Novice Trainers: Don't Panic, Prepare

03/06/07

Your boss just gave you a week to put together a training session on employee discipline. Feel panicked? Don’t.

Anything that helps to bring your situation under control will calm you down, so grab a pencil and paper and start roughing out your strategy right now. Here’s what to do.

1. Decide Who Should Attend
Should you include all employees or just certain groups? Will attendance be optional or mandatory? Avoid false starts and wasted time by asking your boss for clarification. Simply defining your audience can ease your mind.

2. Decide What to Cover
Make sure you understand what your boss had in mind when she dropped this in your lap. Don’t try to read her mind or feel compelled to cover everything on the subject. You may need to set priorities.

If she’s left everything up to you, however, ask yourself, “What specific information do I think this group should have about the subject when I’m done?”

Write those topics down; they’re your need-to-know list. You can distribute supplemental information afterward by handouts, email, or through follow-up meetings called by supervisors or department managers.

3. Choose a Location
This could be any place from a break room to an off site conference center. The main point is to pick a place that will hold everyone comfortably and can accommodate any audiovisual equipment you plan to use. Tour the site personally and confirm when it’s available.

4. Get the Word Out
Notify those who should attend and their supervisors. Pick a time that’s compatible with their schedules if possible. Make a list of everyone who should be there, and confirm their attendance.

5. Draft, Distribute an Agenda
List the main subjects you’re going to cover, specific materials employees should bring, and any preparations they should make (such as reviewing existing policies, procedures, or records) so they’ll get maximum benefit from the session. Send the agenda to attendees at least a day before the session.

6. Profile Your Audience
Write a brief description of the type of people you’re going to work with. Are they practical folks who will scoff if you mention theory? Higher-level managers who may not need to know hands-on techniques? Will they resent being asked to attend (and therefore feel somewhat hostile)? Are they reasonably literate or have just a minimal education?

Answering these questions helps you decide what to say, how you should say it (including visual aids), what types of examples to use, and how much detail to provide.

7. Consider the ‘Mechanics’
These include, for example:

Should you use a commercial package or develop the presentation yourself? (Professional materials may make your job easier, but they could be too generic. Besides, you may not have the time or money to order them.)

Rehearse your presentation in the actual meeting room. You’ll feel more comfortable when D-Day arrives.

Test-run audiovisual equipment and familiarize yourself with the controls.

Print your notes double-spaced in a large font so they’re visible from several feet away.

Keep visual aids such as slides and transparencies simple. Limit them to a maximum of three points each.

Put statistics and lengthy procedures on handouts. Tell the group in advance so they won’t worry about writing down every number and word. (Save these handouts until the end, however, so people won’t read them while you’re speaking.)

Ask open-ended questions such as “What should we look at in more detail?” and “What haven’t I been clear about?” This makes it easier for people to ask questions and admit confusion.

Don’t tell jokes unless you’re good at it. If you do, be discreet. Humor that’s ethnic, sexist, or involves dialects or accents can get you in big trouble. When in doubt, leave it out.