As a training professional, one of the most important aspects of your job is to ensure that your trainees can effectively deliver training to others. However, even the most experienced trainers can fall into common mistakes that can negatively impact the effectiveness of their training sessions. In this blog post, we will discuss seven common mistakes that trainers make and how to avoid them.
Not Tailoring the Training to the Audience
One of the most common mistakes trainers make is not tailoring their training to the audience. It is essential to understand the trainees’ needs, learning styles, and backgrounds to deliver an effective training session. Failure to do so can result in a lack of engagement and retention of the material. To avoid this mistake, take the time to research your audience and tailor the training to their specific needs.
Lack of Interactive Elements
Another common mistake trainers make is not incorporating interactive elements into their training sessions, such as group activities, paired activities, role-playing, and reflection. Passive training methods, such as lectures and “one-direction webinars,” can lead to a lack of engagement and retention of the material. To avoid this mistake, incorporate interactive elements, such as group discussions, role-playing, hands-on activities, action plans, and reflection, into your training sessions.
Not Creating a Comfortable Learning Environment
Creating a comfortable learning environment is crucial for practical training. Trainers who fail to create a relaxed learning environment risk their participants feeling uncomfortable, stressed, and unengaged in the training. To avoid this mistake, ensure that the training room layout is conducive to learning and that the trainees feel comfortable and at ease—check-ins about lighting, seeing a projected image or flipchart, hearing one another, etc.
Not Providing Adequate Practice Opportunities
Providing adequate practice opportunities is essential for practical training. Without practice, participants may struggle to retain and apply the material covered in the training session. To avoid this mistake, provide ample opportunities for participants to practice what they have learned during the training session, allowing them to ask questions and refer to quick guides or job aids where they can find the most relevant information or steps. Turn the learning over to the participant.
Not Giving Clear Instruction
A trainer who fails to give clear instructions risks their participants feeling confused and disengaged. To avoid this mistake, ensure that your instructions are clear, concise, and easy to understand. Ask open-ended questions and do regular check-ins with your participants. If there are job aids available for the topics, have the participants use them during an activity or two.
Not Being Prepared
Not being prepared is a common mistake that trainers make. Being unprepared can lead to a lack of confidence, a lack of engagement, and a lack of retention of the material or wrong information. To avoid this mistake, ensure that you are well-prepared for the training session, including having all the necessary materials and equipment.
Lack of Follow-up
Finally, a common mistake of trainers is not providing follow-up after the training session. Without follow-up, participants may struggle to retain and apply the material covered in the training session. To avoid this mistake, ensure that you provide follow-up support and an aftercare solution, such as additional resources or opportunities for practice, after the training session.
Conclusion
In conclusion, avoiding these seven common mistakes is essential for delivering practical training sessions. By tailoring the training to the audience, incorporating interactive elements, creating a comfortable learning environment, providing adequate practice opportunities, giving clear instructions, being prepared, and providing follow-up, trainers can ensure that their trainees are able to deliver training to others effectively.
References:
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. John Wiley & Sons.
Gagne, R. M., & Medsker, K. L. (1996). The conditions of learning (Vol. 4). Harcourt Brace College Publishers.