Training- glitters and jitters

Professor Paramjit Sharma

sharmapjit@rediffmail.com
 Training- Glitters & Jitters

Training denotes many confusing and complex meanings. It may be termed as

training of employees, training of dogs, physical training, military training,
training of athletes, training of a cricketers or other sports team for competition
or otherwise, and what not. There is practically training in each field of learning.
In this paper we may restrict to training of employees in an organisation but
could use reference of other forms of trainings mentioned earlier. The subject of
training is very interesting and so are the players involved in imparting it. In my
career of over 30 years as trainer in a training institution, I have observed many
interesting incidents which may require much more space than this paper.
Therefore, I wish to restrict it down to only glitters and jitters of cooperative
training. Glitters signify, what makes a training subject of learning and jitters
restrict the process of learning. These glitters and jitters have been observed &
experienced by me while attending the training programmes not necessarily in
cooperatives, as a Resource Person, as a participant or as an independent
observer. It may be quite necessary to share these observations with all those
who are related or connected with this wonderful activity.
Confusion in Definition of Training
Before the glitters and jitters of training can be specified, it may be pertinent to
have a word about Training definition which is perhaps the root cause of many ill
fated training Programmes. Training, as per the Cambridge Dictionary is defined
as ‘to prepare or be prepared for a job, activity or sport by learning skills and or by
mental or physical exercise’. In Webster dictionary, it has been explained as
‘systematic, instruction & drill and the method or action of one who trains, as for
athletic context’. In general terms, it is referred to 'activity leading to skilled
behavior’. As a process, 'training attempts to bring a person(s) to an agreed
standard of proficiency by practice and instruction'. As a generic word it covers
opportunities like coaching, instructing, lecturing, tutoring etc.
As an organizer of the training programmes, it has been observed that not much
is differentiated between Education and the Training at the time of
conceptualizing the programme. While training programme is organized to
change the skills, education attempts to make change in knowledge of the
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* Professor & Head, Centre for IT, VAMNICOM, Pune
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student. It is often said that the reason for many of the training programmes
failing to achieve their objectives could be, not being really training at all.

What many people refer to as training, is actually education. Think of a

professional runner or a cricket player. A runner gets an education on how to
run (stance, stride, pace, footwear etc). Similarly for cricketers, can they execute
their skills on how to bat or bowl, till they are educated before? (stance, footwork,
holding bat, bowling run up etc). Education is important in order to achieve
success, but it doesn't stop there. The runner or cricket player trains for the
race or game, applies education, and then trains to achieve success in their
respective games. So in realty both are important, but the curriculum of a
training programme needs to include both education and training according to
the job requirement of the trainee. While education is an attempt to give learners'
broad information on a subject, training is the deliberate attempt to build a set of
skills which may also have contents of education.

Many a times not much is differentiated between a Training Programme,

Seminar, Workshop, Conference and Colloquia. Major disaster can be averted if
the programme is organised according to the objectives of these terms. While
Training Programmes are more to improve skills, a seminar is a method of
instruction in which a group of participants engaged in research or advanced
study meets under the guidance of one or more faculty members for presentation
and discussion of approved topics, a conference is a prearranged meeting for
consultation or exchange of information or discussion on formal agenda, a
workshop is a series of educational and work sessions or small groups of people
meet together over a short period of time to concentrate on a defined area of
concern, a colloquia is a type of academic lecture. Typically, a colloquium talk is
a single lecture offered to a broader audience .But invariably the users,
organizers use these terms for training programmes without understanding the
implications and the participants go unsatisfied with particular programmes.
Therefore those who understand the real objectives of a programme and plan and
execute in orderly manner may brings glitters to the users otherwise there would
be nothing except jitters to the participants.

