Trainers Toolbox

Mirna Smidt

Keep sharpening your skills as a trainer, facilitator, educator. Discover new tools & perspectives for creating meaningful, memorable workshops. New episodes every second Tuesday.

  1. 1D AGO

    #24 - Managing Group Energy: Keep Your Participants Engaged & Focused

    The group energy is vital for an effective workshop - it shapes engagement, affects focus, and determines how much learning will actually happen. In this episode, you’ll learn how to notice, guide, and intentionally shape group energy across different phases of a session - so that focus, engagement, and active participation are actively supported, rather than left to chance. We’ll explore what to do when energy is too flat, too scattered, or too intense - and you’ll leave with a fresh perspective plus practical ideas to lift, slow down, or deepen energy in the training room. 📘1-page summary: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episode-24-managing-group-energy-keep-your-particpants-engaged-and-focused📘Optimal Emotions for Learning ebook signup: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/emotions-best-for-learning-ebook/ 🎙️RELATED EPISODES - Ep.6 (Manage your energy): https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-effectively-manage-your-energy-in-workshops-life/- Ep. 14 (Emotions): https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-designing-emotional-journeys-for-deeper-learning - Ep. 19 (Self check-in): https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-self-check-in-reset-your-focus-and-energy-in-under-a-minute/ 🧠LEARN MORE - Emotional Journey Design course: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/emotional-journey-design-course/ - Train the Trainer: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/train-the-trainer-course/ Advanced Facilitation Training: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/advanced-facilitation-training/ 💬LET’S CONNECT If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the channel - and if you want to share a situation you’re facing, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirnasmidt or via the Trainers Toolbox newsletter: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/newsletter

    43 min
  2. 12/16/2025

    # 19 - Self Check-in: Reset Your Focus & Energy In Under a Minute

    If you would ask me what is one ultimate most powerful exercise for self-management and building more self-awareness - I would tell you this one! It will work as a quick reset between sessions or during a long day, as a way to deepen focus and manage emotions, as well as help you build more awareness of your needs and patterns. And it doesn't stop there - share it with your participants, too, in the context of self-leadership, wellbeing, connecting with others or many other workshop topics. In this episode, I guide you through a simple self check-in process to help you get centered, focused, and ready to lead.I am also exploring how you can get creative and adapt it for diverse purposes and reshape it before sharing it with your participants. (And remember to subscribe ☝️to stay tuned on more episodes about how to make training effective coming up). 📘 Download the episode handout for main learnings & to keep reflecting: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-self-check-in-reset-your-focus-and-energy-in-under-a-minute/ 🔬🧘 Learn more tools like this in the Positive Psychology Toolbox course https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/positive-psychology-tools-for-trainers/ 👣 Dive deep into shaping emotional journeys for your participants on an online course on Emotional Journey Design: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/emotional-journey-design-course/  🎁 Keep on learning with a weekly newsletter every Wednesday: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/newsletter/ 💬 Connect and stay in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirnasmidt/

    23 min
  3. 12/02/2025

    #18 - How To Handle Difficult Situations In a Workshop

    Every trainer eventually faces tricky moments in the training room. In this episode, I unpack how to stay grounded and navigate participant behaviors that might throw you off. You’ll learn mindset shifts and practical tools to handle it with clarity and confidence. (And remember to subscribe ☝️to stay tuned on more episodes about how to make training effective coming up). 📘 Download the episode handout for main learnings & to keep reflecting: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-how-to-handle-difficult-situations-in-a-workshop/ 👣 Join the community of trainers & facilitators to exchange tips & ideas https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/trainers-conversations-community/ 🧠Master the art and science of training on Train the Trainer: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/train-the-trainer-course/ 👻Practice advanced facilitation skills in our Facilitation Bootcamp: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/advanced-facilitation-training/  💡Discover more of great tips about Opening:https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/struggling-with-difficult-participants-do-this-instead/ 🎙️Podcast Ep. 16 – Workshop opening: Grab attention & build engagement: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-workshop-opening-grab-attention-build-engagement/  🎁Keep on learning with weekly newsletter every Wednesday: https://www.trainers-toolbox.com/newsletter/ 💬Connect and stay in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirnasmidt/

    47 min

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Keep sharpening your skills as a trainer, facilitator, educator. Discover new tools & perspectives for creating meaningful, memorable workshops. New episodes every second Tuesday.