It's easy to think of training as a craft of methods, tools, and techniques. Flip charts, group work, energisers, role plays. But beneath them, there may be something quieter and more powerful.
It is the way we, as trainers, look at our participants. Do we see them as capable of growth? Or do we secretly doubt some of them? Our mindset can be invisible, yet it seeps into the atmosphere of the room, and into the minds of those who sit before us.
A growth and fixed mindset
A participant hesitates, searching for words. One option is to dismiss their comment as off-track and move on quickly. Another is to pause, acknowledge the effort, and weave it into the conversation: “That’s an interesting angle. Let’s connect it to what we’re discussing.”
That small choice tells the group something important: learning is possible for everyone.
Psychologist Carol Dweck describes this as a growth mindset. When trainers expect that people can develop, they tend to create conditions that allow it to happen. When we hold a fixed mindset — assuming some are “weak learners” — our expectations subtly push them into that role.
Emotions are the guardians of memory
Think back to a time when someone truly believed in you. You probably remember not only the moment, but also how it felt. Encouraged. Safe. Seen.
This is no coincidence. Neuroscientists Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and Antonio Damasio show that emotions are not extras in learning — they are central to how the brain pays attention and remembers.
So when we frame an activity with trust — “I’m excited to see what ideas you’ll bring together” — we open the door to curiosity. If instead we convey doubt — “Let’s see if this works…” — learners may already shrink back. Even unspoken feelings leak out: a sigh, a neutral face, a glance at the clock. And the brain reacts.
Safe and challenging: The sweet spot of learning
Imagine a tightrope. Too much slack, and it’s just a rope on the ground. Too much tension, and it snaps. Learning is a similar balance.
Renate and Geoffrey Caine call it “relaxed alertness.” The brain learns best when participants feel safe from threat but are stretched just enough to stay awake and alert.
As trainers, we can lower threat by starting with small, safe steps — pair discussions, reflection before sharing aloud. Then we can gently increase challenge: probing questions, real-life case studies, role plays. This rhythm of safety and stretch keeps learners engaged without fear.
Giving an “A”: Priming for possibility
Conductor Benjamin Zander had a radical tradition. At the start of his class, he gave every student an “A.” Their task was simply to write him a letter explaining why they deserved it.
With one gesture, he dissolved fear of failure. Students no longer worked to avoid mistakes; they worked to live up to a possibility.
Trainers can try similar rituals. Ask participants at the start of a course to write to their “future self” about what they will have learned. Or co-create group agreements based on trust: “We assume everyone is here to contribute.” These small openings prime the brain for growth, replacing anxiety with anticipation.
Habits to carry into your practice
- Check your mindset regularly. Reframe labels like “unmotivated” into “waiting to be engaged,” or “difficult” into “needing clarity.”
- Listen to stories. Ask participants why they are here, what drives them. It helps you see their spark — and reminds them they belong.
- Balance safety and stretch. Start small, then build toward complexity. This keeps the rope taut without snapping.
- Celebrate effort. Not just correct answers, but the courage to try, to share, to take risks. That is where the brain rewires itself.
In the end, our mindset is not hidden. It is felt. It travels in our tone, our body language, our pauses and our praise. Participants will sense whether we truly believe in them — and their brains will follow that signal.
Brain-based learning reminds us that training is not only about methods, but about belief. When trainers see potential, they do not just teach. They shape the conditions in which learning can come alive.
Your belief may be the difference between a closed door and a mind that opens.
