Navigating Trainer Ethics: Can Casual Attire and Fun Learning Break Barriers?

Hi, I am a freelance trainer in communication and personality development. I have been employed with a couple of English-speaking academies. In the process of transforming myself into a professional trainer, I came across a lot of dilemmas. I had been thoroughly instructed by the owner to be in formals every day, but I had a different perspective. I went in casuals.

Why is it mandatory for a trainer not to wear casuals?

Secondly, a confidence-building trainer's job is to create an atmosphere wherein there are no barriers between a trainer and the participant. This will, in turn, reduce or rather eliminate the prospects of an under-confident participant.

Why is it unethical to create a fun learning atmosphere?

Thirdly, why can't a trainer leave the tag of TRAINER and behave like one of the participants with some extra knowledge on the subject?

Why does the trainer have to keep a line between himself and the participant when his objective is to understand the participants and accordingly train them?

The above-given questions are haunting me every day, and that's the reason I posted them here. What do you think? Is it correct behavior as a trainer? Please do reply.

Dear Hardik, it is not important what you want to do; it is important what your client wants. It is crucial to understand participants, but before that, it is important to understand their employer as well.

From your writing, it appears that you have a background in IT/BPO, and you have grown in that atmosphere, unable to get along with any other atmosphere. However, to sustain your business, you should do what your client permits.

Have you not been trained in "customer satisfaction"? How can you expect all customers to have the same psychology? There is nothing wrong with creating a fun learning atmosphere, but there is variation. Someone may not like to have fun while learning. So, why do you want to impose it on them?

Secondly, if the participants you get have a high take-off level, they may not appreciate learning with detailed explanations or games. In one of my training programs, a participant privately told me, "Your detailed explanations or games are an insult to intelligence. Come on, get to brass tacks fast and finish off this training." I also trained an MD who asked me to condense a day's training into just half a day.

"When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail," said Abraham Maslow. It appears that you have a "one-size-fits-all" solution. Change your training methodology as per the client's requirements and see the benefits!

Ok...

Dinesh V Divekar

"Limit of your words is the limit of your world"

Thank you a ton for your valuable comments. It seems I have got much more than expected. However, you didn't address the basic question about wearing casuals. I know when the participants look upon the trainer as a professional. But don't you think that creates a hindrance between the participants and the trainer, pertaining only to confidence-building training?

Pursuing a Career in Training

I want to pursue training as a career, but when I google "Trainers," there are lakhs of trainers available. That link is scary. I know that it is a "rat race, and only the one with unique talents wins." So, how do I become the "one"? By joining English Speaking Classes and training the participants, do you think I am on the correct track?

Career Mapping and Development as a Trainer

How do I map my career? How do I develop myself as a trainer? I know I am asking a lot of questions, but since you are experienced, you can guide me.

Thank you a ton...

Dear Hardik,

It appears that you have some serious misconceptions about employee training. When you say "casual" outfits increase confidence between participants and the trainer, I really did not understand the logic behind this. In my last ten years, I never wore any casual dress (except for outbound training). Yet, I never fell short of building confidence.

Are you going to restrict your training activities only to the IT/BPO sector? If that is the case, then you will never grow. You should be capable of handling training programs across the spectrum of industries. IT/BPO accounts for 5% of GDP. What about the other 55% (40% of our GDP is from agriculture and it is not applicable for us)?

Confidence is built when you try to address the company's or participants' problems through training. You should demonstrate your subject knowledge to solve their problems.

Regarding English speaking - who said that only English-speaking trainers are successful? Today, TVS is successful because they translated all quality literature into Tamil. They trained all their staff in Tamil. The average worker at TVS knows the quality objectives of their job. Even if they communicate in Tamil, the output they produce is of 100% quality. To achieve 100% quality output, we require employee training.

The problem with you is that in your two posts, you have not asked a single question on how to create result-oriented training. Your focus is more on means and not on ends. Please understand that means never serve ends.

Recently, my interview was published on Times Ascent online. Please check the following post: [link outdated-removed]. Go through the interview. It will give you some insight.

Ok...

Dinesh V Divekar

Sir,

Thanks a ton for your valuable comments. It seems I have got much more than expected. However, you didn't address the basic question about wearing casuals. I know when the participants look upon the trainer as a professional. But don't you think that creates a hindrance between the participants and the trainer, particularly in confidence-building training?

Also, I want to pursue training as a career. But when I google "Trainers," there are lakhs of trainers available. That link is scary. I know it is a rat race, and only the one with unique talents wins. So, how do I become the "one"? By joining English speaking classes and training the participants, do you think I am on the correct track?

How do I map my career? How do I develop myself as a trainer?

I know I am asking a lot of questions, but since you are experienced, you can guide me.

Thanks a ton...

Dear Sir, again, thank you so much. I haven't yet reached the level where you are in terms of training, so I have a few questions: How do I really start my career as a trainer? Where do I start from?

I know the first step is to build up my competency as a trainer. After this, what should be my next step? As a trainer, how did you start your career? Should I work in a corporate environment before getting assignments in training? I have attached my profile along with this post. Please suggest what should be my next step.

Awaiting your reply.

Regards