Everyone talks about “engagement” in training — but what does it really mean? For me, real engagement means earned attention.
This article introduces our Craft of Training & Speaking Series — tools and techniques for anyone who teaches, facilitates, or speaks, to move people to think and act.
It also sits within our Life at Work Series — where we explore the practices, challenges, and lessons that shape our professional lives.
Everyone in the Training World Talks About Engagement
Everyone in the training world talks about engagement. Is the Trainer engaging? Was the course engaging?
The term sounds great — but what does it actually mean?
In my view, real training engagement means one thing:
Earned attention.
Specifically, the attention that Training Participants direct toward doing better or becoming better at something — the kind of attention Trainers want to earn.
When you begin your course at 8:00AM, you haven’t earned that attention yet. You’re at the starting gate.
By the first morning break you can already feel it. And by the end of the day – even that first day, you’ve earned it.
Things We Can’t Control and Things We Can
As with most things in life, training involves factors you can’t control — and others you very much can.
As a Trainer, it’s true – you don’t have control over all aspects of the training you’re about to deliver.
For example, when I’m engaged by a Client to deliver training, I don’t control who is invited to attend, their backgrounds and experience levels, what kind of boss they work for, or the culture of the department or organization where they work.
But I do have significant control over key aspects of the training that will help me to earn attention from the people in the room.
Whether that’s face-to-face or online.
Here’s My Definition of Engagement
Let’s start with my simple definition of engagement — one that I share with Clients as we’re discussing a training program.
A Training Participant is engaged when the Trainer has earned their attention.
The right kind of attention – attention directed towards doing better or becoming better at something.
Not through gimmicks or theatrics, but through a powerful combination of aspects over which the Trainer has significant control.
Here Are the Three Key Aspects
For me, earning the right kind of attention comes from a powerful combination of three key aspects — each firmly within a Trainer’s control.
They are:
- Content Design
- Trainer Credibility
- Human Connection
In the real testimonials we share here, you can see how these three aspects combine to inspire meaningful Participant feedback.
Let’s Start with Great Content Design
We’ve had the privilege to design and deliver training for Clients around the world.
And one consistent takeaway is this: engagement starts with Content Design that respects the intelligence and curiosity of the people in the room.
Take our Live Chat course as an example. Live Chat is so much more than typing on a screen.
In our content design we explore operations, Customer impact, essential practices, metrics, golden rules, and comparisons with other channels.
Then we weave in a conversational pattern and set of communication techniques to help people become more thoughtful and effective communicators.
People often tell us they learned more than they expected. And that outcome is directly attributable to Content Design.
One signal that we’ve earned attention is the shift:
From: “I’m not sure what I’ll learn in this course.”
To: “I learned more than I expected — and I can apply it.”
What About Training Activities in Content Design?
When Clients ask about the activities we use, I’m clear that activities must earn their place by supporting a specific learning point.
To go back to the Live Chat example, when we want to teach metrics, we ask people to analyze and discuss a sample Team Performance Report.
When we teach people how to say ‘no’ to a Customer or Client, they develop and practice Explanation Statements as part of our UNER(R) How to Say No framework.
When we want to give them a chance to review their know-how, we use Quizzes.
Of course you may have what I call ‘social’ activities to help you build connection, such as how people introduce themselves at the beginning or share what they’ve learned by the end.
But for me it’s important that all activities have their purpose and place.
Storytelling Plays a Critical Role in Content Design
When I want to bring training content to life, I always tell a story.
And the stories I tell are always relevant to the learning point I want to highlight – and they are drawn from a deep well of my own real-life experiences.
Real-life stories enrich Content Design, strengthen Trainer Credibility, and create genuine Human Connection.
In post-course feedback, Participants often tell us that they loved all the stories we told.
And sometimes they even reference a certain story – such as the story of my former boss’s green Jaguar car that I tell when I teach Contact Center metrics.
So look at your content and decide where to add your real-life examples from your own work or life experience.
Where would a story bring a point to life — and make it memorable?
Your real-life stories and examples will become some of your most valuable teaching tools.
Be Careful of Earning Attention Through Theatrics
Some Trainers like to run ‘fun’ activities. Others tell stories that make people laugh but have little to do with the focus of the training.
