Socio-psychological training: types, principles, technology

Training is one of the most popular and well-known methods of psychological correction. They are used everywhere: in kindergarten, school, at work, in teams, in production. Training is a fun and easy way to solve pressing problems and answer accumulated questions. However, like any psychological technique, it has a number of its own characteristics, principles and requirements, the observance of which is mandatory to achieve the desired result.

Definition of the concept

Let's see what the word “training” means according to Wikipedia.

Training (from the English training or train - training, teaching, education) is a method of active learning that is aimed at developing knowledge, skills and social behavior.

In simple terms, this is a group lesson in a classroom where people gain practical skills. Theory in the training takes up only 10–20%. The rest of the time is devoted to practice and active interaction within the group.

Often, training centers conduct lectures under the guise of training. And then, instead of doing practical exercises, a person watches slides on the screen and listens to the trainer’s presentation. This can also be useful, but people come to the training specifically for practice. After all, you can’t learn to swim or ride a bike by watching people do it on a monitor.

Price

The cost of participation depends on several factors:

• training topics;
• course duration,
• number of participants (if the training is corporate);
• venue;
• presenter's name.

But in any case, it must be adequate. It is worth understanding that a good training is unlikely to cost 100 rubles, because then its value for the participants will be very low. But you shouldn’t give in to provocations like “How much are you willing to pay for your success?” or “After the training, you will earn a hundred times more” - especially if the cost of a one-time lesson is equal to your monthly income. On average, the cost of one day of communication training or personal growth in Moscow is 5-8 thousand rubles; skills (business training) are somewhat more expensive - from 12.5 thousand rubles.

History of the term

One of the first to use the concept of “training” was Dale Carnegie, an American teacher, writer and motivator. In 1912, he founded Dale Carnegie Training, which continues to offer classes to develop public speaking skills and self-confidence.

Kurt Lewin, a German psychologist who had a great influence on American social psychology, also made a significant contribution to the training form of education. In 1946, together with his colleagues, he founded T-groups to develop the communication skills of participants, realizing that the analysis of one’s own experiences in a group was of greatest value.

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The successful results of training in Lewin's groups served as the basis for the creation of the National Training Laboratory in the United States, where they began to provide training for managers, management personnel and even political leaders.

In the 1970s, at the Universities of Leipzig and Jena, under the leadership of Manfred Vorwerg, a philosopher and specialist in the field of developmental psychology, a method called social-psychological training was developed. Its essence was the use of role-playing games to develop communication skills.

Why is it needed?

Why are trainings so popular and why do you need to attend them at all? There are many types of such group classes, and a little later we will look at their features and benefits. For now, let’s try to summarize the advantages of the trainings and understand what new things you can gain from them:

1. Knowledge. As I have already noted, up to 20% of the total time is allocated to theoretical information. You get a summary of generally accepted information and the life experience of the trainer himself, who is most often an expert in his field.
2. Skills. First of all, people go to trainings precisely to gain some practical skills. In a playful way, participants try on different roles, work out scenarios that could happen to them in everyday life, and learn to overcome them safely.
3. Solving internal problems. As a rule, each participant comes to classes with their own goals, questions and problems. A competent coach teaches useful techniques, helps you look at the situation from a different angle and find a way out.
4. Motivation. In a group it is much easier to be inspired to take action and change in life. When a person sees like-minded people in front of him, a second wind opens, fresh ideas and determination appear.
5. New acquaintances. Trainings allow you to break out of your usual social circle of colleagues, relatives and friends. There is a chance to see many interesting, different, dissimilar people with their own experiences and stories. Working in a group brings people together and helps develop communication skills.
6. View from the outside. The coach evaluates the actions of each participant, which can be very useful for identifying new areas of growth and improvement.
7. Expanding your horizons . If your life is similar to the “work - sofa - work” pattern, then the training will be an excellent reason to break out of the routine of gray everyday life and try something new.
8. Stepping out of your comfort zone. Here you are placed in completely unusual conditions, and this can give a powerful impetus for further development and growth.
9. Confirmation of competence, self-realization. Upon completion of the training, all participants receive certificates. They can be attached to a resume or simply used as a tool to increase self-esteem in those moments when everything is falling out of hand.

What can you get from the training?

Let's look at why people go to trainings and what these trainings give them.

Good theoretical knowledge

The purpose of the training may be to obtain theoretical knowledge about something. But this “theory” should not be the same as in books or textbooks. It should, for example, be explained using examples that will forever remain in memory, or “tested” on something practical that will allow this theory to be applied in real life.

Practical skills

As a rule, people still come to trainings not for theory, but for practical skills. Let's say they want to learn how to provide first aid, how to repair cars. Or use Yandex Metrica to analyze websites.

