We’ve all been there—thirty minutes into a session, your throat is dry, your energy’s fading, and you realize you’ve been talking nonstop. Meanwhile, learners are dutifully taking notes… or quietly checking email. The more you talk, the less they engage—and you can feel them slipping away.
It’s a common trap for trainers. We want the group to walk out energized and equipped, but somewhere between “covering content” and “keeping control,” we start carrying the entire training ourselves.
Here’s the shift that changed everything for me: training isn’t something we deliver to learners—it’s something we co-create with them.
Once I started shifting from top-down teaching (me explaining everything) to bottom-up collaboration (them discovering it), engagement—and ownership—skyrocketed. Learners stopped just hearing ideas and started building them.
That’s what bottom-up training is all about: instead of information flowing from trainer to learner, it’s learning that builds from the learners up.
The Shift: Who Owns the Training?
For a long time, I thought ownership was on me—the trainer. I built the decks, knew the models, kept the energy up, filled the silences.
But here’s the truth: ownership is shared.
It’s on both of us—the trainer and the learners. My job is to create the space, structure, and psychological safety for people to explore, challenge, and apply concepts. Their job is to bring their context, curiosity, and willingness to test what they learn.
When both sides own the experience, something amazing happens: learning sticks. It becomes personal, relevant, and something they’re proud of—because they helped create it.
To make that happen, I use what I call the 5Cs of Bottom-Up Training—five ways to put learners to work in the learning.
The 5Cs of Bottom-Up Training
1. Context
Start with their world, not your content.
When I’m training on coaching, I begin by asking: “Who’s someone you need to coach right now?” It could be an underperformer, or someone who’s ready for a new challenge. Write that name (or initials) down—and why you chose them.
We spend the rest of the session building skills around that real situation. Every exercise, every reflection, connects back to that person. By the end, learners don’t just understand the concepts—they’ve already applied them to a real coaching conversation.
That’s what relevance looks like. Context turns abstract ideas into something they can use.
2. Curiosity
Instead of telling people what a concept means, let them experience it.
In a virtual Agile 101 session, I wanted learners to feel agility—not just hear about it. So I gave each breakout group a challenge: one person had access to a picture, and the rest had to recreate it. The person with the picture could answer questions, but couldn’t tell anyone what to draw.
To succeed, they had to ask questions, test ideas, and try before they were ready.
Afterward, we debriefed. They realized what “experimenting,” “learning from failure,” and “asking before assuming” actually felt like. I didn’t have to tell them the value of agility—they lived it.
3. Collaboration
This is where the magic happens.
When you open the floor for brainstorming or debate, you shift the learning from lecture to collective problem-solving.
For example, during a leadership session, I’ll ask, “What’s the risk of not applying this concept?” or “What could applying this look like in your role?”
Sometimes the answers conflict—and that’s where rich discussion starts. I’ll build on their ideas (“Yes, and what might happen if you tried that?”), which models how they can build on each other’s, too.
Soon the group starts driving the conversation. You can feel it: you’re not carrying the training anymore. They are.
4. Coaching
Even in the training room, your role isn’t to give all the answers—it’s to help learners find their own.
Your job isn’t to hand them the right answer—it’s to help them refine their own. When a someone challenges a concept (“This won’t work in our department”), don’t shut it down. Explore it. Ask, “What makes it hard?” and “What would need to change for this to fit?”
This keeps psychological safety high and turns resistance into reflection. Learners feel seen, not corrected—and that’s the foundation for growth.
5. Commitment
The final step is turning insights into action.
Before wrapping up, I’ll ask participants to name one opportunity to apply what they learned before our next session. They drop it in the chat (if virtual), or share it with a partner.
If there’s time, we map out the plan:
- When they’ll do it
- Where and with whom
- Expected outcome
- Barriers they might face—and how to navigate them
Speaking it out loud builds accountability; refining it builds clarity. That’s where ownership sticks.
Why It Works
Bottom-up training changes everything about how learners engage. They’re not waiting to be told—they’re discovering, building, and applying.
It’s more than just interactive. It’s empowering. Learners leave not only knowing what to do, but feeling capable—and responsible—for doing it.
And honestly? It’s more fun for us, too. You’re no longer performing for a quiet audience—you’re facilitating a room full of thinkers, builders, and doers.
Try It: Flip One Activity
In your next session, take one activity and flip it.
Instead of explaining first, pose a question or challenge that lets learners figure it out together.
Watch how the room changes. Energy rises. Discussion deepens. People own their takeaways because they built them.
Because training isn’t about how much you deliver—it’s about how much they own.
Want to help your trainers master the 5Cs and turn content delivery into co-created learning?
🚀 Check out Letskillup Train the Trainer programs—designed to build facilitation confidence, deepen engagement, and drive real behavior change.
The Trainer’s Blog 
Leave a comment