The Group Trainer's Handbook: Designing and Delivering Training for Groups

Citation

(2007), "The Group Trainer's Handbook: Designing and Delivering Training for Groups", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 15 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2007.04415fae.002

The Group Trainer's Handbook: Designing and Delivering Training for Groups

The Group Trainer’s Handbook: Designing and Delivering Training for Groups

David Leigh, Kogan Page, 2006

Previously published as A Practical Approach to Group Training in 1991 and Designing and Delivering Training for Groups in 1996, The Group Trainer’s Handbook represents the third edition of this accessible book from David Leigh, a management-development consultant and trainer. The title suggests that the book targets the professional trainer, but its easy style makes it just as valuable to managers or others responsible for team development.

The introduction claims to keep theory to a minimum, emphasizing the practical aspects of training and providing a useful source of information for students, freelance trainers, internal trainers and managers. It is strongest as a starter text, ideal for people new to training or to managers who are looking to see how they could develop their staff.

The book is practical in approach and divided into two sections: Design and Development, and Delivery and Training Skills. The Design and Development section includes chapters on setting objectives, developing a lesson plan and training methods. The Delivery and Training Skills section includes chapters on managing difficult behaviors, building rapport, coping with stress, the training environment, evaluating training and checklists (a strong case could be made for these last two being in the Design and Development section).

Summaries and reviews bookend each chapter. In addition, helpful grayed-out trainer tips appear throughout, highlighting useful practical applications of the ideas discussed. This makes it accessible for people approaching the subject for the first time. The comprehensive glossary of training methods is particularly useful, as are the chapter on evaluating training and the checklists.

As is usual for the modern tradition of “handbooks”, there is an attempt to be “all things to all people”. As a result, the book juxtaposes the important and interesting with the mundane. Furthermore, it is perhaps disappointing that little space is devoted to group dynamics, inter-group communication and the way in which these issues could be harnessed to improve the learning activity for participants.

The central focus is the trainer – what he or she needs to do and how he or she can deal with problems that may arise. The book is less about how people learn in groups and how the trainer can support them in that process.

The book is easy to read, demystifies the world of training and provides a sound basis for designing and delivering training.

Reviewed by Peter Lassey

A longer version of this review was originally published in Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 39 No. 3, 2007