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Glitters & Jitters of Training
Coming back to our conceptual discussion on training glitters & jitters, it may be
very difficult to define glitters and jitters of training because both are relative
terms. What glitters for one, could be a jitter for another and vice versa. It varies
from situation to situation. At one place the same activity could be accepted good
and another place the same activity may not be appreciated. In a two days
training programmes, attended by one of my friend who was working as captain
in Merchant Navy, after Lunch, there was no formal session and the participants
could spend their time as they wish to spend. For some of the participant this
could be funny and enjoyable and for others giving free time could be
organizational failure and simply waste of resources and time. Therefore, in my
view glitters qualifies to achievement of objectives of the activity as per the
satisfaction of the participants and previously decided objectives of the
programme and jitters, where these objectives are not achieved or got vitiated. I
am not sure at this end to decide the order of priority for glitters or jitters. But it
can be started with positive part of the training first.
Training Glitters
Glitter No.1- Learning
Learning may be defined as cognitive process of acquiring knowledge & skills like
child acquisition of language. It is presumed that learning depends upon the
inputs entering into a black box. The outcomes depend upon what happens
inside the black box. The trainers and trainees need to be involved in learning
process but ultimate responsibility remains with the learner. The process
envisages involvement of the part of the learners' accountability also on part of
the learner & feedback is also the responsibility of the learner. If the learner
follows the process than only the learning in the form of knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis & evaluation can take place. I
need not to discuss learning domains but instead like to impress upon that in
most of the training programmes learning does take place, though much depends
upon the andragogy or pedagogy followed and interest taken by the trainers and
participants. In one of my training programme, a participant asked me the best
method of learning in a training programme. I suggested what I was told in the
formative year of my training as trainer, that we learn 10% of what we read, 20%
of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 80% of what
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we say & 90% of what we practice and do. Training unlike education have
objective, set curriculum and training methods and many a times feedback
process to measure learning taken place e.g. we can see how a pilot can fly an
aeroplane, driver can draw a car, accountant draw a balance sheet and how a
trainer can improve the presentation.
Glitter no.2- Job Enhancement
Modern training is response to a gap between job and the job holder. The job
holder is recruited and placed on the job & perform job related tasks and duties
and contribute to organisation job. This job does not always remain same and
similarly the job holder may also be shifted or promoted in his job. Training is
an excellent tool to help him to learn about his job enhancement, which is an
alternative term for job enrichment. Through job enhancement the employer can
increase level of responsibility of the employee and give him additional authority,
autonomy and control in an organisation without resorting to hire manpower
from out side. There can't be better tool to prepare an employee to learn about
his new job then training, provided it has been designed after taking care of job-
profile and competency level required for the new job requirements.
Glitter no.3-Sharing Experiences
Training could be effectively used to multiply the experiences of the participants,
provided the trainer is trained enough to use the appropriate techniques and
methodology. In training programmes, the adults wish to speak than listen.
Otherwise their switch off time would not be more than 10 minutes in a class
where lecture method may be followed. In one of the Training Programmes, the
trainer asked the participants to write on a piece of paper their best and worst
leadership experience they wish to share with the fellow participants and their
learning’s from their such experiences. Believe me in a group of 30 leaders, two
days were not enough for the participants to share their experiences. No one
missed the class and everyone was inquisitive to speak, share and learn from
each other.
Glitter no.3-Changing behavior
In this competitive age positive attitude of any employee is considered more
potent and worthy instead of a person having skill and knowledge, but having
constantly bad behavior at work with colleagues, juniors and his seniors. It is
presumed that different attitude is required by a cricketer for playing in a test,

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one day and 20-20 matches; a driver requires different attitude for driving in
Europe and streets of crowded Asian cities. Similarly an employees responding
to his boss's request of waiting till the job is complete before going home, have
requisite behavioural adjustment & training. Many people says that behaviour is
more hereditary rather than conditioned. The classical case of Parlov's Dogs on
conditioning portrays different connotations .In the case, the dog would salivate
after hearing only the bell thereby understanding that the food is ready to be
served. Later, whenever the bell ranged, the dog would always presumed to be
the time for food. Behavioral changes can improve competence in decision
making, improving interpersonal relationship, safety, clarity in thinking and
perception which may ultimately help an employee in accepting his job
responsibilities in a mature manner and exhibiting high sense of discipline.
Glitter no.4- Integrated Inputs
Training outputs primarily depend upon the quality of inputs like trainers,
training materials, training infrastructure, training methods etc. All these inputs
if well crafted can result into effective training. Many institutes even organise
programmes on system approach to training. When all these steps are well
integrated there is good collaboration amongst the different inputs of the
training. Similarly if all the dimensions of needs like skill, knowledge, traits and
attitudes, experience etc., are analysed before training, the programmes can
improve both the competence and performance levels of the participants.
Glitter no.5-Institutional Environment
One of the major glitters of the Training Programme can be its overall
environment which may cover its classrooms, class room facilities, hostel &
hostel facilities, cafeterias, library, computer related facilities, location etc. The
participants should get the benefit of these facilities rather than asking for it.
Abundance of these facilities makes a positive impact and scarcity may prove
counter productive. In one of the Institute the participants can surf the internet
24/7 and in other the visitors can pay and use. In another, one needs to take
permission of the Director to use the internet. Similar things apply to use of
library, if it closes when the class timings are over, it may serve no purpose. An
institution needs to make these facilities available all the times so that
participants can concentrate on learning. It is surprising to know Infosys training
centre at Mysore is spread over 270 acres, accommodating 5000 students at a