Trainings should develop skills, not abilities. That is, helping to bring some skill to automatism so that a person can easily use it at work or in life.

Motivation

I had the opportunity to attend several network marketing trainings because my parents work in the network business. I will always remember the charge of motivation that you get at these trainings.

The teachers there are always purposeful and motivated people. They communicate with the training participants in such a way that they radically “change” their consciousness and charge them with the desire to act and change their lives.

Acquaintance

At trainings you can always find like-minded people. You can meet people there who have the same value system as you, the same dreams and plans.

For businessmen, such acquaintances are especially beneficial. Trainings allow businessmen and entrepreneurs to find business partners, to find those with whom they can subsequently discuss some problems, and from whom they can ask for advice.

Criticism

During the training, you will listen to what the teacher or other participants tell you. You will be able to look at yourself, your ideas and plans from the outside.

Criticism during trainings is constructive. The teacher will not want to humiliate you or offend you in any way. He is paid to ensure personal growth for each participant.

Therefore, for any training participant, listening to criticism addressed to you as part of the training will be very useful.

Certificates

This is a “paper” confirmation that you have completed the training. Certificates are needed for your portfolio. They will demonstrate to your future employers that you are committed to self-development, are willing to devote time to attending trainings, and are constantly learning something new.

How are the trainings conducted?

According to the form of classical trainings, they are group classes in a classroom with the number of participants up to 10–15 people. The duration is usually from 3 to 5 days for 6–8 hours with breaks.

If we talk about the structure of the lesson, it looks something like this:

1. A mini-lecture at which participants are introduced to new information.
2. A clear demonstration of what was stated in the theoretical part.
3. Practice in which participants are divided into groups and complete tasks and exercises of the trainer. Sometimes mini-groups compete with each other. Then there is even greater involvement of participants in the process.
4. Feedback. Here the participants share their impressions and say what was easy and what was difficult. The actions of each participant are evaluated by the coach and the team itself. Additional questions are asked.

You can find many online trainings on the Internet. Their principle is approximately the same as that of regular face-to-face classes. Distance learning has its pros and cons. The advantages can be considered:

• cost savings on the part of both the trainer and the participants;
• expanding the potential audience;
• comfortable conditions.

Thanks to modern Internet platforms, online training also allows you to develop practical skills by communicating with all participants. At the same time, the main advantage of training as a form of education is direct physical interaction with people, which cannot be achieved in a distance format.

What trainings to watch right now

There are interesting free trainings from Netology. Almost all of them take place in a group format, and students take part in them.

Here is a list of free materials from Netology - look through them and select what you need. In addition to online trainings, the list also includes webinars; I cannot “filter” them because they are all on one page.

And here is a link to free materials from Skillbox. There are also trainings that are conducted in a group format. I find psychological training especially interesting.

There is also the VseTrainings project, which contains information about a wide variety of offline trainings in any city in Russia. Go there, enter your city and select the training that you like.

A lot of digital training can be found on the Training Space website. All trainings there are sorted into groups, there are materials for managers, sales specialists, HR, and so on.

Check out my selection of psychology courses. There are many psychological courses and trainings there, including completely free ones.

Types of trainings

There is no generally accepted classification. The division into types can be done on several grounds. For example, according to the degree of openness they distinguish:

1. Corporate.
2. Open.

The former are organized within the company, the latter are available to anyone interested in their interests.

What types of trainings are there depending on their focus:

1. Skillful.
2. Psychotherapeutic.
3. Communicative.
4. Business trainings.

Skill

Such classes are aimed at obtaining specific skills. The topic can be very different:

• oratory;
• baking cakes;
• artistic painting of gingerbread;
• speed reading and memorization skills;
• makeup, etc.

Organizations can conduct training in the following areas:

• negotiation techniques;
• the art of sales;
• producing a presentation;
• staff service, etc.

Psychotherapeutic

This category includes so-called personal growth trainings. They are also divided into several types:

1. Personal development. Such classes are aimed at increasing self-esteem, working with self-control, managing emotions, developing self-confidence, motivation, etc.
2. Psychotherapy. People who find themselves in difficult situations attend such trainings. Here they teach how to competently respond to circumstances and live through them with minimal emotional upheaval.
3. Working with states. For example, overcoming fears, phobias, indecisiveness and other internal barriers that create problems for a happy and harmonious life.
4. Research. They are aimed at knowing and searching for oneself.

Communication

Such trainings are also called socio-psychological. Their goal is to develop communication skills. There are many types of activities:

• to feel more confident in dialogues;
• skill of meeting new people;
• working with communication difficulties;
• business communications skills;
• the art of flirtation and seduction;
• classes for teachers;
• social adaptation of schoolchildren and adolescents;
• how to say “no”, etc.

