In a previous life I worked as a trainer for another organisation. This organisation had several trainers, which meant when delivering update days, I would, more often than not, be delivering an update day to a group who I had not delivered the original course to.
When doing the introductions on an update day I used to consistently hear a couple of common comments. These were basically covered by the following:
we don't use it
OR
it doesn't work
This is really about memory and perception. They say that after 2 weeks you only remember 30% of a training course. Therefore what concepts have endured after a year?
When we have gone around the room collecting these responses I wait till the last person has spoken and ask the following simple questions
have you ever offered anyone a cup of tea?
- yes - of course
and did it work?
- yes....
At which point I highlight - "so you used the course and it worked"
This is me highlighting to participants that the course is not about the physical skills which is what most people seemed remember. The course is about developing relationships with individuals in distress. As we are aiming to assist someone with their distress the physical components of the course should not be at the forefront of your mind when you think about "that course I went on".
and yet now days this does not happen - I wondered about this shift in attitudes
And so it is with great pleasure I can confirm that when doing update days with participants that I alone have taught, new customers since starting D8, I do not get those responses during update day introductions.
This is a very encouraging shift as participants whose memory is only about the physical have really missed the point. Now I tend to get people highlighting other areas of the course during the introductions - a much better focus for all.