When you want to learn something new there are usually a range of options available. Blogging is no exception (and if you want to know more about the ways you can learn about blogging, read this). Actually choosing the right method for you can be tricky. Do you opt for a workshop where you don’t know anyone and could be out of your depth? Would you rather get some 1:1 help? To be honest, you could find a way to talk yourself out of any of the options. If you’d prefer to learn in an environment you know will be friendly, you might want to consider training with a friend. There are all kinds of benefits. Here are my top 4.
You get to choose who you work with
Most good course leaders will aim to get the right mix of people in a workshop group. It doesn’t help anyone if one person is struggling to keep up while another is completely bored. However, one person’s definition of ‘beginner’ might be different from yours. When you’re training with a friend you get to decide who you work with. You can have a chat in advance to make sure you’re at roughly the same level before you go ahead.
You don’t just have to choose one friend either. If you have a small group of friends who all want to learn you can gather them all together.
Other people have good questions
Even when you’re training with a friend, you’ll both have different perspectives. There might be one bit of the training that you find easy but your friend struggles with, and vice versa. You can learn from the questions they ask as well as your own. It might even add a whole new level to your learning. You may even find that someone else’s question shows you that you hadn’t fully understood the subject the first time.
Training in a group helps you to bounce ideas off each other so you all learn more.
You feel comfortable asking questions
Training with a friend (or more than one) creates a good atmosphere in the room. You’re with people you like so you can relax and enjoy it. That has the added benefit of helping you to remember things. It also means that you’ll feel more comfortable speaking up when you don’t understand something. No-one is going to take the mickey because you asked a question. They’re your friends, so they just want to help you understand. Plus the answer to your question might be useful to them too.
The more relaxed you are in your learning environment, the better the outcome will be.
Training with a friend improves your business skills
Even if you work on your own, there will be times that you need good teamwork to build your business. That could be because you’re working as part of a team on a project or when you need to delegate tasks to someone else. Whether you share a one-off training session or a whole course, you’ll learn how to listen and work with other people’s learning styles.
Of course, that has an added benefit when it comes to customer service. During the learning process you’ll probably get into discussion and debate about your subject. Listening to a friend’s perspective will improve your listening and communication skills when you’re dealing with your customers as well.
If you like the idea of training with a friend or getting a group together to learn about blogging, I can bring the training to you. Sign up to my email list to learn more about my 1:1 and small group training sessions below!