With preparation...

... your senses are heightened. Your focus becomes sharper. Be warned when you already feel you have practiced enough. That's complacency setting in.

... training becomes a breeze because you have mastered the strategic use of time and of the materials.

... the games and activities produce the desired results because they have been pretested.

... staff at the venue are able to respond better to requests. Facilities and equipment have been tested.

... buy-in among the trainees is high because they received adequate notice prior to the training. As a result, turnout/attendance is high, they arrive on time and participate with enthusiasm. Resistance is lessened.

... the training aide/assistant provides optimal help because he has sense of ownership of the training process.

... the training achieves its objectives.

... confidence soars. You as the trainer becomes more confident in handling the training, your nerves are calm. Participants become confident that they will learn what they have to learn. The client will be confident enough to contract your training services again.

3 rules: plan, prepare, practice

PS: I'm busy preparing for my graduation speeches.

Pre-training preparations

For a trainer like me, preparation is the key to a successful training engagement. It is my practice to spend a minimum of two (2) days of preparation for every hour of training. Meaning, an 8-hour training would cost me 16 days of preparation. And the days I invest always pay off.

What preparations have to be made prior to the training?

>> DATE - Are the training date/s set? Are the dates tentative or fixed? Do they fall on weekends or holidays?

>> VENUE - How near or far is the venue from your place? How much travel time will it require for you and the participants to reach it? Is the aircon working? Is there adequate ventilation and lighting? Are there enough facilities and equipment for outdoor games, breakout groups and plenary? Are there enough electricty outlets and extension wires? Where are the restrooms located? Is there an emergency exit? Is there a first aid kit? Conduct an ocular inspection as early as two days ahead of the training schedule. Provide participants with a location map.

>> FOOD - Oftentimes, the venue provides food and refreshments. Have you confirmed the arrangements? Are there participants with food restrictions?

>> TRANSPORTATION - Has the company arranged for transportation? This is especially applicable for out-of-town training. Does the venue provide adequate parking?

>> TRAINING ADVISE - Has each participant received a training advise? Whether it is through a memo, text or email, it is important that participants are well informed about the training. I will discuss this in greater detail in a later post.

>> MATERIALS - Are the PowerPoint slides ready? Are there enough number of handouts? Are the tools appropriate? How about the props for games and other activities? Is the LCD projector working? Is the laptop working? How about the training kits that contain nametags and writing implements? Has the attendance sheet been printed? Have the certificates been printed?

>> SUPPORT - Will you need an assistant? What qualifications will you look for? Will he have to demonstrate games, help you facilitate or provide solely administrative support? How much honorarium will you be able to give? Has he been contacted? Do you have a Plan B if the assistant backs out at the last minute?

>> CONFIDENCE - Yes, you are the trainer, which is why it is important that you are confident. How? Master your material. Do not memorize. Master!

Preparation demands patience. I take it easy. Preparation has its rewards. Hindi munggo ang itinatanim ko, mangga.

Next post: The advantages of being prepared.

Dillema, now

Late last year, the campus magazine of the local university sent its editor-in-chief to interview me for a feature. Come graduation time this year, I will be guest speaker at the graduations of the elementary school and one high school.

Is this an affirmation that I am successful? Naku, define success and use it in a sentence. And it would be preposterous to think that schools are going gaga about me. I have come up with an apt description: "New Kid in Town Sydrome." After 10 years of pursuing a career in Metro Manila, I am back in my province to represent a UN agency. Well, okay, I was not a lout either when I left my hometown.

That's the only explanation I can come up with so that I could understand the attention.

Meanwhile, I am drafting my speeches. And trying to penetrate the minds of 12-year olds and 16-year olds. First of all, what will be my objective in addressing these youngsters? Will I be able to steer them to a positive direction? I am still in touch with my rural roots at all? Will I not alienate them with my mindset? So there's the age factor and the urban-rural culture factor.

I am the animal blinded by a 10-wheeler truck's headlights. Roadkill candidate?

