Remember Me? I'm the Trainee.
As someone who has been a trainer for many years, there are times when I must reverse the roles and become the trainee. These dual roles can be frustrating. As a trainer, I try to follow the involvement and motivation principles I’ve learned and taught. But then I end up in a training class that violates all of them!
Speaking as a trainee, I’d like to offer trainers a short list of things to remember:
I am not Einstein! Don’t expect me to have all the answers. We trainees walk into entirely too many classes, especially those in which we are considered “already knowledgeable,” and hear things like, “Of course, you already know this, so we’ll go on….” As a matter of fact, I often don’t already understand the point. Have you forgotten the purpose of our time together? As trainees, we want to be stimulated. We want to be reminded of the facts and figures we don’t use every day on the job. Of course, we also want to learn new things that will help us do our jobs better: What’s more motivating than learning something useful-and knowing you’ve learned it? But start where we are, please, not where you are.
But I’m not a kindergartener either. I don’t appreciate being condescended to or treated as if I have nothing to offer. One reason I resist the idea of being trained is that I suspect you’re going to behave as if all my knowledge and experience suddenly don’t count for anything. Encourage me to share my expertise. As an instructor, you are rarely able to spend time on the line and get current experience in the so-called “real world.” It may be threatening for you to acknowledge that we trainees probably know more than you do about at least some aspects of our jobs. But it’s your responsibility to try to understand what it is that we want to learn, need to learn and have a good idea of how to learn. Above all, show us that you respect our ability to understand and apply the learning.
I’m not as excited about this as you are. I’m used to being on the job five days a week, moving doing, talking. You, on the other hand, are used to being in the classroom all day, perhaps all week. Give me a break-literally! You get energy from teaching, motivating and walking around the training room. Many of us trainees get most of our stimulation from the intake of caffeine in the vending machine during break time. At the very least, start different portions of the day with an exercise that gets the mind and adrenaline flowing. If calisthenics are out of the question, at least give us a chance to stretch occasionally.
Give me some real stuff I can use back on the job. It’s not hard to convince me that a few days or a week away from the old grind is of vital importance to the company, my future in it or even national security. The person who needs convincing may be my manager, the one who grudgingly released me from my daily duties to attend this course and in now juggling my duties while I am away. Give me the ammunition to convince my boss and my colleagues that my time away and the money spent will pay off in the near future.
Let me know you’re human too. It’s all right to make an occasional mistake without trying to cover it or telling me without trying to cover it up or telling me I misunderstood. I realize that people don’t always have all the right answers, so don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know that, right now, but will help you find the person who does.” DON’T pretend to have all the answers or give wrong information to “save face”.
Help me be better right now. This stuff you’re talking about may be awesome, but make sure I walk away with something I can use right now. Help me create an action plan to implement the skills, knowledge and tools we’ve learned in my world. That’s where I need help right now. I’m going to be evaluated on my performance at the end of the year on my present job, so help me make sure I can do it better after participating in your class.
Remember these things and, when I get back to the job, I will remember you as a great trainer.