The “Course Topics” series from Manage Train Learn and Slide Topics is a collection of over 4000 slides that will help you master a wide range of management and personal development skills. The 202 PowerPoints in this series offer you a complete and in-depth study of each topic. This presentation is on "Running a Course".

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Running a Course
Training Skills
MTL Course Topics
Running a Course
TRAINING SKILLS

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Running a Course
Training Skills
MTL Course Topics
The Course Topics series from Manage Train Learn is a large collection of topics that will help you as a learner
to quickly and easily master a range of skills in your everyday working life and life outside work. If you are a
trainer, they are perfect for adding to your classroom courses and online learning plans.
COURSE TOPICS FROM MTL
The written content in this Slide Topic belongs exclusively to Manage Train Learn and may only be reprinted
either by attribution to Manage Train Learn or with the express written permission of Manage Train Learn.
They are designed as a series of numbered
slides. As with all programmes on Slide
Topics, these slides are fully editable and
can be used in your own programmes,
royalty-free. Your only limitation is that
you may not re-publish or sell these slides
as your own.
Copyright Manage Train Learn 2020
onwards.
Attribution: All images are from sources
which do not require attribution and may
be used for commercial uses. Sources
include pixabay, unsplash, and freepik.
These images may also be those which are
in the public domain, out of copyright, for
fair use, or allowed under a Creative
Commons license.

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ARE YOU READY?
OK, LET’S START!

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Running a Course
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MTL Course Topics
INTRODUCTION
Running a training programme involves the trainer as
organiser and programme deliverer. As organiser, you have
to plan and control. As programme deliverer, you have to be
presenter, expert and entertainer. When you plan, aim to
cover each minute of the day but not so tightly that you
squeeze out spontaneity. When you control, bear in mind
that you are the person in charge with the power to give
people the space they need to grow.

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RUNNING A COURSE
There are nine important ingredients involved in putting
together a successful training course. They are:
1. Pre-course contact: this can be a welcome and an
opportunity to set the right tone for the training.
2. Introduction: this is a chance to meet each person and
make some kind of meaningful contact with them.
3. Making presentations: new material will be delivered as
presentations and inputs.
4. Groupwork: this will be the main kind of activity when
you are running a skill learning session.
5. Facilitation: this allows trainees to learn at their pace.
6. Review: review sessions should be held regularly.
7. Breaks: breaks are a chance to change the pace and make
use of informal interpersonal learning.
8. Endings: this is the chance to look forward to how skills
are to be used in the workplace.
9. Post-course contact: this evaluates the training.

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PRE-COURSE CONTACT
There are practical reasons for making pre-course contact
with trainees, for example to let people know where and
when the course is to take place.
There are also good training reasons:
1. you may need to check that the course is right for the
trainee
2. you may want to find out more about the trainees
themselves
3. you may want to hand out pre-course work, such as a
pre-course test, a self-assessment questionnaire or
work related to the topic itself eg doing a time log
before a Time Management course
4. you may want to let the trainees know what they can
gain from attending
5. you may want to set a friendly, welcoming and positive
tone as soon as possible.

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DEAR TRAINEE...
A pre-course letter or email, such as the following, puts
course participants in the right frame of mind.
Dear Jill,
We look forward to seeing you on our forthcoming course
on "Customer Care".
Front-liners are often the forgotten troops in large
organisations. They sometimes have to face difficult, unsure
or even angry customers alone, knowing that they are the
sole representatives of the Company and knowing that
customer satisfaction depends entirely on them.
This is a demanding and vital role. Our course aims to help
you deal with these challenges and remind you also of the
many benefits. We are certain you will find it interesting,
valuable and stimulating.
All the joining details are enclosed. Please let me know if
you have any queries or concerns. I'm here to help.
I look forward to meeting you soon.

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BEFORE YOU ARRIVE...
A note such as the following can be included in pre-course
handouts for each trainee. It sets a positive tone as well as
dealing with practical issues.
Before you come to the course,
1. check the details of the course such as date and location
and make a note of them in your diary
2. inform others who need to know about your absence
3. check the joining instructions for pre-course work.
Complete the work before you come.
4. let us know about any special needs such as access to
the building and dietary requirements
5. prepare for the course: discuss the aims with your
manager; think about what you want to get out of it
6. get a good night's sleep before you come.
And remember, there is no reason why you cannot enjoy
yourself on training.

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CHECKING THE ROOM
The following is a checklist of room items you need to look
at before running a course:
1. is there sufficient space for groups to work as a whole
and also in sub-groups?
2. is the seating comfortable?
3. are the acoustics good?
4. is there adequate heating, lighting and ventilation?
5. are there any distracting external noises?
6. where are the toilets?
7. ...and the phones?
8. does the building have access for everyone including
those with disabilities?
9. do you know the fire evacuation plans?
10. is there somewhere safe for people to leave their
belongings?