When resistance strike III – Handling Resistance

As a trainer, you do not pounce instantly on the resistor. You can be proactive by responding even before the training starts. Here’s how:

1. Instrospect . To avoid later regrets, ask yourself these questions: Can I confidently deliver this training? Am I thoroughly prepared? Do I understand the nuances of the topic? Am I not being a charlatan? Will I be able to adopt an attitude that supports the objectives of the trainees? Am I not being arrogant or feeling superior?

2. Know the trainees. Include in your pre-training preparation your familiarization with the trainees. How? By asking for the participants’ profile. This tool will give you an idea if you are going to train rank-and-file employees, managers, CEO or a mixed audience; or if they are newbies or industry veterans; male or females; from which departments of the company, etc. audience homogeneity and heterogeneity are critical factors. Also, issue a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) tool that asks the participants what makes a training session meaningful. Take their answers into account when designing your training design and in your actual delivery.

3. Provide space. Make sure that the training design has adequate avenues for trainees’ participation. Take hint from the word ‘participant.’ Build in Q&A/forum time, group and individual exercises, mental and physical games that will enable participants to feel involved and engaged. These exercises can become outlets to which the resistor can channel his unhelpful attitude.

During the training:

1. Deliver the training in the best way you can.

2. Actualize No. 3 above.

3. See eye to eye. Left unchecked, the resistor can disrupt you and the other trainees. Spend some time observing the resistor. Then, call his attention in private. Do this during a break. Ask him what he feels about the training. The objective is to understand the resistor, not to embarrass him or to put him on the spot. Listen to the resistor sincerely and ask him to cooperate. Do not give him special attention during the sessions. This might embarrass him or inflate his ego.

4. Show him the door. If all else fails, and you think the resistor is eroding the progress of the training, send him out. Again, tell him in private that he is being destructive and you want him to exit. Before this, call (take note, call, not text) his superior and consult him about the situation. Obtain clearance.

5. Administer the feedback form.

After the training:

1. Study the accomplished feedback forms. It will give you an idea if there were other resistors who were just silent and suffering throughout the session.

2. Prepare for your next training engagement.

(P.S. This post should have been here earlier had a glitch not interfered. Only one sentence appeared when I published it. The thing is I type directly on the blog so, except for the opening statement, everything was gone. I was dismayed. No choice but to compose this again. This time in MsWord ;-))

When resistors strike II - Understanding the Saboteur

So, you have spotted the resistor. Or, more appropriately, the resistor has spotted you. You already know the telltale signs. But why does a resistor behave the way he does? This question is crucial to how you as the trainer responds to the situation. Call it pseudo-psychology but it is important that you know what's brewing inside the resistor's psyche. Without this knowledge, you can become easily distracted from you training. The worse thing is that the resistor (more appropriately - saboteur) can sway 'symphatizers' to his side.

Again the question: Why does a resistor behave the way he does? It could be for a dozen of reasons:

1. The resistor may have undergone a similar training in the past. In this case, he will feel he knows the topic better than you do.

2. He was sent to this training when he was very busy beating a deadline. He views the training as a nuisance because it uprooted him from what he perceives as his real priority.

3. He feels the topic is irrelevant to his situation.

4. He recently underwent a traumatic experience, e.g. death in the family, ailment, demotion, etc.

5. He is anticipating a potentially damaging experience. Hello!? Companies are now downsizing because of the recession. Your resistor may be feeling that he is candidate for decruitment.

6. There's friction between him and his boss, and his resistance in the training is his way of rebellion.

7. Unpleasant experience during a past training, e.g. he was made an example of undesirable workplace behavior. Training programmes make him paranoid from then on.

8. He is suffering from psychological disturbance, e.g. ADHD.

9. He is bone tired having just finished a project. He would've wanted to take a vacation not attend a training.

10. The training venue is uncomfortable.

11. Other participants are annoying him.

12. You really aren't good at your topic. Or you are plain boring.

There could be a lot of other reasons.

Now that you know the 'why', it's time to know the 'how.' My next post will be on how to handle resistors.