What Makes a Trainer Engaging? It Starts with Who You Are

The simplest truth about being an engaging Trainer is to be an engaging person.

This article is part of our Craft of Training & Speaking Series — tools and techniques for anyone who teaches, facilitates, or speaks to move people to think and act.

How Do You Keep Participants Engaged?

Trainers get that question often.

Over the years, I’ve shared ideas — from content design and storytelling to earning credibility — including my article on training engagement.

And yes, all of that matters.

But there’s one point I’ve underemphasized. And now it’s time to say it plainly:

If you want to engage training participants — you yourself need to be engaging.

Not just through slides or activities — but in how you show up as a person.

Engagement isn’t a checklist:

A quiz or game doesn’t magically make a session engaging.
Presentation skills don’t equal presence.
Talking endlessly about learning styles doesn’t make a Trainer engaging.

Here’s What I’ve Learned

Like so much else in life, being an engaging Trainer is largely about who you are as a person.

As Marshall Goldsmith says, “Make peace with that.” I appreciate the pragmatism of that idea — especially when it comes to owning how we show up.

We’ve all felt the difference first-hand:

One Trainer reads from slides and tries to get through the day.
Another makes the room feel alive — even when the topic isn’t one you expected to care about.

One Trainer focuses on impressing more than connecting.
Another makes you feel smart, seen, and part of something.

One Trainer makes you wonder how they ended up teaching at all.
Another makes you enjoy the session simply because of who they are.

Some Trainers simply show up more human.

A Quick Example

I remember running a series of corporate values sessions for a Client — the kind of session many people expect to dread.

In one exercise, they shared what held them back from bringing certain values to life.

The real success wasn’t the list — it was the psychological safety that let them speak honestly about their challenges.

The slides hadn’t changed. But the energy in the room had.

Content Design, Storytelling, and Credibility All Matter

Of course these things matter.

But as my Mom used to say, that’s not the whole enchilada.

They’re table stakes — the basics you must bring as a professional Trainer.

Raise the Bar

When you want to raise the bar from delivering a session to creating an experience, you can:

bring curiosity
show people they matter
let people feel that you love what you do

People feel that energy.

I’d love to hear your thoughts — what makes a Trainer engaging to you?

Thank You for Reading

I regularly share stories, strategies, and insights from our work across Contact Centers, Customer Service, and Customer Experience. If this resonates, I’d love to stay connected.

You can drop me a line anytime, or subscribe on our site.

Daniel Ord
[email protected]
www.omnitouchinternational.com