Toojays Blog

A True Story

No this isn't a ghost story or management theory on conflict management...although both can be pretty scary!

This is infact a true story.

Yesterday I took my 9 year old daughter for an eye operation. The procedure, of being sedated, operated on and her eye ball stitched, would be daunting to most let alone a 9 year old little girl.

Whilst waiting with her I asked how she was feeling. She said scared. I asked if she'd been this scared before...hoping to help her relate to an experience and how she came out of it OK.

She replied with "Yes...the first time I went to school...the first time I went into the classroom. I wish I knew how things were going to be."

I smiled and agreed with her. Then to my surprise she pulled out a piece of crumpled paper and said "That's why Daddy,  I've got these".

"What have you got there?" I asked.

"These" She said proudly "are my questions to ask the Doctor!"

Excellent set of Questions

She unfolded the piece of paper and I could see she had written in her best handwriting the following question's.

1. What will happen?

2. Will it hurt?

3. What if it goes wrong?

4. Are you a good surgeon? (OK she'd actually written 'sturgeon' but we knew he wasn't a fish!)

"An excellent set of questions" I told her...and the attentive Surgeon dutifully answered all of them as he sat with her pre-Op.

His calm reassuring manner and answers put her mind at rest and reduced her fear.

Her actions and particularly the reference to her previous classroom experience got me thinking about how do we as Trainers handle the fears of our delegates?

Lessons for all trainers

Do we take the time to explain:

• The process? "What will happen?"
• The engagement needed "Will it hurt?" 
• The benefits or consequences "What happens if it goes wrong?"
• Our Credibility as the trainer "Are you a good Surgeon?"

So check your introductions...are you addressing these fears?

Keep the momentum of learning

Without getting too meterphoric working as a trainer or facilitator can often feel like you're dropping nuggets of learning in to still water. The changes in individuals are like ripples across the surface.

For some they are almost Tsunami like with huge perception and behavioural changes created. For others the effect is more akin to lots of smaller shallow ripples of change with less noticable impact.

Either way the challenge is often after the workshop or learning event how do you keep the momentum of the 'ripples' or learning continuing?

Sooner or later the waters surface returns to calm. The learning get's forgotten or isn't implimented.

Plan ahead

In our experience the best way to ensure the learning is continous and embedded starts from before the course.

It's important to discuss and clarify how the learning will be supported and bought back into the business.

If there's no opportunity to apply the new skills, process or behaviour then it won't be sustained.

There needs to be a conversation with Line managers to ensure opportunities are created and learning is supported post workshop.

As part of action planning on the workshop there needs to be consideration given to the 'What if's..'.

That's to say learners need to consider not only how they will be applying the learning, but to consider what potential barriers to learning application they may face and what approaches and stratigies can they use to overcome these barriers.

This is often not considered and as a result learning falls at the first barrier or obstacle it facing.

So the best way to keep the ripples flowing is to remove barriers, allow opportunities for the application of the learning and regularly stimulate with further nuggets or development.