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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WIBU to have given this feedback after a training course?

13 replies

ButterPopcorn · 12/03/2012 19:32

Went on a training course after work (5.00 - 6.30). Was interesting but the speaker was very dry and monotonous (think the teacher from Ferris Bueller) with lots of ummmms and ahhhhhs. He also went off on a lot of tangents and stopped for the group to have a coffee break half way through- people had had coffees etc at the start and brought them over to their tables, and no one knew each other so there wasn't any chatting during the break, just a few people shuffling over to the coffee/tea table and most people checking their phones.

Was I unreasonable to have written on the feedback form: "X was useful and interesting, however I feel it could have been condensed to 1 hour or less- the pace was quite slow and some discussion unfocused, and a coffee break isn't necessary during a 1 hour 30 minute session."

I feel a bit bad about it, but I have 5 more sessions of this fortnightly for the next 10 weeks and am hoping they will either consider making it an hour in future or making the speaker a bit "pacier" (somehow). I would even rather stay for 2 hours at a time and get two sessions done in one which would have meant less sessions.

So was my feedback rude or constructive?

OP posts:
hairytaleofnewyork · 12/03/2012 19:39

Yanbu.

I'd have also put "the presenter was unclear and said "um" a lot". (it is a per hate of mine. How Will he learn to be a good trainer otherwise?

MogTheForgetfulCat · 12/03/2012 19:41

Doesn't sound bad to me - I have given more snarky pointed feedback than that in my time. At that time in the evening, I should think most people are just wanting to get through it and get home. And a presentation given then should be pacey, especially if everyone has been at work all day and is flagging a bit. YANBU!

Sarcalogos · 12/03/2012 19:42

Yanbu sounds fair and constructive

thisisyesterday · 12/03/2012 19:43

don't forget that the coffee break won't just have been for your benefit. I am sure the speaker appreciated having a break, but maybe if they get enough people saying similar they would cut it down a bit?

it isn't their fault that no-one chatted to each other... that's kind of weird.

I don't think it was unreasonable of you to say any of it though!

tallwivglasses · 12/03/2012 19:43

He probably got paid a lot and I presume you're not being paid to listen to all his ums and ahs. The coffee break is a piss-take (did he disappear for a fag?) You did the right thing.

catgirl1976 · 12/03/2012 19:45

YANBU. It was honest and fair.

I walked out of the last one I went to. It was dire

And I rang up, told them it was dreadful and got the money back

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 12/03/2012 19:46

Very reasonable and constructive. Presenters/trainers can get paid a fair whack - my DH does speaking/training, and would typically charge £150 an hour. So they should be good.

ButterPopcorn · 12/03/2012 19:53

I see what you mean thisisyesterday , but he wasn't speaking continuously for the duration- there were a few discussion tasks etc where we chatted on our tables then fed back to the group. While we discussed, he got a drink of water, checked his mobile etc. Actually, now I think of it that was another irritating thing that added to the slow pace- we would have our little discussions for a few minutes then discussion would clearly draw to a close and silence would descend across the room with everyone turning towards the front, but he wouldn't start again for another few minutes so there was a sort of awkward pause.

OP posts:
rhondajean · 12/03/2012 20:06

God no YANBU this in invaluable, usually folk just do the feedback as fast as they can and you struggle to get anything out of it, when I did a lot of training I loved getting something I could improve on. And you were polite, you could have said, tutors teaching style is awful - now that would have been rude!

rhondajean · 12/03/2012 20:07

Tbh, it sounds to me like he hadn't prepared for the session.

thisisyesterday · 12/03/2012 20:07

ahh ok yeah, in that case it wasn't really necessary was it?

loubielou31 · 12/03/2012 20:32

Perfectly reasonable, fair and constructive feedback IMO.

Busyoldfool · 12/03/2012 20:40

YANBU - Good feedback is essential if anything is going to get better. You were not rude or hurtful. The people who employ him will read it and hopefully use it to improve his performance.

The checking of his phone and lulls after discussions is just bad practice, lazy and even plain rude. I'm surprised he is still in a job.

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