MERL

A Commitment to Development

Train the TrainerTrain the Trainer

How to be Professional and Effective Trainer

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Transparency, commitment, business understanding, and a well trained team are the major tools to achieve our objectives.

Solid ground of field management experience and experiment

First line support of highly experienced and creative marketing expertise

Qualities of a Professional TrainerQualities of a Professional Trainer• Objectivity • Diplomacy • Firmness • Respectably attired • Odor- free (no colognes, perfume) • Inclusive • Fairness • Empathetic (valuing the feelings and perspectives of others,

even though you may not agree) • Respectful

Qualities of a Professional TrainerQualities of a Professional Trainer

• Confidence • Humility • Not condescending or infantilizing • Active listening • Willingness to learn • Clarity about professional role • Awareness of personal and professional boundaries • Avoid compromising situations • Avoid conflicts of interest

Ten Trainer TipsTen Trainer Tips

1. Be Professional1. Be Professional

• Maintain a professional attitude and manner. • Relax, speak clearly and enunciate. • Establish and maintain eye contact with

members of your audience.• Ask questions to maintain participation and

ensure that the audience is following, and understands the presentation.

2 Know your material2 Know your material

• In order to effectively communicate knowledge on a subject, it is important that you know the subject.

• Strong knowledge of your material will allow you to be confident and confidently impart that knowledge upon your audience.

3 Know your weaknesses3 Know your weaknesses

• While it is important to be knowledgeable on the subject, it is impossible to know everything.

• If a question is asked which you do not know the answer to, never lie and give false information.

• Instead, offer to search for the answer and respond at a later time with correct information.

4 Stay focused. 4 Stay focused.

• Stay on track throughout the training session. • At the beginning of the session, provide a list of goals or most

important topics that will be covered as a means of focusing yourself and the audience.

• Getting sidetracked disrupts training, adds confusion and extra-potentially unnecessary information.

• Diversions may be interesting, or even educational, but there are set goals for each session which must be met.

• If the diversion is relevant to another portion of the session, be sure to steer the audience back on track and mention that it will be covered later.

5 Follow a plan. 5 Follow a plan.

• An agenda will not only keep the training session focused, but will help you guide the audience through a desired set of outcomes.

• Refer frequently to the agenda so both you and the audience know what has been, and will be covered.

6 However, allow for flexibility6 However, allow for flexibility

• While there are set outcomes that need to be reached, some flexibility in the agenda is helpful.

• Be aware of the attitude of your audience. If audience attention is wandering, it may be necessary to change subjects or the approach to a subject to maintain interest.

• If a discussion or question goes off track, but the audience shows great interest, it may be useful to further explore the topic if it is relevant or can be connected to another portion of the presentation.

• Just be sure to control the situation so as to meet all outcomes for the training session.

7 Respect your audience7 Respect your audience

• Your audience is made of adults, treat them as such. Talk to them as equals.

• Test their knowledge, do not question it. Allow for intelligent interaction between audience members, and with you.

• Professionally address their questions, concerns and actions.

8 Review8 Review

• At the end of a training session, review the key points that have been covered.

• The audience cannot completely absorb and learn everything that was discussed in the time allowed.

• Be sure to stress the main objectives and reaffirm their importance.

9 Allow for Questions and Discussion. 9 Allow for Questions and Discussion.

• Since there is so much information covered during a training session, it is necessary to allow time for questions.

• This will allow your audience to gain information they may have missed during the course of the session or ask about relevant topics which were not covered.

• This is important because it will allow you to reaffirm key points, strengthen the knowledge you have imparted

• Possibly learn something new yourself from the audience.

10 Have fun. 10 Have fun.

• You will present better, and your audience will receive information better in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

• Maintain audience attention through humor, and a positive upbeat attitude.

• A training session is not the place for tedium, anxiety or hostility.

• Just because a session or topic is important, does not mean it has to be unpleasant.

