Nigel McPolin
Founder, etimes2 ltd
Train the Trainer is a development programme often viewed as a ‘nice to have’ by so many organisations. It is seen as something that can help your in-house experts deliver their training session but not essential. After all, businesses usually appoint their subject matter experts to deliver the various internal training course and mistakenly believe that their expertise is all they need.
Yet, in-house training courses are a major touch point between the organisation and every one of its employees. It will have a huge impact on whether your employees feel valued or just a number. So, do your internal trainers need development?
Train the Trainer for In-House Trainers: course details
How Much Does Your Company Invest in Internal Communications and Employee Engagement?
I imagine that it is fairly safe to assume that, whoever is reading this article, your company has an internal communications strategy and an employee engagement strategy. It is also fairly safe to assume that both these strategies receive significant investment. Rightly so, as they are both important in developing, valuing and motivating employees. As a result, most businesses will have glossy brochures, flat screen TVs flashing company messages, an intranet and some form of social events to engage employees.
So, after all that good work and investment, why would you waste it? Or, at least, why would you negate its impact?
How Do Your Employees Feel Attending Mandatory Training?
We all know that the majority of employees attending mandatory training courses are unhappy at the prospect of sitting in a training room while being talked at. They are usually experienced and believe that this experience should exempt them from the training. Their previous experiences of in-house training include sessions delivered by very nervous and under-prepared subject matter experts. Worse still, the subject matter expert may have become immersed in their own expertise and lost the group’s attention.
As a result, your employees perceive the training in a negative way. They feel undervalued and that the training is organised to ‘tick the boxes’ so the employer can ‘cover their own back’.
This negative outcome is certainly not the intention of most businesses. It happens because the trainer is an expert, yes, but also under-developed as a trainer. Expertise can be a hindrance to a trainer if they don’t know how to structure and communicate it properly.
Wasting Your Talented Subject Matter Experts
The negative outcome felt by participants must also have an impact on your trainers. You have entrusted these talented people to apply their expertise to what is often business critical training sessions. But, have you ever stopped to think how they feel standing up in front of a challenging audience with under-developed training skills?
They feel unprepared and recognise that they don’t have the skills to handle the resistance and negativity coming their way. They know how their colleagues will react to the training and do not look forward to the experience.
So, why demotivate some of your best people in this way?
Train the Trainer: it’s an easy fix with the right course
There are many Train the Trainer courses out there that suit ‘professional’ trainers, i.e. people who have accumulated experience in HR, L&D and other such professions. The theory laden programmes, often lasting up to a week, with little by way of actual stand-up delivery opportunities (at least, not before the final afternoon) will suit such professional trainers.
However, most in-house subject matter experts are not professional trainers. They are ‘shop-floor’ operatives who have climbed the first few rungs of the ladder. They are good, intelligent people with loads of experience and expertise that can serve your business well, improve quality and efficiency, and save you money on bringing in external consultants for mandatory training.
How Do etimes2 Train the Trainer?
Too many train the trainer programmes are chock full of irrelevant theories and models that do not deliver any impact for many in-house trainers. The approach to train the trainer is important for this particular audience.
“You knocked us down on day one and then slowly helped us rebuild. The transformation in all our training skills and delivery by day three was amazing.” Chargehand, P&O Ferries
We knock them down
In the nicest possible way, we raise participants’ awareness of the challenge facing them individually to become great trainers. Without this awareness there can be no change or development as the trainer does not know where s/he needs to improve.
Then we build them up again
We then focus on supporting and guiding your trainers to rebuild their approach, preparation and delivery skills with simple but high impact models. We give them tools to design and deliver high impact training by focusing on getting their message structured so they can engage resistance delegates.
Avoiding an overload of theory…..
Our train the trainer courses only contain the theory that is relevant. We do not fill time with irrelevant information.
….focusing on the practical
Instead, we focus on practical models that enhance the trainer’s skills by being easy to understand and use. We give your trainers the skills and tools to prepare, structure their message to engage and be understood, and to enjoy their training role.
Find out more about the etimes2 Train the Trainer course for in-house trainers
Delivery, feedback and application
Our train the trainer courses are built around participants actually delivering sessions from day 1, getting video feedback, applying both the feedback and relevant theory/models, and then delivering again (with video feedback).
It is intense, challenging, informal, great fun and a huge achievement all signed off with an ILM Endorsed Award in Train the Trainer.
We would love to discuss your Train the Trainer needs.
How do you ensure your in-house trainers have the skills to engage a challenging audience and clearly deliver your message?
