The Ideal Class

At the beginning of a recent class, before we got into the program, the supervisor addressed the attendees. He said something very close to this:

“Gentlemen we are here to cover a very important topic, confined space entry. It is critical that you listen and learn, and that you ask any questions that come to mind. I will be sitting in this class as well, so as we go through this material, please be thinking about how we will be using what we learn.”

That class turned out to be the ideal class. We had questions and discussion, mostly about how to implement the concepts in the field. There was not only discussion, but also constructive conversations between participants as they worked through the practical applications. Everyone was involved.

I was reminded of something that training guru Bob Pike said about the most important component of training effectiveness. He made the point that it wasn’t things that we normally think of, such as the instructor, the environment, or training materials. He said the most important factor that determines the effectiveness of training is the supervisor. It is how the supervisor prepares the participants for the training experience that is the most important factor. That is what I experienced, and what I believe lead to the ideal class.