Discover The 7 Hidden Qualities Of An Exceptional Trainer

Finding a great trainer can be quite a challenge. Trying to find an exceptional one at short notice
can be laborious to say the least. If you know what you're looking for then the task becomes
much easier.
This short report will certainly guide you in the right direction and focus your attention on what
an exceptional trainer can do for you and your employees, students or clients. I have previously
been employed as an Army Instructor, Trainer and Training Manager. I have condensed my
years of experience of finding out exactly what makes an exceptional trainer into a few short
pages so that anyone wanting to hire the right people will have an easier task.
Let's talk about what makes up an exceptional trainer. Forget about all of those HR manuals etc
and let's get down to the nitty gritty of what exceptional trainers are made of. To make it easier,
just think of helicopters and then shorten that to:

'COPTERS!

COPTERS is the acronym for:

• Communicator
• Organised
• Patience
• Training Skills
• Empathy
• Results Focused
• Subject Knowledge

With COPTERS in mind you will have the tools to choose the right trainer for your
organisation no matter whether you are hiring a temp or employing someone full-time. If
you're looking for a coach, instructor, mentor, tutor, teacher, educator or lecturer then this
special report will be of equal value to you. To simplify things the term trainer will be used

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throughout this report and you can just replace the word 'trainer' to whatever suits you best. An
explanation of the acronym to describe the qualities of an exceptional trainer follows:

1 Communicator
Organisations sometimes overlook the skills of a communicator when looking for a suitable
trainer. Your trainer will have good communicational skills which means that they will have a
good standard of written and verbal skills where the subject matter can be demonstrated and
explained in a clear, accurate manner.
Communication is not an exact science. A person who can communicate well with certain
groups may not be so successful when dealing with others. Your trainer will be able to adapt
quite easily and differentiate the training to suite the needs and aspiration of the trainees. They
will be able to convey the subject matter to beginners without the need for unnecessary jargon
and also be able to adjust the level of training to suite the more advanced trainees too.
Therefore your trainer will be able to 'speak the same language' as the intended audience. If
you want technical training then ensure your trainer can adequately cover the topic. If you want
a trainer to deliver the subject matter to end users then ensure that they can focus the training on
that particular aspect.
Additionally, your trainer will offer constructive feedback without directly criticising the
individuals concerned. Nothing can demotivate a trainee quicker than a trainer who shows a
lack of tact in this manner.

2 Organised
Your trainer will be organised to the extent where the training session has been planned in
advance. There is nothing much worse than having a training session which is run 'off the cuff'
so to speak. Also a good trainer will have the session organised so that all of the intended topics
have been covered within the time schedule. Seifert and Stacey (1998, p.7) elaborate by saying:
“The successful trainer is well organized, and has clear scripts and well-defined aims and
objectives which enable individuals and groups to bring to the surface abilities and skills
that they may not have recognised in themselves.”
During the session your trainer will have put together assessments so that the individuals can
track their own progress throughout the training session.
Your trainer will be able to produce good quality training material which reinforces the

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elements of the session(s) so that the trainees can review the content long after the training and
still be able to recall the main concepts.
After the training session has taken place, your trainer will have an evaluation form available
for all trainees to complete. Sufficient time will be allowed for their completion by the trainees
and not left to the last five minutes before everyone goes home (as is most often the case with
poor trainers). The evaluations will also be conducted anonymously where possible.
Once the training course has been completed, the trainer will ensure that certificates of
attendance/qualification have been produced for the individuals within seven days of the course
completion.

3 Patience
The very fact that someone is undergoing training means that they do not know the subject or
certain components of it. Trainees will have varying degrees of aptitude for the intended
training too.
“An important part of learning is having the opportunity to make mistakes, learn from them,
and correct them the next time you try. Trainers need a great deal of patience. Often it is easier
to jump in and correct the mistake rather than let the person you are training learn.” (Fisher et al
1995, p.61).
Therefore your trainer will have plenty of patience to ensure that all individuals complete the
course satisfactorily. They will have the flexibility to respond to trainees' different learning
styles and be skilled enough to differentiate the training sessions so that the slower ones reach
their goals whilst the more advanced trainees will be given more challenging exercises to get to
master. In this way, none of them will be overwhelmed and but everyone will have successfully
completed the training session with a sense of personal pride and achievement.
Above all, a good trainer will have a keen sense of humour which will help provide a warm and
friendly atmosphere during the training session. This is particularly important when the
unexpected happens and the training session does not go according to the original plan (it does
happen!). Although this is useful in training events it should be used in moderation. Jolles
(1993, p.113) agrees with this point and recommends:
“Do not overdo it. Presenters who display a large amount of humor within their
seminars can run the risk of losing control of the seminar”.

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4 Training Skills
It is normally taken for granted that if a trainer has good communication skills then it follows
that their training skills will also be good. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is so
much more to training than just reciting theory or facts and lecturing trainees. A good
communicator with no training experience would not do justice to anyone. Training sessions
work much effectively when there is a healthy interaction between the trainers and the trainees.
“Great teachers think strategically and act with commitment. When we watch such
teachers we can see, and admire, their grasp of teaching technique. But these teachers
have more than skill: they also think and act on a number of levels.”
Foley (2004, p.74)
Good trainers will also hold a professional qualification which formalises their experience and
also makes it so much easier for any hiring organisation to filter out inexperienced trainers.
There is a well known quotation by Benjamin Franklin in which all good trainers will be
acquainted with:
“Tell me and I will forget, Show me and I might remember, Involve me and I will
understand!”
It is important that trainees leave the training session with an understanding on how the facts
and theories relate to real life issues and can be put to immediate effect.
Good trainers are confident but not overconfident. Over confident trainers are rarely able to
communicate at the same level as the trainees and normally display a patronising manner.
When things don't go according to plan exceptional trainers will be able to 'think on their feet'
and continue with the training session in such a way that one-one notices anything wrong.
More importantly, Westwood (2008, p.14) points out that:
“Teachers need to be adaptable and able to 'think on their feet' in order to respond to, and
capitalise fully on, students' contributions.”
Competent trainers will obviously be used to training small numbers of people but will also
have much experience in running seminars and workshops which involve greater numbers of
participants.
Trainers should also be good performers and make the training sessions interesting or even
entertaining. In this way it becomes evident that the trainer is genuinely interested in learning
and teaching their subject.

