Motivating Trainees
MOTIVATING TRAINEES
To motivate trainees to perform to their full potential, try these strategies:
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Be enthusiastic. A positive approach to learning is infectious and will rub off on both learners and colleagues.
Set high standards but balance them with early success to maintain motivation when learners are most vulnerable.
Develop a climate of trust in which trainees learn that constructive criticism is their best friend. Explain that feedback is an indispensable tool to help both trainers and trainees improve performance. Ask for feedback on the training process and then model appropriate responses such as, "Thanks for telling me that."
Model how you want trainees to approach technical problems, interpersonal relationships, ethical dilemmas, and love of the discipline. Professional work attitudes are promoted by example. Trainers must "walk the talk" or risk losing credibility.
Explain and model that is okay to admit not knowing. When supervisors say, "Gee, I don't know. Let's find out." they create an environment that fosters learning.
MOTIVATION OF TRAINEES
There are different types of motives in people. These can be grouped into the following:
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1. Vocational motives: desire to acquire skills for employment or self advancement
2. Self Development Motives: to acquire skills for better standard of living
3. Social motives: to acquire new friends and acquaintances.
There are two assumptions:
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1. One’s motivation to perform a variety of activities arises from the necessity to satisfy the basic human needs - hunger, thirst, sleep, sex and avoiding pain, anxiety and discomfort. 2. One’s motivation is based on the need to enhance relationships within the society i.e. self fulfillment.
Abraham M. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory states that human needs are a series of needs starting from the basic to the complex ones:
1. Physical needs - Physiological needs like
To motivate trainees to perform to their full potential, try these strategies:
•
•
•
•
•
Be enthusiastic. A positive approach to learning is infectious and will rub off on both learners and colleagues.
Set high standards but balance them with early success to maintain motivation when learners are most vulnerable.
Develop a climate of trust in which trainees learn that constructive criticism is their best friend. Explain that feedback is an indispensable tool to help both trainers and trainees improve performance. Ask for feedback on the training process and then model appropriate responses such as, "Thanks for telling me that."
Model how you want trainees to approach technical problems, interpersonal relationships, ethical dilemmas, and love of the discipline. Professional work attitudes are promoted by example. Trainers must "walk the talk" or risk losing credibility.
Explain and model that is okay to admit not knowing. When supervisors say, "Gee, I don't know. Let's find out." they create an environment that fosters learning.
MOTIVATION OF TRAINEES
There are different types of motives in people. These can be grouped into the following:
•
•
•
1. Vocational motives: desire to acquire skills for employment or self advancement
2. Self Development Motives: to acquire skills for better standard of living
3. Social motives: to acquire new friends and acquaintances.
There are two assumptions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1. One’s motivation to perform a variety of activities arises from the necessity to satisfy the basic human needs - hunger, thirst, sleep, sex and avoiding pain, anxiety and discomfort. 2. One’s motivation is based on the need to enhance relationships within the society i.e. self fulfillment.
Abraham M. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory states that human needs are a series of needs starting from the basic to the complex ones:
1. Physical needs - Physiological needs like