Fun has its place — but gimmicks and theatrics don’t create lasting change.
The goal is to help and inspire people to change their behavior in a meaningful way.
Don’t Be Fooled by a Room Full of Smiles
Don’t assume that a room full of smiles is a valid indicator of engagement.
Or that the right kind of attention has been earned.
It could be a room full of smiles earned through theatrics or activities that have little to no bearing on the subject at hand.
People Can See Through Theatrics
I’m often asked to deliver a ‘pilot’ run for senior leadership.
So that they have the opportunity to validate the training content and delivery for their people.
And that’s great – I love working with senior leaders and honor the time they take to do this.
I find that they end up enjoying the session and learn something.
But imagine if I went into that training room with content designed around theatrics, fun activities and getting laughs?
That’s not the kind of engagement – or earned attention – we should be aiming for.
Let’s be clear:
You can bring warmth, stories, humor, and human connection to a training session — and still help your internal or external Client achieve their job to be done.
Let’s Shift to Trainer Credibility
The Trainer needs to be credible at ‘something’.
Whether it’s Customer Service, Finance, Problem Solving or Journey Mapping – the Trainer needs to be a deep-dive expert in the topic.
Whatever the topic is that you choose to train, work harder (literally) than anyone else to master that domain.
Participants size up the Trainer’s credibility very quickly.
It’s fair that they ask themselves, “Does this person in front of me know what they’re talking about — or are they just giving us their opinions?”
Not once in a 25-year professional training career has a Client ever said this:
Dan, we’re going to fly you into (Brussels, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Tampa) for 1 – 4 days so that you can stand up in a room full of our Employees and share your opinions.
In contrast it sounds more like this:
Dan we want our people to get better at (X topic). We understand that you have credibility and experience in helping people get better at (X topic).
Everyone has opinions — just read a few LinkedIn posts.
But not everyone has a track record of helping others actually do better or become better.
That’s what great Trainers do
The Role of Human Connection
Great Content Design and deep Trainer Credibility are vital – but they’re not enough.
Now it’s time to add in that wonderful Human Connection. This aspect comes into play ‘in’ the training Room – whether face to face or online.
The curtain has gone up and everyone is there.
If I had to choose one observation about Human Connection, it would be this: people need to feel safe to learn.
It’s odd to have to write that. But in many environments psychological safety is not the norm.
People crave environments that provide the psychological safety to talk about real challenges.
A safe place where they can ask hard and even embarrassing questions.
At the end of many sessions, Participants tell us something that I treasure:
I felt safe to speak up. I felt respected.
Take a moment and read that statement again, because it’s fundamental. And like all the aspects we’ve been talking about – it’s something that you earn.
Training Is About Change
Training involves change. A change in what people think and what they do.
When content design, credibility, and human connection come together, training moves beyond activity to transformation.
That’s what real engagement looks like.
The Craft of Training & Speaking Articles
Practical lessons on designing learning, earning attention, and helping people think and act — drawn from real training and facilitation work.
Storytelling at Work: A Trainer’s Practical Playbook
- This article shows how Trainers use real stories—with clear intention and deliberate delivery—to make learning memorable and drive meaningful change at work.
What I Learned Running 60 CX Values & Culture Workshops
- This article shares practical lessons I learned from running 60 CX values and culture workshops for one client, including how to build shared understanding, invite honest concerns, and earn reflection and buy-in.
How to Write a Professional Training Brief
- This article explains how to prepare a clear, professional training brief that helps internal stakeholders align on needs and enables external training partners to give better recommendations and solutions.
What Makes a Trainer Engaging? It Starts With Who You Are
- Here’s what makes a Trainer engaging: how you show up, connect, and create psychological safety —beyond activities or presentation tricks.
The Customer Service Text I’d Give to a Customer Service Trainer
- A practical way to evaluate a Customer Service Trainer by testing how well they analyze real conversations.
Dear Trainers: Engagement Shouldn’t Be the Goal
- Engagement matters in training, but it isn’t the goal. Behavior change and measurable results should guide training design and delivery.
How to Plan a Better Training Workshop: 6 Practical Tips
- This article outlines six practical steps Trainers and organizers can use to plan workshops that align objectives, audience needs, logistics, leadership roles, and feedback to deliver real value.
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