Learning Types Vs Training StylesLearning Types Vs Training Styles

Learning TypesLearning Types

The visual learnerThe visual learner

• Learns by seeing • Has trouble following or paying attention to lectures • Sees pictures in their mind—visualizes the information • Eyes wander when bored • Reacts well to presentations with pictures/colors • Needs to see what they are being taught • Prefers written directions • Takes detailed notes • Makes use of graphics, charts, diagrams when taking notes • Tends to sit in the front of a room for a better view

The Auditory LearnerThe Auditory Learner

• Learns by listening • Reads aloud • Reacts to tone of voice • Hums or talks to self when bored • Repeats lessons/notes aloud to remember the

information • Reacts well to presentations which incorporate sound • Prefers spoken directions • Tends to sit within hearing distance, but not in the front

of the room

The kinesthetic/tactual learnerThe kinesthetic/tactual learner

• Learns by doing and touching • Enjoys hands-on and role-playing activities • Talks with their hands/frequently gestures • Is restless and may fidget when bored • Reacts well to interactive presentations and field trips • May have trouble remembering what was said or seen • May need to take frequent breaks • Tends to sit near doors or spaces where they can

easily move around

Training StylesTraining Styles

Lecture Style Lecture Style

• Trainer assumes the role of “expert” to the trainees

• Lectures to trainees • Gives assignments • Tests knowledge • Demonstrates • Controls the material given to trainees • Strictly follows an outline

Interactive Style Interactive Style

• Trainer assumes role of “coach” to the trainees

• Encourages new ideas • Tries new approaches • Provides practical aspects of material to

trainees • Uses role-playing and interactive exercises

Group Learning Group Learning

• Trainer assumes the role of “peer” to the trainees

• Initiates group discussion • Interacts with trainees • Allows trainees to work out problems and

projects together • Trainer takes a hands off approach

Learning Types Vs Training StylesLearning Types Vs Training Styles

• In order to meet the needs of all three learning types, do not rely on only one training style. Keep your training session varied and include visual, audio and interactive segments.

Learning Types Vs Training StylesLearning Types Vs Training Styles

• Lecture for short periods. • Write on a board or overhead projector. • Play videos and sound recordings. • Make use of role-playing and group activities. • Use PowerPoint or slide presentations. • Ask questions. • Initiate discussions.

Learning Types Vs Training StylesLearning Types Vs Training Styles

• Use handouts. • Have frequent breaks. • Assign homework exercises and reading

assignments. • Review the material covered to ensure that

trainees have learned it.• If any areas need to be revisited, try a new

approach that targets a different learning type. • Have fun!

Preparation Before the TrainingPreparation Before the Training

The Very BeginningThe Very Beginning

• Find out about your trainees• Decide the main idea “what do you want your

trainees to walk out with”• Decide the support materials you will use the

strengthen your main idea• Establish the presentation framework which

contain the main idea and the support materials

Before you Begin Your PresentationBefore you Begin Your Presentation

• Plan to arrive early (at least 30 minutes early), and before participants arrive, check the following: – Room Set-up, – Equipment – Material

Room SetupRoom Setup

• How is the room set up?• Does it look chaotic when you walk in? • What needs to be done so that when people

walk in the room they will know that this presentation will be professional?

• Will everyone be able to see you without straining?

• Does the seating arrangement allow for interaction?

Room SetupRoom Setup

• Semicircular seating arrangements are ideal for comfort, interaction and line of sight.

• An oval board room table is great to arrange seats around if participants need to take notes or work on course material.

• Desks and chairs can easily be rearranged into a semicircle.

• If the room has chairs and tables, try to move them slightly to create a u-shape.

Advantages of semicircular seatingAdvantages of semicircular seating

• Everyone can see the presenter without straining necks or moving the body in awkward positions in order to see over heads or between bodies.

• Everyone can see everyone else. If discussion and interaction are desirable, then it is vital that people can interact easily and feed off of body language and facial expressions.

• The presenter can easily interact and make contact with everyone, even if it is just eye-contact

• Name cards or place cards for participants are an excellent idea

How to Perform in Poor SeatingHow to Perform in Poor Seating

• Try to move around more to maximize interaction with the audience

• Tell participants to choose a different seat when they come back to relieve straining muscles, eyes and necks.

EquipmentEquipment

• Is all the equipment there and working? • Are you comfortable using the equipment? • Do you know who the contact is if a light bulb

burns out in the overhead projector? • If you are going to be miked, do a sound check. • Expect minor problems and be prepared for

them.• Get rid of the podium and don’t hide behind the

lectern.

Materials PowerPoint SlidesMaterials PowerPoint Slides

• Tips for Creating and Using PowerPoint Effectively • 1 main idea per Slide• 6 words per line; 6 lines per Slide• 4 Slides per 10 minutes• Title your Slide • Use consistent layout, color and readable font• No spelling mistakes• Use animation effectively• You might use dimming function

Arranging The Environment Arranging The Environment

• Position screen in a corner to ensure audience can see you and the screen

• Rule of 2 & 6 - no viewer should be closer than 2 times the height of the screen nor farther away than 6 times the height of the screen

• Check in advance - projector plugged in; positioned properly; spare bulb; projector focused, etc.

