One of the great things about using our training programs is that they come complete with everything you need to hit the ground running as a successful trainer. While we provide you with all of the tools, activities, exercises, resources, and even slide decks to get your training programs up and running, we realize that new trainers might not understand how to read or even use a trainer guide properly. So we put together this list of tips on how to use your trainer guides to make the most of your training experiences for you and your participants.
Read it
This might seem like an obvious suggestion, but many new trainers are so excited to start training that they don’t take the time to read the trainer guide. Most new trainers pay attention to the participant workbook, slide decks, and exercises, and don’t realize that the trainer guide takes you step-by-step through the entire training process. But you need to read it.
Make Notes
Inside your trainer guide, there is space for you to make notes. Making notes is an integral part of learning and growing as a trainer. During and after your training sessions, take a few minutes to write down what worked, and what didn’t, what was fun for you and what was uncomfortable for you. That way, the next time you deliver the course, you can review your notes and change things up to suit your needs. Remember, we give you everything you need to run a successful training program, but in the end, what you do with your training program is up to you. Make it your own by making notes in your trainer guide.
Keep Time
When you first start training, you might find that you are going over or under your scheduled training times based on how quickly or slowly you are going through the materials. If you find that you lack in one area, but taking too long in another area, then you’ll need to adjust. We have guideline suggestions listed on every activity, exercise, discussion, and slide deck used as a way of helping you determine how much time you should spend on a particular task, but in practice, any number of things could change the amount of time you spend on a task. Make a note of the timings you keep during your training so you can adjust for later sessions. Pay close attention to the timings we suggest for the most success in your training sessions.
Use It
New trainers often feel like they need to put their trainer guide aside when they are delivering actual training programs, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We give you a trainer’s guide for a reason: to use it! Make sure you take it with you on all your training sessions and don’t be afraid to reference it once in awhile when you lose your place, or you get off track. Participants will expect you to have some guide or outline, so there’s no need to pretend you don’t need the trainer guide. Using it makes you a better trainer, so get to know your trainer guide inside and out, and you’ll be a successful trainer in no time.
