We sat down with one of Thornfield's much-loved trainers, Mark Donaldson, for a chat about how he came to do his current role, what tips he would like to share, and who he wants to say thank you to.

Q. Hello Mark. Tell us a bit about yourself, and what your areas of expertise are in your role as a Thornfields trainer / associate.

I am a senior primary care manager with a particular interest in innovation, change management, organisational behaviour, and leadership.  

Q. How did you come to be a Thornfields Associate?

I am keen to share my knowledge, skills and experience with others and have built up a skillset around teaching, coaching, and mentoring. I saw an opportunity to become an associate trainer with Thornfields about 8 years ago, applied for the position and was accepted.

Q. How did you feel when you first started, and what advice would you have today for new trainers or those considering the role?

I was nervous when I first started. I am not really sure why because I was an experienced trainer at the time. I think delivering prescribed content was what made me feel uncomfortable as I had previously only ever created my own content. As time went by and I became more involved in content creation and received feedback from the workshops delivered, my confidence grew, and my nervousness dissipated. I still get a bit nervous before a workshop but that is normal for me. The advice I would give to anybody starting out would be:

•    If you are thinking about it, do it. It is a rewarding role, and you will gain a lot from it both personally and professionally. 

•    Plan your session. A lot of problems can be anticipated and resolved before they even happen. I plan every session; even workshops I have delivered many times. A new workshop will have a new plan, existing workshops will have the plan reviewed and amended where appropriate. 

•    Evaluate your workshops. There is always something you can learn and do better next time. Delegate feedback and self-reflection is key to this. I have never delivered the same workshop in exactly the same way based on feedback and reflection. 

•    View, respect and harness the delegate’s knowledge, skill, and experience. You know the content, and have the experience, but it is likely to fall short of the collective experience and wisdom in the room. Maximising participation, promoting collective problem solving and empowering the delegates often results in a valuable learning experience for everybody, including the trainer.

Q. And now, as an experienced trainer, what are your feelings about the role?

I love the role and enjoy working with Thornfields. If it wasn’t for my other leadership and management commitments, I would like to do more training. 

Q. What have the main changes been since you became a trainer for us?

I have seen various changes but none that fundamentally affect the way in which I engage with Thornfields. A constant has been the superb level of support each trainer receives. I have seen the expansion of training provision and in particular the ILM offer. 

Q. What one thing would you tell yourself now if you could go back in time to the start of your career?

Learn the things that make you happy and fulfilled at work. Do more of those things and seek out opportunities to do more of those things. Resist the temptation to take opportunities that take you away from the things you love. If you love what you do, it will not feel like work and that is priceless. 
I would also advise myself to do more listening than talking.

Q. You must have seen and been involved in many success stories – have any stood out in particular?

There are lots of things I could mention but standing up a Covid-19 vaccination centre in 10 days to protect those most vulnerable in our society, and then subsequently going on to vaccinate thousands more week after week thereafter, is definitely one of the things I am most proud of and will never forget.  

Q. Is there a particular individual who has had a big impact on your career, or your role as a trainer, that you’d like to thank?

Charan Sarai. Charan is an amazing trainer but more importantly is a rock-solid support for all Thornfield’s trainers. Charan’s influence not only makes me a better trainer but a better person. Charan inspires me with her pragmatic outlook on life, her patience and understanding and can-do attitude. I couldn’t do what I do for Thornfield’s without Charan’s support.

I think it would be unfair to not give a shout out to Emma O’Sullivan. Emma’s practical support to trainers is exceptional. If you forget something, Emma will have it covered. Thanks Emma!

Q. How would you sum up the Thornfields team? What do you put Thornfield’s success in the marketplace down to?

The Thornfield’s team are amazing. Helpful, friendly and nothing is ever too much trouble. They know their stuff, are good at what they do and that is the reason for their success.  

Q. And finally… how do you relax at the end of a busy day?

I read a good book before going to sleep.