Positioning Yourself Positioning Yourself

• Always face the audience• Maintain eye contact• Do not walk between projector and screen• You and screen are positioned properly if you

can read it while facing the audience• Never read your overhead to your audience -

people can read much faster than you can speak and will be bored

Ways Create Friendly AtmosphereWays Create Friendly Atmosphere

• Familiarizing yourself and the participants• Beginning the session on time.• Greeting people as they come in the room.• Engage in casual conversation (create allies) but

don’t start giving your presentation.• Demonstrate positive, open body language• Introduce yourself to others if you are on a panel.• Introduce yourself to several members of the

audience using a firm handshake.

Ways Create Friendly AtmosphereWays Create Friendly Atmosphere

• Making eye-contact.• Having participants fill out name tags so that you can

call them by their name.• Listening to the question and then answering - do not

anticipate the rest of the question as this will lead to a confused answer for the person asking the question.

• Keeping distractions to a minimum, such as squeaky doors and flickering lights. If you arrive early enough, there is usually time to do something about it.

• IMAGINE SUCCESS.

Induction to the TrainingInduction to the Training

IntroductionIntroduction

• Thank the person who introduced you• Thank the audience for coming to listen to the

presentation• Establish your credibility - explain your

experience• Present your agenda (the main ideas)• Set out any expectations from the audience (i.e.

when will you answer questions - during or after presentation? Will there be any breaks, etc.)

IntroductionIntroduction

• Tell the audience what you hope they will gain, learn or understand at the end of your presentation - go over your learning objectives for the audience

• Provide a transition statement to move into the body,

• Do not come across as arrogant and having all the answers.

• Once you have the audience’s attention, you can ease into the body of your presentation.

ICE-BREAKERS ICE-BREAKERS

• An “ice-breaker” is a group tool used to help the trainees becomes acquainted with each other and to introduce them to the training program.

• It may be humorous, or simply seek to introduce people to each other.

• You may wish to have an ice-breaker on the first day of the program only, or at the beginning of each training session.

GROUP INTERVIEWS GROUP INTERVIEWS

• Mix trainees up so they aren’t sitting with other people they might have come with.

• Give them 5-10 minutes to talk to a person they didn’t previously know,

• And then have them introduce the person to the class, sharing what they’ve learned about him or her.

GET ACQUAINTED GET ACQUAINTED

• See the similar “Get Acquainted” exercise handout under Sample Resources.

Paradigm ProblemsParadigm Problems

• Paradigm problems challenge participants to think outside the box and better appreciate how the way they listen and understand can be easily misunderstood.

• It can be a humorous way to break the ice and set the stage for the day’s training material.

Setting Expectations SessionSetting Expectations Session

• Give short briefing about the training subject• What are your current problems according to

this subject

Maintaining InterestMaintaining Interest

• The biggest challenge during the body of your presentation is thinking up ways to maintain the interest level.

• Even as adults our attention spans are short. • Both verbal and non-verbal communication is important

to maintaining interest from your audience.• Be sure to articulate and pronounce sounds and words

correctly. Poor articulation and mispronunciation can leave listeners feeling aggravated and confused.

Attention Getting TechniquesAttention Getting Techniques

• Pop quizzes• Stories and real-life examples• Humor• Voice inflection• Stage movement• Asking questions to the audience• Reminding them of a post-test• Gesturing

Answering QuestionsAnswering Questions

• listen to your trainee’s questions and comments first before thinking of your response.

• You do not need to agree with the comment, but listening reflects your desire to understand the comment.

• The benefit of you answering questions throughout your presentation is:– It involves the trainee– Can provide clarification or eliminate misunderstandings that

otherwise would continue in a person’s mind throughout your presentation.

– Confusion can interfere with a person concentrating on the rest of your presentation.

Before You Answer A Question Before You Answer A Question

• Make eye contact with the person• Focus on him/her when they are asking the question• Move towards the person• Repeat the question so the rest of the audience can

hear it; makes the person feel significant and gives you thinking time

• Rephrase the question if you are not clear what is being asked

• Build rapport and say, "That’s a good question." or, "I’m glad you asked that."

Answering The Question Answering The Question

• Begin the answer by focusing on the person who asked it through eye contact

• Then move away from the person both in eye contact and physical proximity (unless you are seated)

• Make eye contact with the broad audience• Answer the question clearly and briefly• Finish up by making eye contact again with the person

who asked the question• If appropriate, ask, "Did I answer the question for

you?" or "Does that help?"

A Commitment to Development