Best Practices for Virtual Training Sessions

“Train-the-trainers” (TTT) is one of the most common methods used to scale up improvement & change capability across organisations, yet we often fail to set it up for success. A recent article, drawing on teacher professional development & transfer-of-training research, argues TTT should always be based on an “offer-and-use” model: OFFER: what the programme provides—facilitator expertise, session design, practice opportunities, feedback, follow-up support & evaluation. USE: what participants do with those opportunities—what they notice, how they make sense of it, how much they engage, what they learn, & whether they apply it in real work. How to design TTT that works & sticks: 1. Design for real-world use: Clarify the practical outcome - what trainers should do differently in their next sessions & what that should improve for the organisation. Plan beyond the classroom with post-course support so people can apply learning. Space learning over time rather than delivering it in one intensive block, because spacing & follow-ups support sustained use. 2. Use strong facilitators: Select facilitators who know the topic & how adults learn, how groups work & how to give useful feedback. Ensure they teach “how to make this stick at work” (apply & sustain practices), not only “how to deliver a session.” 3. Make practice central: Build the programme around realistic rehearsal: deliver, get feedback, & practise again until skills become automatic. Use participants’ real scenarios (especially change situations) to strengthen transfer. Include safe practice for difficult moments (challenge, unexpected questions) & treat mistakes as learning. Build peer learning so participants learn with & from each other, not just the facilitator. 4. Prepare participants to succeed: Assess what participants already know & can do, then tailor the learning. Build confidence to use skills at work (confidence predicts application). Help each person create a simple, specific plan for when & how they will use the approaches in their next training sessions. 5. Ensure workplace transfer support: Enable quick application (opportunities to deliver training soon after the course), plus time & resources to do it well. Provide ongoing support (feedback, coaching, & encouragement) from leaders, peers &/or the wider organisation. 6. Evaluate what matters: Go beyond satisfaction scores - assess whether trainers changed their practice & whether this improved outcomes for learners & the organisation. Use findings to improve the next iteration as a continuous improvement cycle, not a one-off event. https://lnkd.in/eJ-Xrxwm. By Prof. Dr. Susanne Wisshak & colleagues, sourced via John Whitfield MBA

Regardless of how great your ideas are in your virtual sales pitch, webinar, or team meeting… People are most likely checking their email, browsing social media, or working on other things while you present. How can you prevent that and actually get your audience to pay attention? Here are 4 of the most powerful techniques we use for our own virtual training courses: 1. Win the first five seconds According to research from the University of Toronto, people need only five seconds to gauge your charisma and leadership as a speaker. In virtual environments, this first impression is even more critical. To establish instant rapport: - Keep your posture open and inviting (avoid fidgeting, crossed arms, and closed-off postures) - Use open gestures that welcome the audience into your space - Gesture with your palms showing at a 45-degree angle - Speak with clear articulation and energy from the very first word The quickest way to lose your audience? Starting with tentative body language that signals you’re unsure or unprepared. 2. Design your presentation for virtual viewing When designing slides, assume varied viewing conditions. Design for the smallest likely device and the slowest likely Internet speed. Make your slides accessible by: - Using larger fonts (24-32pt) - Applying higher contrast colors - Limiting each slide to ONE clear idea - Adding more space between lines when using smaller text - Stripping excess content (you can provide additional information in a separate document) 3. Vary your delivery Our research shows the optimal length for linear presentations is just 16-30 minutes, while interactive ones can maintain engagement for 30-45 minutes. People’s attention will go through peaks and valleys during that time, so try these techniques to keep their attention: - Vary your speaking pace (faster to convey urgency, slower to express gravity) - Use intentional pauses to let key points land - Adjust your vocal tone (lower pitch for authority, higher for approachability) - Shift between slides, stories, and data at regular intervals Each change helps reset your audience’s attention and signals importance. 4. Build in structured interaction Don’t make your audience wait until the end of your presentation to interact. According to our research, presentations that incorporate audience engagement through polls, chat responses, or breakout discussions maintain attention longer. For the highest engagement: - Use a variety of interaction types throughout your presentation - Incorporate breakout rooms for small-group discussions - Switch modalities regularly to keep it interesting Remember: In virtual environments, you need to recreate the natural engagement that happens in person. Your virtual presentation success isn’t measured by perfection…it’s measured by action. Master these techniques and your audience won’t just pay attention, they’ll respond. #VirtualPresentations #CorporateTraining #WorkplaceLearning

