Discover The 7 Hidden Qualities Of An Exceptional TrainerFinding a great trainer can be quite a challenge. Trying to find an exceptional one at short notice can be laborious to say the least. If you know what you're looking for then the task becomes much easier.

This short report will certainly guide you in the right direction and focus your attention on what an exceptional trainer can do for you and your employees, students or clients. I have previously been employed as an Army Instructor, Trainer and Training Manager. I have condensed my years of experience of finding out exactly what makes an exceptional trainer into a few short pages so that anyone wanting to hire the right people will have an easier task.

Let's talk about what makes up an exceptional trainer. Forget about all of those HR manuals etc and let's get down to the nitty gritty of what exceptional trainers are made of. To make it easier, just think of helicopters and then shorten that to:

'COPTERS!

COPTERS is the acronym for:

• Communicator

• Organised

• Patience

• Training Skills

• Empathy

• Results Focused

• Subject Knowledge

With COPTERS in mind you will have the tools to choose the right trainer for your organisation no matter whether you are hiring a temp or employing someone full-time. If you're looking for a coach, instructor, mentor, tutor, teacher, educator or lecturer then this special report will be of equal value to you. To simplify things the term trainer will be used

© 2008 Brian Simms 1

throughout this report and you can just replace the word 'trainer' to whatever suits you best. An explanation of the acronym to describe the qualities of an exceptional trainer follows:

1 CommunicatorOrganisations sometimes overlook the skills of a communicator when looking for a suitable trainer. Your trainer will have good communicational skills which means that they will have a good standard of written and verbal skills where the subject matter can be demonstrated and explained in a clear, accurate manner.

Communication is not an exact science. A person who can communicate well with certain groups may not be so successful when dealing with others. Your trainer will be able to adapt quite easily and differentiate the training to suite the needs and aspiration of the trainees. They will be able to convey the subject matter to beginners without the need for unnecessary jargon and also be able to adjust the level of training to suite the more advanced trainees too.

Therefore your trainer will be able to 'speak the same language' as the intended audience. If you want technical training then ensure your trainer can adequately cover the topic. If you want a trainer to deliver the subject matter to end users then ensure that they can focus the training on that particular aspect.

Additionally, your trainer will offer constructive feedback without directly criticising the individuals concerned. Nothing can demotivate a trainee quicker than a trainer who shows a lack of tact in this manner.

2 OrganisedYour trainer will be organised to the extent where the training session has been planned in advance. There is nothing much worse than having a training session which is run 'off the cuff' so to speak. Also a good trainer will have the session organised so that all of the intended topics have been covered within the time schedule. Seifert and Stacey (1998, p.7) elaborate by saying:

“The successful trainer is well organized, and has clear scripts and well-defined aims and objectives which enable individuals and groups to bring to the surface abilities and skills that they may not have recognised in themselves.”

During the session your trainer will have put together assessments so that the individuals can track their own progress throughout the training session.

Your trainer will be able to produce good quality training material which reinforces the

© 2008 Brian Simms 2

elements of the session(s) so that the trainees can review the content long after the training and still be able to recall the main concepts.

After the training session has taken place, your trainer will have an evaluation form available for all trainees to complete. Sufficient time will be allowed for their completion by the trainees and not left to the last five minutes before everyone goes home (as is most often the case with poor trainers). The evaluations will also be conducted anonymously where possible.

Once the training course has been completed, the trainer will ensure that certificates of attendance/qualification have been produced for the individuals within seven days of the course completion.

3 PatienceThe very fact that someone is undergoing training means that they do not know the subject or certain components of it. Trainees will have varying degrees of aptitude for the intended training too.

“An important part of learning is having the opportunity to make mistakes, learn from them, and correct them the next time you try. Trainers need a great deal of patience. Often it is easier to jump in and correct the mistake rather than let the person you are training learn.” (Fisher et al 1995, p.61).

Therefore your trainer will have plenty of patience to ensure that all individuals complete the course satisfactorily. They will have the flexibility to respond to trainees' different learning styles and be skilled enough to differentiate the training sessions so that the slower ones reach their goals whilst the more advanced trainees will be given more challenging exercises to get to master. In this way, none of them will be overwhelmed and but everyone will have successfully completed the training session with a sense of personal pride and achievement.

Above all, a good trainer will have a keen sense of humour which will help provide a warm and friendly atmosphere during the training session. This is particularly important when the unexpected happens and the training session does not go according to the original plan (it does happen!). Although this is useful in training events it should be used in moderation. Jolles (1993, p.113) agrees with this point and recommends:

“Do not overdo it. Presenters who display a large amount of humor within their seminars can run the risk of losing control of the seminar”.

© 2008 Brian Simms 3

4 Training SkillsIt is normally taken for granted that if a trainer has good communication skills then it follows that their training skills will also be good. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is so much more to training than just reciting theory or facts and lecturing trainees. A good communicator with no training experience would not do justice to anyone. Training sessions work much effectively when there is a healthy interaction between the trainers and the trainees.

“Great teachers think strategically and act with commitment. When we watch such teachers we can see, and admire, their grasp of teaching technique. But these teachers have more than skill: they also think and act on a number of levels.”Foley (2004, p.74)

Good trainers will also hold a professional qualification which formalises their experience and also makes it so much easier for any hiring organisation to filter out inexperienced trainers.

There is a well known quotation by Benjamin Franklin in which all good trainers will be acquainted with:

“Tell me and I will forget, Show me and I might remember, Involve me and I will understand!”

It is important that trainees leave the training session with an understanding on how the facts and theories relate to real life issues and can be put to immediate effect.

