10 Things I learned as a Trainer

As a Mechanical Engineer, I have worked in organisations as a ‘Demand Planner’ and an ‘Inventory Analyst’. My roles involved in-depth data manipulation and dashboard developments so I was using all MS office applications extensively.

I always enjoyed being in a company of new people and enjoyed teaching what I already knew. It did not take too long before I realized that I underestimated the demands of the role as there was so much more than what I perceived at the outset.

I was fortunate enough to be given trial period where I worked in proximity with other talented & helpful trainers who were there to guide me at every step along the way. Initially, I just had to sit in a training room and observe them deliver sessions. Although, I had attended many trainings in my lifetime but this time, it was different. I was noticing everything from a completely different perspective.

It has been a wonderful experience and I would like to share few things that I have learned during my journey:

1. You start to see many loopholes in your understanding of a certain concept when you try explaining it to someone else. As Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
2. At neurobiological level, our brain processes information in form of chunks, therefore, breaking down a concept into bits & pieces and delivering those in correct order & structure separated by well-placed pauses makes a huge difference.
3. One quality that will always trump your knowledge & technical skill at a training room will be your attitude and willingness to help participants.
4. You cannot know it all and the sooner you accept it the better it is. Therefore, being honest when you cannot answer a question and admitting your unfamiliarity does not make you look incompetent but rather elevates your stature as a trainer.
5. Try new things whenever you can. Think on your feet, be imaginative, improvise examples, fabricate scenarios and relate it to a question at hand. It might not work well at times so ENJOY when it does and LEARN when it does not.
6. Every class is unique so it is imperative to read cues from the expressions & body language of the participants and adjust the complexity of the content and your pace accordingly.
7. You should never comprise on the quality of your delivery in a bid to increase the quantity of the topics. Quality always remains superior.
8. Be patient and compassionate with the participants, especially those who struggle.
9. Fear of Public Speaking, also known as Glossophobia, is one of the most common phobias around the world. Surprisingly, it never goes away. Not even if you have delivered many trainings. However, you learn to manage it, work along with it and make it your friend.
10. There is no alternative to practicing and continuous development even within a topic you are well accustomed.