If trainees aren’t engaged in training, they aren’t learning what they need to know. Here’s how to tell if they’re engaged or disengaged.
The difference between effective safety training that employees apply to their jobs and training that fails to have a positive impact depends on whether or not trainees are fully engaged in the training.
But how do you know if trainees are engaged?
According to Carol Kinsey Gorman, Ph.D., keynote speaker, executive coach, and author of several books, including The Nonverbal Advantage: Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work, engaged learners typically:
- Smile a lot
- Nod in agreement
- Make eye contact
- Raise their eyebrows
- Lean forward
- Orient their torsos toward the trainer
Disengaged learners tend to exhibit the opposite type of behavior, such as less eye contact and turning their torsos away from you, particularly toward the exit.
They might also display “pacifying gestures” such as touching the back of their necks, fiddling with jewelry, or twiddling their hair.
The ultimate sign of disengagement, says Gorman, are learners who rest their chin on the palm of their hand.
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Interpreting Signals
Here are Gorman’s guidelines for interpreting signals of engagement and disengagement:
- Consider the context. If someone is sitting with her arms crossed, she could be disengaged—or just cold.
- Read body language in clusters. “Body language is best read in clusters,” says Gorman. “That is, one might just mean that an individual is tired. But someone who yawns, looks at his watch, and gazes blankly is more likely disengaged.”
- Don’t jump to conclusions. Remember also, cautions Gorman, that you don’t know the person’s baseline. For example, a lack of eye contact could be attributable solely to the person’s culture, or a constant frown might say more about the person’s demeanor than whether he or she is engaged in training.
What should you do if the signals tell you that trainees are disengaged?
Among other things, Gorman recommends checking your own body language. “You might be doing something that they’re mirroring.” She also suggests getting people to change their posture by having them take notes, raise their hands in response to a question, or stand up.
If you’d like to know more about Gorman and her methods go to http://www.CKG.com.
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