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5 Empathy
Your trainer will have a genuine interest in people and easily relate to their needs, aspirations
and frustrations. Having such an interest the trainer will be able to get on well with them
regardless of status, age, abilities or backgrounds. Conner (2001, p.200) goes further by saying:
“Effective training requires the trainer to put himself or herself in the position of the
learner. Those who cannot demonstrate empathy and care do not make good trainers.”
The trainer will have an aptitude for noticing whenever a trainee has a problem or difficulty but
are too shy or afraid to ask for assistance. The problem will be resolved at the earliest
opportunity or at least the trainer will refer them to someone who is competent to deal with the
matter.
Your trainer will have a warm and approachable manner which make the trainees feel
completely at ease and will be particularly skilled in motivating others to achieve their goals
(because their goals are also part of the trainer's).

6 Results Focused
Although your trainer will focus on the needs of the trainees they will fully understand that you
have your own targets to meet. It should be clear what is expected of them and to ensure that
the training provision meets both your requirements as well as those of the trainees involved.
Applegarth (1991, p.4) states that:
“If training and development has value for the organization it can be evaluated. For
training and development to have this value, trainers must make sure that it is directed
towards the business objectives of the organization.”
Your trainer will also be experienced in acting as an effective chair for training events and
manage the groups or sessions well.
One of the key factors of good training events is the motivation of trainees. A good trainer will
ensure that this is achieved regardless of the individuals' self-esteem or confidence. The trainer
will actively encourage collaboration and team work between them to the extent where they are
actively involved in idea generation and problem solving.
Highly effective trainers will not provide all of the answers up front without ensuring that the
trainees have an attempt at problem-solving before asking for assistance. In this way, all
trainees will leave the session with the 'tools' needed to solve their own problems or at least
know where to find an answer before seeking the assistance of their supervisors.

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One of the most important things that a trainee will receive is some knowledge of the health and
safety aspects surrounding the particular subject where they understand risk assessment which
will contribute to a safer working environment.

7 Subject Knowledge
Obviously your trainer must know the subject well but also ensure that the training provided is
completely relevant to your needs as well as the trainees. To do justice, the trainer must have
direct, first hand, experience in the subject and not just rely on theories or secondary knowledge
gained over a period of time.
Your trainer will have great enthusiasm for the subject and will be capable of putting it across in
such an interesting way that it becomes 'infectious'
It is not possible for a trainer to know everything there is about a particular topic and there will
be certain gaps in their knowledge. However, they must have the integrity to let the trainees
know about any limitations or gaps in their knowledge rather than bluff their way through
things. Jackson (2001, p.64) sums this up by saying:
“As a general rule, trainers should admit what they don't know. If you assess the weak
areas of a programme in advance, then these admissions can be built into the design. If
this is not possible, it is better to be frank about your shortcomings.”
Your trainer will ensure that any outstanding questions from trainees will be actioned promptly
and the solutions delivered to them earliest opportunity.

Conclusion
The next time you need to hire a trainer, whether hiring a temp or employing someone full-time
you would do well to check to see if the prospective trainer meets these standards. Be careful
not to hire a trainer who only does the bare minimum as illustrated by Piskurich (2003, p.4):
“A little boy brags to his sister that he taught his dog to whistle. When the sister hears
nothing she quizzes him on his statement, only to be told 'I said I taught him, I didn't say
he learned!'”
Of course, exceptional trainers will have other attributes too, but using the COPTER check-list
will ensure that you find a suitable one.

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References
Applegarth, M. (1991). How to take a training audit. Kogan Page in association with the
Institute of Training and Development.
Conner, G. (2001). Lean manufacturing for the small shop. Dearborn, Mich, Society of
Manufacturing Engineers.
Fisher, K., Rayner, S. R., & Belgard, W. (1995). Tips for teams: a ready reference for solving
common team problems. New York, McGraw-Hill.
Foley, G. (2004). Dimensions of adult learning: adult education and training in a global era.
Crows Nest, N.S.W., Allen & Unwin.
Jackson, P. Z. (2001). The inspirational trainer: making your training flexible, spontaneous &
creative. London, Kogan Page.
Jolles, R. L. (1993). How to run seminars and workshops: presentation skills for consultants,
trainers, and teachers. New York, John Wiley & Sons.
Piskurich, G. M. (2003). Trainer basics. ASTD training basics series. Alexandria, VA, ASTD.
Seifert, L., & Stacey, M. (1998). Troubleshooting for trainers: getting it right when things go
wrong. Aldershot, Hampshire, England, Gower.
Westwood, P. (2008). What Teachers Need to Know About Teaching Methods, Camberwell,
VIC, Australia , Acer Press.

About the author

Brian Simms specialises in teaching adults to take full advantage of getting the very best out of
their computer, how to use the Internet for research and also how to make full use of their time
by improving their organisational skills. To hire him for workshops, seminars, classroom work
or other forms of training then visit his website at http://www.briansimms.co.uk or email him at
info@briansimms.co.uk.

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