How Leaders Can Elevate Training Events

Great leaders do their best to empower their team. That’s why managers often bring in speakers to share their expertise. While inviting experts to speak is a great first step, to maximize these training opportunities, there are a few key ways leaders can elevate the group’s learning environment.

1. Start by sharing their interest in the workshop

A leader sets the tone for an event. So if a leader seems particularly interested in a workshop or talk, it adds energy into the room. The best introductions I’ve seen are when a director kicks off a session sharing what they’re looking forward to or why they are excited about the upcoming material. Too often, training events are seen as mandatory events that people feel obligated to attend. But when the head of a group or organization shows genuine interest and involvement, it sets a far more positive tone from the start.

2. Model active participation

I have always been impressed by leaders when they model the behavior they are expecting from their teams. When a leader is engaged, the team will notice. It’s one thing to tell people to pay attention and it’s another when a supervisor shows the team how to engage. Whether the manager asks the speaker a thoughtful question, takes notes, actively participates in breakout sessions, or just highlights a helpful tip, modeling active participation is a wonderful way of getting a team to be present and fully absorb the tips shared in a training session.

3. End by sharing a favorite part

The end of a session is important. But since many days are packed with back-to-back meetings and important deadlines, people don’t often take the time to reflect on everything they’ve learned. Near the conclusion of a training event, most folks start to think about the next item on their to-do list. That’s why great leaders take the time to share what they’ve learned at the end of a session. They wrap up with their favorite take-aways and how they are planning on putting the tips into action. This not only helps remind the group of important tips shared throughout the workshop, it shows others that this information isn’t just meant to be heard, it’s meant to be put into action.
When leaders kick off the event by sharing what they are looking forward to, model active participation, and end by reflecting on the training, it creates a strong learning environment for the entire team.

Author: Bri McWhorter, MFA
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