Communication Skills for Trainers

Trainers need to be good communicators. They are required to explain concepts, draw out existing knowledge, persuade reluctant participants to join in, provide supportive feedback, and so on. Trainers don’t have to be entertainers, but they do need to sincere and assertive.

A Trainer is a Colleague and a Leader

In a lesson, a trainer speaks differently from the way they would in everyday conversation. For the duration of the training, they are both a colleague and a leader. When a trainer reaches the point in a lesson where a group activity takes place, they explain what is going to happen next. Trainers don’t ask learners whether they would ‘like’ to participate in the activity, they’re not offering coffee at a dinner party! It will have been planned specifically to achieve the outcome, so they explain what is going to happen next.

As long as the session or day was introduced fully, the learners will be anticipating eh activity. If you already know someone in the group, they will often be the first one to move.

Sometimes there is a hesitation of a few seconds while participants digest what has been asked. If the delay is any longer, consider nominating someone to start the activity.

Communication Skills for Trainers

Humour

Humour provides a welcome element of light relief, but it’s not guaranteed to work. A humorous story that makes one group laugh out loud may barely raise a smile on the next course. For this reason, trainers don’t often tell jokes which contain a punchline, if no-one laughs it can be a little embarrassing.

If a trainer wants to add humour to a lesson, they will usually tell an anecdote instead of a joke. An anecdote is a short, amusing story about a real incident or person. In training, these are valuable because they convey a message which is strengthened by humour. Because the primary function is the message, if no-one laughs, the story still has a value.

Avoid ‘written’ language in visual aids where possible

If you wish to use text on screen, or you write out notes of what you intend to say, try to use spoken language. ‘Written’ language tends to be more formal and can sound unnatural.

For example, we are happy reading a sentence like this from a book:

That the human brain has different forms of memory is not widely understood

Not many people realise we have different types of memory

If you want to show slides which contain text, don’t start by typing in PowerPoint or Keynote. Say it out loud first. When it sounds right to you, then type the words onto a slide.

Praise and thanks

In conversation with a friend over coffee, we wouldn’t normally thank them for asking a question or praise them for a suggestion. In a training situation the dynamics are different. For some people, offering a suggestion or answering a question in front of a whole group requires a degree of effort. Considerate trainers recognise this by thanking people for their contributions.

Thanking people in an ordinary conversation might be perceived as patronising, but in a large group it makes participants feel valued. Inevitably, some contributions may not be what you hope for. For example, they might represent a viewpoint which counters the one you are trying to share. It is at moments like these that a trainer needs to ‘think on their feet’. Although it can be overused, the response, ‘That’s interesting’ provides a recognition without having to agree or disagree.

Believe in your subject and the lesson

If a trainer is uncomfortable with any aspect of course design or content, it is likely to be apparent to the learners. For this reason, it is always best to adjust teaching materials to suit your own approach.

Talking point

• Have you ever experienced a group member who did not want to join in with activities? What happened?
• What are your experiences of praise and thanks given during training (either as a trainee or a trainer)? What was their impact?