If you are a supervisor or manager, you probably need to develop and deliver training. Because most managers don’t receive training on how to train other people, here are a few tips:

1. You want to reach all learners (and not everyone learns like you do!). This means you must understand the four basic learning styles. We don’t have space for a full lesson on this, but each of the four styles has a core question they want answered. Therefore, your training should include activities that address these questions:

Why do we need to learn this?
What, exactly, are we learning?
How do we use what we are learning?
What if circumstances require that we adapt and adjust?

All of this requires planning — thinking through the best ways to convey to material in ways that truly engage the learners.

2. Consider the following “do’s & don’ts” list:

- Avoid providing “lecture only” as much as possible, instead:
- Divide your training into a series of presentation sections
-Your “presentation” sections will have the most impact if they last only 10 minutes or so
- In between each section, incorporate short activities in which learners reinforce their learning by talking with each other about what’s been presented (these do not need to be long)
- Groups should consist of no more than four people
- If possible, learners should have time to try / practice / experiment

3.  The following “formula” may help in designing your training:

Review the learning objective for the lesson

Select an activity that helps learners relate to the concept

Decide how you will discuss their insights from the activity

Display an image that connects learners to the concept

Present the information / material that’s key to the learning objective

Decide how you will test / evaluate learners on what you presented

Select an activity that allows learners to experiment / try the learning

Have learners present their findings to the class.

* * *

For managers who want to learn more about how to create awesome training, all of the above (and MUCH more) will be covered (and practiced) in Leadership Development’s next “How to Train Other People” workshop in Boise, Idaho on November 4 & 5, 2010.  Call (208) 375-7606 for more info.

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Filed in Training, Management, Workplace, Train the Trainer