Trainer’s tip: Getting delegates to show up!
It’s that old chestnut again – just how do you tackle the thorny subject of no-shows? Various trainers offer their wisdom, tell of their experiences and give advice. Sarah Leahey asked: I am new to the company and they have never had an L&D department before so this is a new culture for them. The […]
Trainer’s tip: Listening skills exercise
What’s the secret to good listening skills? Scott Cullen has some surprising, but very practical answers. One exercise which I use which focuses on listening skills is the following:When delegates return from break, start reading an extract from an article, you can do things such as turning your back, covering your mouth, speaking in monotone […]
Trainer’s tip: Team building activities
You’ve suddenly been asked to come up with a team building exercise at the last minute – what do you do? Trainers point to several websites that offer details of great team building exercises, and the beauty is, they’re all free! Carson Warnes asked: I’m two months into a new job & I’ve just been […]
Trainer’s tip: Explaining John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership model
Harvey Bennett suggests an interesting activity to help explain John Adair’s theory, while other trainers offer their perspective as well. Harvey Bennett suggests this activity: 1. Outline the ACL model2. Show the movie ’12 O’Clock High’ (Gregory Peck, c1949, available on DVD) in two parts.3. After the first part, to the point where the CO […]
Best of 2008: Best trainer’s tip
Thanks to everyone who voted in this category. The award for Best Trainer’s Tip goes to “Qualifications or experience: You decide”. Qualifications or experience? You decideRead it hereThe best learning style questionnaire?Read it hereKey skills for a trainerRead it hereMaking leadership training practicalRead it hereDo your homework to beat disruptive learnersRead it hereTeam BuildingRead it […]
Trainer’s tip: Stretch that budget
Sheridan Webb offers five suggestions to keep training alive and kicking during difficult financial times. 1. Adopt a flexible approach. Embrace methods such as distance learning, buddying, secondments, action-learning and coaching to meet clearly specified development needs.2. Go for ‘bite-sized’ learning events. Taking people out of the business for two-to-three hours is cost effective, and […]
Trainer’s tip: Mind your grammar
This proof reading exercise from Rus Slater aims to teach delegates – in this case managers – some lessons in spelling and grammar. Get a relevant piece of written work, for example a report, tender response or sales document, and amend it to have a series of “deliberate mistakes”, some purely spelling and grammar of […]
Trainer’s tip: Making training manuals ‘sexy’
How do you turn a bland knowledge book – which makes even the trainer fall asleep – into a sexy, must-read? Various trainers offer their advice. Sinead Walker asked: I am currently working on redesigning all training manuals for my company. At present these are very bland and unappealing. They are called knowledge books which […]
Trainer’s tip: The magic carpet of change
It’s amazing what you can do with some rolls of felt and some squeakers from used soft toys, says Mike Morrison, who says you can easily save several thousand pounds and make your own ‘magic carpet of change’. Afraid we don’t have any TrainingZone.co.uk badges Mike… Keith Paine posted a question on our Any Answers […]
Trainer’s tip: Stuck in the middle?
What’s the best way to develop middle managers? The ‘sink or swim’ approach of many organisations can be disastrous. We at TrainingZone particularly liked hearing of Wayne Thomas’ experience of asking stakeholders for their opinion. Read his and other trainers advice. Wayne Thomas suggests – ask the stakeholders:I had a similar problem (admittedly over a […]
Trainer’s tip: Productivity boosters
These six tips from Ehsan Honary to help trainers work smarter come from a thread asking for technology-based time saving tips. Click on the link at the foot of the article to read some more suggestions. There are many possible tips on time management and workflow which is something you need to work on continuously.I […]
Trainer’s tip: Match, pace and lead exercise
This quick pairs’ exercise, from Barbara Babcock, reinforces matching and pacing and demonstrates the effects of mis-matching on rapport building. It’s done in two parts:For the first two minutes person A talks about something they are passionate about (or a previous holiday etc) for two minutes. Person B listens attentively and matches and paces Person […]
Trainer’s tip: The good, the bad and the ugly of tendering
Beware of what you ask for! Margaret Glossop opened a can of worms when she asked for trainers’ experiences of local authority invitation to tender documents. Several trainers gave their honest opinion on the complex and frustrating ITT process, and how it could be better for everyone. Harvey Bennett says his experience has been very […]
Trainer’s tip: Handling disgruntled customers
How to handle difficult people is one of the best read subjects on TrainingZone.co.uk – although, as Rus Slater points out, customers are usually angry, miffed or disgruntled, rather than difficult! Here, trainers give their advice for training exercises for dealing with those irate callers. Michelle Nickless asked: I am due to deliver a session […]
Trainer’s tip: The first 60 days
What do the first 60 days in a new job look like? Sheridan Webb gives her advice on the induction process. Sheridan Webb advises:I have written a number of self/coach-led induction programmes for various companies. These programmes tend to last between four and 12 weeks, and aim to ensure that the new starter is: Quickly […]
Trainer’s tip: It’s all a question of time
What practical exercises can you do as part of time management training? Angela Brier-Stephenson gives some advice, while other trainers list their favourite websites for resources. Angela Brier-Stephenson advises:I get them to look at time spent now and how it would look in the future, by dividing up a pie chart into the relevant sections […]
Trainer’s tip: Learning needs analysis
Whats the best way to identify learning needs for a small team of retail area managers? David Cooper of Lumus gives his advice. David Cooper replies:Engaging your retail managers in what is expected of them, in order to establish best practice is a great first step. At that early stage, it is also worth inviting […]
Trainer’s tip: Key skills for a trainer
What are the key skills that – ideally – every trainer should posess? Stuart Farmer’s question caught your attention and many trainers replied. Here’s a selection of their advice. Nick Hindley replied:Good trainers have these attributes hard-wired into their muscle memory:1. They know what the learning outcomes are that they want the learners to achieve […]
Trainer’s tip: Tailor-made training
What can you charge for bespoke design – especially if it is ‘exclusive’ to one client? Several trainers share their experience. Sheridan Webb advises:As someone who focuses almost exclusively on designing training, you bet I charge for it! Most clients I work with want something that reflects their structure, culture, customers and situations. So, although […]
Trainer’s tip: Counting the cost of no-shows
How do you count the cost of no-shows to training? There seems little in the way of hard facts, but what we do know is they cost money – and lots of it. Graham O’Connell says a tough approach is what’s needed to tackle non-attendance. Figures do vary significantly from one organisation to another. I […]
