I’m often asked for advice by newly established associate trainers which I still find slightly strange as even though I’ve been working at Phoenix for over 25 years, I don’t necessarily consider myself as an expert!

Anyway, I thought it would be useful to share the four key things I always find myself highlighting:

1. Never try and deliver something you’re not genuinely expert in. Find someone who can do it better and introduce them to your client.
2. Stick to your guns in terms of group size and format. A bigger group in a shorter time is superficially better ‘value’ but at what cost to the quality of the learning?
3. Always remember that 90% of the time, the training is rarely as important to your clients as it is to you. Be patient, don’t hound them and get ready to respond brilliantly during the 10%.
4. Don’t be afraid to walk away if it doesn’t feel right. Turning down business is never easy but by doing so, you’ll probably avoid a whole load of pain in the future.

If you’re looking to get into learning and development or work as an associate, please do drop me a line – I’m always happy to chat – oliver@phoenix-training.co.uk