CHAPTER 12

Science or Art? How Do You Ensure You Are the Best?

Earlier in this book I mentioned that you need to instill competence, confidence, and commitment in your learners. You read that training usually focuses on competence, but without commitment and confidence it is less likely that behaviors will transfer to the workplace. Well here is part two: You also need to exude these three. This chapter will help you review your actions and offer suggestions for your professional development.

Individuals are taking more responsibility for their development; this is a trend in our field that is expanding. What could you do to give your competence, confidence, and commitment a boost? How can you develop professionally to ensure that you are the best? This chapter provides ideas and guidance:

• Are you competent in all areas of design and delivery of training? Do you deliver content in a way that ensures their competence? Do your learners trust that you are capable?

• Are you committed to your learners? Are you committed to being the best that you can be in all your training sessions? Do you inspire commitment in your learners so that they want to return to the job and implement what was learned? Do your learners see that you are conscientious?

• Are you confident in your own skills? Do you instill confidence in your learners so they will be successful? Can you convince your learners about their ability to use skills and knowledge to improve their own performance?

This chapter is much less about science and more about the art of your personal development. It’s about addressing how you can cope with the VUCA world we’ve discussed in this book.

Are You Competent, Committed, and Confident?

What sets average trainers apart from experts? Behaviors, skills, and actions that you might not expect. Being an expert—a consummate professional trainer—goes way beyond writing a perfect objective, designing a motivating activity, or delivering flawless content. Although I can’t provide a formula for how to model excellence, light fires in others, or make it safe to confide in you, I can offer you some ideas for what you need to know and do to begin your journey.

This chapter will move you well on your way to being considered an expert facilitator, with suggestions for how to improve your competencies, how to build your confidence, and how to demonstrate commitment.

Improve Your Competence

Do you conduct the ultimate learning experience every time? We all want to but for many reasons it doesn’t work out that way. May I challenge you to boost your competence as a designer or trainer? Consider some of these suggestions.

Let the ATD Competency Model Be Your Guide

Dig into The ATD Competency Model, which provides a strategic model for the profession and is a good place to start. The Model enables individuals to align their work with organizational priorities, and provides a comprehensive view of the profession by defining various areas of expertise.

Having a defined set of competencies is a hallmark of any profession. In simple terms, this is what those in the profession collectively need to know and do to be successful. The Model, shaped like a pentagon is composed of two layers of competencies: foundational competencies and areas of expertise.

Figure 12-1: The ATD Competency Model

Foundational Competencies

Foundational competencies underlie the successful completion of many tasks, and are, therefore, found at the base of The Model. The Model defines each of the 19 foundational competencies, provides examples of key actions that are included in each, and groups them into six clusters (ATD website 2013):

• Business skills: The training profession continues to strengthen its role in the boardroom. With that role comes an expectation of business skills. The Model includes six business competencies: analyze needs and propose solutions; apply business skills; drive results; plan and implement assignments; think strategically; innovate.

• Global mindset: The training profession must adapt to the increased globalization of businesses. This includes six competencies: accommodate cultural differences; convey respect for different perspectives; expand own awareness; adapt behavior to accommodate others; champion diversity; leverage diverse contributions.

• Industry knowledge: The training profession often must know other industries or industry sectors. This includes three competencies: maintain own professional knowledge; keep abreast of industry changes and trends; and build industry sector knowledge.

• Interpersonal skills: The Model identifies five interpersonal competencies: building trust; communicating effectively; influencing stakeholders; networking and partnering; and demonstrating emotional intelligence.

• Personal skills: The Model identifies two personal competencies: demonstrating adaptability and modeling personal development. These two should not come as a surprise, given the emphasis of both throughout this book.

• Technology literacy. The Model identifies two overarching technology literacy competency: demonstrating awareness of technologies and using technology effectively.

As a training professional you will want to create learning opportunities to upgrade your own knowledge and skills. You must also be in a continuous learning mode for two reasons: first to serve as a role model; second because training and development must stay ahead of and on top of new developments in the training profession and the industries we serve.

Areas of Expertise

Areas of expertise are the specific technical and professional knowledge and skills required for success in the training and development field. They comprise areas of specialization for the field. Although some professionals are highly specialized and involved in one or two areas, many people aspire to be generalists who can demonstrate deep expertise in more than one area. The ATD Competency Model identifies 10 areas of expertise:

• change management

• coaching

• evaluating learning impact

• instructional design

• integrated talent management

• knowledge management

• learning technologies

• managing learning programs

• performance improvement

• training delivery.

