The other day I was flipping through the TV channels and ran across a CMT show called “Crossroads.”  This series features two famous musicians who collaborate for one night, playing songs from both of their catalogs of music. This particular episode featured John Mayer and Keith Urban.  Both are excellent guitar players, song writers, singers and entertainers.  Watching them rock out with each other for an hour was simply fantastic!  I even got goose bumps a few times as they tore it up on the guitars during their duets! 

Did Keith sing John’s songs the exact same way as John does?  Nope.  Did John sing Keith’s songs just like Keith?  Nope.  Did they play the guitars the same way?  Nope.  And I loved every minute of it!  Their unique twists on the familiar anthems made me listen harder and smile wider.   

How does this relate to the training world?  Well here it goes: Have you ever co-facilitated a class?  It can be a challenge for a variety of reasons, but when you have two people who love what they do, and who share the same goal of creating a memorable experience for their audiences, it can be unforgettable.  I think every trainer should co-facilitate at least two courses a year, if not more.  Here’s why:    

1. The value of synergy…1 +1 = 1,000.  Sure you can facilitate classes solo, but the multiplier effect that occurs when you have two rock star trainers collaborating can provide participants world-class experiences vs. good experiences.  World-class experiences will change behaviors faster than mediocre experiences, which is always good for ROI!

2. It can be really fun and you are bound to learn something new.  John’s guitar licks surely influenced Keith and visa versa.  As they played you could see how excited they would get while watching the other play and hearing the beautiful music they were creating together.  They had genuine respect for each other’s styles and it was so beautiful to watch! 

3. Partnerships can bring great personal benefits.  As you trade off with your co-facilitator you will get a small break and can give your voice a break for instance.  Another personal benefit is that you can receive feedback from someone who has walked in your shoes!  Or if you’re teaching a tech class you will have an extra set of hands to help trouble shoot when issues arise!  And the list goes on…

How can you create a training “crossroads” within the next month?  Do it and create some more beautiful training music in the world!        

Photo credit: Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/WireImage.com