When I’m running an exercise, I’m not sure how far I can “push” the participant to get more out of them without them thinking that I’m pushing them in some particular direction
When I ask additional questions of one participant during an evaluation, these are also questions for those who will speak afterwards. If I have five people who have put their...
Stage fright when speaking to the participants as the trainer
I would suggest saying not just what you think, but also what you feel, as both dimensions are needed for human understanding. Honesty and transparency, even when you feel unsure...
Loss of concentration/overexertion
The desire to contribute to the success of the training can sometimes make us go beyond the level of engagement that is good for us, making us work when we...
Lack of experience
Beating myself up about my lack of experience will not actually help me gain any, nor will it help me understand and accept experience in a way that is best...
How to constructively respond to criticism by a participant about the content of the training
One example would be when a participant says, “I need more theory, there are too many games here.” There is no way to meet the needs of all the people...
Fear of too much responsibility
Communicate your fears with the team. Do this during preparations and during the training itself, if necessary. Responsibility for the training is shared by the whole training team. If you...
Fear of silence at the workshop
Silence is a wonderful thing and can have many different meanings. If the silence confuses me because I don’t know its cause, I can find out by asking the group...
Fear of psychological harm and self-harm
If you fear you may harm the participants or yourself, this is again an issue to be discussed within the team. It may be down to a fear of your...
Fear of participants being overly motivated
Sometimes the group is so enthusiastic and energetic that they keep demanding more and more powerful experiential exercises. This should not be your main indicator when deciding how to continue...
Fear of mistakes and oversights
A responsible attitude is important, i.e. that a mistake or oversight is not the result of neglectfulness. Therefore, if there is fear, it is a concern that comes out of...
Fear of making participants re-live traumatic experiences
This is partly fear of hurting another, and partly a fear of taking on responsibility for something we have no control over (previous trauma), even though it is something we...
Fear of expressing intense feelings of frustration (anger, impatience, disappointment, etc.)
Frustrations of this kind are linked to unfulfilled personal expectations. Remember that what may seem like a small and trivial step forward to you could be a tectonic shift for...
Fear of admitting your mistake
A good part of the training comes down to people re-examining their actions and attitudes in a safe environment, liberating themselves of the fear of making a mistake and giving...
ears
If you really cannot bring yourself to cry in front of others, then don’t cry in front of others: follow your internal compass. But if you are afraid how others...
Dissatisfaction with the content, expecting too much of yourself as the trainer
This is again a matter of failing to meet your own personal expectations, which is something you need to deal with individually.
Confusion
“Sorry, can you take over running the workshop, my concentration went bust and I feel a bit lost at the moment.” Or: “Could we take a short break, I feel...
Addressing feelings of like or dislike for individual participants
I sometimes do not have the energy to try to understand people who inflict or advocate injustice against others and I get angry with them, I feel irritated. As a...