Dealing with Dysfunctional Training Participants - continued

A participant's personal style operating in conjunction with his perception of the training itself, other participants in the training and the organizational change the training supports are all recipe ingredients for either functional, engaged participants or those who are "tuned out" at best and antagonistic and disruptive at worst.

Understanding how these dynamics contribute to disruptive behavior is important to not only help you to identify and diagnose potential underlying causes, but also in guiding your approach in dealing with it.

Whatever form the dysfunctional behavior takes, it is extremely important for you as the trainer to manage it effectively so that learning can take place for everyone involved. But if you are a contract trainer, how far can you go in dealing with difficult training participants who are employees of the client company?

Usually the best approach is to be proactive. Listed below are several tips to 1) help prevent disruptive behaviors before they are manifested in the training room and 2) handle dysfunctional situations during the training.

Do your homework prior to the session

• Arrange a time to chat with both the lead person at your contract firm in addition to your client firm contact person. Discuss the issue of potential disruptive participants. Explore how such issues are typically handled in the organization. Gain agreement about the steps to take.
• Find out how the employees in the company generally receive learning opportunities. Are they seen as integral to job effectiveness and career growth - or as a pain in the side that is taking them away from "productive" work?
• Learn about the goal for the training. How does it benefit the company, team and individual? (Typically this information can be gathered during the train-the-trainer program.)

What is known about the make-up of the participants in the training? Are there any known conflicts between individuals or teams? Is there any possibility that one participant may feel intimidated by others in the training?

Set the climate at the beginning of the session

• Pay attention to seating. If information is known about dynamics between particular individuals, your client company lead may suggest seating or grouping participants in a way that will facilitate positive interactions.
• Establish ground rules. Ground rules help to set the tone for training and also serve as a way to immediately engage your learners in being a part of the learning experience. Go into the session with a few ground rules prepared, and then involve the participants in fleshing out and "customizing" the list for their own group. Typical ground rules include:
  • No cell phones, email, etc.
  • Return promptly from breaks
  • Safe environment - it is OK to try new things
  • Share experiences - participate
  • Maintain confidentiality
  • Listen when others are speaking
  • Demonstrate respect for others
  • Value diverse points of view
• Model ground rules. If it has been agreed to return from breaks on time, then don't return to the classroom five minutes late. If listening when others speak is a rule, then don't interrupt participants when they are making a point. Modeling the ground rules in addition to reinforcing others who demonstrate them is a good way to maintain a positive climate.
• Encourage constructive participation by all students through effective facilitation of the discussion and positive reinforcement.