Question

Describe the different types of problem trainees and how a trainer might manage them during training

Answer 1

The difficult trainees that can be hard to handle for the trainers can be classified into categories given below. The classification is based on the personality of the trainees, as there is no “perfect” or “ideal” training.

Know-it-all

These are the trainees who assume they are the real champions of all the things and may not even require any training. These trainees are overconfident and can be aggressive also in some cases. Trainers need to make these trainees realize the actual benefits of training that they will get, and make them pass through certain tests that may reveal to them their strengths and weaknesses.

Chatterbox

These trainees talk excessively and incessantly. Their discussions may also be on the irrelevant topics and they may drag the conversations so that it goes off the track. These trainees should be encouraged to hold back their questions and to ask them when the training sessions are over or during the free time.

Introverts

These trainees are less forthcoming in participation and may be quieter than an average trainee. Ice breakers can be used for improving their confidence and for breaking the silence. These trainees can be assigned more responsibilities as well so that they open up.

Slow learners

Slow learners require more attention as they may have lesser mental and emotional intelligence and may be able to grasp a topic and feel a bit late. Issues including reluctance, dependence on technologies, poor learning abilities, and age may affect their learning capacity. These trainees can be handled by providing them training during the free and extra hours and by giving more time towards their development. The trainees should be paired with smart learners and analogies should be put forward so that they can remember things easily.

Cynics

These are the pessimistic individuals who may have had a troublesome past and may have faced losses. These trainees may require evidence as well as reassurance.

All kinds of trainees should be mentored in positive ways and manner. Employees are often reluctant to change and hence some time should be given to ensure that they grasp all the details. A trainer should be more open in his/her training and mentorship approaches and should be willing to start the one-to-one conversations for removing resistance and to change and handle the individual behavior. Group dynamics is also an important factor to consider. Trainees should be paired properly so that the partnership and pairing improves learning.