We finished the two week APSO course today. It was pretty tiring but all in all very worthwhile.
This week we concentrated specifically on how to train. All of us who are going overseas to work in a developing country will be involved in training of some sort or other. The whole idea of going is so that we might leave needed skills behind us.
We looked at the whole process of gathering the needs of the people we are to help, formulating this into a training plan and then delivering the training itself. Finally today we looked at the assessment stage where we ascertain whether or not the skills transfer was successful.
Important to the whole process is our ability to communicate. Interestingly, the vast majority information that is transferred during communication is non-verbal. Below are a couple of examples of non-verbal communication: -
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Short-sighted squinting can inadvertently give an inaccurate non-verbal message of unfriendliness or aggression |
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A swinging foot while legs are crossed can be read as a sign of annoyance; a tapping foot indicates impatience |
Obviously non-verbal communication differs from culture to culture. Below are a couple of non-verbal communications specific to different cultures: -
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Asians believe the head holds a person's spirit. Under no circumstances should you touch someone's head. To do so would imply that you are higher in status than the person you are touching. |
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To avoid harming a Kenyan's energy field don't touch them from behind without announcing your presence first. The intrusion is particularly rude if done to an older person; it signifies that you look down on them. |
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For Muslims, the left hand is impure (traditionally it's used for a specific purpose!). Handing another person anything with the left hand is often considered an insult. Eating or shaking hands with it is out too. |
So what has this to do with training?
A trainer needs to be aware of the signals that he or she is giving out sub-consciously or 'leaking' as it is often known. Without realising it one can be saying one thing but indicating something totally different though non-verbal communication!
For photos from the course, click here.