The foundational competencies and areas of expertise provide a model for understanding the requirements of the profession. Among other things, The ATD Competency Model can be used to guide your career planning decisions. You can use The Model as a guide to evaluate your areas of expertise and determine what areas to focus on for your professional development. Step back and take stock of where you are and where you want to be. Determine some measure of success, drive a stake in the ground, and head for it. You can establish measures that include both knowledge and skills. Next, identify a developmental plan for continued growth—even consider certification.

Learn More About How We Learn

There’s a huge surge in cognitive science, sometimes erroneously called neuroscience. I’ve incorporated several of the terms and concepts throughout this book, but there is still much more to learn. You can start by becoming comfortable with the language and how our brain works. With 50 to 100 billion neurons, our brain is fascinating. Learn about the parts of the brain such as the cerebellum, hypothalamus, and amygdala; or the chemicals that affect our brains, such as dopamine, cortisol, or serotonin; or even the brain’s processes, such as encoding or retrieval. It is even more valuable for you to know how you can use cognitive science to improve your training efforts. Start with these quick examples (Jensen 2008; Medina 2008):

• Chunk content to prevent information overload.

• Space content over time to improve long-term memory and overcome the forgetting curve.

• Test to spark retrieval and increase memory and what is to be remembered.

• Writing helps learners organize and remember more of the important things.

• Move to stimulate the brain.

• Novelty catches your learners’ attention.

• Stimulate all the senses, especially visual, to encourage learning.

• Challenge learners around difficult concepts to enhance learning.

• Practice to remember.

• Mix it up is a relatively new concept (add it to your watch list) called “interleaving”; mix topics up instead of mastering one skill at a time.

Tap Into Theories and Models of the Profession

This book touches upon some of the foundational concepts of the training profession, such as understanding the theories and what they tell us about the rationale for best practices. There are many, but the sidebar offers several for you to start with.

Practice to Be a Consummate Facilitator

As a trainer, you will encounter every kind of mind-set in your training session. Some participants will view training as punishment for some unknown offense; others will already “know” everything and defy you to teach them. Some will bring the baggage of a bad junior high experience, as if that bad report card arrived yesterday. Still others will bring daily burdens with them, both personal and work related.

When you prepare to help these folks, remember that your role as a trainer goes much further and deeper than just getting through the content for the day. You have an opportunity to make a difference—a big difference—in their lives. On the days that you make a difference to just one person, you will feel the magic and the power of training. Those are the days that are the most rewarding. A consummate facilitator creates an atmosphere that addresses everyone’s needs.

Make It Safe to Learn

Creating a safe haven for learning begins with you. One of the key reasons that you invest so much time in preparation is so you can be certain that the various training elements are aligned and working in concert as best they can. That frees you up to attend to your participants and address their needs. Chapters 2 and 6 present some ideas, and here are a few more:

• Touch base with participants prior to the session, stating the purpose and objectives of the training session.

• Greet participants as they arrive, learn their names, welcome them to the session, and find out something about them.

• Inform participants about what’s in it for them.

• Respect each and every participant—even the difficult ones.

• Use names and sincere reinforcement.

• Ensure confidentiality about what is discussed and what occurs in the training session.

• Let them in on who you are—not just your credentials, but who you are as a person.

Create an Engaging Learning Environment

An engaging learning environment is one in which learners want to participate and get involved. Here are a few things you can do to create an engaging learning environment:

• Allow the group to contribute ideas about the direction of the session. This participant-driven technique allows participants to take ownership of the session. Yes, you still need to teach the things that are required, but you can usually do that within the expectations of the group. Chances are they will identify topic areas that match the objectives. If not, a bit of subtle direction from you can reshape the expectations. And if it is a single participant’s need, such as a problem with a boss, you can always offer to discuss the topic at a break or after the session.

• Identify novel ways to get and keep a group involved. I assume that you already have a training design that is customized for the group, activity-oriented, experiential, creative, fun, fast-paced, varied, and participative. You can always have a couple of quick ideas up your sleeve that boost motivation.

• Encourage learners to ask questions at any time and use a “parking lot” faithfully for questions that need to be answered later.

• Watch behavior and behavior changes during the session. If an active participant becomes withdrawn, you need to check it out. Never hesitate to pull people aside and ask if you said or did something that upset them. Chances are that you have not. It may be a personal issue, a headache, or a boss who continues to text emergency messages. But you will make an impression with the person that you care, which is key to creating an environment that is conducive to learning. And in the off chance that you did actually say something that was misconstrued and upset the person, your actions provide an opportunity for you to right the wrong.

Participant engagement and involvement is key to successful training. A huge part of this is the trainer’s facilitation skills and the creation of a safe and engaging learning environment.

