How do you model the competencies you expect from trainees?

1 Define the competencies

Before you can model the competencies you expect from trainees, you need to define them clearly and explicitly. Competencies are the combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes that enable effective performance in a specific role or context. You should identify the competencies that are relevant and important for your training objectives and outcomes, and communicate them to your trainees at the beginning of the training. You can use a competency framework or a list of learning outcomes to guide you in defining the competencies.

2 Align your actions with the competencies

Once you have defined the competencies you expect from trainees, you need to align your actions with them. This means that you should demonstrate the competencies in your own behavior, speech, and interactions throughout the training. For example, if you want your trainees to be collaborative, you should model collaboration by working with other trainers, inviting feedback, and facilitating group activities. If you want your trainees to be creative, you should model creativity by using different methods, tools, and examples to deliver your content. If you want your trainees to be ethical, you should model ethics by respecting diversity, acknowledging sources, and following rules and policies.

3 Provide examples and stories

Another way to model the competencies you expect from trainees is to provide examples and stories that illustrate how the competencies are applied in real situations. Examples and stories can help your trainees understand the benefits and challenges of using the competencies, as well as the steps and strategies involved. You can use your own experiences, case studies, scenarios, or testimonials from other experts or learners to share examples and stories. You can also ask your trainees to share their own examples and stories of how they have used or observed the competencies in their work or life.

4 Give feedback and coaching

Feedback and coaching are essential for helping your trainees develop and improve their competencies. You should give feedback and coaching that are specific, timely, constructive, and supportive. You should also model how to give and receive feedback and coaching effectively. For example, you can use the sandwich method, which involves giving positive feedback, constructive feedback, and positive feedback in sequence. You can also use the GROW model, which involves setting a goal, exploring the reality, generating options, and agreeing on a way forward. You can also encourage your trainees to give feedback and coaching to each other, and to reflect on their own progress and performance.

5 Encourage practice and reflection

Practice and reflection are key for reinforcing and consolidating the competencies you expect from trainees. You should provide opportunities for your trainees to practice and reflect on the competencies throughout the training. You can use exercises, simulations, role plays, games, quizzes, or projects to help your trainees practice the competencies in a safe and supportive environment. You can also use questions, prompts, journals, portfolios, or peer reviews to help your trainees reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, achievements, and areas for improvement. You should also model how to practice and reflect on the competencies yourself, and share your insights and learnings with your trainees.

6 Celebrate successes and learn from failures

Finally, you should model how to celebrate successes and learn from failures when using the competencies you expect from trainees. Successes and failures are both valuable sources of learning and motivation. You should acknowledge and appreciate your trainees' efforts, achievements, and improvements, and celebrate them with praise, recognition, rewards, or certificates. You should also acknowledge and accept your trainees' mistakes, challenges, and setbacks, and learn from them with analysis, feedback, coaching, or support. You should also model how to celebrate your own successes and learn from your own failures, and share them with your trainees.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?