Training and development are key to success in any organization. However, the success of any training program often depends on who does the training. Good trainers need to know how to share knowledge and skills, but they also need good emotional intelligence to be truly effective.
If you read this column regularly, you know emotional intelligence goes beyond understanding feelings. It includes the ability to read people, such as their behavior patterns and how they think and learn.
In most workplaces, a lot of training occurs informally, in one-on-one settings. But whether training is one-on-one or in a classroom, it’s a mistake to just go through the motions without checking to see if people really understand what one is teaching.
Good training isn’t just about transferring knowledge, skills, and attitudes. It includes connecting with people in ways that make learning useful and meaningful. Trainers who don’t understand different behavior and learning styles often struggle to engage their learners. This leads to people who passively endure training without really participating, and quickly forget what they learned.
On the other hand, trainers with good emotional intelligence create environments in which learning thrives.
A Tale of Two Trainers
Let’s look at two different trainers. Imagine a training session in which the instructor focuses only on delivering information. This person moves through the material without watching the learners or noticing signs of confusion or boredom. The result? People leave feeling either overwhelmed or disconnected, and the information remains unclear in their minds.
Compare that to a trainer with emotional intelligence who watches body language, asks thoughtful questions, and adjusts their teaching based on how participants respond to what’s being taught. By making small, smart adjustments, a trainer like this creates learning environments that build curiosity and help people remember and apply what they learn.
Self-Awareness Comes First
The foundation of emotional intelligence is self-awareness. Trainers who know their own style, strengths, and weaknesses can adjust their approach to be more effective. For example, if a trainer is aware of a tendency to talk too fast when excited about a certain topic, that trainer can make a conscious choice to slow down and watch to make sure learners are understanding the material.
Beyond self-awareness, empathy is critical. Trainers who truly want to understand their learners will go the extra mile to ensure everyone can succeed. Using emotional intelligence in training isn’t just a good idea, it’s necessary if training is going to make a lasting impact.
Bottom line, effective trainers use emotional intelligence to connect with the people they’re training, whether one-on-one or in a classroom. This builds trust and encouragement, which helps learners feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and fully engage in learning.
Any trainer who approaches their role with warmth and authenticity creates atmospheres in which people feel comfortable and motivated to grow. And that contributes greatly to the success of the entire organization.
Daniel Bobinski, Th.D. is the author of the best-selling book “Creating Passion-Driven Teams” and the owner of Workplace Excellence. Also a certified behavioral analyst, Daniel consults and conducts training on workplace effectiveness and leadership development. He can be reached at danielbobinski@protonmail.com or eqfactor.net.
