By Maggie Bayless

Who does the training in your organization? Is it a matter of who has been around the longest and happens to be working at the same time as a new employee? Or have you specifically designated certain individuals to assume the task of bringing new hires up to speed? Not surprisingly, your training will be more effective if you consciously choose who will deliver it than if it’s totally catch as catch can. But, remember, just slapping the title of “Trainer” on a supervisor or manager isn’t the answer either.

How Do You Choose a Trainer?
In my experience, businesses often ask employees who are best at a certain task or skill to train other people on that task or skill. As a result, the best sandwich maker becomes the sandwich line trainer; likewise, the best customer service provider becomes the customer service trainer. Though it seems to make sense, why does it often not work?

Training is a skill separate from knowledge of the content of what is being taught. Just doing something well doesn’t mean you will do well training others how to do it. In fact, doing something very well may prevent you from being a good trainer. To use a sports analogy, think of how many outstanding coaches were not star players and how the best players are often not good coaches.

Why is this true? When someone becomes very adept at a given skill, say making sandwiches or waiting on customers, they are usually performing on an unconscious level. In training lingo, we say they are “unconsciously competent.” They perform the skill at a high level but because it “comes naturally” to them, they often can’t explain exactly what they’re doing that makes them so effective. Unless they’ve been alerted to this situation, these “unconsciously competent” trainers become very frustrated with trainees who “just don’t get it.” Trainees, on the other hand, are frustrated because their trainer is clearly unhappy with their performance but can’t articulate what they should be doing differently.

Becoming a Better Trainer
At Zingerman’s, we emphasize that to be a good trainer, you need to be “consciously competent” in the task or skill that you are teaching. You need to be conscious of how to do the skill correctly, as well as be able to perform the skill competently. To become more conscious about what is involved in performing a certain task correctly, first create an outline of the steps involved. Slow down and ask yourself why each step of the task is done the way that it is. Observe others performing the task and ask them questions about why they do it a certain way. Pay particular attention to the things that are “obvious” to you and to others with experience, but might not be obvious to a neophyte.

Taking the time to do these exercises is usually all it takes to become “conscious” of how to perform a certain task; at that point, the “unconsciously competent” performer can become a “consciously competent” trainer. In some instances however, the top performers just can’t get out of the “unconscious” mode. When this is the case, it’s in everyone’s best interest to relieve them of their training responsibilities, allow them to focus on what they do best (i.e., making sandwiches), and enlist someone else to do the training.

Remember that in order to become a better trainer, training must be practiced, which is not the same as practicing the task you will be teaching. So, if you’re in charge of training new sandwich makers, don’t just practice making sandwiches (you’ve probably got that down cold), actually practice the training you plan to implement on how to make sandwiches. Ask a colleague or your boss to role play with you. After the role play, ask him or her for feedback from the trainee’s perspective. Listen to what he or she has to say and learn from it.

Ask for feedback from your real-life trainees as well. You have nothing to lose by informing them that you’re trying to improve your training skills. They probably will be more receptive to what you have to teach them if they realize that you’re in a learning mode as well. Your trainees are your audience and your best source of information about what you need to do differently next time. The better you become at training, the more you’ll enjoy being a trainer.

Trainers Need Clear Expectations, Too
I’ve spent a lot of time in the past several columns discussing the importance of documenting clear expectations for trainees. But have you answered Zingerman’s Four Training Plan Questions for your trainers? And similarly, trainers, can you answer these questions for yourself? (The bullet points after each question suggest some possible answers, but are by no means comprehensive.)

1. What is expected of the trainer — and by when?

• When training shifts/classes will be scheduled.
• Number of training shifts/classes per week/month.
• Material to be covered and time frame within which it should be completed.

2. What resources are available for the trainer?

• Train-the-trainer class (we offer this at least monthly at Zingerman’s).
• Existing training materials (workbooks, Leader’s Guides, checklists, outlines, videos, books, etc.).
• Opportunities to practice training (manager willing to role play, etc.).

3. How will you measure whether or not the trainer meets the expectations?

• Trainee is able to pass written or performance tests within a specified period of time.
• Feedback from trainees.
•Observation of training sessions by manager.

4. What are the rewards/consequences of the trainer meeting or not meeting the expectations?

• Bonus to trainer when trainees successfully complete orientation on time. No bonus if trainees don’t complete orientation on time.
• Continuing or not continuing in role as trainer.

Being asked to become a trainer should be an honor. But if the support systems aren’t available to help a new trainer be effective, the honor all too soon becomes a burden. Recognizing that being a good trainer is a skill that needs practice just as any other skill is a good beginning. Then work on becoming “consciously competent” in the task that will be taught. Last, but by no means least, make sure that trainers can answer the Four Training Plan Questions both for their trainees and themselves.