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CHAPTER-05
Skills of an Effective Trainer

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INTRODUCTION

• There is a wide range of specific skills needed to

undertake one-to-one coaching, team building,
facilitating, counseling, besides being an
interventionist and change agent
• The problem is that a large proportion of trainers
and of training is still traditional in nature
• The role of the management trainer calls for
change in the basic model because of the changing
role of training and changes in the emphasis of
activities of training
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FACILITATION/COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Some of the important mechanisms, which provide

for effective communication and facilitation are:

• Use of various interpersonal communication

skills
to facilitate large and small group of learning
• Analysis of group process activity in terms of task
and maintenance functions; and
• Giving and receiving appropriate performance
feedback
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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Some of the very important skills that a

facilitator can learn in a very short time are:

• Paraphrasing
• Summarizing
• Question Asking
• Extending and
• Non-verbal Cues
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GROUP PROCESS ACTIVITY SKILLS

• Group Maintenance Functions

• Gate keeping
• Mediating
• Listening
• Encouraging
• Relieving Tension

• Group Task Functions

• Clarifying Contd...
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• Focusing

• Seeking Useful Information

• Reaching Task Agreement

• Giving Useful Information

• Moving Towards action

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PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK SKILLS

•Feedback is the process of receiving and

evaluating information about our behaviour
•It tells us how another person sees our
actions; and gives us the choice to change our
behaviour
•It is essential for both the trainers and the
learners to receive and give feedback in order
to make the learning process more effective.
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TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS (T.A.)

•It is an important method of

sensitivity
training
•The basic philosophy and approach to
T.A. is was developed by Dr Eric Berne
searching for alternatives to Freudian
therapeutic procedures
•T.A. can help us to eradicate or
minimize the
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TASK OF THE TRAINER

• The primary task is to interpret group behaviour

in terms of ego states in which the participants
are operatiŶg iŶ the ͞here aŶd Ŷoǁ͟ situatioŶ
• The trainer must as far as possible operate from
an adult state and not get personally involved in
transactions between participants
• The traiŶer ŵust haǀe a speĐialist’s kŶoǁledge of
the theory and practice of T.A. which must be
clarified before he starts interpreting behaviour
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GROUP TASK ROLES

• Initiator
• Information/Opinion seeker
• Information/Opinion Giver
• Clarifier
• Co-ordinator
• Orienter

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GROUP BUILDING ROLES

• Supporter

• Harmonizer

• Tension Reliever
•
• Encourager The Oxford approach

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SELF-CENTERED ROLES

• Blocker

• Aggressor

• Recognition Seeker

• Clown

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TRAINERS KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

•For training purposes analyzing the tasks

involved in performing a job usually
require us to break down the tasks into
their knowledge, skill and attitude
components

Contd...
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• Knowledge is defiŶed ͞iŶ the ĐoŶtext of a

training programme, that part which is
concerned with imparting specific
information needed in order to perform a
task or a job. It is commonly linked with the
development of skills and attitudes as the
component parts of traiŶiŶg oďjeĐtiǀes͟

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• Skill is defiŶed as ͞AŶ orgaŶized aŶd

coordinated pattern of mental and/or
physical activity in relation to an object,
person, event or display of information. Skills
may be described as perceptual motor,
manual, intellectual, social, etc. according to
the context or the most important aspect of
the skill patterŶ.͟

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• The distinction between knowledge, skills

and attitudes is important to the trainer
because of the implications for designing a
learning event.

• Trainers have to do different things, may be

different training methods, depending on
whether they are trying to develop
knowledge, skills or attitudes.
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CATEGORIES OF KNOWLEDGE

• The knowledge a person has can be of two types;

facts that a person can remember, and ideas that
a person understands

• Based on above, four categories of knowledge can

be identified
• Facts
• Procedures
• Concepts
• Principles
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CATEGORIES OF SKILLS

Skills can also be considered as falling into four

categories:

• Thinking
• Acting
• Reacting
• Interacting

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PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE SKILLS

• This classification is also useful for the trainer

• Reproductive Skills are the skills that are

repetitive

Productive skills are those that require a certain

amount of planning, a strategy for decision-
making and show substantial variations in the
way they are done from one instance to
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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CATEGORIES

•The reason trainers identify different

categories of knowledge and skill is that
different training strategies are
appropriate for these various categories

Knowledge of facts can be developed by

training involving repetition, association
of ideas and memorizing
Contd...
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Knowledge of procedures can be developed by

repetition, by using a performance aid or by
guided discovery

Concepts can be learned by examples and

non-
examples or by guided discovery

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• Principles can be learned from explanation

and non-examples or by guided discovery

• All skills require practice if they are to be

developed –initial training should follow the
sequence of explanation –demonstration –
practice –review –consolidation. For
reproductive skills, usually all that is needed
after initial training is further practice for
the skill to develop to the required
standard.
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SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH

HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN POOR TRAINERS
INCLUDE

•Adopting a highly directive style of teaching

which does not allow participation nor
confirmation that learning has taken place

