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Description

Difficult Situations in Training: Preventing, Defusing and Re-engaging the Group

Stay in control of the room when faced with a challenging participant, collective silence or open conflict

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

A trainer who is entirely competent on the subject matter can lose a group within minutes: a participant who questions the legitimacy of the content, two colleagues settling a professional disagreement, or a room of people sent on the programme without having asked for it. Improvising is costly, because the group watches how the trainer reacts and draws its own conclusions.

Two days to equip the facilitator: read the early signals before a situation escalates, set a working framework that prevents disruption, and hold tested responses for each type of incident. Cases are re-enacted in the room and then in a virtual classroom, because the levers available are not the same.

Learning objectives

  • Read the early signals of disengagement or tension within a group
  • Set a working framework from the opening minutes that prevents disruption
  • Respond to a challenge to your legitimacy without entering a power struggle
  • Address conflict between participants without stalling the learning progression
  • Re-engage a passive group or a silent virtual classroom
  • Debrief an incident with the client who commissioned the programme

What makes this programme different

Each participant re-enacts a real situation and receives feedback from the group and the facilitator
The same cases are handled in person and then in a virtual classroom to compare the levers available
A personal repertoire of responses is built up over the two days

Programme

1Where Difficult Situations Come From

Understand before reacting

  • Mandatory attendance and the absence of a genuine request
  • Gap between announced expectations and actual content
  • Hierarchical dynamics present in the room
  • Fatigue, pace and physical conditions
  • Difficulties inherent to the subject itself

2Prevention Through Framework and Brief

Defusing before the session opens

  • Analysing the request with the commissioning client
  • Contracting the framework with the group
  • Ground rules and collective commitment
  • Sequencing and managing the pace
  • Setting up the room and the virtual classroom

3Responding to Individual Behaviours

Addressing without humiliating

  • Challenges to the facilitator's legitimacy
  • The talkative or monopolising participant
  • Withdrawal, silence and refusal to take part
  • Phone use and late arrivals
  • Expression of workplace distress

4Group Dynamics and Collective Incidents

Regaining control of the room

  • Open conflict between two participants
  • Coalition against the facilitator or against the organisation
  • Passive groups and silent virtual classrooms
  • Resetting boundaries and pausing a sequence
  • Debriefing the incident and follow-up with the commissioning client

Who is it for

Occasional and full-time trainers, internal facilitators, workplace mentors and learning managers.

Prerequisites

Having delivered at least one training session.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.