So, you’re a manager. So, you know you have to run a training session or a team meeting for your team (for the first time) that needs to be motivational and you’re not a professional trainer. So what! With a good plan and a well structured session, training can be enjoyable and most of all rewarding for both you and your team. Here’s how …

1. Get people involved in the topic before the session – issue what the professional trainers call “pre-work”. This can be as simple as asking people to jot down some answers to one question about the topic.

For example, let’s say that you need to improve the service to customers provided by your team, then your pre-work question might look like:

“Assume that we have just had a very successful year, and that we have received heaps of feedback which suggested our service given to customers has been first rate over the last twelve months:

• What things did we do to get such great success?

• What problems or challenges did we have?

• How did we solve these problems and / or meet these challenges?”

Note: for more information on these pre-work questions, see my article “Meetings – Management Meetings – Why are they such a waste of time? How to follow the 80/20 rule and five steps to success!” (www.nationallearninginstitute.com)

2. Agree groundrules for the session – if it is to be a discussion session, discuss and agree the role of the facilitator (you). Ask “Think about some of the more enjoyable and rewarding training sessions you have been in. What did the facilitator / trainer do? What did the participants do?” Ask people to quickly jot these down, then draw out the two or three things that you believe will be most important during the session for both the facilitator’s role and the participants. Write these two lists up in view of everyone and stick to yours – when people get off the track, remind them of the groundrules.

3. Involve people in the discussion very early in the session. Avoid a long introduction, just a brief intro, then straight into the groundrules.

4. For maximum participation, start the discussion or activity in pairs or small groups, then move the discussion/feedback to the main group. For example you could ask people to discuss their answers to the pre-work question in small groups and come back to the main group in 6 minutes with the three most relevant points.

5. Use questions to stimulate discussion. You should prepare these in advance. I always suggest that you prepare 15 questions that you could ask. Why? There’s no science or research to the number 15, just that I know through experience that not only will you have some great questions to ask, but in the process you’ll probably also develop the answers to any question you might be asked!

6. Involve all participants – pose questions to the quieter members to provide answers from their pre-work or from their discussions they had in the small groups at the start of the session (this will enable them to answer from their prepared notes without putting them on the spot).

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