Yesterday I turned 52 and realised that I have been training in some shape or form for about 25 years. That has ranged from Infants school to Primary to Secondary school, to outdoor education and wilderness training to corporate, not for profit, public, government training, years of instructional design, elearning design, development and facilitation. And many more things that I can’t remember. Here is what I have learnt.
1. First – you can’t prepare enough. Take more time than you need and be prepared.
2. It doesn’t really get any easier. Yes, there are some aspects that you can do standing on your head but there is always new programs, new content, new ideas and this means you are always going to be reading, preparing and developing.
3. You must keep learning yourself. Doing something over and over again doesn’t make you any better. You need to learn, adapt, try new approaches and learn from your participants.
4. Good training takes alot of effort. You need three basic things. The right people at the right time with the right content for them. You need excellent instructional design. You need a competent well practiced trainer. How often do those three things come together – rarely – but it must be what you aim for on every opportunity.
5. Keep your self fit, both mentally and physically. The demands are high and if you are doing training 5 days a week for an expanded amount of time you will be tired. You have to prepare just like an athlete even though the training does not have to be as extensive. I often see trainers who are just plain tired and worn out who then slacken off and don’t put in the required effort. Your participants demand, expect and require your 100% effort at all times.
6. Forget about the money. Money comes when you do a good job consistently. Even after a long time on the job you may accept a job for less money particularly if it broadens your training scope and it is something that interests you. It wasn’t that long ago that I accepted a contract for $150 a day. I did it because it helped out kids, involved some interesting travel and exposed me to a whole range of training and content that I didn’t normally encounter. I am much better because of it.
7. Just must understand technology. It isn’t going to go away and if you don’t get it or start playing with it you are going to be left behind. Start a blog for your participants. Shoot a simple YouTube video. Just get involved now.
8. If you are still not in the job for what you can do for others start looking for a different career. I am amazed that at times I work with people who just don’t appear to like people or want to help them. It is all about the people. Yes, you can earn good money and the holidays are at times pretty flexible but if you are not in it to help people you are going to burn out fast, worse still, you are going to ruin people’s learning experience.
9. Read everything, watch as much as you can, listen to podcasts. To relate to the many and varied people you meet in your training rooms you have to understand what other people do, listen to, are interested in and are talking about. You will find it easier to talk to others and easier to understand where they are coming from.
10. Always arrive early. The first session I try to get there at least 1 hour earlier. On standard sessions, on the same topic, at the same venue, I let that slip to about 45 mins. You need to be ready, prepared and raring to go exactly on time even if the audience isn’t ready. This time is also very useful in getting yourself relaxed and mentally prepared for the day ahead.
11. Be funny and personable. Two difficult things I know. But they are actually not that difficult if you watch and listen to the group. It doesn’t take long to figure out their collective personality and what they will respond to. Humour is easy. Just use self deprecating humour until you find out what they find amusing.
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