•Making unrealistic assumptions about the

trainees level of knowledge or failing to
establish their level of knowledge in the first
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• Displaying impatience or intolerance when

trainees fail to understand or are slow to learn
• Lacking commitment to the subject being taught
or to training as an important function in the
organization
• Lacking in verbal/oral skills
• Trying to teach too much too quickly
• Refusing to accept criticism or advice on
teaching methods
• Lacking in sociability and interest in the trainees
• Having an untidy appearance
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AREAS IN WHICH QUALITIES OF

TRAINERS COULD BE
REFLECTED
• Outside interests, particularly those which are
people oriented and exercise interpersonal skills or
which may involve teaching others
• Simulated exercises which resemble training
situations
• Informal judgments based on relationships within
the work situation
• Formal judgments based on performance
appraisal, group meetings, developmental training
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SKILLS OF A TRAINER
ROLES REQUIRED SKILLS
Subject matter • Planning and making presentations
specialist • Communication
• Receiving and giving feedback
Facilitator of the • Using various training method
Learning process • Communication
• Making presentations
• Motivating participation
• Using group processes for
• facilitating participating

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SKILLS OF A TRAINER (Cont.)

ROLES REQUIRED SKILLS
Facilitator of the • Interpersonal relations
Learning process • Receiving and giving feedback
Manager • Coordinating work of those associated
with the programme delivery
• Decision-making
• Mobilization of resources and financial
management
• Public relations
• General administration

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SKILLS OF A TRAINER (Cont.)

ROLES REQUIRED SKILLS
Developer of an • Communication
Individual • Interpersonal relations
• Using group process for individual
development
• Coaching
Leader of the • Handling difficult situations in the
group programme
• Communication
• Crisis intervention
• Conflict resolution
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SKILLS OF A TRAINER (Cont.)

ROLES REQUIRED SKILLS
Leader of the group • Decision-making
• Interpersonal relations
Planner • Planning

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QUALITIES OF A TRAINER

• Enthusiastic
• Ability to work under pressure
• Sincerity and Openness
• Flexibility
• A Good Sense of Humour
• Willingness to Recognize Good Contribution
• Willingness to Accept Mistake and Apologies
For It
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TRAINING STYLES OF A TRAINER

•Corresponding to the learning styles of

the participants, there exists the
training style of a trainer and they can
be grouped under following key heads:

•Determinants of a training style

•Constituents of a training style
•Evolving a functional training style
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EVOLVING A FUNCTIONAL TRAINING STYLE

• A major segment of the style is open for you to shape it
the way you perceive your role and responsibilities as a
trainer in any given training situation and it is here you
have to focus your efforts and energy:

• Step 1: To convince yourself of the need to be open

and willing to adopt an approach that is varied. The
key to choosing a suitable style is a matter of
deciding what style serves the primary objectives of
reinforcing,

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• the learning process, enhancing the faith of

the participants in theprogramme, and
increasing the credibility of the training team
and the training agency

• Step 2: You should assess the role of each of

these constituents, including your personal
needs in your endeavor to realize the
programme objectives. To develop

Contd…
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• a practical and effective training style, the pitfalls

of emphasis on any the four constituents must be
carefully considered

• Step 3: Appropriateness or otherwise of a training

style is determined by the extent to which a
trainer takes into account the realities of the
situation and responds to the needs of the
programme. On some occasions, the need to
provide quality inputs override all other elements
while during others the training process gets
precedence.
Contd….
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• Step 4: As the programme progresses and it

passes through different stages, your style
should also be suitably modified in
accordance with the needs of the
programme

• Step 5: As a trainer, you should work to a

position where you are able to adapt your
style to conform to the requirements of the
programme, with confidence and
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ease. You should be able to switch from one

style to another without affecting the rhythm or
the momentum of the learning process

•Step 6: The basic elements of a training style

are evolved through a process of interaction,
experience and experimentation

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THE POWER OF BODY LANGUAGE

• Besides communicating your feelings and

attitudes, body language does several things:
• It makes messages more meaningful and
memorable
• It punctuates your presentation
• It relieves nervous tension
• Posture
• Gestures
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MAIN ELEMENTS OF BODY LANGUAGE

• Gestures
• Gestures naturally according to what you
think, feel, and say
• Create the conditions for gesturing –not the
gesture
• Suit the gesture to the word or occasion
• Make your gestures convincing
• Make your gestures smooth and well-timed
• Make natural, spontaneous gesturing a habit
Contd…
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• Body Movement
• Facial Expression
• Eye Contact
• Know your material
• Establish a personal bond with each listener
• Monitor visual feedback

Videotaping one of your presentation is an

excellent way to discover your strong and
effective body language as well as any
unconscious, nervous mannerisms
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DESIGNERS AND PROVIDERS

Training concerns all the staff of an

organization and organizational staff
may be involved in providing training
in the following ways ฀

•Managers or their deputes, who

provide or supervise on-job training,
coaching or open and distance
methods at the work place
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• Full-time training staff, who give formal

training at training centers or assist line
managers in the design, provision and
supervision of training at the work place

• Managers, specialists and other members of

staff who give occasional inputs to training
on particular subjects

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