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time, committing $ 65 million. Infosys Leaders Institute is also managed from the
same campus.It has state of art class rooms, lush green lawns, five stars like
hostel rooms, cricket stadium, shopping centre, multiplex, library, computers
lab, conference rooms, and score of trainers - within & outside managing such
type of institute requires lot of skill and expertise involving thousands of
manpower and machines. The learning can become in fatuous, if these things
are not managed properly.
Glitter No.6- Training Materials
The quality of training materials speaks about the quality of training
programmes. It should be prepared and designed according to the contents of
the programmes and the participant should feel like taking it with him for future
reference rather than leaving it behind as waste materials. The training materials
may consist of books, notes, power point presentations, articles, CD’s, Xeroxed
materials, Games, exercises, cases etc. Good training materials tempt a
participant to carry it with him because it may be required for further learning or
reference. In one of the training programme attended by me at ILO International
Training Centre, Turin we made special request to post some of the training
materials to us as it was not possible to carry the whole lot of materials with us
.The Institute happily obliged us
Glitters no.7-Participative methods of Training
One of my colleagues once shared with me that I always prefer to take class after
lunch because he always takes it as a challenge to keep the participants awake
with his innovative training method. Surprisingly, another faculty colleague
preferred after lunch hours because half of the group would fall asleep and he
can comfortably go there unprepared. Which one is better? Participative methods
of training are certainly better, which are quite effective in the training of adults.
It may not be required to mention here the participative methods but it may be
definitely required to specify the benefits of these methods to the participants in
motivation, communicating, deciding, formulating solutions, diagnosing
problems and observations. The different approaches to the use of participative
training methods are influenced mainly by diversity in overall concepts of
management training and by an unequal appreciation of the value and potential
of individual methods. It may be surprising for many of us that one of my trainer
continued to train us single handedly from 9 to 5 with the use of participative

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training methods and training aids. Need less to mention that we did not miss
the any session and the learning was tremendous.
Training Jitters

It is really pain full to point out the shortcomings in training programmes.

Numerous jitters are experienced by me during training programme, attended by
me as participant or as a resource person or organised by me. While attending
an international Seminar at a well known and prestigious management institute
in India, I observed that the presentations have not much relevance with the
topics and they were simultaneously having three channels during the Seminar
like newly released film is shown in multiplexes. While I could understand their
objective, but, what could be their objective is beyond our presumption. It was
very difficult for me to decide the subject & importance of a paper and channel to
be attended. Later, when I discussed this discrepancy with one of the faculty
member, he laughed at my amazement and explained to me the real objective of
such Seminars - you pat my back - I will pat your back. It is really quite
annoying for the participants to attend such type of ''training tamashas''. It is a
colossal waste of money, time and other resources. Nevertheless, let me list out
some of these frequented jitters in training programmes.
Jitter no.1-Inauguration & Valediction
'Half of your training programme is over, if the inauguration is successful,’
Commented one organizer when I went to attend a training Programme. I've not
yet understood why the Programme needs to be inaugurated unless the Chief
Guest is to deliver the key note address. Lot of energy & resources are wasted in
arranging such activities. Most of the times the invitees are either Ministers or
Bureaucrats or certain influential persons who mostly come unprepared and the
objective of calling them is some thing more than the training programme. This
drill of Inauguration or valediction exhaust most of time of the organisation that
they hardly concentrate on academic or other necessary requirements of the
training programme .In many cases the inauguration takes place in the middle of
the programme and in many cases the participants have to wait for the chief
Guest for long hours and after inauguration half the participants disappear. This
is a taxing exercise and must be eliminated from all programmes. This may be