Good trainers are confident but not overconfident. Over confident trainers are rarely able to communicate at the same level as the trainees and normally display a patronising manner.

When things don't go according to plan exceptional trainers will be able to 'think on their feet' and continue with the training session in such a way that one-one notices anything wrong. More importantly, Westwood (2008, p.14) points out that:

“Teachers need to be adaptable and able to 'think on their feet' in order to respond to, and capitalise fully on, students' contributions.”

Competent trainers will obviously be used to training small numbers of people but will also have much experience in running seminars and workshops which involve greater numbers of participants.

Trainers should also be good performers and make the training sessions interesting or even entertaining. In this way it becomes evident that the trainer is genuinely interested in learning and teaching their subject.

© 2008 Brian Simms 4

5 EmpathyYour trainer will have a genuine interest in people and easily relate to their needs, aspirations and frustrations. Having such an interest the trainer will be able to get on well with them regardless of status, age, abilities or backgrounds. Conner (2001, p.200) goes further by saying:

“Effective training requires the trainer to put himself or herself in the position of the learner. Those who cannot demonstrate empathy and care do not make good trainers.”

The trainer will have an aptitude for noticing whenever a trainee has a problem or difficulty but are too shy or afraid to ask for assistance. The problem will be resolved at the earliest opportunity or at least the trainer will refer them to someone who is competent to deal with the matter.

Your trainer will have a warm and approachable manner which make the trainees feel completely at ease and will be particularly skilled in motivating others to achieve their goals (because their goals are also part of the trainer's).

6 Results FocusedAlthough your trainer will focus on the needs of the trainees they will fully understand that you have your own targets to meet. It should be clear what is expected of them and to ensure that the training provision meets both your requirements as well as those of the trainees involved. Applegarth (1991, p.4) states that:

“If training and development has value for the organization it can be evaluated. For training and development to have this value, trainers must make sure that it is directed towards the business objectives of the organization.”

Your trainer will also be experienced in acting as an effective chair for training events and manage the groups or sessions well.

One of the key factors of good training events is the motivation of trainees. A good trainer will ensure that this is achieved regardless of the individuals' self-esteem or confidence. The trainer will actively encourage collaboration and team work between them to the extent where they are actively involved in idea generation and problem solving.

Highly effective trainers will not provide all of the answers up front without ensuring that the trainees have an attempt at problem-solving before asking for assistance. In this way, all trainees will leave the session with the 'tools' needed to solve their own problems or at least know where to find an answer before seeking the assistance of their supervisors.

© 2008 Brian Simms 5

One of the most important things that a trainee will receive is some knowledge of the health and safety aspects surrounding the particular subject where they understand risk assessment which will contribute to a safer working environment.

7 Subject KnowledgeObviously your trainer must know the subject well but also ensure that the training provided is completely relevant to your needs as well as the trainees. To do justice, the trainer must have direct, first hand, experience in the subject and not just rely on theories or secondary knowledge gained over a period of time.

Your trainer will have great enthusiasm for the subject and will be capable of putting it across in such an interesting way that it becomes 'infectious'

It is not possible for a trainer to know everything there is about a particular topic and there will be certain gaps in their knowledge. However, they must have the integrity to let the trainees know about any limitations or gaps in their knowledge rather than bluff their way through things. Jackson (2001, p.64) sums this up by saying:

“As a general rule, trainers should admit what they don't know. If you assess the weak areas of a programme in advance, then these admissions can be built into the design. If this is not possible, it is better to be frank about your shortcomings.”

Your trainer will ensure that any outstanding questions from trainees will be actioned promptly and the solutions delivered to them earliest opportunity.

ConclusionThe next time you need to hire a trainer, whether hiring a temp or employing someone full-time you would do well to check to see if the prospective trainer meets these standards. Be careful not to hire a trainer who only does the bare minimum as illustrated by Piskurich (2003, p.4):

“A little boy brags to his sister that he taught his dog to whistle. When the sister hears nothing she quizzes him on his statement, only to be told 'I said I taught him, I didn't say he learned!'”

Of course, exceptional trainers will have other attributes too, but using the COPTER check-list will ensure that you find a suitable one.

© 2008 Brian Simms 6

ReferencesApplegarth, M. (1991). How to take a training audit. Kogan Page in association with the Institute of Training and Development.

Conner, G. (2001). Lean manufacturing for the small shop. Dearborn, Mich, Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

Fisher, K., Rayner, S. R., & Belgard, W. (1995). Tips for teams: a ready reference for solving common team problems. New York, McGraw-Hill.

Foley, G. (2004). Dimensions of adult learning: adult education and training in a global era. Crows Nest, N.S.W., Allen & Unwin.

Jackson, P. Z. (2001). The inspirational trainer: making your training flexible, spontaneous & creative. London, Kogan Page.

Jolles, R. L. (1993). How to run seminars and workshops: presentation skills for consultants, trainers, and teachers. New York, John Wiley & Sons.

Piskurich, G. M. (2003). Trainer basics. ASTD training basics series. Alexandria, VA, ASTD.

Seifert, L., & Stacey, M. (1998). Troubleshooting for trainers: getting it right when things go wrong. Aldershot, Hampshire, England, Gower.

Westwood, P. (2008). What Teachers Need to Know About Teaching Methods, Camberwell, VIC, Australia , Acer Press.

About the authorBrian Simms specialises in teaching adults to take full advantage of getting the very best out of their computer, how to use the Internet for research and also how to make full use of their time by improving their organisational skills. To hire him for workshops, seminars, classroom work or other forms of training then visit his website at http://www.briansimms.co.uk or email him at info@briansimms.co.uk.

© 2008 Brian Simms 7