6 P’s To Keep You Sharp as a Contract Trainer

Great article and tips here.

Facilitation theory in point form

Carl Rogers and others developed the theory of facilitative learning. The basic premise is that learning will occur by the educator acting as a facilitator, that is by establishing an atmosphere in which learners feel comfortable to consider new ideas and are not threatened by external factors.

Other characteristics of this theory include:

• a belief that human beings have a natural eagerness to learn,


• there is some resistance to, and unpleasant consequences of, giving up what is currently held to be true,


• the most significant learning involves changing one's concept of oneself.
  

Facilitative teachers are:

• less protective of their constructs and beliefs than other teachers,


• more able to listen to learners, especially to their feelings,


• inclined to pay as much attention to their relationship with learners as to the content of the course,


• apt to accept feedback, both positive and negative and to use it as constructive insight into themselves and their behaviour.
  

Learners:

• are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning,


• provide much of the input for the learning which occurs through their insights and experiences,


• are encouraged to consider that the most valuable evaluation is self-evaluation and that learning needs to focus on factors that contribute to solving significant problems or achieving significant results.

Teaching about Safety?

I just found this great lesson plan on identifying workplace hazards that would be a helpful addition to any class where you need to ensure participants take a proactive approach to safety in the workplace. It is put out by the Government of Saskatchewan and can be found at:

www.readyforwork.sk.ca/movingonline/Learning%20Activities/Classroom%20Hazard%

I would use this in Entrepreneurial Skills training, training new supervisors or junior staff orientations.

Remember, if you are looking for a subject specific activity for your group, send me an email and I will see what we can find from our own databases or I will see what else I can find in the industry.

Tips for Supervisors: Five Ways to Follow Up on Training

Would you like it if your employees only gave 50% effort or completed half of their tasks?

Well, if you are only scheduling and implementing training sessions for your employees, you are merely doing half the job. Equally as important as these two steps is the task of following up your training sessions.

Following up involves measuring and evaluating a session’s effectiveness. Doing so will provide you with a benchmark for future sessions as well as give your employees the opportunity to tell you how they would like to change the training subject or format.

Here are five easy steps to follow up your training sessions.

1. At the end of the training session, ask each participant to commit to trying 1-3 new skills. Get the participants to write down the actions and then schedule a follow up meeting to discuss whether theses actions stuck, and why. If you do want to lead this meeting yourself just bring back the original trainer.

2. Shortly after the training, ask each participant to give you a brief summary of the two or three most important points they took away from the training. Consolidate the responses and post them in a popular location for a couple weeks.

If time passes and you see your employees reverting to their old habits, email them their responses along with any more feedback you have received.

3. If appropriate, post facts or statistics related to the training after a session. For example, if your training was on customer service, post the number of sales made per week to show employees how they are improving.

4. A week or two after the training, ask participants how they have changed. If appropriate, post the responses. If participants are saying they haven’t changed, ask why and how the training can be improved next time.

5. Several weeks after a training session, send the participants a quiz related to the training’s content. Post all the responses (but separate the right and wrong answers) and award a prize to the person who does the best.

Follow these steps and see the results for yourself. After all, going halfway when it comes to managing your organization’s training only cheats the very employees whose performance you are looking to improve.

Simple, portable classroom activity

This game comes from http://www.teachmeteamwork.com/ and is a great portable exercise that can be used to make a variety of learning points.

Teambuilding Game: Count Up

Group Size: 10-15
Age Range: Elementary – adult
Intensity: Mental=1, Physical=1
Time: 5-15 minutes
Space: Minimal – Medium -- Lots
Set Up Time: none
Props: none

Objective
The group verbally counts up (sequentially as in 1, 2, 3, etc.) to a number equaling the total number in the team.

Set Up / Preparation
Have each team form into a circle. Team size of 10 to 15 works best. If you have lots of people have them form into multiple teams of 10 to 15.

Tell the following to the group: “In your small teams, verbally count up sequentially (as in 1, 2, 3, etc.) to a number equaling the total number of people in your group. You must do this in a random manner. You may not create a pattern to help you count up. Team members simply announce the correct number in the sequence when they have the intuitive sense to do so. Each person may only say one number. If two people say the same number at the same time the group must start over.”

Rules
Team members must verbally count up sequentially (as in 1, 2, 3, etc.) to a number equaling the total number of people in your group.
This must be done in a random manner. You may not create a pattern to help you count up.
Each person may only say one number.
If two people say the same number at the same time the group must start over.”

