In a training room, as in the workplace as a whole, people have different views, backgrounds, preferences, and learning styles. When you facilitate a training event, respecting the diversity of your group is essential to the overall success of the initiative. You have only a brief amount of time to ensure that everyone feels comfortable, and to set a tone of mutual respect among the group.
Below are some helpful tips:
- Always treat participants fairly and equally.
- Encourage all participants to share their thoughts and ideas.
- Call on participants to respond to one another—not just to you.
- Each time you put participants into pairs or triads, create new work groups (rather than have them always work with the same people).
- Truly listen to what each of your learners has to say. Don’t discount any ideas or comments.
- Be aware that some participants naturally learn a new skill faster than others do but that this doesn’t necessarily mean they learn it “better.”
- Encourage everyone to see the worth of ideas that are not their own.
- Do your best to create a learning environment in which everyone feels welcome and important.
When you have a diverse training group, it’s important to make sure from the outset that everyone is on the same page regarding what’s expected of them and what they expect to gain from the training. Starting out with a brief activity in which they verbalize their expectations (things like “no cell phone calls,” “come back from break on time,” etc.) can help to create a consensus regarding general guidelines for a good training experience.
A training environment is an ideal place for participants to learn from each others similarities and differences. The fact that everyone is diverse and unique makes your learning environment that much more collaborative. It would be pretty boring if we were all the same!