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substituted with experience sharing, ice-breaking exercises, and the valediction
can be used where the participants narrates their experiences
Jitter No.2-Training Jaunts
'Where are you taking us out for Excursion during the programme' would be the
common query raised by the prospective participants of many training
programmes. In long term programmes there is a good practice to take
participants to new or historically important places to kill their monotony and
also to maintain their interest in the training programmes .Even if it is there
expectation; there is nothing bad in it. But in two three days programmes,
expecting excursions and that too to far flung places create lot of jitters for the
coordinators. Many a times the group of participants differs on the place of visit
.Few wish to go to a near by hill station, others may like to go to a religious place
and few may need both. In one of the programme, on the demand of the
participants the study visit was substituted with an excursion. After the
excursion was over and the Group returned to the head quarters, a group of
three persons enquired inquisitively as to when are they taken to a study visit.
Glitter no.3-Training Kit
If there is no good bag, good food and memento, the training programme is likely
to be evaluated as poor. If you give them good bag, they may ask for another and
if you give a cheaper bag, they may suggest enhancing the fees but insist to
supply good bags. While addressing the valedictory function, once our director
was stopped in the middle of his address by one of the participant who raised to
his feet to inform him that the school bags type documentation bags did not
commensurate with their position. On another occasion during an international
programme, we distributed a bag costing more than two thousands rupees. One
of the participants asked for an additional bag for which he has agreed to pay.
When I told him the price he did not ask thereafter.
Jitter No.4-Heterogeneous Group of Participants
One should not be surprised if the group for a training programme may consist
of Managing Directors, Audit Officers, Accountants and Clerks. Even in language
of instructions, there is high amount of heterogeneity. Some insist to speak in
English and another section of the group may request for Hindi. In one of my
training group large number of trainees came from Andhra Pradesh. They
insisted trainers who could speak in Telugu.I had to take great pains in locating

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faculty in the city who knew Telgu as well as the subject. Not only instructions
and language they differ in their backgrounds, understanding, sector,
proficiency, competence etc, which makes the job of the trainer quite difficult.
Jitter no.5-Training Methodology
'If you want to kill a training programme, follow the lecture method and most of
the trainers prefer to kill the programme' suggested one of my trainers while
addressing us during a training programme on participative training
methodology. Unfortunately, lecture is the most usable method followed by the
faculty members which is suitable for large audience where participation of the
trainee is not possible because of numbers. In other circumstances it should be
avoided, particularly for adults. Good trainers take time to plan their sessions to
make them interesting and others plan interesting techniques to finish the
sessions. In a training programme sponsored by ILO/MATCOM which is entirely
based on participative training techniques the trainers are expected to elicit
answers from the participants through technically framed questions and the
answers are written on the Flip Chart or Black Board. One of the trainers was
finding it difficult to elicit these answers. So in the previous evening of his
session he distributed his trainers guide to group of participants so as to
facilitate them to give answers to his questions. Naturally he was caught and
embarrassed. Techniques like Group Discussion, Business Games, Simulation,
Role Plays, Application Projects, Computer based Exercises, etc are selectively
used
Jitter no.6-Poor Participation & Over Participation
In some of the Programmes there is hardly any participation, which leads to poor
motivation for the trainers and few other cases there is so much participation
that you don't know, which way the training is going on. In many training
institutions we have seen them struggling to get participants to the extent that
most of their energy goes off in sending letters, broachers, faxes, emails and
personal talk on phone. In many cases one has to request their acquaintances to
sponsor their colleagues or subordinates. On the contrary if the programmes are
organised at good venues like 5 star hotels or at attractive location. There would
be always good response to the programme and if the programme is organised in
a foreign country then there could be often admission through recommendation.

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Jitter no.7-Undesirable demands
In certain programmes the participants land up with spouses and in few cases
with whole family members. They have no interest in the programmes except
their own priorities like visiting their relatives, tourist places, shopping and what
not. They ask for additional accommodation at discounted rates, ask for the
vehicles, make enquiry about local acquaintances, and seek leave to go out with
family or have darshan at some religious place and in certain cases keep on
sitting with the faculty at the cost of missing their classes. They neither attend
classes nor allow the coordinators to move freely. In one of the programme one
participant took some books on my name from the library which he returned
after so many phone calls and reminders
Jitter no.8-Unrelated topics
One of my colleagues once told me the secret of his so called success in
organizing training programmes. He said there are certain fixed topics and
activities which one can find in all of his programmes. On my enquiry, he
explained that topics like Stress Management, Art of Living, Yoga & meditation,
Practicing Naturopathy etc can find place in all types of programmes. Besides
that he would keep half day for sight seeing, half day for study visit, one session
for inauguration, one session for valediction, half day for group discussion.In
addition to that he would keep half session for group photo graph and extended
lunch on the second day of the three days training programmes. Amazingly I
asked him, when is imparting training? Surprising but confidently he explained
that all his sessions are designed with the objective of giving training only.
Perhaps there could be training in not training also. Another thing I have noticed
that there are experts on these topics, who have very good PR system and
continue to deliver meaningless lectures on these topics, whether related or
unrelated to a particular training programme.
Jitter no.9- Speakers with 'My stories'
There are certain speakers who boost of their own stories for at least 60% of their
lecture or presentations. It is quite typical of him to refer examples of countries
they have visited and in some cases the books, cases or articles written by them.
In case some celebrities have met them at the airport or in a function, they would
narrate the stories in such a manner as if the celebrity has gained a lot after

