Tip #30: Don’t Say “No” in a Training Session

This Tip looks at why it is so important that trainers don’t say “no” in a training session so they don’t shut down learning.

Don’t Say “No”

Always dignify the participant and the answer. For this reason, there should be a trainer’s rule: Don’t say “No” in a training session.

When a participant answers a question with the wrong information, you don’t want to shut them down. Don’t immediately ask another participant for the correct answer.

Instead, coach the incorrect participant to discover the correct answer.

Say, “Yes, that is correct if the circumstances are x. However, I am asking about these (different) circumstances. In this event, what would the answer be?”

If the participant doesn’t get the correct answer right away, accept responsibility for possibly not being clear. Then try coaching again with different words.

Once the participant has provided the correct answer, hold them accountable for retaining that information. At some point in the training section, ask the question again and call on that participant to give the answer.

We need to remember how vulnerable a participant can feel. From the participant’s standpoint, they are at the mercy of the trainer. They don’t know what will happen or how they will be supposed to act.

As trainers, we want our participants to be willing to try new things, take learning risks, and ask questions. Mistakes and misunderstandings may happen. We have to make sure that our participants feel safe, that they can trust us when we say that there really are no “wrong” questions, and that we sincerely support their success in our classroom.

If your trainers would benefit from learning classroom management, please book a call to discuss a tailored train-the-trainer workshop. https://laurelandassociates.com/contact/

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