Limitations of time and distance can be intensely frustrating for trainers. But having to deal with them can make you a better trainer. You can still get excellent results, sometimes even better than a relaxed face-to-face workshop. The suggestions below go from the simple to the complex; if you prefer it the other way around, start on point 8:
1. Use the online version. The online version of the Style Matters inventory is optimized for remote users and has an onsite tutorial that supports self-study.
2. Have them start at home. Have people take the inventory at home before they arrive at a training event. Both online and print versions of Style Matters are self-explanatory, so you can instruct your users to come to the workshop with the inventory already taken and a score report in hand. Bingo, you just saved at least 15 minutes of precious workshop time! In your workshop, start with the Intro to Conflict Style slideshow (see Free Resources in top menu on the front page of www.RiverhouseEpress.com) and continue with input on topics covered in the Trainers Guide.
3. Use video calls. Maybe you're working remotely with people and can't even gather them into a workshop. Have them take the online version and review the score report on their own. Then schedule a video call and discuss results, using one of the exercises described on the webpage, Ideas for Discussing Conflict Styles with Others. You can do this one at a time. But people learn a lot by overhearing others reflect on their own report so consider doing it in small groups of 2-4 users.
4. Do a series, not a one-off event. In all circumstances, you will have the greatest effect on relationships and the culture of an organization or group if you interact with participants repeatedly across time rather than in a one-off event. An online series will probably have more impact than a single face-to-face event.
5. Assign independent work. Can't get people together? You could have an individual, a team, or a whole group take the inventory and work through the inventory on their own as individuals. Then assign them to have a series of conversations based on assignments/topics you create for them drawing on the above resources. If you want to be really thorough, you could ask them to send you a written summary of key insights they learned from the experience. In that case, make it a conversation by replying to their summary.
6. Assign journalling. With any of the above, you could have people do journal entries, just for themselves, or to share with you as trainer. Ideas for topics:
7. Model understanding of conflict competency as a journey, not an event. A percentage of people view a conflict style inventory as a test. When taking a test, the concern is to pass, be certified, demonstrate competency, etc. Then forget about it!
But we're not interested in proving competence. Our mission is to get people started on a lifelong journey of reflection and growth in managing differences with others. In the end the scores don't matter so much and we should encourage people to "take the numbers with a grain of salt", We want them to view the score report as an opener in a conversation with self and others about how to grow through conflict. When appropriate we reference our own ongoing journey, modelling transparency and humility the fact that this is a lifelong challenge.
8. Recognize that all learners disperse eventually. A face-to-face workshop is immediate and direct in ways that remote learning is not. But eventually those learners disperse and go home and often the learning ends at this point.
Remote teaching, almost by definition, is about meeting learners on their own turf, in ways accessible to them. This forces trainers to wrestle with precisely the issues and territory we ought to be wrestling with in order to launch people on a lifelong learning journey where they live and work. In spite of all their limitations, email, phone, or video often allow to get closer to people in their ordinary circumstances than face-to-face meeting.
If you recognize this you can design a remote reflection and learning process that surpasses what people often get in a typical once-and-done event. The process of teaching from afar may not feel as richly rewarding to you as trainer, but the opportunities for making an impact remain high.