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CHECKING YOUR MATERIALS
The following is a checklist of materials you might need to
run a training course:
1. paper, pads, notebooks
2. pens, pencils, markers
3. handouts, overheads, flipcharts
4. name cards or badges
5. video recorder, TV, camera
6. first-aid for presenters (eg spare bulbs for projectors;
screwdrivers to change plugs; screws, nails, tape)
7. blu-tack, scissors, glue, cellotape
8. box of tricks containing spare material such as string,
paper clips, post-it notes, lined paper, 3" x 5" cards,
coloured card, felt pens, rubbers.

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INTRODUCTIONS
The Introduction is a key part of a training course and can be
a tense and anxious time for trainees who may show it and
trainers who must not.
The Introduction has both surface and sub-surface learning.
Surface learning
On the surface, the Introduction introduces people to each
other, breaks the ice, discusses expectations, outlines rules
and roles, gives the course aims, offers an overview and
deals with administrative matters.
Sub-surface learning
Under the surface of the Introduction, trainees should be
learning that this is a safe environment in which to be, that
people will be valued for who they are and that this is a
course for the trainees and not for the trainer.

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MAKING CONTACT
In the Introduction phase of a training course, you can make
contact with trainees in a number of ways:
1. when you want to move close to the group, sit as part
of them, perhaps on the end chair of a horse-shoe
shaped seating arrangement
2. make easy eye contact with everyone, even if for just a
few seconds
3. use their names at least once. Remember everyone's
name, perhaps by tying the name up with something
you know about them, eg Alec from Accounts, Sue from
Sales
4. when they give their reasons for being on the course,
summarise and reflect them back. "So, John, you're
interested in learning more about presentational
styles...?"
5. go at their pace, reflect how they sit and move, tune in
to their beliefs and expectations.

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ANXIETY
The design of a training event needs to deal with the
inevitable anxieties which people feel, particularly at the
start of the event. Anxieties arise when trainees feel
threatened. This may be due to the fear of the unexpected
and how they will react in uncertain situations over which
they have no control.
There are three kinds of anxiety-driven inner talk:
1. self-deprecating, eg "I'm not good enough...strong
enough...free enough..."
2. neurotic over-concern about the subject, eg "They'll think
I'm stupid..."
3. fear about unpredictable consequences, eg "What if the
boss gets to know?“
Unless it is dealt with, anxiety can destroy an individual's
self-confidence and ability to learn.

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DEALING WITH ANXIETY
While anxiety is high, trainees will find their potential to
learn is blocked. Energy that should be channelled into
learning is diverted into self-protection and self-
preservation. The caring trainer needs to take steps to
reduce the level of anxiety in the group.
This could include:
1. making a contract that removes fears, eg no testing, no
reports, no spying
2. building trainees' confidence through positive feedback
3. helping trainees to identify, face and overcome the
source of their anxiety
4. promising no surprises and springing none
5. using a supportive, not authoritative or punitive, style of
training
6. moving at the trainees' pace
7. easing tension through laughter, fun and some silliness
8. showing that mistakes are OK and a way to learn.

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PRESENTATIONS
At some point during a training session, people will usually
expect to be on the receiving end of new information given
in the form of a presentation.
Since trainees are inevitably passive when listening to a
presentation, it is important to observe the Golden Rules of
presenting:
Rule 1: Keep it short and simple (KISS). Most people lose
attention after about 15 minutes at one stretch.
Rule 2: Stick to one big idea and lots of supporting material
in the form of anecdotes, stories and humour.
Rule 3: Work out in advance how people will be able to
remember your points, for example, by using a mnemonic.
Rule 4: Vary your presentation with visual aids; make them
fun, colourful and entertaining.
Rule 5: Develop a slick pace through thorough preparation
and rehearsal.

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THEORY AND PRACTICE
Most presentations you give on a training course will be
concepts, background theories and models. Many of these
can be taken from standard reference books on the skills
you are training. For example, in a course on Assertiveness,
you might use a model of the three states of interaction:
aggression, submission and assertiveness.
One issue you will face is whether to introduce a practice
session before or after outlining the theory. If you outline
the theory before a practice session, trainees can
consciously try out the theory for themselves. An example
might be the use of assertive, rather than submissive, body
language.
If you let people practise first with no supportive theory you
can observe the skills that people need and introduce the
concept afterwards. Trainees themselves can be encouraged
to work out their own theory. They then require further
practice to try out the theory.

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LEADING DISCUSSIONS
In any skills learning session, discussions have only a
minimal part to play. Nobody ever learnt to swim or drive a
car by talking about it. Discussion can, however, help people
in a number of ways: it can enable them to share learning
problems and pick up tips; it can help to develop ideas and
models on which skills are based; and it can be a means of
giving moral support.
When leading discussion groups,
1. keep the objective in mind
2. don't get into arguments or take sides
3. avoid negative talk
4. do more listening than talking
5. ensure everyone gets a chance to contribute: control
those who talk too much; encourage the reticent
6. encourage exchanges between group members
7. always remember that nobody ever learnt a skill by
talking about it.

