The field of workplace learning and development is growing by leaps and bounds. Along with the growth of the industry comes the demand for trainers. For our purposes, “trainer” refers to anyone who is responsible for delivering primarily classroom instruction, but with the growing use of technology in training, the term also applies to someone who may be designing and delivering nonclassroom-based training as well. A trainer might be an internal HRD professional responsible for providing training to the organization's employees. A trainer can also be a subject-matter expert who has been enlisted as a full-time professional trainer. Another category of trainers includes those who deliver training on a part-time basis as part of their overall job responsibilities. The term also applies to the external practitioner who contracts with an organization to design and/or deliver training programs. Often the external trainer is a casualty of corporate downsizing or maybe someone who just wants a career change. In either case, this individual has turned to the training profession as a means of utilizing skills or expertise in a particular discipline or subject area.

Internal or external, full-time or part-time, the demand for trainers often exceeds the supply. To meet this need, organizations often turn to those in line positions as a talent pool for trainers. More and more, people are being asked to deliver training as part of their jobs. These “nontrainers” or subject-matter experts are expected to deliver training, not just present information. Unfortunately, these folks have received little or no formal instruction on how to train. They are thrown into the position to sink or swim. Left to their own devices, they find themselves training the way they were trained or taught. In many situations, that means a didactic approach in which the trainer stands in front of participants and dumps information on often-unhearing ears.

Although the approach just described never really worked as a sole method of training adult learners, it is even less effective today. Trainers are no longer viewed as merely disseminators of information. They are now expected to be facilitators, agents of learning, and performance consultants. These new roles require them to direct their efforts away from specific task-oriented instruction and to concentrate on helping people and organizations improve performance.

Trainers need to design, develop, and deliver training that encourages people at all levels of the organization to take responsibility for their own learning. The trainer becomes a catalyst, a resource person, and often a coach to help people through the discovery process.

The effective trainer will also have to understand business needs and identify how those needs are linked to learning and performance needs. Quite simply, the purpose of training is to help line managers solve business problems. Trainers must develop partnerships with those managers who are ultimately accountable for the success of training. Before this can happen, however, trainers must become proficient at the skills and competencies that define them as professionals. Every profession requires its practitioners to master a certain body of knowledge and a set of skills. The training profession should be no different.

To that end, this book, written primarily for the novice classroom-based trainer, presents a comprehensive, systematic approach to developing training skills and competencies. Those who are thrown into full-time, professional training positions with little or no formal training will be able to use this book to learn the fundamentals of training or supplement what they already know. They can be brought “up to speed” in a relatively short period of time. Although best suited to the new trainer, this book is a good reference for those with more experience. Experienced trainers will learn new tips and techniques to enhance their current skills and help them deliver on-target training that meets individual as well as organizational needs.

The success of any training program or initiative depends on a systematic approach to delivering effective instruction with high impact for both the participants and the organization. To that end, trainers will need to understand various principles and concepts of learning and also follow a process that results in behavioral change. This process (reflected in the arrangement of Part I of this book, “Training Fundamentals”) consists of five parts: analysis, design, development, delivery, and evaluation.

The analysis phase is covered in Chapters 1 through 4. In Chapter 1, you learn how to conduct a needs analysis at both the organizational and individual level. Chapter 2 addresses the principles of adult learning as well as learning styles. You have an opportunity to learn about your own personal training style in Chapter 3. To round out the analysis phase, Chapter 4 provides you with additional insights and understanding of the complexity and diversity of today's training environment.

The second phase in the instructional design process is addressed in the next two chapters. Chapter 5 explains how to write training objectives, and Chapter 6 presents a step-by-step approach to developing a complete instructional plan.

Once the program has been designed, the next step is to fully develop the program, selecting and creating activities and tools to create an exciting and effective learning experience. You will learn about specific active training methods and techniques in Chapter 7.

The next step in the instructional process is delivery. Chapters 8 through 11 give you creative tips and techniques for delivering a dynamic and professional training session. You will also learn how to deal with difficult people and situations.

In Chapter 12 you will learn how to evaluate training and measure its effectiveness. You will learn how to go beyond the “smile sheet” at the end of a session and develop more tools and techniques to show the benefits of training to employees and the organization.

By developing your skills in each of these five areas, you will indeed become a master of your craft.

Since the first edition of The Trainer's Handbook, published in 1999, the world and the workplace have changed dramatically. Consequently, the field of workplace learning and development has had to change and adapt in order to meet the needs and demands of an increasingly complex environment. Globalization, rapidly changing technology, and a more sophisticated and diverse group of learners have changed the way in which knowledge and skills are transferred to the workplace and have placed more demands on learning and development professionals. Recognizing that training has moved beyond the fundamentals addressed in Part I, this fourth edition includes Part II, “Special Training Considerations.” Use the information in Part II to enhance or supplement the knowledge you gained in Part I.

Globalization has created a multicultural work environment throughout the world. With more and more organizations expanding into international markets, training is seen as a key element to global success. Both domestically and internationally, today's trainers will be interacting with people representing a multitude of cultures. Chapter 13 addresses cultural differences and their impact on training. It also provides tips and techniques for training across cultures.

One of the growing trends in organizations is the use of storytelling as a leadership tool to convey organizational vision, culture, and values. Storytelling is also an effective teaching and learning method to convey information, teach a lesson, enhance the learner's experience, and increase retention. In Chapter 14, you learn how to incorporate storytelling into your training designs.

Technology is more than a trend; it's a way of life, and it's only going to continue its rapid growth and influence on how we live and how we learn. Chapter 15 offers a number of suggestions for using technology in training.

One approach to training that has existed since the beginning of civilization is on-the-job training. So, why is it included in a section on “special considerations”? Rarely is on-the-job training included in books on the design, development, and delivery of training. Most likely, books about on-the-job training are published as separate entities. Because today's trainers wear many hats and are called on to deliver training in many ways, including one-on-one, they need one resource that will help them deliver effective training regardless of format. The information presented in Chapter 16 presents a structured, systematic approach to on-the-job training.

Chapter 17 offers strategies for training during tough economic times. You learn how to maximize your training dollars by adapting to change, using resources more efficiently, and becoming more business savvy.

Chapter 18 is for those who find themselves in either an internal or external consulting role. As a result of the movement or evolution of training to performance consulting, the training and development professional must learn to function as a true consultant. In this chapter, you learn how to develop a client-consultant relationship that positions you as a valuable resource and business partner within the organization.

This book includes checklists, forms, and specific activities you can use immediately in designing, developing, and delivering your own training programs. The book's website makes it easy to print the tables and exhibits included in this book. Not only will you find them useful as you develop your own programs, but you may also choose to use them in your own train-the-trainer programs.