Coaching Mr Thapa

Knock knock, the door slightly opened a head came Inside with a shivering voice “I am Mr Thapa. Can I come in sir?”

That’s was our first meeting, the guy Mr. Thapa was my newly appointed Assistant who was a working as a salesman in our company and was promoted because of his outstanding performance.

He was standing near me looking downwards, I asked him to take the seat.

He moved the chair and sat facing me, throughout I noticed he had lack of confidence as he was answering all my questions looking downwards. 

“I told don’t worry Mr. Thapa, Relax “and gave him a bottle of water, may be because of the worry he spilled the water all over the table.

He immediately apologized to me and started to clean up all the spillage with the Tissues.

Mr Thapa is new and very much worried, I asked him did you had your breakfast, He answered no, I realized the importance of an icebreaker and invited him to have a Masala Dosa. I found much relaxed Thapa after that, I explained him how was my first day on the job and series of mistakes that I made early in my career.  

He was smiling at last after hearing my story. I explained him about the importance of confidence especially for a Trainer, also explained him the concept of eye contact and made him follow the same schedule with me so that he can see the training's and learn from it.

Next day morning, He asked me sir do you know Hindi, I told yes, then he asked again can we communicate in Hindi. I told No.

Mr Thapa was a teacher in Nepal but still he was not confident enough to talk with me in English, I explained Thapa “dear if you want to attain confidence in speaking you do practice.”

2 months passed quickly Mr Thapa began to conduct his own training sessions this time the problem was senior managers, Mr Thapa was afraid of communication with senior managers who where old and more experienced than him, I told him that initially you just go and talk with them and create a friendship and gradually introduce training . That worked out very well. 

Mr Thapa had problems in interactions with people who once worked along with him now attending his sessions, I suggested him to gradually introduce the training's as knowledge sharing which solved the problem. 

Another issue was of his loyalty, you will be wondering how loyalty will be a problem for a trainer. He was loyal to everyone; He always tend to start the speech with a sorry. Apologizing too much was reducing his confidence levels. I explained him apologizing too much is not good and suggested him to use the word thank you more frequently.

I still remember when we had our last official meeting he was crying, hearing that I am leaving the company, he found completely broke down, he was very much worried about the new manager, I consoled him and told changes are inevitable and we must be prepared for it. Mr Thapa is still maintaining the contacts with me hope that all the small coaching’s worked out well and made him an Ostentatious Trainer.