Trainers may face challenging trainees who try to negatively influence the training session or disrupt the process. These types include "negators" who criticize everything, "know-it-alls" who challenge the trainer's knowledge, and "hecklers" who oppose the trainer and cause conflicts. Trainers must remain positive, be fully prepared with knowledge on the topic, address issues while avoiding conflicts, and use techniques like cognitive restructuring to maintain control when dealing with difficult trainees. They should also use engaging activities to handle those who are complacent or lack interest in order to rise to the occasion and improve their skills.

1. Rising to the Occasion: Dealing with Challenging Trainees
The minute you walk into the room, you feel a positive energy emanating from the trainees. At
the end of the presentation, you receive a rousing applause followed by a standing ovation!
This is an excerpt of a day in training when everything is smooth sailing. However, not all
days in training are as seamless as described previously. There are days when trainers are faced
with participants who propel them to rise to the occasion.
How do these participants challenge trainers and how can the trainers equip themselves to deal
with these situations? In almost every batch of trainees one or more of the following
personality types emerge:
(i) ‘Negators’ either overtly or quietly put a negative spin on things said or done by
the trainer. The trainer must manage this personality type by expressly remaining
positive throughout the training session.
(ii) ‘Know-it-alls’ are always showing their knowledge and might even challenge the
trainer. The trainers must ensure that they are fully knowledgeable of the topic by
adequately researching the topic and preparing for all questions that might be
asked by trainees.
(iii) ‘Hecklers’ are disruptive and often oppose the trainer. They may even become
quarrelsome and aggressive. In dealing with these persons, trainers should address
the issues that need to be addressed while avoiding unnecessary conflicts.
Cognitive Restructuring, the technique of adjusting one’s own thinking in order to
change a situation, was made popular by Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck et al and can
be applied when dealing with hecklers. Another technique is to apply one of the
seven habits revealed by Stephen Covey in his book, Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People and that is “seek to first understand, then to be understood”.
Ultimately, the trainer must remain calm and maintain control of the situation.
(iv) Complacency, lack of interest and poor attitudes constitutes the final batch of
challenging behavioural issues that trainers encounter. Trainers should appeal to
persons who exhibit these behaviours by using interesting ice-breakers, games and
activities.
Trainers should not be intimidated by trainees who are challenging but instead use these
persons as a motivation to rise to the occasion and ultimately improve their training skills.
Remember the words of Booker T. Washington: “Success is to be measured not so much
by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has to overcome
while trying to succeed.”
7 of the 166 workshops being offered to church groups include:
Teaching Skills: “Teaching That Transforms”
Public Speaking : “Eloquent Expressions”
Public Speaking (Persuasive Speaking): “Case Closed”
Managing Your Emotions: “Cool, Calm, Collected … And Happy!
Team Building: “Harmony at Work”
Gillian Martin, BSc, MBA
Trainer, Speaker & Social Entrepreneur
Captivating Solutions Consultancy
E-mail: captivatingsolutions.ja@gmail.com
CAPTIVATING SOLUTIONS
QUARTERLY 1-PAGE DIGEST Vol. 1 Issue 2 [ Nov. 2009 to Jan. 2010]

2. Successful Meetings: “Meeting in Progress”
Surviving in a Negative/Hostile Environment: “Sailing Through The Storm”