Tips for Training Adults
Remember, you're training adults. It's important to remember that adults learn differently than younger students. Adults bring more life experience, greater personal expectations, and often a practical mindset into the classroom.
A practical mindset means focusing on what is useful, realistic, and directly helpful in everyday life or work that helps them do their job better. They usually prefer hands-on examples, clear instructions, and information that they can apply right away.
For example, during safety training, someone with a practical mindset isn't just interested in the rules—they want to know how those rules help them stay safe on a ladder or avoid an accident with machinery. They might ask, "How does this apply to what I do every day?" or "What should I do if this happens on the job?"
To connect with them and make your training effective, start by previewing the agenda. Let them know what to expect up front. Sharing your goals or objectives gives them a roadmap to follow and helps them organize new information in their minds.
Be clear about the benefits of the training: Adults want to know why the topic matters and how it applies to their job. They'll often be thinking, "What's in it for me?"—so make sure to answer that question early and often. Show them how the training will help them stay safe, work better, or avoid costly mistakes.
Motivation: You can't force people to be motivated, and trying too hard usually backfires. The truth is:
- You can't motivate people—motivation comes from within.
- Everyone is already motivated by something.
- People act for their own reasons, not yours.
What you want to create is a training "climate" that supports student motivation instead of shutting it down. Unfortunately, there are some common mistakes that destroy motivation fast.
Here are five things you must avoid during your session:
- Ignoring a student's question: This is the worst thing you can do to make someone feel unimportant or embarrassed. Ignoring students makes them feel like they don't event exist. Never do that.
- Putting your participants into a passive role: Adults need to be involved in the training to stay engaged.
- Assuming students will use what you taught: Just because students attended and heard what you taught does not mean they will use it. You need to help them connect it to real-life use.
- Criticizing too quickly: A negative response shuts down confidence and participation.
- Making students feel stupid for asking a question: Respect and patience encourage learning—judgment does the opposite.
By keeping these points in mind, you'll build a more open, respectful learning environment where adult learners can thrive. It's not just about delivering information—it's about making that information meaningful and useful for them.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-6. What is the absolute worst thing you can do, as a trainer, to squelch a student's motivation?
You forgot to answer the question!