2 Types of Training: Narrowing the Mind and Broadening the Mind

As a Trainer with over 17 years experience (part time since 1996, full time since 2001), I realized that there are 2 types of training in this world.  By training I don't just mean attending courses or lessons, the most common training in the world is direct experience or on-the-job training as known in the workplace.  The 2 types of training are Narrowing the Mind and Broadening the Mind Training. 

Type 1: Narrowing the Mind Training

This type of training narrows the mind, that is, the mind becomes more narrow after the training.  By 'mind' here I mean the thinking, both conscious and non-conscious.  This type of training, instead of letting the trainee knows what are the possibilities, restricts him to fewer possibilities.  For example, some corporate trainers teach people only certain fixed way of doing things and disregard other schools of thought.  They are dogmatic and usually claimed themselves to be 'gurus' or some form of special intellectual people.  In my opinion these people are 'sukus', not gurus.  ('Suku' is a Malay word for stupid).   

In direct experience training, after you've tried certain food, your choice of food becomes more narrow and you dare not try other types of food.  

There is nothing right or wrong with this type of 'Narrowing the Mind' training, for our mind sometimes need to be narrowed so that it's easier for us to think.  Otherwise if your mind is so broad you may be lost on what to do!

Type 2: Broadening the Mind Training

Many people called this 'Possibility Training', for your mind will be opened to more possibilities than you ever thought possible.  Your mind becomes broader and you have this concept of abundance instead of scarcity as in 'Narrowing the Mind Training'.  

We know that the mind is like a rubber band, after you have expanded it, it never goes back to its original size.  In corporate training, trainers typically broadens the trainees' mindsets by getting them to see things from the opposite, like 'internal beauty is more charming than external beauty'.  In fact all creativity and innovation are from broadening of the minds.  

The advantages of the mind broaden are obvious, but many do not realize the danger that if your mind is too broad, you could be on the verge of stupidity.  This is because your mind has no sense of right or wrong, and simply accepts everything and you will thus be easily manipulated by others.  By the way, by stating this, aren't I also broadening your mind?

By Andy Ng, Chief Trainer and Coach at Asia Trainers, details of training programs are at here.