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meeting them. More than half of their talk moves around them and they are
rarely in a position to finish their talk or presentation in time.

Jitter no.10-Programme Evaluation

At the end of our training programme there is a system of evaluating the
Programme which covers areas like achievement of objectives, topics covered,
training material distributed, physical arrangements, quality of trainers etc. It is
invariably seen that at the end of the Programme, the participants will always
speak nice about the Programme attended by them despite having many
reservations about the quality of the Programme. They are also in a hurry to fill
up the form and not very objective or subjective while making their comments in
the evaluation. If the Programme is organised for two days they will suggest that
the duration should be increased and if the duration is for three days they may
suggest that duration may be decreased to two days. Such type of evaluation
doesn't lead the organisers in taking some constructive steps which may be
needed to improve the Training Programmes.
Jitter no.11-Stay Arrangements & Services
One of the worst inputs seen during training programmes is worthless stay
arrangement done by many Training Institutions, particularly if the Programme
is organised for the Senior Officers. The areas which can be worth mentioning is
house keeping, unhygienic WCs, poor quality of linen, towels, etc., and in many
cases the rooms are not air-conditioned despite these Institutions located at
Mediterranean regions. In one of the training programme a senior officer could
not sleep because of bed bugs because of mosquitoes biting and in another
because of foul smell from the bath rooms. Even service provided to the
participants like morning tea, pure water, 24/7 availability of electricity and
water, canteen, ironing and washing machine facilities, telephone television,
indoor and outdoor games, infirmary or medical doctor’s availability, internet
availability. Non availability of these facilities or services makes the life of the
participants miserable.
Jitter No.12- Training Needs Assessment
One of the primary conditions for organising training programme is to have a
training needs assessment before the organisation of training programme, which
may lead to preparation of a curriculum and then the contents of the

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programme. It is often seen that the Programmes are planned without giving any
reasoning to systems approach to training, which leads to lot of chaos during the
programme. The system followed in need assessment is quite vague and
arbitrary. Therefore, wrong contents, wrong objectives, wrong faculty, wrong
participants and almost all wrongs make it a bad product far away from the
objectives intended to be achieved.

Jitter no.13-Training or Education

Training Programme is conducted to improve the skills of participants. But most
of the Training Programmes are organised to increase the knowledge rather than
the skills or behaviour of the participants. Too often, Training Institutions rely
upon lectures, inspirational speeches or videos, discussion groups and
simulation experiences. While these methods may get high marks from
participants, research shows that the participants rarely change their behaviour
on the job. Nothing has changed and same thing is continuing; Good intensions
are too easily crushable by old habits, theoretically the inspirational training
approaches are where the rubber meets the sky.
Jitter no.15-Laptop Consultants
It is quite necessary to invite those Trainers to cover particular topics which may
be useful to the participants in improving their job skills. But invariably, guest
speakers or consultants are invited who have ready made presentations available
with them and they do not change according to the requirement of the
Programme. More often they also do not observe what they have done in the
class and the participants also do not comment upon the usefulness of inviting
such faculty to the Programmes.
Conclusion
Training unlike education places lot of responsibilities on the organizers.It
cannot be conducted casually and results can affect the performance of
the employees. It is observed, special excursions are organised for the
employees and in certain cases with their famililies to kill their monotony
and charge their motivations. The Excursion during training programmes
could also be good ploy to keep the learning interest of the participants.
But players, participants and the trainers/organizers should keep the
main objectives of the programme in mind. In some of the TP, the learning
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of the participants can be measured simultaneously when the training is
being imparted. Examples of sports like cricket, hockey, shooting or that
way training process in any game. Similarly training programmes needs to
be designed and conceptualized in such a manner that behavioral and
skill updation can be observed during the programme itself.The process
would enhance the effectiveness of training and ultimately increase its
glitters and decrease the reasons which create jitters.

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