As a professional loaded with B2B sales training expertise, it’s reasonable to expect to not have to do any babysitting during a sales training workshop. It can become embarrassing when a workshop is constantly interrupted by what you may affectionately call a problem child. But unfortunately, there are always going to be people who simply don’t know when to stop clowning around or are disengaged and disruptive. Here are some tips on how to handle the situation.
Call Them Out
No one likes to be embarrassed in front of a group. The key is to be professional when calling out a problem child. Refrain from being rude or sarcastic, as this could end up backfiring on you. Also be quick and clear so that you can return to your training without losing anyone else.
Make Them Sit at the Front
Chances are your problem child is sitting in the back with his or her friends. Sitting at the front of the group offers minimal distractions as well as more direct supervision by the trainer. People are much less likely to mess around when there isn’t a lot of space separating them from the trainer. It is a great idea to ask the manager if there are any people on the team that cause problems during training—do this prior to the workshop to minimize the embarrassment of having to move the problem child up front with everyone watching. The best time to ask them to sit in the front is before the training begins or during a break.
Engage Them
If you feel like calling them out or asking them to move would only cause more problems, try to engage them on the subject matter. Ask them to share their personal experience with the topic at hand. Invite them to get involved with a discussion. Believe it or not, they may simply have a different learning style than what you expect, or they may even think your training is boring. Using B2B sales training resources that get them actively engaged could be the game-changer you need to keep the distractions at a minimum.
Seat Them With a Manager
Never underestimate the power of authority. If you anticipate things getting out of hand, simply ask a manager to attend the training and sit next to your problem child. It’s likely that the manager’s presence alone will prevent any sort of acting out.
Ask Them to Leave
As this solution is the harshest, use it only as a last resort. Also make sure to follow it up with any necessary disciplinary action. While some of these other tips may do the job, there are some people who simply won’t learn without having the hammer dropped on them. Again, though, try to make it a coaching opportunity if you can.
Dealing with a problem child can be frustrating, but it is a part of dealing with people in general. In your situation as a B2B sales consultant and trainer, you may be dealing with a low performer or a top performer. In each scenario, it’s important to learn how to deal with them in a positive and productive way. The goal is to help them improve their behavior so they can improve their productivity. The aforementioned tips can help you do that promptly and effectively.
