How Should I Plan a Training Program for My MBA Class? Seeking Your Advice!

Hi everyone,

I'm doing MBA final year, with HR as my major. I have to conduct a training program for our class, which consists of around 10 members. I'm very confused as I'm not able to decide how to go about it. Can anyone help me out with this?

Thanks,
Sushma M.

Hi Sushma,

Heartily welcome to the community. We appreciate it if you write to us in detail about the type of seminar or session you are planning to conduct for your team. Please make your point clearer.

Cheers,
Karthik
Email: karthikghali@gmail.com

Hi, Katik. Thank you for replying. The total number of members is 12, and the exercise can be conducted either outdoors or indoors. After completing the exercise, I have to explain what this training is all about. The time limit for the training session is 1 hour.

Hi Sushma,

I understand that. What is the exact pick for your training/seminar? I mean, what sort of training are you going to do (personality development, team building, customer service, etc.)? So if you can tell us what type of topic you've picked, it will be easier for us to help you more.

Hope I make myself clear.

Cheers, Katik

Your post talks about personality development. However, the timeframe that you mentioned is too short for this, and you would need to incorporate only the advantages of building or acquiring a good personality along with personal appearance.

A fun-filled session can be conducted on teamwork outdoors, and you could consider distributing handouts with pointers on good teamwork at the end of the session, which you will incorporate orally or through flip charts at the end of each activity you do with the trainees.

For indoors, you can focus on Communication Skills as the topic holds great value in any sphere of work and life. You can cover all major points in this 1-hour period and can use some activities that enhance it.

Hope these suggestions help you. You could write to me at gourigokarn@gmail.com for more assistance.

Regards,
Gouri

Hi Sushma,

Can you elaborate on the actual need/requirement so that I can give some input on this?

Regards,
Aravind

Hi Gouri,

Great suggestions. I believe you have executed similar trainings yourself. Can you please share some activities/exercises that you have found meaningful for these trainings? I am sure we all would benefit...

Kushi :D

Hi,

Please check the PowerPoint presentation for personality development as well as team building. Apart from this, you can include activities like role-playing or simulations for such training. Role-plays combined with PowerPoint presentations can truly enhance your training sessions.

Thanks,
Shruti Bhatt

Well, the help offered can be valid if you can let us know what is the profile of the participants. That will help in making the content more suitable for the batch.

Imran Khan

Programs can be tailored depending on the understanding level of participants. Provide more professional examples if the training is for corporates. However, if the training is for students, examples should be related to day-to-day activities. Students are more inclined towards cricketers and film stars.

Take some examples of proven personalities and live examples of current corporate figures. This makes it easier to understand. Try to use Indian examples, as they will make more sense.

Hi, Aravind.

About the participants, they are all final-year MBA students, my classmates. I have to conduct a personality development program for them in any domain.

Dear Khushi,

Which of the topics are you looking for? Would be glad to help with them.

Love,
Gouri

Dear Sushma,

First of all, since it's for your classmates, you have to prepare yourself really well. I would suggest the following steps:

1. Establish an objective for the activity.

2. Once that is done, ask yourself what kind of activity you would like (and be capable) of managing.

3. Choose the activity - for some activities, you may visit thiagi.com or businessballs.com.

4. Prepare well - read the activity you are going to do well, keep the material/equipment/handouts required for the activity.

5. The program could then be carried out:
i. the instruction stage (telling people about the activity)
ii. conducting the actual activity
iii. the most important part - the debriefing part (asking people what they learned and how this learning can be applied to real life/work).

There are lots of books that come up with different activities, role plays, inbaskets, etc. But keeping the time frame of one hour, you could choose a role-play or some kind of simulation activity. You could request some extra time from the organizers to make the effort more effective.

All the best,
:) Kirti

Hi,

Do you have any specific topics in mind? If so, please let me know. I can definitely provide you with the necessary inputs.

Regards,
Aravind

Dear Gouri,

I am looking for activities related to personality development and communication skills. I do have a couple of PPT presentations, but I want to make my sessions more active with some activities/games/role-plays that will make the absorption of training easier and fun. Please suggest...

Kushi

Dear Kushi,

Try making the presentation more interesting and interactive by using the following ways:

1. Let's assume it's a 2-hour program, with a 10-minute break (inclusive).

2. Try adding some motivational or work-related quotations. You can get them from www.brainyquotes.com. It shall make the presentation more impressive and effective, but not more than 5-6 in any case. You can search by name, e.g., Jack Welch, Churchill, Henry Ford, etc., or by topic.

3. Share some jokes or humorous incidents - twice or thrice related to some slides to add humor.

4. Whenever a slide is open, ask the participants to share their examples/incidents on it.

5. Try to mold the question handling in such a way that 2 or more participants start discussing among themselves.

6. Do mention some latest survey results or some current business happenings/cases to invite more interaction.

7. Present some situations in the presentation and ask the participants how they would react to it.

I hope this will be sufficient.

Regards,

G.D. Singh
+91-98763-30005

Hi Sushma,

When you want to conduct a class or seminar, follow these tips:
- Decide on the number of participants.
- Prepare well on the topic.
- Stand in front of a mirror and practice before presenting to the group.
- Practice 2-3 times.
- Assume that the group doesn't know anything, and observe the audience to overcome any fear.

With regards,
Shivakumar K