What's in a style?

Training officers and instructors in industry would be among the first to admit that style matters. Indeed, they use a large share of their resources to ensure that trainees acquire a good one. It is no longer sufficient for a worker to be able to turn out a satisfactory work‐piece; he must learn to do so by handling his materials and tools in a precise way so as to maximise production and quality with the minimum wear and tear on materials and on his own energy. It should follow that the style of his instructor is equally important. Yet little attention ever appears to have been given to it. However well designed a training programme may be, its effectiveness may depend largely upon the way in which it is put across to the trainees. This is bound to vary in spite of good selection of candidates for instructor vacancies and the standardisation of their training. Individual differences in personality and concept of their job will influence their behaviour towards trainees as the content of a training programme is imparted.