Ask, Not Tell

• Course: A management skills class
• Date: 29-31 Nov 08
• Location: Shanghai
• # of Learners: 16
• I am feeling: Tired…. and a bit frustrated

I just finished a 3 day management skills course today.   I feel tired as the after-class preparation every day took up quite a lot of time.   Basically I started in the classroom at 0800 and finished my preparation at night at 2200.

However, what was more challenging is the discipline issue.   Frankly, I did feel frustrated this morning.   A learner who already missed the whole Day 1 morning came to me asking for a 2-hour absence.   At the end, she left the class for more than 3 hours.   Well, it was not only her.  I had one disappeared for the whole morning today.  I had a few requesting to leave earlier today to catch the plane.  And then a few came back 1/2 hour late from lunch.   And I had one who did not show up at all on Day 1 with no advice.  But he then walked into the class on Day 2 …. only after 9:30 like nothing was wrong.  I asked him to leave right away!

You prepared.  You tried to maintain a good learning atmosphere.  But then it got broken from time to time.

I almost showed my emotion this morning.   Luckily that I did not, cos I know that it would help.  And after all, I got to remind myself that there are still good learners in every class who want to learn!

Further to my last post, it is great to read report like the following!

 A great time to hire, says Stanchart CEO

Standard Chartered will continue to hire talent even as it navigates the financial storm, says group chief executive Peter Sands.

Speaking at the Singapore Human Capital Summit yesterday, he advised: ‘This is not the time to be cutting back on fundamental investments in people – in recruiting, training, development.’ Read more

The global financial market is in great turmoil these days – reputable firms going down, stock markets diving sharply.  But what upsets me most is not the market downturn.  It is how most banks react to it in the area of training.  I have been hearing bad news in the training industry. Read more

• Course: A presentation class
• Date: 20 Sep 08
• Location: Beijing
• # of Learners: 8
• I am feeling: Excited though tired

I delivered a presentation class to a local airport design and construction company.  This was my first experience to deliver class outside the financial services industry.   I like such experience as different learners offer me different perspectives.  I had to research for their work challenges and thus the training need.   Being in a different industry and in a local firm, they had very different mindset.  They asked different questions.   All these made me learnt.

For example, I thought one of their challenges to be ‘nervousness’ during presentation.  In fact, their training coordinator told me the same.  However, I realize only during the class that the problem is actually the opposite.  They are too talkative in their actual presentation.   They talk too much that they are off the topic, and limit the participation from their audience!!   I needed to think of different way on spot to make them realize the issue.   It was exciting!!
I love to train different learners, and I wish to do more.

• Course: A presentation skill class
• Date: 17-18 Sep 08
• Location: Beijing
• # of Learners: 8
• I am feeling: Good

• Course: An influencing skill class
• Date: 19 Sep 08
• Location: Beijing
• # of Learners: 20
• I am feeling: Good

I went to Beijing right after Taiwan.   I did 2 internal classes there.  

There was an occasion which I wanted to run an energizer needing empty space more than I had.  I needed to move all the tables and chairs.   In the past, I would give it up since it would be too much a hassle to do so.  I do not like the chaos when the furniture is re-arranged.  But somehow, this time, I thought it would not hurt to ask the learners to move the furniture.  After all, physical exercise is an energizer!!

It worked.   The learners liked it.

It is always argued that we should involve the learners in the process.   I think this experience is a good example.   On the other hand, this experience made me realized that I was too rigid before.   I was rigid about the timing, the discipline, the room set-up…   sometimes, I shall let it flow.

After all, I remember that a master trainer once said ‘Training is messy.’