Business trainings

They can be conducted either by our own staff specialists or by invited trainers. Such classes can be of different directions depending on the tasks:

• personal effectiveness;
• management;
• sales;
• Negotiation;
• managing emotions;
• time management;
• setting and achieving goals;
• marketing, etc.

Coaching style training

I will highlight this type of training separately from the rest. This is a more progressive training model, as it gives the most tangible results due to the fact that before training, an in-depth analysis of the current situation is carried out.

In addition, the SMART model is actively used. This is one of the modern methods of goal setting. The goal must be specific, measurable, achievable, meaningful and time-bound.

Yourselfbranding

Let's look at the main stages of coaching training

Introductory session

At the initial stage, the coach helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of all group members. Participants establish common learning priorities. For example, if you conduct sales coaching-style training, the group itself identifies the most necessary skills for itself and works to improve them.

At this stage, work is being done to study the current situation. Participants in the training must answer the question: what is happening now? In addition, motives and the need for training are identified. If the group does not have true motivation for learning, then the results of the training will not be high.

Training session

At this stage, training takes place according to the classic formula, which we discussed just above: theory - demonstration - practice - discussion. The trainer selects exercises and games to achieve the needs identified at the first stage.

Depending on how the overall dynamics of the group develop, adjustments may be made to the training plan. For example, if the group is not very active, then exercises are added to increase the intensity of the learning process.

Final session

The third stage is reserved for analyzing the results obtained. Simply put, have the goals been achieved? This session also identifies obstacles and possible problems that interfere with learning.

A separate block examines the transfer of acquired skills into the work environment. It’s no secret that in the same sales trainings, participants receive new skills, but do not use them in practice.

Yourselfbranding

In addition, a list is compiled of what can be done as an additional upgrade of skills and what will be mandatory. This stage helps to tap into the participant's inner potential through the creation of new vision and opportunities.

When is coaching effective?

1. If you need to quickly change the current situation
2. When a break from the usual rhythm of life and work is unacceptable
3. If you need a coordinated solution to the task assigned to the team.
4. In situations where it is necessary to increase the personal interest of each training participant
5. Reduce the level of resistance on the part of employees to new changes

The most important thing: coaching training does not allow the coach to work “for show” according to prepared templates. After all, you cannot know in advance what goals the training group will set for itself. This means that the coach must be truly highly qualified.

And if you ask my opinion, then coaching training is the best option for upgrading your abilities. But how to choose training is discussed in the next section.

Methods

Techniques, methods and techniques that are most often used in trainings:

1. Group discussion. It is a collective discussion of any issue, situation or task.
2. A game . Can be role-playing, didactic, creative, business, simulation, organizational, etc.
3. Brainstorm. First, participants are invited to express all their existing ideas, including the most fantastic ones, after which the most successful ones are selected that can be used in practice.
4. Projective drawing. During it, participants can pour out their experiences on paper or perform specific tasks, draw individual pictures or work on a common sheet.
5. Meditative practices . As a rule, visualization techniques are used aimed at replacing internal negative attitudes with positive ones.

What a good coach should be like

The coach is the brains of the event and has many responsibilities. It depends on him how well a particular student learns the material.

Among the main tasks of a trainer is the ability to :

1. “slow down” passive participants, tactfully pull back those who are too active;
2. help lift the spirit of students;
3. pay sufficient attention to all training participants;
4. explain the material in accessible and easy language, and help students if necessary.

Differences from other forms of training

We have already briefly touched on the features of the trainings and found out that their main task is to obtain useful skills and abilities. Let's find out how this form of training differs from other similar ones. After all, they are often confused, paying for one thing, but in fact receiving something completely different.

Features of training forms:

1. Lectures. They are 100% theory. You sit in the classroom at a desk or in the auditorium and look at the monitor or projector screen, listen to the lecturer and follow the visual support.
2. Seminars. Here you also receive theoretical information, which is then supported by a lively discussion and exchange of experience between the meeting participants.
3. Courses. A form of training very similar to training, but extended over time. If during the training you can master public speaking in 3 days, spending 7 hours a day in the classroom, then the course can last for 3 months, and classes will be held a couple of times a week. The amount of information and practice is the same, but in the training you get everything at once, and in the course gradually.
4. Coaching. This is a personal training for 1-2 participants, where everyone receives individual recommendations and constant feedback from the trainer. If coaching is organized for a larger number of participants, it ceases to be coaching and becomes training.
5. Master classes. Light version of the training. Lasts only 1–2 hours. Participants also gain useful practical skills. The presenter shows and the participants repeat.

You can read more about what a master class is in our separate article.

