Tony Monk at Evolution Training

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.....

Ade, it depends on the subspecies....

>a train-wreck of trainers (those who are unprepared and keep losing the thread)
>a capture of trainers (those who love to take home 300 pages of flip-charted outcomes from each activity)
>a syndicate of trainers (those who just love to break the group into syndicates and make them work in small teams)
>a troupe of trainers (appropriate to those who think entertainment more important than learning)
>a troop of trainers (for those who may have learned their trade in the Army but who always want to push the learners outside their comfort zone)
>a drone of trainers (those who lecture rather than anything else)
>a luvvie of trainers (who want everyone to role play every scenario)

Are any of these any use to you?

Rus
www.ruswrites.com
www.coach-and-courses.com

Most people who don't like role play/skill practice/reality practice/Exercises or whatever feel that way because they don't want to lay themselves open to criticism.
So before you mention role play explain how the feedback process works-
a) you are only allowed to give positive feedback- ie "I liked the way you did x"
or
b) you can make a positive suggestion- ie "it might have worked better if you had done Y."
NO NEGATIVE CRITICISM ALLOWED (this isn't being wet- if a person screwed up they can see this and they don't need anyone else telling them...if someone is really so self unaware they will notice by the total absence of a).
I got this method from the late Gordon Bessant and it has served him and me brilliantly for years!

Liz, you say that the 'comment' regarding the suing of a MHFA is 'unhelpful'--however if you look more closely the 'comment' was a question....you have answered it so it should therefore be said that the question was helpful as it gave you the opportunity to reply.
:-)

Clive raises a frightening possibility for the future with his comment "If everyone knows who the MHFA's are and you are seen sitting with them, there may be a concern that people might judge you on that."

"MHFA wins £3m in compensation for workplace stress.
Mr A claimed that he was isolated and no one at work would talk to him since he became the company's MHFA. This led to long term sickness and he is now unable to work."

I have a different take on this-
1. I just think that it is a bit sad that we revert to having a paid(?), trained and qualified (?) professional to step in and take what is, in my opinion, the role of a decent human being/workmate/colleague/team-mate.

2. It seems ironic that this originated in Australia- the nation that gave us Crocodile Dundee and his retort, when told that someone needed to discuss a problem with their shrink, ask "What? Hasn't she got any mates?"

3. It almost seems a furtherance of the 'not MY responsibility' and 'THEY should do something' attitude that is so insidious these days.

4. If you see a co-worker struggling, go and offer a friendly shoulder- a bit of a breather- a supportive smile....if it is a bigger issue than 'normal' human decency can cope with then suggest they seek professional help. That's great.

5.But what about the 'formal responsibility' of the mental health first aider- a person has a bit of a wobble and suddenly there is an obligation upon the MHFA to take some sort of action....if they don't and the person ends up say signed off with stress (or worse) is the MHFA going to get sued and held liable in the same way that flesh and blood first aiders can be?

Blimey, I must be stressed to have had such a strong response- where is my MHFA? and can they sign me off sick?
:-)

quite interesting results so far- not exactly what I'd expected but potentially very revealing.

Sure- I just need to get a good cohort of people to complete the survey!

I'll see your 'telesales not listening' and raise you....
A few years back I was visisting my mother in law. The phone rang, I answered.
'G'Mornin', G'Mornin' Am oi speakin' to Mr George Thompson?' Sang the charming Irish salesman.
'No,' I replied 'Mr Thompson died last year'
'Áh, fan-tas-tic, fan-tas-tic, and when will he be back in then?
.......