Instant Trainer

Rating:
Summary: Blah!!! A Real Chore to Read
Review: I have to admit, I can't stand books written in a question-and-answer format. Its too hard to find what you need. This book is a prime example of why I hate this format. As an example, let's assume that you want information on "Getting People to Participate." You go to the corresponding section and now have to wade through every question in the section to find something that may or may not be applicable to you and your session. There's no doubt that there is some useful information to be found in this book; unfortunately, its just too darned hard to find it. Save your money and buy a copy of "The Ultimate Training Workshop Handbook" instead.

Rating:
Summary: Training Text Review
Review: The first time someone has to train coworkers, there are lots of questions about how to do it. "How should I handle stage fright?" "How can I jazz up a dry topic?" "If only there were an advice columnist who could help me out." With this book, there are advice columnists for new trainers: Leslie Charles and Chris Clarke-Epstein.

Part I, only 35 pages long, is titled "What Every First-Time Trainer Needs to Know (Critical Factors That Can Make or Break You!)." This section is a crash course on how adults learn.

Part II, titled "Questions and Answers on Training Basics," is 186 pages of pure experience-sharing. The question/answer format makes for easy reading--the questions are a paragraph long, and the answers are concise but information-packed. This format has another advantage: when a new trainer wants information on a specific subject ("Is there some strategy for using humour in training?"), he or she need only read one or two pages on that specific question, then get on with the job of preparing for the training. The well-done index makes it simple to find the topics quickly.

The appendices are a gold mine for someone new to training. They include resource lists and contact information, an excellent bibliography, and even sample evaluation forms.

This book is usable, readable, and the content is dead-on. When non-trainers or new trainers ask me for a resource, this is the first book I suggest.

Rating:
Summary: Training Text Review
Review: Training and Development Book Review The Instant Trainer; Quick Tips on How to Teach Others What You Know By: C. Leslie Charles and Chris Clarke-Epstein

The Instant Trainer, by C. Leslie Charles and Chris Clarke-Epstein is ideal for use with developing and presenting training modules. It provides practical information, advice, tips, and techniques for new trainers. The content is relevant and valuable to a trainer who does not have experience in the field. My assessment of the material is a positive one. The material is sensible, easily understood, and organized clearly. There is enough information without the reader being overwhelmed. The real-life examples help interpret and reinforce pivotal concepts. The topics covered are fundamental to training, but important issues that might be less obvious to a novice are addresses from a seasoned trainer's perspective. My only negative critique is that in the second half of the book, the pretend "advice letters" were over used. Key points were presented in the letters, and there were just too many of them. Cutting down their frequency and only using them to reinforce and reiterate key ideas would have been more effective. The focuses of The Instant Trainer can be broken into four components: FAQ's, techniques, advice, and tools. The FAQ issues cover such issues as, what is in a training session, how to get people to participate, learning assessments, and what to do about difficult trainees. Access to this information can be very beneficial to a new trainer because without the book, achieving an understanding of these insights would require extensive fieldwork and time-consuming training experience. The training techniques discussed include; teaching methods, learning methods, understanding trainees, paying attention, and incorporating fun into the training session. This information is useful to trainers with limited education in general training principals.

The third component of material in The Instant Trainer is the "behind-the-scenes advice." These suggestions and recommendations cover everything from presentation delivery skills to identifying and organizing material. Five factors affecting the success of every training session are examined, as well as advise on how to identify early warning signs of disaster or success. The last section of The Instant Trainer deals entirely with providing the reader with training tools. There are checklists for the trainer to use before, during, and after a presentation, and numerous tips on all aspects of audience participation. A list of eleven resources and 45 general training books is included. The section closes with two sample evaluation forms for the trainees to fill out assessing the effectiveness of the trainer and the course. The Instant Trainer is a valuable resource for any new trainer. The practical information and real-life illustrations of the issues discussed make this training and development textbook so effective. I not only appreciated the concise explanation of the fundamental concepts about training, but I also relied on the tips, tools, and advice while developing and presenting my own training module.

Rating:
Summary: My Secret Weapon
Review: When my boss came to me and awarded me the mantle of "trainer" for a huge project rollout at our site, I nearly panicked! I'd never done anything like this before, and I hadn't spoken in front of a group in years. This book saved my life! It is wonderfully and empathetically written, and it was easy for me to absorb the trainers' collective years of experience. As a result, I gained the confidence I needed. My class feedback has been terrific; some people saying it's one of the best classes they've ever had. I used the book's suggestions every step of the way and I now recommend it to everyone who has any kind of training or presentation on the horizon.

Update: July 03: Over a year later, this book CONTINUES to inspire me. I've found I truly love training, and even though it's not my main job function, my feedback has been so good, I am now being sent around the world to conduct training! I'm even going to conduct a train-the-trainer class, and I'm using this book as my textbook. One of the things that really stands out to me in this book is the friendly style of the authors. They WANT to teach you, WANT you to be successful...I've adopted their style in the classroom with great results. Buy this book and you won't be sorry!