It is good to have some type of 'icebreaker' activity planned for the initial session, especially if the trainees do not work together on a consistent basis. The purpose of these introductory exercises is to establish rapport among the trainees and reduce their collective apprehension. Jumping straight into content-driven training without allowing time for participants to get to know the instructor or each other sets the stage for problems to surface later. If the training session is technical in nature, develop a crossword puzzle using terms that trainees will be exposed to throughout the remainder of the program. These types of activities help to ease trainees into the proper mindset for what is to follow.
Discussion groups work particularly well as a vehicle for facilitating corporate training.
Most adults instinctively like to talk to one other. The composition of the groups should receive a great deal of preliminary consideration. It is always advantageous to get to know the trainees before forming discussion groups. Groups should be balanced with respect to knowledge and skills, attitude and motivation, and personality and disposition. Since they thrive on differences of opinion, the best groups seem to consist of employees who do not normally work together in the same department.