Trainers and trainees are at odds over training resources. How can you navigate this conflict effectively?

📌 Here are three keys: 🎯Facilitate Open Communication: • Create a platform for trainers & trainees to express their concerns & needs openly. • Hold a meeting or use surveys to gather feedback from both sides, ensuring everyone feels heard & understood. 🎯Prioritize & Allocate Resources Fairly: • Assess the critical needs of both trainers & trainees & prioritize resources accordingly. • Ensure a balanced distribution that supports the training objectives while addressing the specific requirements of each group. 🎯Seek Collaborative Solutions: • Encourage trainers & trainees to work together to find mutually beneficial solutions. • Implement a feedback loop to continuously assess and adjust resource allocation based on ongoing needs.

Assess Needs Begin by thoroughly assessing the needs of both trainers and trainees. Understand the specific requirements and expectations from each group. This step ensures that all perspectives are considered, and you have a comprehensive view of the conflict.

In my experience I have rarely encountered this issue. When training others I attempt to provide additional materials and information that go beyond the scope of the basic syllabus, yet stay within the scope of the topic. I want my students to be aptly prepared when deploying what they have learned while they are in a real world environment. In the industry of law enforcement, thinking outside the box and being prepared for what may come is the foundation of a long and fruitful career. I offer examples, do scenario training, utilize props, provide nomenclature and refer to situational based videos for commentary and discussion. If other materials are suggested or requested, I do my utmost to accommodate as we all learn from one another.

Start by facilitating an open dialogue to understand each party's concerns and expectations. Use active listening to validate their perspectives and identify common ground. Next, perform a thorough assessment of the available resources and how they are being utilized. Explore creative solutions such as reallocating resources, incorporating blended learning methods, or leveraging free or low-cost online tools to supplement the training materials. Encourage collaboration by involving both trainers and trainees in the decision-making process, fostering a sense of ownership and mutual respect.

Open Dialogue Facilitate an open and respectful dialogue between trainers and trainees. Create a safe space where both parties can express their concerns, frustrations, and suggestions. Active listening is crucial during this phase to ensure that everyone feels heard and valued.

-Facilitate an open and respectful conversation between trainers and trainees to discuss their concerns and expectations. - Organize a mediated meeting where both parties can voice their concerns without interruption. Ensure the environment is neutral and encourage active listening. Use techniques like the “talking stick” method to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak.

Set Priorities Based on the discussions, identify and set clear priorities. Determine which resources are most critical for achieving training objectives and find common ground where possible. Prioritizing helps in focusing efforts on the most important needs first.

Seeking out alternatives in light of the lack of resources is a daunting task. Principally it is a matter of budgeting. As a trainer sometimes personal ingenuity and self-development of materials becomes necessary. Additionally, there are times when a trainer is bared from changing certain information or adding to a syllabus due to contractual obligations, task order assignments and legal requirements. There are two key words in developing a quality final product that will be beneficial to students yet keeping senior management happy. Those are “Communication” and “Compromise”. Always offer viable solutions and keep everyone informed of proposed and deployed changes. Sometimes one is forced to work with limited resources.

Implement Solutions Once a viable solution is agreed upon, implement it promptly. Ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the changes and understand how they will be executed. Effective communication during implementation helps in minimizing resistance and confusion.

Evaluate Progress After implementation, regularly evaluate the progress and effectiveness of the chosen solutions. Gather feedback from both trainers and trainees to ensure that the resources are meeting their needs. Continuous monitoring allows for timely adjustments and improvements.

-Regularly review the effectiveness of the implemented solutions and make adjustments as needed. - Set up regular check-ins to assess how well the solutions are working. Gather feedback from both trainers and trainees and use it to make necessary adjustments. Document the progress and any changes made.

I would like to add that when agencies are developing training materials, consult with the trainers and senior professionals during the development phase. It is disheartening when a trainer is teaching a subject and they are handed materials that were produced by a team of analysts who have never done the job or performed the task. This would greatly bridge the gap between classroom materials and how it is actually applied and utilized in the field. Doing this will better prepare the student and reduce the necessity for supervision and management to redirect and/or field train newcomers to a degree that they become a distraction. We have heard the phrase "We never covered that in training." Let us all work harder to mitigate that.