Skip to main content

Dealing with late-comers in workshops



One of the challenges every Facilitator / Trainer has to deal with is the learners coming in late.

My advise:
If more than half of the expected learner group are in the room, I kick-off my program. 

When the late-comers arrive, I acknowledge them with 'eye contact' - at times integrate them with a quick recap of what I have covered.

If less than half are in the room, then I ask the sponsor (HR / Business) what should be done? - most of them advice a wait of at least 15 mins. We then announce this to those present - so that they can have coffee or maybe catch up on a call or two.  In the meantime the sponsor starts calling/texting the no-shows to find out what is happening. After the extended time lapses, we just start.

I won't be harsh with penalty because in most of the India cities, traffic can be unpredictable.

In certain regions of India (where late-coming is seen as okay), I would start with a fun/intro/ice-breaker activity which takes about 15 to 20 mins. - this engages the on-time ones and the late-comers don't miss out important content to the workshop.

Few observations from my all-over-India experience (the major cities where I have trained):
Mumbai - usually on time if the venue is external. If internal then late by about 15 mins. Attitude: apologetic.
Delhi/Gurgaon - usually late by 30 mins. and more . Atttitude:  Attitude: it is okay, I had to travel from the other side of town
Chennai - usually on-time (never started a program late). Attitude: apology and nervous
Bangalore - 15 mins. usual delay (whether venue internal or external). Attitude: apologetic.
Pune - delay of 30 mins - Attitude: it is okay, I had to travel from the other side of town.

[ the above are my experiences based on my clientile - other's may have a complete different experience)


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

13 Ways to Engage Gen Z - published by Human Capital December 2017 issue

We have for ever lived in hierarchy. We had Rajwadas, and Raja’s and Rani’s! And then the Maha Mantri, the Mantri’s and the Peshwa’s. We lived in Hierarchy. Then came the Queen from land-afar and this took the whole hierarchical bit 100 notches higher. And then in spite of democracy for the about last 70 years, we still are deep-rooted in hierarchy.  Organisations are legal entities and yet we have similar hierarchical structures that define many aspects in an organisation from decision-making, office-cabins, cafeterias (esp. in manufacturing) and where one is allowed to Park etc. In some places even the Washrooms are hierarchical rules of entry. Funnily, many curse these discriminations however the same people aspire promotions not for the challenge of the enhanced deliverables or for the sense of leading people, but mostly for the ‘power’ that they would enjoy in those positions. However, as Bob Dylan professed in the 60’s in his song The Times They Are A-Changin'

"Improvising For A Culture of Collaboration" published in Human Capital Jan 2018 issue

(This is the text version of my article that appeared in the magazine Human Capital January 2018 issue Vol.21 No. 8) Usually Managerial responses to any proposition ranges from a direct “No” to “NO, but” and then “Yes, but” to a direct “Yes.”. The magic of “Yes,…. And” is acceptance, and then acts as a building brick, a movement forward to the original idea. Improv is a short form of the noun improvisation . And Improv! can happen anywhere and everywhere! Anyone who has viewed the UK fav show “Whose Line is It Anyway” would know the speed in which the actors improvise on the show builds a hilarious, fun-filled banter. Improvisation has been used as a Drama tool for many years and it can train an artist to agility & in-the-moment thinking especially when a co-artiste forgets a dialogue or goes wrong on a particular action. I have used this tool to train Public Speakers especially