Posted on: Monday, October 16, 2006
Training session benefits its leader, too
By Michael Crom
Gannett News Service
Q. I've been asked to train some of my company's new hires. I have not been in a training setting for many years, and although I know what I'm doing, I'm still worried about teaching others. What can I do to better translate my knowledge into something educational?
A. Companies do not always have the resources to have a full training staff. This is a great opportunity to show your worth to your company. Coaching new employees can be a beneficial experience for all. Here are a few ideas that will help you coach these new employees.
Establish desired results: Define and set a goal. Create a picture of what "should be" when the training is complete.
Get the right attitude: If you are enthusiastic about training, your students will be enthusiastic about learning. Your trainees must buy into what you are teaching before you proceed. If they don't "buy in," there will be resistance that you will need to overcome.
Provide resources: Make sure that everything that can be done to help the person succeed is in place.
Help trainees practice: Allow the person to begin. During this time, demonstrate the task, do it together, and observe and coach. After that, allow the trainee to practice on his own.
Reinforce and reward: Discuss results, celebrate accomplishments and discuss any changes that need to be made. The process may be repeated until the results have been reached.