If you’re in Learning and Development… And you’re optimising for "checking the boxes" on training programs… IMO, we’re missing a trick. The likelihood of driving real behaviour change through surface-level programs is low. But when we focus on how people actually learn and grow? Game-changer. So, what should we be optimising for? ✅ Optimise for brain-friendly learning. Understand how the brain processes and retains information. Use spaced repetition, storytelling, and active engagement to make learning stick. ✅ Optimise for emotional engagement. People don’t learn well when they’re stressed or disengaged. Create safe, inspiring environments that spark curiosity and connection. ✅ Optimise for growth, not perfection. Shift the focus from “getting it right” to embracing mistakes as opportunities. Build a culture where learning is continuous, not a one-and-done event. ✅ Optimise for relevance. Every brain asks the same question: “Why does this matter to me?” Design programs that are actionable, personalised, and tied to real-world challenges. ✅ Optimise for habits, not just skills. Skills fade if they aren’t reinforced. Help people build habits that embed what they’ve learned into their daily work. AND DON’T FORGET… 🎉 Optimise for your own development. L&D professionals often pour into others but forget themselves. Stay curious. Seek out trends. Connect with peers who challenge and inspire you. CLO100 If you treat your role as a learning journey—for both yourself and your organisation—then the impact you create will be exponential.

Training isn’t the answer. It’s often the problem. Yet L&D often stops at delivering content. The results → People 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 better but don't 𝘥𝘰 better. → Frustrated learners. → Disappointed stakeholders. → No meaningful shift in behaviour. For real change: 1️⃣ Challenge the capability myth When someone isn't coaching their team or avoids difficult conversations, it's rarely just a skill gap. Look deeper for clarity, confidence or capacity issues. Ask first: "What's actually blocking this behaviour?" It's often motivation, misalignment or mental fatigue—not knowledge. 2️⃣ Context over content Most leadership programs drown in models while starving for application. Replace frameworks with: → Real-world moments that matter → Practical solutions to common blockers → Reflection + coaching that shifts mindset, not just skillset Knowledge fades. Experience sticks. 3️⃣ Design systems, not sessions People change when: → The right action is easy to recall → There's space to practice → Continued effort feels meaningful L&D's true role isn't delivering more—it's embedding what matters so behaviour change outlasts the workshop. This requires thoughtful design, consistent follow-through and real-world reinforcement. L&Ds, how are you moving from knowledge delivery to behavioural design? __________________   I'm Lucy, an ICF-certified coach and award-winning facilitator. I help leaders and L&D teams embed leadership that sticks—through a Leadership Operating System grounded in emotional intelligence, intrinsic motivation and mental fitness.

8 ways to make learning stick. That science supports ⬇️ Early on in my L&D career I was selfish. All I cared about was getting high scores on my feedback forms and looking good! “Embedding the learning” was someone else’s problem. How naive was I! Most organisations invest heavily in training, yet are surprised when very little of it changes behaviour. People attend workshops, complete courses, and give positive feedback, but weeks later they fall back into old habits as if nothing ever happened. This is not a motivation issue, and it is rarely a capability issue either. Real retention comes from effort, not familiarity. Learning sticks when it is spaced over time rather than crammed into a single event. Small doses reinforced repeatedly are far more effective than one intense day that overwhelms attention and memory. It also sticks when learners are required to retrieve information rather than simply review it. Being asked to recall what was learned strengthens memory far more than passively revisiting content. Variety matters too. When learning is mixed across related topics, the brain is forced to discriminate and think harder, which improves long-term retention far more than teaching each skill in isolation. Struggle is another uncomfortable but essential ingredient. When learning feels slightly difficult, the brain recognises it as important. Ease may feel good in the moment, but it rarely survives real work. Context is equally critical. Abstract theory fades quickly, while learning grounded in real situations connects directly to behaviour. People remember what helps them solve problems they actually face. Managers play a decisive role in whether learning sticks or disappears. When they reinforce, discuss, and apply learning with their teams, retention increases dramatically. When they are absent, even the best programmes fade fast. Emotion also matters more than most organisations admit. People remember stories, moments, and meaning far longer than slides or frameworks. If learning feels flat, it will not last. Finally, retention is not a one-time achievement. Learning strengthens through repetition and reflection. When ideas are revisited, applied, and discussed over time, they turn into habits rather than memories. The way that learning can really turn into performance is by building an ecosystem around it that focuses on making it stick (i.e what is learned) and then how that learning transfers to performance improvement. ---------------------------------- 📖 My latest book covers this in depth... "IMPACT - How to turn learning into results" Available at Amazon: https://lnkd.in/gDnnwy9K 💾 Save this for later.