Exude Enthusiasm

Your enthusiasm will take you a long way. Love what you do. Love the participants. Love the materials. And if you don’t love it all, you need to look like you do! Your enthusiasm is the secret sauce to training success. It will be the launching pad for your participants to want to listen, learn, participate, and make the desired changes based on the training you deliver. You should inspire hope, energy, and excitement about the future. However, never confuse enthusiasm with entertainment, funny stories, jokes, or silliness. Enthusiasm is passion for what you do, commitment to whom you do it for, and confidence in how you do it.

I am passionate about learning and development. And yes, some days I have more enthusiasm than others. I’ll bet you have days like that too. Even so, you owe it to your participants to give every session everything you have. Self-talk works well for me: “This will be the best darn training these participants have ever experienced!” Here are a few other ways that help me rejuvenate myself when I need it:

• Even though the topic is not new to you, it is new to the participants. Remembering that they may be hearing the information for the first time is exciting. Think about how exciting it will be for them to experience this topic. Determine how to have more participant involvement.

• Do something that is out of the ordinary: if you are showing a video, serve popcorn; ask participants to use crayons for a particular activity; hold the discussion outside on a nice day; turn the facilitation over to a participant in a virtual setting.

• A day before the session, examine the part of the program you dislike the most. Chances are it never was right for you. Rework that part so that it eliminates why you don’t like it. In my case it would be identifying a way to increase participation.

• Download the free ATD Trainers’ Tool Kit App for new ideas. It offers more than 50 free traditional classroom and virtual training activities you can use in your sessions.

• Experiment with activities you have not used before, such as funneling, an in-basket, or a relay.

• Try a new presentation technique or media; for example, use a related TEDTalk or conduct a debate.

• Invite a guest speaker to conduct the part of the workshop that is most energy draining for you.

• Find cartoons or quotes that relate to the session and introduce them after breaks or as energizers.

• The night before the session pull out your smile file, which is filled with thank-you cards, fabulous evaluations, special notes, cartoons that make you laugh, clippings, or articles about you. Spend 20 minutes looking through it. What? You don’t have a smile file? Better start one today!

Go the Extra Mile

Go the extra mile? Gosh! Isn’t conducting a great training session, creating a safe and engaging environment, and exuding enthusiasm enough? Well, being good at what is in your job description is only the beginning. You still need to search for ways to improve your learners’ experience and your organization’s results. There will be times when your participants ask questions that can’t be answered during the training session due to either a lack of time or because you don’t have the necessary resources. This is a great opportunity for you to go the extra mile. Here are three ways to support your participant following the training session:

• Find an article, highlight the pages that answer the participant’s question, and deliver it in person with a verbal explanation.

• Find a video that answers the question, share the URL with the participant, and relate the information to his situation.

• Introduce the participant to a subject matter expert who can provide an explanation and additional resources.

Take time and continue to learn. If you don’t devote time to improve your skills, who will?

 

 

Build Confidence

Confident people have an aura about them that makes others want to be part of what they are doing. They are admired by and inspire confidence in others. According to the Mayo Clinic, low self-esteem affects almost every aspect of our lives (Neff, Ya-Ping, and Dejitterat 2005). I am certainly no confidence expert, but I find a few things to be helpful. Think of self-confidence as something you can develop if you practice every day. It starts with knowing everything there is about your profession. Nothing builds confidence like knowing your stuff, having a positive mindset, and being prepared and ahead of change. I addressed improving competencies already, so let’s begin by examining mindsets.

Mind Your Mindset

Your learners are the foundation to a successful mindset. The most important thing to remember is to put learners first. Of course you will need to ensure that the design and delivery is what is best for them. But this mindset goes beyond your learners, to the attitude you have toward your job, your organization, and the changes occurring around you. Your professional mindset must include the outlook you have about the rest of the world. Face each day with a positive attitude, make and keep commitments, be authentic and approachable, and look out for your colleagues. This mindset brings out the best in you and your learners. Your expertise will shine through if you have a positive mindset that reflects the importance of what you do.

 

 

Stay Ahead of Change

One of the best ways to boost your confidence is to have a plan about the future. Develop your skills and knowledge to maintain your place on the cutting edge. By doing so, you are providing the kind of developmental opportunities your employer and participants expect and deserve. Staying in touch with the changes and the excitement of the profession will keep you enthusiastic and passionate about what you do. For example, are you prepared for learning in the future? Try imagining learning where:

• the classroom goes to the learner

• learning is there when you need it

• you have personally curated content

• all learning is individually customized and on-demand

• each element of learning is life-long focused

• learning occurs in an “augmented reality”

• smartphones move to a heads-up display and then to the “chipped” person

• interaction occurs in holographic rooms

• you introduce Star Trek’s holodeck and transporter.

