A challenging training situation is anything that has the potential to interfere with successful completion of a learning event. It can originate with a participant, session leader, the program itself, or some factor that’s external to the immediate learning environment.

Challenging training situations can arise as a result of a number of factors, many of which can be avoided with advance preparation that:

• Clarifies goals and expectations about what will be learned, and how the learning will take place.
• Resolves deficient instructional content and processes that don’t do all they can to engage and involve participants.
• Facilitates effective participant selection, ensuring individuals represent the appropriate mix of positions and background, and have the required baseline knowledge, skill and motivation to participate in a meaningful way.
• Balances the needs of individual participants with those of the group, and effectively aligns those with program and organizational goals.
• Considers issues and events outside of the learning environment that have an impact. These can be personal, cultural, organizational, and/or social.

As a manager, you're responsible for accomplishing work through others. There are three important reasons for you to delegate:

1. You can't do it all - the very nature of a management position dictates this.
2. Your job as a manager is to focus on the work only you can do - while that may involve some technical work, it also includes planning, administration, coaching and team building. You can't do that if you're focused on work others can - and should - do.
3. Your success depends on it - refer to points 1 and 2. Also, since your success as a manager is measured in part by how well you develop others, it makes good sense for you to delegate.