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The Secret Sauce of a Great Trainer: Energy, Empathy & Presence

  • Writer: Ewan Laing
    Ewan Laing
  • Apr 9
  • 2 min read

What makes a trainer truly unforgettable? It’s not just knowledge—it’s the energy, empathy, and presence they bring to the room. Think about the best facilitator you’ve ever seen. Were they engaging? Did they make you feel valued? Did they command the room without overpowering it? These three traits separate good trainers from great ones, and the best part? They’re all skills you can cultivate.


At Team BrightSpark, we call this the Trainer’s Trifecta—the secret sauce that turns a session from forgettable to phenomenal. Let’s break it down.



1️⃣ Energy: Set the Tone, Set the Pace

Your energy is contagious. If you bring enthusiasm, passion, and presence, your learners will mirror it. If you’re low-energy or disengaged, they will be too.


✅ How to Cultivate It:

  • Use varied vocal tone and pace—no monotone lectures!

  • Move around the room with purpose—don’t just stand in one spot.

  • Use dynamic facial expressions and gestures to reinforce key points.


🚫 What Fails: Speaking in a dull, flat tone or rushing through content with no pauses. If you sound like you’re reading off a script, your audience will check out fast.


💡 Pro Tip: Before your session, do a quick power-up routine—stretch, shake out nerves, or listen to an upbeat song. Your energy starts before you even step into the room!



2️⃣ Empathy: Connect Before You Instruct

A black-and-white image of two people holding hands in a supportive gesture, illustrating the concept of empathy in training. The text explains how trainers should connect with learners by showing genuine interest, reading the room, and fostering a safe space for discussion. It highlights the importance of interaction and warns against ignoring learner engagement.

The best trainers don’t just teach—they connect. Learners need to feel seen, heard, and understood before they can truly engage.


✅ How to Cultivate It:

  • Show genuine interest in your learners—use names, ask about their experiences.

  • Read the room—if learners seem lost or disengaged, adjust your approach.

  • Encourage interaction—foster a safe space for discussion and questions.


🚫 What Fails: Ignoring learner reactions, pushing through content without checking for understanding, or making training feel like a one-way lecture.


💡 Pro Tip: Before jumping into content, start with a quick icebreaker or personal check-in—this builds rapport and makes learning feel more personal.






3️⃣ Presence: Own the Room with Confidence

A confident man in a white shirt stands tall with his arms crossed against a clear blue sky, symbolizing presence and authority. The text explains how to command attention in a room with confidence and authenticity, emphasizing purposeful pauses, intentional eye contact, and strong body language while cautioning against nervous pacing and reliance on notes.

Presence isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room—it’s about commanding attention with confidence and authenticity.


✅ How to Cultivate It:

  • Use purposeful pauses—silence can be powerful.

  • Make intentional eye contact—connect with learners, don’t just scan the room.

  • Stand tall and grounded—your body language sets the tone.


🚫 What Fails: Pacing nervously, avoiding eye contact, or relying too heavily on slides and notes instead of engaging with learners.


💡 Pro Tip: Try the 3-Second Power Pause before speaking—stand tall, take a breath, and own the moment before you start talking.



🎯 Your Challenge: Record yourself delivering part of your training and review how your energy, empathy, and presence come across. What’s your strongest trait? What can you improve?



Ready to Take Your Training Skills to the Next Level?

Training Trailblazers logo by The BrightSpark Group. A bold, circular emblem featuring a compass symbolizing direction and innovation in workplace learning and professional training. This logo represents a community of learning and development (L&D) professionals dedicated to pioneering new approaches in corporate training and employee development.

Our ‘Training Trailblazers’ program is designed to turn great trainers into extraordinary facilitators. Whether you’re looking for 1:1 coaching to refine your own facilitation skills or want to train an entire team to become top-notch trainers, we’ve got you covered. Book a discovery call today and become the trainer your learners remember!


💡 Let’s build your confidence, your skills, and your impact—one session at a time.

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