartz, CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates of Boston, MA a comprehensive management training and professional development organization offering over 40 skills specific programs and practical solutions to today's business challenges.

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