Welcome to another empowering episode of The Safety Consultant Podcast, hosted by Sheldon Primus. Whether you're a seasoned EHS professional, building your own consulting business, or new to the field, this episode is packed with practical strategies to elevate your training effectiveness and sharpen your consulting edge. Broadcasting from a small town in Minnesota, Sheldon Primus revisits and upgrades his classic "5 Tips to Be the Favorite Instructor," now including essential guidance for both in-person and online safety training. Tune in as Sheldon Primus walks you through actionable steps to engage learners, handle unexpected disruptions, and deliver value that gets you invited back time and again.

Sequence of Topics Covered

1. Introduction to the Podcast and Host

Sheldon Primus welcomes listeners to the Safety Consultant Podcast 01:03
Emphasis on blending safety expertise with business acumen
Audience: Safety professionals, new consultants, and those interested in safety

2. Purpose and Content of the Podcast

Teaching the business of being a safety consultant 01:42
Coverage of OSHA compliance, regulatory requirements, and safety management systems

3. Setting and Personal Context

Sheldon Primus records from Magnolia, Minnesota 02:14
Reflection on life as a traveling safety consultant and RVer
Mention of previous episodes with industry peer Jill James and her association

4. Revisiting a Previous Episode: “5 Tips to Be the Favorite Instructor”

Reference to episode 106, originally aired in 2021 03:58
Outline of the five original tips:
- Know your material inside out
- Be prepared for disasters
- Don’t preach but teach
- Be respectful and personable to facility staff
- Always help set up and tear down

5. Expanded Tips for Modern Safety Training

a. Know Your Material Inside and Out 07:11

Importance of deep knowledge for flexibility and engagement
Being able to go off script to clarify or elaborate for learners
Using real-world analogies and stories
Visualization techniques to prepare for training sessions
Taking students on a storytelling journey (hero, villain, conflict, resolution) 11:03

b. Be Prepared for Disasters 12:49

Carrying backup equipment and connectors
Having a long HDMI cord and other AV tools
Bringing personal hotspot and backup devices 13:59
Arriving early to account for technical or logistical issues

c. Don’t Preach, Teach 15:19

Avoiding a lecturing or punitive delivery
Relating OSHA standards to on-the-job realities
Incorporating practical examples and engagement
Minimizing reading directly from PowerPoint slides

d. Be Respectful and Personable 17:31

Treating the training site as someone else’s space 17:41
Cleaning up, resetting the room, and showing courtesy to staff
Bringing personal supplies (markers, erasers, etc.)
Being polite and helpful beyond just teaching delivery

e. Always Help Set Up and Tear Down

Actively involve yourself in logistical tasks before and after training 19:13

6. Additional Tips for Online Training

Engaging online learners through chat and direct questions 19:24
Encouraging use of chat features to foster participation 19:40
Utilizing break-out rooms for peer-to-peer learning 20:18
Using online games (e.g. Game Show Pro via learningware.com) to boost testing and engagement 21:04
Offering digital raffles and prizes

7. Business Calls to Action

Inviting listeners to enroll in the Safety Consultant 101 Course at safetyconsultantblueprint.com 23:23
Encouraging prospects interested in coaching to visit sheldon.coach and fill out the intake form 24:07

Each segment is filled with structured, actionable advice aimed at elevating safety consultants’ training delivery and supporting their business growth.

Ready to unlock the next level in your consulting business?
~Explore the Safety Consultant 101 Course at safetyconsultantblueprint.com, or get one-on-one business coaching with Sheldon at sheldon.coach.