Comments
This is a good activity to focus the group and have them work towards a common goal.

I like to use this activity to enter into a discussion about the value of intuition as it applies to building high performing teams.
Variations
Ask the group to count as high as they can go before making a mistake. Set the world record.

What Constitutes Facilitator Competency?

FACILITATION SKILLS COMPETENCY - a proposed model

As a professional team of facilitators in a business that demands the application of our facilitation skills daily, we often dialogue around what makes a facilitator "competent." This is such a hot topic that we have in fact developed our own competency profile which we teach to, in our Master Facilitator Certification program. For more information on that program or our model, please contact me at dean@actraining.com.

In the meantime, take a look at this competency profile for a facilitator we found online - do you like it? Any gaps?

ANALYTICAL & CONCEPTUAL
· Ability to think on your feet
· Good memory
· Ability tosummarise/interpret/reflect
· Ability to organise and presentthoughts clearly
· Ability to generate options
· Quick and appropriate action andreaction
· Creativity

GROUP DYNAMICS
· Good understanding of groupdynamics
· Ability to cope with ambiguity
· Ability to “pave the way and stand out of the way”
· Neutrality and objectivity
· Ability to stimulate discussion
· Group problem solving skills
· Ability to handle criticism
· Ability to synergise and obtain cooperation

COMMUNICATION & DELIVERY
· Listen until you understand
· Effective use of verbal and nonverbal communication skills
· Do not fear the void of silence
· Know how to speak the “internal language”
· Use of visual and other aids

SELF-MANAGEMENT
· Flexibility
· Ability to work under stress and handle crisis situations
· Ability to maintain an agenda and adhere to a timetable
· Stress management skills
· Time management skills

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS
· Enjoy working with people
· Sense of humour
· Patience
· Tactfulness
· Be a team player
· Good perception

TECHNICAL
· Clear understanding of the Control Risk Self-Assessment process
· Content knowledge of the specific topic and industry
· Proficiency with certain technology

There are many arguments for what are "essential" facilitator competencies - The model above is but one. tell us what you think makes a facilitator competent.

There is a good article on the whole issue of facilitator competence at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3954/is_200001/ai_n8882373

So what do you REALLY think about getting feedback?

How do you feel about receiving feedback as a facilitator? Do you welcome it, or do you cringe?

Effective facilitators often understand the value of coaching and feedback, both giving and receiving, when it is done with care. But we are also used to it being given without so much care so have developed the skills to deflect the feedback we don’t agree with or appreciate. But, sometimes we need another point of view to understand how our skills and behaviors are really perceived by others. If we are willing to accept all forms of feedback, it can guide us to better performance. Those who are willing to accept feedback also become better at giving it. Truly a win-win situation.

So why do some of us get so nervous about feedback? Because we tend to worry more about negative messages than to expect positive ones. In fact, feedback can (and should!) be used to recognize success as much as improve performance. It can generate new ideas. What about ‘negative’ feedback? Most people who have received negative feedback eventually realize it is not so scary after all, and often very helpful.

Here are some tips for receiving facilitation feedback:

o Trust in the good intentions of the person giving you feedback. Even if they are not yet skilled in the process, they are making an effort to help you succeed by sharing their perspective. Remember, you always have the right to accept it or reject it – just make the decision AFTER considering it.

o Recognize that it’s normal to feel nervous. Many people are uncomfortable hearing things about themselves, whether positive or negative.

o Focus only on listening. Breathe. Pay attention to the full message, verbal and non-verbal.

o Take time to absorb feedback before you respond. Don’t dismiss it or react defensively. Use what you hear as a starting point for more conversation, if necessary.

o Make sure you understand. The feedback process requires effort from the receiver as well as the giver, so ask for clarification and examples if you need to. By the end of the conversation, both parties should be satisfied with the result.

o Be honest. If it’s really not the right time, or if you feel overwhelmed, say so. Be prepared to come back and start again later.

o Ask for feedback. Requesting a coaching session when you feel ready, can make it more comfortable for you.

o Look toward the future. Feedback can help you grow. If you choose not to accept feedback, not to change, will your current path take you where you want to go?

Need more training on how to receive feedback as a trainer? Our Master Facilitator Certification program can help you learn to hear better! For more information, vists us at www.actraining.com or contact us at 604.521.5473 or events@actraining.com.<