Week 4: Time Management

A trainer has to allocate time for each segment very carefully.

• There has to be proper and proportionate allocation of time.

Giving more time on one of the segments will affect the quality of the presentation.

 Example

To bring out the difference between Negotiation and bargaining, a trainer takes the example of family agreeing to go for Pilgrimage.  Each and every back and forth conversation between the parents and children is explained in detail. The detailed example takes 28 minutes of time out of thirty minutes’ time allocated for the topic “Negotiation and Bargaining”. 

Such effort falls under the category of poor or ineffective time management.

• The trainer has to cultivate the habit of moving along with the time.

• It is advisable to keep the time chart prepared by the trainer on the table.

• In the initial stages, it is better to start practicing presentation on each segment  with a timer.

• Where the situation demands more time than the time allocated by the trainer, he/she has to take an immediate call on what can be avoided from the presentation  he/she had planned earlier.

• While giving simulation exercises, role plays, lateral thinking problems etc., the trainer has to foresee the amount of time the trainees may take to read and understand  the same before actually getting into action.

• The trainer has to be ready with different alternatives where gadgets, logistics may not be available on time. 

• Commencing and ending the session on time enhances the quality of training program. 

• The trainer should anticipate where and how he/she is going to fall short of time.

• The trainer should be prepared to cut short the presentation if the allocated time is reduced for reasons beyond control. While doing so, the trainer should not compromise on the quality of presentation. The trainer’s ability to deliver within the available time, as against the promised time is dependent on how quickly and  effectively they can re-design the segmentation quarter.

• The trainer should also have the capacity to continue the session beyond the time allocated if he/she is requested to do so due to some unforeseen circumstances. In order to effectively handle this situation trainer has to  pull out more substance to the presentation from the CONTENT QUARTER and SEGMENTATION QUARTER and  get into action then and there.

• In order to meet the situation of shortage of time or availability of additional time, the trainer is required to pose the following question before any session:

1. What if I get only 50% of the time that is allocated to me?

2. What if I am asked to continue the session for an hour more?

Additionally, the trainer should have multiple context-based simulation exercises and situational role plays to make effective use of the available time.

The trainer must also have some fillers like small story, skit, exercise etc. related to the topic to fill in 3 to 10 minutes of time left with the trainer after the topic is completely covered. 

The trainer must keep the trainees completely engaged till the last minute of the session. 

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(All copyrights reserved by the author S.Susheela)