We live in exciting times in this profession. Changes are happening rapidly that force us to stay ahead of them. It makes our jobs challenging and thrilling. What can you do now to prepare for the future?

• Recognize that your development is your responsibility.

• Create an individual development plan (IDP) that is linked to your organization’s strategy.

• Build a professional learning network (PLN) using social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

• Participate in MOOCs or other events to get experience.

• Take an active role in an online community, perhaps become a community manager.

• Invest time to reflect on the work you do and what you are learning.

• Model good social work behaviors for the rest of your department or organization.

• Help others in your organization develop their individual development plans.

Have confidence in your ability to support your learners now and in the future. If you don’t believe in you, who will?

Demonstrate Commitment

Commitment is a pledge that binds you to completing an action or reaching a goal. Whether in your professional or personal life it is a fundamental principle of success. Total commitment can be difficult, but think of one commitment you’ve made. It can go way beyond this chapter, but to get started, I’d like to suggest that you begin with commitment to your organization, your profession, and to your own lifelong learning.

Lead Your Organization

What does your organization need and how can you support it? Right now your organization probably needs help in answering the many questions about talent development. How can we increase the quality of informal leaning? How can learning analytics help me? How can we best use mobile learning technology for our employees? What are we going to do about developing our leaders? Your commitment starts with taking the lead to find out what’s most important to your organization and how you can help.

Start by obtaining a copy of your organization’s strategic plan and business plan. Read through them and tie what you do to them. Identify your contribution to the organization’s success. Go the extra mile and get copies for your training colleagues and start a discussion at your next staff meeting about how your department could do more to contribute to the organization’s success.

Help your colleagues see that the emphasis is moving from classroom and e-learning training to blended, social, and collaborative learning. Think of your own job as more of an internal consultant than a trainer.

Review chapter 10 and follow up with some of the resources included there. Learn how you can help align learning to your organization’s requirements. Take a leading role to ensure your relevance, too.

Give Back to the Profession

Training is a profession that gives a great deal to its members. Think about how you can give back to the profession, your community, and individuals. Throughout your career you have most likely received support from others. Now it is time to give back; here are some ideas to get you started:

• Volunteer your services to a government, civic, or non-profit organization.

• Volunteer to serve on a committee for your professional association.

• Speak at a local ATD chapter meeting.

• Write an article for a training journal.

• Mentor someone new to training.

• Volunteer to speak to your local school or community college.

• Send a thank-you card to someone who has contributed to the profession.

• Start a scholarship fund.

Giving back to the profession is good for the soul. Find a way to commit today.

Be a Lifelong Learner

This chapter is intended to move you toward being an expert trainer. Take a moment to think about your expertise. Who will evaluate whether you are an expert trainer? Your supervisor will rate your performance, certainly. But the true evaluators are your learners. How they see you is critical to how much they learn and what they put into action upon returning to the workplace.

Becoming a lifelong learner isn’t new to our profession—in fact, we invented the idea. Have you ever thought about all the skills in which you need to be proficient? I sometimes get exhausted just thinking about everything I need to do my job. This is what makes the job so exciting, but it is also what necessitates us to become lifelong learners.

I once read that most people achieve only a third of their potential. Successful professionals in any position achieve much more than a third of their potential because they continue to learn and grow. What do lifelong learners do?

• They assess where they are compared with where they want to be and determine a plan to get there.

• They improve their processes continuously by identifying new ways that are better and more efficient, and implementing them.

• They are on the cutting edge of their industry trends. They are aware of the state-of-the-art practice and the fads of the day; have knowledge of the training gurus and their philosophies; interact with professional organizations; and read the journals and newsletters that help them stay abreast of the field.

• They understand the basics of the job and how to implement them in today’s world. They are steeped in the history, research, and models that provide the foundation of our work.

• They are in the know about their customers (internal and external). They keep up-to-date about all the things that are important to their customers.

Ask yourself how you stack up against these five qualities of lifelong learners. Remember this is an investment in you. If you won’t invest in you, who will?

Yes, it takes a great deal to be your best: competencies, confidence, commitment. But, you can do it! Be all the things that you are capable of being.

 

 

Go ahead. What’s stopping you? Astound yourself. Find the passion in your life. Trainers need to have a spark because we light fires for so many others. Love what you do and do what you love.

What We Know for Sure

Science tells us that we can rely on several proven facts.

• Mentoring works to help you become your best.

• ATD can provide information to improve your knowledge and skills.

