When the trainer takes up too much space

If someone from the training team is always the first to speak up in a discussion and speaks for much longer than others, this can result in the participants being...

When colleagues from the training team voice different opinions

Some people hesitate to express an opinion different from that of their team colleagues, because they worry how the group will take it. I stick by the rule that “you...

Unspoken needs

I expect from the team members that they will each be able to express their needs about, for instance, the amount of responsibility they are prepared to take on or...

Unclear line between the roles of trainers and participants (i.e. confusion created by the trainers)

This dilemma does tend to come up. Most often it is when discussing current social problems and analysing their causes and consequences, because in such situations people are easily upset...

Team coordination

The training team has the right to not be coordinated! Spontaneous and disparate reactions from the team may sometimes seem awkward or disruptive, but you should keep in mind that...

Summing up/offering commentary/assessing

If, near the end of the workshop, someone reviews the “lessons learned”, assesses the participants or offers commentary on the process, this would contradict the style of working that I...

Quick reactions

Not having quick reactions can sometimes be problematic, but hasty decision making is equally problematic in its own right. In both cases, it is important to remember that I am...

Poor concentration

Concentration will vary throughout the day. It is important to be aware of this and to take it into account when looking at the tasks ahead. I need not necessarily...

Lack of support from colleagues on the team

Different people will see different things as support. This is why exchange during preparations for the training about what each team member sees and needs as support is a way...

Lack of initiative

If I think someone from the team is not taking the initiative as much as expected, it is always important to raise the issue at the team meeting, because the...

Lack of free time (for informal socialising with the group, self-reflection, etc.)

You should do your best to make sure you spend at least some time socialising informally with the group. After the team’s evening work is done, I set aside at...

Lack of energy

Ten-day training courses are intensive, physically and emotionally demanding, so a drop in energy is a frequent difficulty we face. A drop in energy, and for people with less experience...

Fear of conflict within the training team

My fear of this type of conflict stems from a fear of having to spend energy building trust within the team rather than on the substantive work of the training...

Expecting too much from more experienced trainers

This is a problem if people with more experience feel a lack of support. Sometimes the more experienced members are expected to provide support, but it is unclear what kind...

Domination

If one person on the team is quite dominant, the question is whether this is a problem and why. I rarely feel I lack space on the team, but if...

Disagreements about values within the training team

If there is a fundamental disagreement among team members in terms of the values they uphold, it would be good to make these differences apparent to the participants. This is...

Different understanding of the role of trainer – loyalty within the training team

I think it is important to bring up this issues during preparations for the training in order to clarify mutual expectations. I am not prepared to keep quiet, on account...

Different approaches, methodologies, preparation styles and tempos in the training team

Differences in approach always exist and it is important that we have time to discuss them and that we try to respect them during preparations and the training itself. The...

A feeling of unequal distribution of responsibilities

In my experience, I have often been the one taking on more responsibilities when necessary, even though at times this meant a very uneven distribution of tasks within the team....

A bad atmosphere

Whatever the reason behind it, a bad atmosphere in the team is unacceptable, because it drains precious energy, affects cooperation and is easily transferred to the group, so its cause...

“We” speech

When I hear someone speak in first person plural, it always makes me want to ask the person “And who exactly is this ‘we’?”. (I’ll make an exception if I...