Training is a systematic process that enables learning and practice to take place with a clear objective to invoke change
I like to go back to basics when it comes to approaching any training session that I conduct. I usually start by considering the audience and how I would enable them to participate and engage in the learning process. This typically comes in a form of establishing a common definition to the words that I will use in delivering the content. I believe that if the words used have a common understanding than we get to minimise the risk of misinterpretations.
What is Training?
I usually start my Train-The-Trainer session by asking the question, “What is training?” And the responses I get are often quite interesting.
Rarely I ask this question for the sake of just getting an answer. I ask this question more as a pulse check to see how my fellow trainers define training.
“Training is a systematic process that enables learning and practice to take place with a clear objective to invoke change in the competency of another strategically through appropriate and acceptable methods.”
This is my current definition of training. Here is why.
1. Systematic process
Training does not happen by chance. It is neither an accidental process nor a spontaneous incident. There is a large amount of planning involved in selecting the right input, with conscious decisions made on the strategy to produce the desired output.
2. Enable learning and practice
Training is implemented to enable learning to take place. However, learning alone is not enough. There must be conscious effort to allow the participants of the training session to apply and/or practice what they have learned. This is especially critical for a skill-based topic where the application of the lesson is crucial to the effectiveness of the learning process.
3. Clear objective
If you are not sure of where you are heading, you will end up going around in circles. A clear training objective provides the trainer with a clear end-goal to aim for. This will help the trainer to make the right decisions on how to strategize the learning process. As for the learners, a clear objective will allow them to know what output is expected from the session.
4. Invoke change
A good trainer does not force the learning to happen. Instead, they invite and appeal to the participants’ own desire to want to gain new knowledge, improve their skills and consider new behaviour that would bring themselves benefits.
5. Competency
The whole point of training is to focus on the competency elements – what enables the person to be able to carry out the task better, namely the knowledge, the skills and/or the behaviour. We try not to get involved with the emotions, beliefs, character, and other psychological aspects of the learner.
6. Strategically
Each activity in the learning process must be appropriate, useful, and purposeful to achieve the targeted lesson. The trainer must make a conscious decision on the “what”, “why” and “how-to” of the training session.
7. Appropriate and acceptable methods
A trainer is the “bearer of knowledge” and this is a noble role. A noble man would not belittle, embarrass, or force the learner to do meaningless unorthodox actions with the excuse that it is his or her unique way of imparting knowledge or skills.
From the above, if all trainers could agree to this definition, I firmly believe that we have a strong chance of improving the training industry and uplift the standard to the next level.
