Intelligence without arrogance

“Oh, wow, ToT!” “Good luck! You’re going to come back crying!” These were just some of the reactions I got from my colleagues on the Monday before our scheduled train to  Lucknow. A team from PRIA had been nominated to attend a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme at Sahbhagi Shikshan Kendra (SSK). I was trembling with trepidation as we embarked on what was notoriously an intensive hotbed for humiliation. It was intensive, alright! Seven days and seven nights in a remote campus 20 km outside Lucknow city will teach you much and more, and all of us have come away from the experience with a multitude of new learnings. Thankfully, there was no grueling humiliation involved! I did learn the value of humility though, because of the diverse knowledge in the room full of people. (If I remember correctly, someone calculated the total number of ‘work’ years amongst the participants as exceeding a whole hundred.)  Intelligence without arrogance was a beautiful lesson to take from the trainers, who were all very affable and approachable in their interactions with the participants. The keen observations of the trainers themselves, and of fellow participants, were extremely helpful in the form of constructive feedback. The most trying part of an intensive exposure such as the ToT is the group work. After being subject to two days of learnings about several processes involved in group forming and strengthening, the participants were asked to take the reins of the training room and conduct sessions in groups of 4. On an individual level, a battery of personality tests helped me analyse the kind of person I am and my tendencies to react differently to difficult situations. An extroverted personality type with a collaborative approach to conflict management can be a useful tool for a trainer, if you know what it pertains to other than simple psychobabble. At the end of two days of rigorous work, presentations, exercises and feedback, there was a new kind of energy amongst the participants and the sixth evening at SSK saw a ‘cultural night’, bringing out hitherto hidden singing and dancing talents of some of our own colleagues! Viva la ToT!

You may be interested to read