Why we need mental composure: If you want to be a trainer, be ready for tons of feedback and criticisms from both your internal and external clients. As the saying goes, you can't please everyone.
No matter how hard you prepare for every class, there will always be unavoidable mistakes or "not so good" interactions with your participants. As adult learners who are full of life experiences, the trainees may question your job knowledge or even your credibility to teach the topic.
The key here is to view feedback as a gift. You can either use it or file it. If you think the feedback will make you a better trainer, then use it by all means. But if you think that the feedback will not give you an advantage, then file it.
There were several times when the client provides me information in the morning and wants me to deliver the training in the evening. That gives me less than seven hours to study the information, come up with a neat module, check for an available training venue, coordinate with team leaders, notify the participants, prepare for the discussion itself and conceptualize a training agenda that would differentiate it from my previous classes.
Believe it or not, in spite of all these somewhat baneful experiences I've shared, my heart will never tire of training or teaching people. I find a sense of unexplainable joy when I teach. And what makes it even more beautiful is when I see my trainees evolve and become better with what they do, because of me.
Being a trainer is no joke.
Being a trainer is a phenomenal privilege.
Being a trainer made me a stronger person.
I have no regrets or whatsoever for burning the candle at both ends. I love being a trainer and the passion for teaching will forever be in my heart.
Why we need emotional composure: We live the life of big celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in some ways. No matter how exhausted or uninspired we feel, we need to put on our best smile and be a perfect role model in front of the class.
A slight fever is not enough reason to miss the class. When we feel down and lonely, we find every single strength in ourselves and deliver world-class training. I remember a pregnant colleague while being rushed to the hospital was giving me instructions on what to do with her class. When we roll out policies or guidelines that we personally feel inappropriate for trainees, we have to set aside our own judgment and encourage the class to understand the importance of the issues presented.
As trainers, we have to also be self-motivated as there are no constant recognition (and sometimes even management support) in this profession. We look at the positive side of every opportunity that comes our way and use the challenges to improve our craft.
To be continued...
Being a call center trainer may appear to be an easy task. Your daily mission: wear a smart casual outfit and discuss a topic in front of a group. Plain and simple... you think!
Don't be fooled with the poise, confidence and fluency of these professionals. I've been a trainer for America Online in Clark, Angeles City for five years and I could confirm there's certainly more than the glamorous outfits. This profession demands solid physical, emotional and mental composure.
Why we need physical strength: We are willing to work more than 8 hours a day and in flexible hours (double shifts or triple shifts, if necessary). Monday, I have a class on a graveyard shift. The next day, I'll work afternoon shift to catch up with morning meetings. The following days, I'll be required to work early morning to attend conference calls or queue brainstorming. On top of that crazy schedule, I have to finish collateral projects during my supposedly days off.
This line of work is mostly walk and talk. In Clark, the training office is in one building while the training rooms where we conduct classes are in the other building. At least an hour before my class, I walk from my office to the training room to prepare what I need. Yes, while we have maintenance helpers and Internal Computing (IC) support, it will always be the trainer's sole problem if the training room is unavailable or any necessary equipment (computer, projector, speakers, etc) is malfunctioning. So we have to be at least an hour early for our own convenience.
As soon as the participants enter the room, we start talking to check the attendance, distribute modules and energize the class before the discussion proper.
We don't have the opportunity to sit down all the time regardless of the class size. When having individual activities, trainers should walk around the room to address problems and answer questions. During group activities, on the other hand, we walk from one group to another to make sure they're on the right track and they aren't just chatting about showbiz personalities or latest gadgets.
We provide 15 minute breaks for the participants every two hours of the training to freshen up and quickly grab something to eat. Most of the time, these breaks are useful for trainers to prepare the activity for the next topic.
After the class, we again walk around the room to ensure cleanliness of the area and at times, we may need to talk to participants who have issues concerning the topics discussed. And then complete some administrative work like tracking data and reports.
To be continued...
