4 Responses

1. I’d say open-mindedness,
   I’d say open-mindedness, curiosity, patience, enthusiasm and creativity. What would your top 5 be, Rus?

   1. Hi Shonette
      Hi Shonette
      You’ve hit on five great character attributes- I was thinking more of specific skill-sets or abilities, such as the >ability to encourage and handle questions
      >ability to manage a delegate ‘behaving badly’
      >ability to define a good learning objective
      and so on…..

2. Wonderful quedtion. It can be
   Wonderful question. It can be really hard pulling out what matters in a trainer. Having held multiple training positions and helped develop around 50 trainers I can say there were a few things I looked for in trainers to tell if they will be good. First is being a people person. It seems obvious but you need to be able to talk to anybody and deal with them calmly. Second biggest piece for me is enthusiasm. If you aren’t enthusiastic about what you’re training your trainees won’t learn. They don’t have to be bouncing off the walls, but they should find whatever they’re training about interesting. Third they have to be willing to learn. I went from training hospital office associates to training insurance brokers. Your trainer could be walking into a world they know nothing about and they need to learn fast the world they will be teaching in. Fourth is they need to be able to think on their feet. People will ask all sorts of crazy questions and do all sorts of things. If they can’t think on their feet they’re going to lose the room. A fifth that I look for but isn’t necessary is a sense of humor. Being able to make a room laugh is always good but being able to laugh at the end of a long day can contribute to the longevity of a trainer.

   These are what I look for. Just about anything else can be taught. You can teach people how to handle a room and build rapport. All in all trainers have to have the instinct to do what is needed to keep the group moving and going throughout the session

3. Business Focus – Recognising
   Business Focus – Recognising the ultimate purpose of training is to enhance the performance of the business.

   Broad Vision – Thinking beyond just developmental event/s and creating a framework that supports and ensures transfer of learning into work place performance.

   Performance Gap Analysis – Differentiating between a performance gap predicated on an absence of knowledge and skill and a performance gap driven by other none trainable issues.

   Learner Focus – Determining what is the best way for the learner to acquire the necessary knowledge and skill and not what is the preferred method of delivery.

   Cut The Crap – Identifying what works and what doesn’t, separating facts from fiction. Demanding evidence, data and proof that assertions, models or methods are actually supported by measured, tracked outcomes, not wishful thinking or anecdote.

   That’s my 5, at least for today.