• Networking with other trainers is an important social learning activity (20 percent) based on the 70-20-10 framework.

• Co-facilitating and providing feedback to one another is a way to learn from experience on the job (70 percent) based on the 70-20-10 framework.

• Reading this book and attending a train-the-trainer or facilitation workshop are ways to learn formally (10 percent) based on the 70-20-10 framework.

• The world will continue to change; you need to change with it.

• “Your job” isn’t “yours”; it will change. Be prepared.

• You are responsible for your own continuous learning and development to remain marketable.

The Art Part

Your success will depend upon how well you adapt to the situation and your learners’ needs. Tap into some of these ideas to help your learners grow, to develop yourself, and to add your personal creative touch.

Kid’s dream. Think back to your childhood. What did you want to be? Have you achieved your goal? It’s never too late. Make a list of all the things you would like to learn—professionally and personally. And then start learning them!

Go virtual. Attend virtual learning events. Hundreds of virtual learning opportunities are available—both those you can pay for and those that are free. Try one out. You will probably learn something that will help your next customer.

CPLP me. Look into getting your CPLP certification from ATD.

Attend the ATD International Conference & Exposition. All trainers should do this at least once. You will learn a great deal and meet many people to create a valuable network.

Expand your network. Network with other trainers inside and outside your organization. You’ll be able to call on them when you have a question.

Mentor me. Find a mentor—today.

Take a class. Enroll in a train-the-trainer course, preferably one in which you are videotaped so you can obtain feedback on your training style.

Try it out. Experiment with activities you’ve never tried before, perhaps something from one of Thiagi or Mel Silberman’s books or the hundreds of other activity books available.

ELA expert. Learn how to conduct a true experiential learning activity.

What’s new? Register for monthly or weekly newsletters. Two that I like are produced by Zenger Folkman and the Center for Creative Leadership. There is always at least one idea in every one that makes me a better facilitator.

Maintain enthusiasm. Make a list of everything that inspires and rejuvenates you. Put it where you will see it every day.

Art and Science Questions You Might Ask

These questions provide potential challenges for your personal growth and development:

• How can you evaluate the skills and knowledge you have and compare them to what you still need?

• How might you invest in you—your skills, your knowledge, and your mindset—to better address your important role for your company or your client?

• How can you identify the skills required for building a partnership with the managers and supervisors in your organization?

• How can you do a better job of paying attention to what the participants tell you on the evaluations?

• Be aware of your customers’ changing needs. How can you adapt the material and activities to meet their needs?

• Create your professional development plan. It should include short-term objectives, long-term objectives, a specific timeline, and the resources you will need to support you.

• What are you doing to expand informal, social, and on-the-job experiences into your participants’ development routine?

• What do you need to do to be a life-long learner?

Science or Art? How Do You Make Sure You Are the Best?

Making sure you are at your best is your job. In the next chapter you will read a prediction from a future-thinker who believes that development will be an individual responsibility. I’ve always believed that. It’s your life. It’s your profession. Only you can ensure that you grow and develop in a way that is exciting for you and at the same time marketable to a changing world. You must remain:

• Viable

• Upbeat

• Competent

• Agile

You probably recognize the initial letters—VUCA—the volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous world we live in. This can be your personal VUCA antidote to ensure that you are the best you can be.

Resources

ATD. 2015. Learners of the Future: Taking Action Today to Prevent Tomorrow’s Talent Crisis. Alexandria, VA: ATD Press.

Bersin, J. 2016. “Predictions for 2016: A Bold New World of Talent, Learning, Leadership, and HR Technology Ahead.” New York: Deloitte Development.

Biech, E. 2009. 10 Steps to Successful Training. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.

———. 2014. ASTD Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Training and Development. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.

———. 2016a. 101 Ways to Make Learning Active Beyond the Classroom. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

———. 2016b. Training and Development for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley &Son.

Jensen, E. 2008. Brain-Based Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Knowles, M.S. III, E. Holton, and R. Swanson. 2015. The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. 8th ed. Burlington, MA: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann.

Kouzes, J., B. Posner, and E. Biech. 2010. Coach’s Guide to Developing Exemplary Leaders. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Levin, H. 1996. Innovations in Learning: New Environments for Education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Medina, J. 2008. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle: Pear Press.

Neff, K.D., H. Ya-Ping, and K. Dejitterat. 2005. “Self-Compassion, Achievement Goals and Coping With Academic Failure.” Self & Identity 4(3):263-287. doi: 10.1080/13576500444000317.

Rothwell, W., J. Arneson, and J. Naughton. 2013. ASTD Competency Study: The Training and Development Profession. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.