58 Trainings delivered since 2000

I had a count up of all my paper training plans since I started printing them off in 2000 and was amazed to find there were 58 in the file so that averages around 4 a year - not bad considering other life events in the same time frame included 2 children and a couple of house moves!

Glad I started a paper file as quite often I want to develop bits from previous trainings or improve on something I have already tried before. I save in MS word with the name of the County the training was requested by, and the date of the training. I discovered a while ago putting the title/theme isn't a great help as topics tend to cycle round on a fairly frequent basis and therefore to search on the topic brings up several different trainings.

 By holding the paper copies I can keep the notes or annotations I made sometimes during, or immediately after the training, all together along with my self evaluation (they tend to be hand written as I try to do them as soon as I get home with a cuppa before going to bed). Having a paper file means I can quickly flick through to find the training I want to adapt; I have had cause to look back on these notes sometimes even a few years after the training was delivered. The content, policy, legislation move on but the techniques can be adapted to suit the audience needs.

Do other trainers use other techniques to keep track? Are there any lessons we should learn for the Trainers Qualification renewal process? 

Should we be training on overcoming Uncoscious Bias?

Unconscious Bias shows that we all tend to favour those that look, think and behave like ourselves. This week I had the opportunity to attend a course looking at these micro behaviours that certainly provided me with food for thought. Research shows there are an equal number of unconscious bias instances (even just a more vigorous greeting to one colleague over another) that occur as those classed as more explicit discrimination - which is amazing.

The trainer suggested in order to counter unconscious bias we all have to identify & question our own bias. The key is to identify things you have in common then value the difference between you and the other individual. The rest of the advice was stock training techniques e.g active listening, positive body language, eye contact, and acknowledging participants input and build on their ideas.

Can you recognise any unconscious bias in your trainings, mentoring or tutoring?

Interesting that increasingly trainings I attend have learning outcomes rather than objectives - it provides a good opportunity to observe other trainers at work. In this instance I would say there was maybe a bit too much humour. However I got the message of the training and it was enjoyable.

Three Gifts Reflection

I was introduced to this for the first time this week and it strikes me as being a really useful technique for a trainers toolkit. The technique is to think of 3 things at the end of the day that went well, focus on the positives not the negatives and write them down - writing them down helps to focus on the events. Doesn't have to be big things but small positive things that happened during the training.

The key is to not only think about the good things, but to enjoy the good feelings that those things have brought you. Take time to revel in them!

Studies have found the technique to lastingly increase happiness and decrease negative thoughts - it all relates to neuroplasticity if you want to look up more information.

Why not use a trainers evaluation form to write your 3 things down on?