Role of Training; and our Attitude and Approach towards it, as a Participant

It was the month of February and the climate was most suited for a weekend holiday to one of the hill stations near to the city where I was residing. Just as I was thinking excitedly about all this, I got a call and it was from my boss. “Hey Mayur, I called in to tell you that there is this two-day training seminar on Managing Stress and Team building for which we both have been nominated to attend”, he said. “When is this Training happening sir?” I asked him in a pleasantly curious tone and to which he replied “The training is on this Saturday and Sunday and I want you to be present for both the days” He told me assertively. Hearing this my face literally fell in disappointment especially since I had other plans of going to the hill station with a few of my friends for that same weekend. It seemed like there was no option left but to let go of the ‘holiday plans’ especially when the boss himself called me regarding the training and made it very clear that he wanted me to attend it without any excuse Despite a late Friday night due to the party, we had I still had to wake up and reach the Training venue at 8.45 am. The training was supposed to start at precisely at 9.15am. As I entered the conference/ training room of the hotel I saw a few participants already seated there and the remaining people were slowly entering the room just like me. I grabbed a cup of tea and sat upon the chair where my name-card was placed and as I sipped the tea, I begin chatting with one of the participants. He looked extremely upset and told me that he had to take his son for football classes but due to the training had to miss it. “So has your son missed his classes?” I asked him in a concerned voice. “No, my younger brother is taking him for the classes” he replied and I wondered then as to why therefore was he so upset. Maybe he just does not want to attend a training on a Saturday, I thought to myself. “I just don’t like to attend these trainings. I have attended many such sessions and really speaking nothing much comes out of it” He whispered to me in an anguished tone.

By now all of the participants had come inside and that included my boss. The training started with the introduction about the Trainer and then each of us were requested to introduce ourselves. While doing that I noticed many of the participants looked bored and sounded quite dispassionate while speaking about themselves and to be honest I too was like them. Having said that there were a few who were extremely passionate and excited in their attitude and also their communication and my boss was one of them. After the introductions were done the trainer began his training with a lecture on the meaning and relevance as well as effects of Stress and Pressures on the health and the professional performance of an employee and almost an hour into the lecture, I realized that I was completely bored and sleepy and I was not the only one! By now, I for sure had stopped listening to the trainer and my attention was more on my Cell phone. I was trying to check the missed calls and the Viber messages and I even replied to a few while the Trainer went on with his lecture. Once in a while I looked around and noticed that there were many like me busy with their phones.

It was now tea-break and some of the participants I heard were murmuring their displeasure at being asked to attend this training session. “I do not really think this training is going to be useful for me. This is just a big waste of time and I could have better spent this weekend” one of the participants said in a disgruntled tone and to which three others standing next to him expressed their agreement. I was looking at them and thinking about the same and that is when my boss patted me on my back.

“Mayur, there is something I have to tell you right now. From the time the training started I noticed that you were disinterested and completely non-involved in the training. I literally saw you yawning and getting drowsy on your chair and I am not at all impressed with this behaviour. Please remember every training is an opportunity to learn something new or refresh the knowledge that you already were aware of but had forgotten to implement. I sincerely suggest that from now onwards try to extract and absorb as much as you can. Please don’t let this training become a waste of time for you.

Try to be focused and not get distracted by what the other individuals are commenting about the session. Remember Mayur, any training is only as good as the way you make the best of it and you will make this training also the best for you by Participating, Listening, Interacting, Making Notes, Asking questions or Clarifying Doubts, Observing and Reading between the Lines as the trainer shares his knowledge and finally Implementing & Practising the various techniques or methods and knowledge that has been imparted through the Training. You are a participant and you have an opportunity to participate and therefore do not waste this opportunity by getting de-focused and distracted. Always remember that the fastest way towards rising in your professional career is by developing more and useful knowledge and skills and that happens mainly when you attend different types of trainings.

Please intensely introspect about all that I have just shared with you” Saying this he affectionately patted me on my back and returned to the Training room.

To be honest, from that day onwards my entire approach and attitude towards attending a training changed and I began to look at it as an excellent opportunity to develop my personality and my professional acumen!

So, the next time you are told to attend a training albeit a technical training, a behavioural training, a leadership or Managerial development training please go for it as an opportunity to enhance yourself and become the best above the rest!!!