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GROUPWORK
Much of the body of a training session will consist of
groupwork. This might be discussion in the main group,
exercises in sub-groups or work in pairs and triads.
Groupwork has an important part to play in achieving the
aims of training:
1. there is less tension in a small group
2. groups can be supportive of each other
3. there is the chance of much freer exchange of views and
feelings in groups
4. the group is the most effective medium for getting work
done including role plays, discussions and practice
sessions
5. people learn about themselves more from interacting
with others than from being on their own
6. the way a person behaves in a training group reflects
how they might be expected to behave in the
organisational group.

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FEEDBACK
Groupwork provides an opportunity for experiential
learning. For maximum benefit, it should consist of some
doing by everyone; some conceptualising; some
experimenting; some reflection; and some discussion.
Reflection and discussion are aided by constructive
feedback. You can give constructive feedback yourself but it
is much better to train trainees to give their own feedback
to themselves and their teammates.
Two techniques for giving feedback are the Two Questions
and the Feedback Sandwich.
1. The Two Questions technique asks: "What went well?"
and "What could have gone better?"
2. The Feedback Sandwich is a three-step approach which
starts with what went well, then what went badly and
ends with a positive summary of what went well.

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FACILITATION
Facilitation moves a simple skills training session into a new
dimension. As well as helping people learn a skill, facilitation
helps them learn about themselves and their relationships
in a group.
1. facilitation lets trainees move from being passive
recipients to being the key players
2. facilitation values what they do, not what you do
3. facilitation empowers people
4. facilitation uses what people already know and can do
as learning material
5. facilitation is the skill of followers: where they want to
go, you follow
6. facilitation gives them ownership of their learning
7. facilitation lets you stand back and be supportive rather
than be directive and take charge
8. facilitation is the art of gentle and effective leadership.

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ISSUES OF CONTROL
The facilitative approach to training works when you are
prepared to trust the group with their learning and they are
prepared to accept ownership.
When a group responds to a facilitative style,
1. they set their own aims: "we would like to improve our
interview techniques"
2. they decide their own content: "we have some ideas of
our own. Could we form our own teams? We'd like to
role play a situation that crops up often. Could we let
John tell us about his experiences?"
3. they choose their own style: "we'd like to video this
ourselves and then play it back"
4. they work out their own method: "we could divide into
two teams and compare notes. Could you join us?"
5. they carry out their own feedback: "we felt we were
fine up to the end and then it fell apart."

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REVIEW
Regular review of learning material helps to summarise the
key points and send it from short-term memory to long-
term memory. Review can be most effective at the start of a
new session, a new day or an afternoon. It can be carried
out by the trainer with the whole group, by small groups or
by pairs.
During the Second World War, Kurt Lewin was
commissioned to find ways in which housewives could eat
less meat. He studied two groups:
Group one who received a lecture on the benefits of
meatless eating for the war effort
Group two who received a lecture plus a discussion and a
review.
When Lewin followed up, he found that only 3% of group
one were eating less meat, whereas 32% of group two were,
a ten-fold increase in retention.

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BREAKS
Breaks are an essential ingredient in the structure of
effective training courses. They offer people the chance to
relax, discuss what they have learnt in a less formal setting
and have a change of pace. The value of an in-course break
is increased if you offer people the chance to do something
completely different from what they've just been doing: for
example, physical exercise after a discussion or relaxation
after demanding mental work.
Research indicates that attention levels are higher at the
beginning and end of a training session than in the middle. It
therefore pays to have regular breaks throughout the day.
The Vienna Institute of Learning Research estimates that,
for maximum learning, breaks should be held every 25
minutes.

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ENDINGS
Just as the introduction phase leads people into a course, so
the Ending phase leads people out. They are like bridges to
and from the workplace.
The Ending phase needs to be planned so that there is
enough time for winding down mentally and emotionally.
It can include any of the following:
1. a quiet time for personal review
2. a summary of learning
3. tests and assessments of what has been learnt
4. action plans for implementing learning
5. issue of handouts and reference material
6. celebration and farewells.

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POST-COURSE CONTACT
The following could be sent as a letter, memo or e:mail to
each course participant a few days after a course ends.
Dear Jill,
Just a line to say how much we enjoyed meeting you on our
course. We hope you found it enjoyable and stimulating.
As we explained, all skills learning takes time, practice and
feedback. You have now embarked on this journey!
Do look for every opportunity to put your skills into practice
and to reflect on some of the material we covered. You
might find it useful to read your course handouts within a
few days of returning from the course.
As part of evaluating your training, we will be making
contact again with you and your manager. In the meantime,
may we thank you once more for taking part in our course.
All the best in the future.

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THAT’S
IT!
WELL DONE!

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MTL Course Topics
THANK YOU
This has been a Slide Topic from Manage Train Learn