The biggest mistake trainers make is believing that the training is about themselves instead of about the learners.
I once audited a classroom training program about heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC ) systems conducted for the public by a California utility company.
The utility brought me in because, although the trainer got raving reviews from the participants, the program participants had not changed their behavior.
So, some background.
The target audience was HVAC contractors.
The goal of the training was to teach the contractors how to install HVAC systems according to a newly revised code.
The trainer was an expert presenter who was very knowledgeable and experienced. He was also very personable and engaging.
The Biggest Mistake Trainers Make
He told stories about the types of problem HVAC installation situations he’d worked on and ultimately resolved.
And that was his training: lecture with lots and lots of personal stories.
When the contractors left the training, they were in awe of the presenter’s experience and expertise.
Not one of them said, “Now I know what to do and how to do it.”
What they said instead was: “Man, I wish I knew what the presenter knows!”
Their evaluations of the training were very positive about the session because they liked the presenter.
However, no one who attended his training left confident in their own competence to install HVAC systems according to the new code.
He didn’t achieve the training goal.
This was because the entire training session was all about HIM.
Effective Skill-Building Training
Training that is effective in building skills needs to be about the learners, not the trainer.
An expert presenter can provide information that is new to the learners. However, it is much more effective if they discover the information themselves.
In addition, when the purpose is to teach skills, the learners must have an opportunity to practice using their new skills in the classroom.
Without that practice, they are highly unlikely to use their new skills and change their behavior.
A Revised Program
I proposed a complete revision of the program that was highly interactive and focused on skill-building.
- It began with a pre-test to determine their current knowledge.
- Next, we paired up the HVAC contractors to answer questions on a worksheet as they reviewed the code itself.
- They discussed how it varied from the original code.
- They also talked about how the changes would impact their installation practices.
- Then they applied the new code by solving written case studies with photos of different installation situations.
- We debriefed their findings, to ensure that they properly applied the code.
- They completed an action plan in which they identified what they would do differently.
- We ended with a post-test to assess their learning retention.
Their evaluations of the revised program were very positive, appreciative of the hands on approach.
When the contractors left the session, they were busy discussing the code changes.
They knew what they needed to do and how to do it.
The utility saw the behavior change they desired.
Stories are Fine
Stories are fine, but they’re not enough. When skills are involved, hands on practice is a necessity.
Develop training with the end in mind.
In this case, the HVAC contractors needed to learn skills. They also needed to leave the session confident enough so that they would use their new learning back on their jobsites.
So, make sure the learning activities in the training program help them to meet those needs.
If your trainers would benefit from learning how to design and deliver participatory skill-building training programs, contact me here to discuss a tailored train the trainer program. https://laurelandassociates.com/contact/
May your learning be sweet,
Deborah
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