Training Mistakes You Might Be Making (And How To Fix Them)

Engage, Relate, And Reinforce

As a trainer—whether you’re leading safety workshops, onboarding new employees, or coaching your team on a new product—you know how important it is to make your sessions stick. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, training can miss the mark. Here’s a guide to help you avoid the most common training mistakes and create sessions your learners will remember and use in their day-to-day work.

1. Failing To Resonate On A Personal Level

The Problem

If your training feels like it’s all about policies or rules, you risk losing your audience. People connect with stories and real-life examples, not lists of instructions.

Example

If you’re onboarding new sales team members and your training is just a rundown of company policies, they might tune out. But sharing a story about how a thoughtful pitch helped close a tough deal? That’s memorable.

The Fix

Tie your training to personal and relatable experiences. Share success stories, lessons learned from mistakes, or client anecdotes. When people see themselves in the material, they’re far more likely to engage.

2. Delivering Noninteractive Presentations

The Problem

One-way lectures filled with slides can lose people’s attention fast. Training should be a conversation, not a monologue.

Example

Imagine running a safety training session and ending with, “Any questions?” followed by dead silence. Your audience checked out long before you reached the Q&A.

The Fix

Add interactive elements like group activities, quizzes, or role-playing. For example, in a product training session, ask participants to demonstrate how they’d pitch the product to a customer. This keeps energy high and learning hands-on.

3. Overlooking Digital Tools And Microlearning

The Problem

People’s attention spans are shrinking, and learners now expect bite-sized, tech-friendly formats. Traditional methods often feel outdated.

Example

In a coaching session, presenting a 50-slide deck might not be as effective as a quick microlearning module that employees can access on their phones.

The Fix

Incorporate digital tools like mobile-friendly apps or gamified platforms. For example, microlearning lessons that explain key points in three-minute videos can keep learners engaged and let them revisit content whenever needed.

4. Ignoring Feedback And Missed Opportunities

The Problem

Training isn’t a one-way street. Without feedback, you miss valuable insights that could improve your sessions.

Example

A trainee mentions how they’ve developed a shortcut to troubleshoot a common issue, but it’s brushed aside in a tightly packed IT training session.

The Fix

Dedicate time to collect and act on feedback. Use group discussions or post-training surveys to uncover ideas or challenges you might have missed.

5. Not Training Everyone Who Needs It

The Problem

When training skips contractors, temps, or part-timers, gaps in knowledge can lead to mistakes.

Example

In a safety workshop, failing to train a temp worker on forklift protocols could result in an incident.

The Fix

Ensure training is inclusive. For example, during onboarding, give every new team member (regardless of their role) a tailored introduction to the workplace culture and systems they’ll use.

6. Rushing Through Training

The Problem

Cramming too much into a short session can overwhelm your audience, leaving them confused.

Example

In a coaching session for junior managers, rushing through conflict resolution strategies might mean they miss the nuances of applying those skills.

The Fix

Break training into smaller, digestible chunks. If time is limited, prioritize the most critical content and save the rest for follow-ups.

7. Doing It All Yourself Instead Of Using Specialists

The Problem

As a trainer, you might feel you need to cover everything. But no one is an expert in everything.

Example

Leading a technical session about new manufacturing software without involving an IT expert could lead to unanswered questions.

The Fix

Bring in specialists to enhance your program. For example, a product designer can explain a tool’s technical aspects better than a general trainer.

8. Focusing Solely On Data And KPIs

The Problem

When training revolves too much around metrics, it can feel impersonal.

Example

Ending a customer service training session with, “We need to improve satisfaction scores by 20%” won’t inspire much action.

The Fix

Focus on the bigger picture. For example, explain how improved service leads to happier customers, stronger relationships, and personal pride in the work.

9. Not Following-Up

The Problem

Without reinforcement, learners will quickly forget what they’ve been taught.

Example

You teach proper lifting techniques during a warehouse safety session, but without reminders, employees revert to bad habits within weeks.

The Fix

Use regular follow-ups like digital nudges, refresher courses, or quick check-ins to reinforce the learning. For example, send weekly videos with quick reminders about the training’s key points.

Conclusion: Avoiding Training Mistakes

Whether you’re running safety workshops, product training, onboarding sessions, or coaching programs, the goal is the same: creating an experience that resonates and sticks and avoiding these common training mistakes. With these strategies, you can design training that your audience not only learns from but enjoys.

Ready to take your training to the next level? Explore tools like microlearning in the workplace, digital nudging, and tailored content to make training a habit that transforms your team.