Train the Trainer Programs

It happens every day. An employee who excels at their job is tapped to start training other employees on their topic of expertise. This is despite the fact that the individual has never been trained as a trainer. I call this an accidental trainer.

The problem is that the accidental trainer:

• has no idea how to design and conduct a training program or manage participants.
• is expected to conduct training on other topics unfamiliar to the trainer.
• resorts to giving a lecture, which is generally ineffective.
• doesn’t know how to create an environment that encourages and supports learning.
• presents training programs that do not build the desired knowledge and skills in the participants.
• is prone to stress and burnout due to the anxiety of being expected to perform a job they have not been prepared to perform.