🎯 You can have clear objectives, great content, and fancy tools, but if you ignore Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), your course might still fail your learners. CLT is about how our brain handles learning. It reminds us: mental effort is limited. If we overload learners, they disconnect. Instead, let’s design smarter — so people learn because of your course, not despite it. 🧠 CLT breaks mental load into three types: 1. Intrinsic Load (natural complexity) 📌 What it is: The difficulty of the material itself. ✅ Tip: Break it down into digestible chunks and build up step by step. 2. Extraneous Load (distracting noise) 📌 What it is: Unnecessary info or poor design that gets in the way. ✅ Tip: Cut the clutter. Clean visuals. Simple words. Clear structure. 3. Germane Load (productive effort) 📌 What it is: Mental effort that helps learning stick. ✅ Tip: Add practice, reflection, real examples, comparisons. 💡 Design smarter with CLT: Manage complexity with structure and flow Reduce distractions and overload Boost engagement with meaningful tasks 🔍 Before you ship your course, ask: Will learners understand, remember, and use this, or just survive it? CLT isn’t theory. It’s your secret weapon for creating training that works.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 — 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀. I recently read Using Learning Science Strategies to Enhance Teaching Practices and Empower Adult Learners, and it reinforces a critical gap I see inside organizations every day: 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. This paper challenges persistent 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝘀 (like learning styles) and highlights 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 that actually improve how adults learn: 🔹 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 🔹𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 🔹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 🔹 𝗘𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🔹 𝗗𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 🔹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: • Training dollars are wasted when learning doesn’t transfer • Poor retention increases errors, rework, and safety risk • Cognitive overload slows time-to-competency • Employees lose confidence when they “should know this” but can’t recall it 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜/𝗢 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻. I/O Psychology helps organizations: • Design training around how people actually learn and perform • Align learning to job demands, risk points, and performance outcomes • Replace myths with data-backed instructional strategies • Build learner confidence, self-efficacy, and readiness to perform When learners understand how learning works, recall improves, stress decreases, and performance follows. If we want training that sticks, we have to stop designing for preference and start designing for 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝘀. Source: Rehak, K. M., & McGinty, J. M. (2023). Using learning science strategies to enhance teaching practices and empower adult learners. Adult Learning. #WorkplaceEngineer #IOPsychology #TrainingAndDevelopment #LearningThatSticks #ManufacturingExcellence #HumanCenteredDesign

Most training fails for one simple reason: it’s designed for consumption, not change. We know from behavioural science that lasting change depends on frequency, feedback, and follow-through. So you just don’t form a new habit by attending a workshop and hoping for the best - you form it by practising it, reflecting on it, and repeating it in the context of your work. That’s why at Peerpod we use what we call a Learning Sprint. A Learning Sprint is a short, high-intensity burst of applied learning that blends social accountability with behavioural design to make new habits stick. Each Learning Sprint combines the following to fuel real change: 🔵 Live peer sessions - The sprint kicks off with a 60 minute session facilitated by an expert coach who introduces the tools and context, and creates a space where learners can apply new tools to real challenges and exchange feedback. 🔵 Micro-assignments - At the end of every session, learners are instructed to pursue up to 1-3 simple job relevant experiments they can work on between sessions - that help turn insight into behaviour. 🔵 Accountability buddies - For every programme, learners are equipped a buddy to work with on their micro-assignments outside of the session - creating social pressure and support for putting it into practice. 🔵 Digital nudges - At regular intervals between sessions, learners receive timely prompts via email - offering reconnections to the key lessons, opportunities for reflection, reminders of their micro-assignments, or direction to new resources to deepen their understanding and practice. All of this is done in a way to not only fuel behaviour change, but in turn respect the time, energy and attention of the learners too. And it's not just theory - it really works. Having recently analysed over 200 hours of learning sprints, the numbers speak for themselves: 💥 A 44-point uplift in learner capability from before to directly after the programme is completed (50 % → 94 %) 💥 95 % of managers observed sustained behavioural change in learners three months post programme completion (up from 74% at programme completion) 💥 74 % of learners had not just applied what they learned - but had also seen an immediate impact on performance - either their own or of others. Real learning is not a one off event. Learning Sprints create the system for habit formation - where reflection, repetition, and reinforcement combine to drive measurable behaviour change. #HighPerformance #BehaviourChange #PeerLearning