In addition to the listed differences, the training also differs in that each participant must be involved in the process. You can listen to a lecture or take a seminar and remain unnoticed in the group. The training requires the mandatory participation of everyone in all tasks. Therefore, the number of students, as a rule, does not exceed 15 people.

There can be at least 200 people on the course. His program also involves practice, but its implementation is the responsibility of everyone. Whether to complete tasks or not is your own business.

If you like to constantly gain new knowledge and skills, I think you'll love the growing trend of lifelong learning. You can learn more about how to create a continuous learning system on our blog.

Selection of location and equipment for training

Training takes a lot of time, so it should be carried out in comfortable conditions. When choosing a site you need to follow these rules:

• The size of the room must correspond to the number of participants. If their number does not exceed 15 people, a small room is quite suitable. It is important that everyone has their own comfortable place, no one bothers anyone. The hall should not be too large: this complicates the trainer’s contact with the audience.
• The lighting must be good. Darkness contradicts coziness and makes the environment uncomfortable. But very bright light is not suitable either: it tires the eyes. Lighting must be sufficient.
• Ventilation and temperature are also important. It should not be hot or cold, and drafts should also be excluded.
• No noise. To do this, the room must be soundproofed.

In addition, when organizing training, you need to pay attention to the equipment used. You will need sound, lighting, computers, presentation screens, magnetic boards, etc. everything should work clearly, without overlaps - it’s better to make sure of this before starting the training by conducting a kind of rehearsal.

It is important to ensure that all equipment is located correctly and well configured. If you don’t have your own equipment, you can rent it, but only from a trusted company. Remember, the quality of the training and your reputation depend on this.

How to choose the right training

For classes to truly be beneficial, you must first decide on your goals. What would you like? What problem are you planning to solve with the help of training? Review the program description or presentation. It should describe the specific solutions that each participant will receive, and these solutions should match your needs.

Here is a small checklist to help you make your choice:

1. Pay attention to the personality of the coach. Most often, the audience goes to the outstanding name of the organizer. But a well-promoted name is not everything. The trainer must have real merit and experience in his field. At the same time, it should impress you energetically. It happens that a specialist is good, but his temperament is completely unsuitable.
2. Take a program that you can realistically afford to pay for. Training that is equal in cost to your six-month salary is unlikely to pay off, and using a loan is not the most reasonable solution. Free training won't do any good either. Firstly, we remember about the cheese in the mousetrap, and secondly, a person never appreciates what he got for free. Knowledge and skills are no exception.
3. You should not rely heavily on the recommendations of friends and reviews on the Internet. Each training, like each participant, is a unique experience. You may get completely different results than those who have already taken part in the classes.

Trainers and organizers are also interested in improving the quality of their training programs. If you are interested, I recommend reading about methods and models for assessing the effectiveness of training.

Presenter's personality

Not every person has the right to conduct training. Firstly, it is necessary to undergo special training, and secondly, certain individual and personal characteristics are needed. The presenter performs 5 roles during the training:

• (instructor, director);
• psychoanalyst (with a healthy distance and a personally neutral attitude towards the participants);
• manager-commentator (psychological professional support);
• intermediary manager (manages the process, but is not responsible for its progress);
• one of the group members (equal status with the other participants, a person with his own characteristics and life problems).

The presenter chooses, which largely depends on the previously selected role. As with leadership in a broad sense, there are 3 possible styles: democratic, authoritarian and permissive. Sometimes an authoritarian style is necessary (when participants become disoriented and stressed, the atmosphere is tense, strict adherence to the lesson plan is required to stabilize and normalize the situation), but in other cases the democratic style is optimal. It is possible to use an authoritarian style in the first lessons (participants have not yet been freed from the shackles of habits and need management) with a gradual transition to a democratic one. Sometimes there is a need to change the style several times during one lesson.

Leadership style does not depend on the course itself or the school (institution) where it is taught. It depends only on the leader.

Personal portrait of a successful presenter:

• focus on the client (participants), desire and ability to help;
• flexibility and tolerance, abstraction from personal opinions and feelings;
• openness to other opinions;
• the ability to create a favorable and comfortable atmosphere, receptivity;
• the ability to be open, despite professionalism, to show true emotions;
• enthusiasm and optimism, creativity, faith in the abilities of each participant to change, learn and develop;
• restraint and self-control, poise, developed self-control;
• self-confidence, love and positive attitude towards oneself, developed (knowledge of needs and strengths and weaknesses), adequate self-esteem;
• developed and intuition;
• high level of education and special education, which gives the right to conduct trainings.

The training leader must combine a creative, sensitive and unconventional person with a qualified specialist and professional.

They train trainers in higher education institutions and non-profit training schools. The presenter must clearly see the goals he wants to achieve and have a large selection of professional methods and means of achieving them, be able to react quickly and improvise.