What Netflix, TikTok, Escape Rooms, and Video Games Taught Me About Designing a Breakthrough Learning Journey Most training focuses on content. But real impact comes from designing the entire learning experience—from the first click to on-the-job mastery. Here’s how I think about the full journey, using the entertainment we can’t stop consuming: ⸻ 1. Attention – Think Netflix trailers. Start with curiosity, not content. A great trailer teases value in seconds—you have to know more. Your learning hook should do the same. No more “Welcome to this training…” Try: “What if you could solve this in 5 minutes?” ⸻ 2. Interest – Think TikTok. Once you’ve got their attention, keep it with fast, focused, value-packed moments. TikTok works because it’s punchy, paced, and addictive. In learning? Use microformats, crisp storytelling, and emotional connection. ⸻ 3. Understanding – Think How to Get Away with Murder (or Squid Game). These shows are masterclasses in layered storytelling. Each episode builds tension, teaches something new, and deepens the stakes. In learning: • One key concept per module • Clear through-line • Questions that pull learners forward People don’t need less content—they need better structure. ⸻ 4. Retention – Think escape rooms. You don’t just observe—you do. You make choices, fail, adjust, and try again. Learning sticks when people wrestle with content. Design challenges, scenarios, and immediate application. Let them work it out, not just watch it. ⸻ 5. Application – Think video games. The best games teach through doing. Level by level, skill by skill. Players get feedback, unlock new abilities, and adapt strategy in real time. Great learning works the same way: • Practice in safe spaces • Level up complexity • Build confidence before real-world play ⸻ 6. Transfer – Think coaching and culture. When the “game” ends, learners need support to apply skills in real life. This is where adult learning theory shines: • Real-world relevance • Social learning and feedback • Autonomy, mastery, purpose Learning doesn’t stop at the module. It lives in mentorship, conversations, and culture. ⸻ Great learning feels like entertainment. But more importantly—it empowers real change. Design for the journey, not just the course. ⸻ Image: A fun workshop I did with the U.S. Department of States where I utilized multiple forms of entertainment to attract attention, support knowledge retention, understanding, and application. #LearningDesign #LXD #InstructionalDesign #ContentStrategy #AdultLearning #LearningJourney #TrangTranLearningDesigner

🚨 Nobody Wants to Sit Through Safety Training. eLearning module: they’re clicking through it while answering emails. Interactive training session: they showed up because it's mandatory. Senior management video message: they catch the first 30 seconds before their mind drifts to a task deadline or an overflowing inbox. It’s not because they’re careless. It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they’re human. Humans are overwhelmed, time-poor, and constantly filtering for one thing: relevance. 🔥This uncomfortable truth changed how I approach safety training. I used to think the problem was the audience. Now I know better. The problem was me. More precisely, my assumptions. I assumed they wanted what I was delivering. I assumed logging in meant learning. I assumed nodding meant understanding. 🧠 Compliance ≠ Engagement. Just because someone completes a module or signs a form doesn’t mean they’re now competent, safer or more prepared to manage risks in the real world. 💡 So what changed? Empathy. The moment I stopped designing training for the 'ideal' learner and started designing for the real one: tired and distracted. That’s when I began designing training using the REAL principles: 🔸Relevant Start with their reality. Talk about their work, their tools, their constraints. Not “Safety is the number one priority.” ➡️ “How do we manage the tensions between safety and production?” 🔸Emotional Make it matter. Safety is personal or it’s forgettable. ➡️ “Imagine calling your partner from the hospital to say you won’t be home tonight because you rushed a job.” That sticks more than talking about a new checklist. 🔸Actionable No theory for theory’s sake. Give them tools they can use tomorrow. ➡️ “Here’s how to better deal with bad news.” ➡️ “Here’s how to spot when ‘normal work’ is drifting into dangerous territory.” 🔸Lightweight People don’t need more information; they need more clarity. Keep it short, visual, and easy to digest. The Safety Curiously cartoons have been very popular! 🧠 This isn’t about dumbing it down, it's about lifting people up. We’re not just teaching the new Task Risk Assessment process. We’re helping people make sense of risks in real time. We’re helping them make better decisions under pressure. That’s not box-ticking. That’s human learning. ✅ So if you want safety training that sticks: 📌 Don’t just make it mandatory, make it meaningful. 📌 Don’t just focus on completion, focus on connection. 📌 Don’t just ask if they passed, ask if they changed. Because when people see the point, they stop just attending and they start engaging. Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost to help others in your network, and follow Urbain Bruyere for more.