Q. After just two weeks of retirement, the company I worked for asked me to come back and train new employees part time. I'm having a great time teaching the young and excited employees; however, I have yet to master the art of dealing with a disruptive person during my training. What can I do to combat negative and disruptive behavior in my classes?

A. It is good that you recognize the importance of disruptive behavior in training as an issue that should not be ignored. Dysfunctional behavior has the potential to undermine your whole training session. It is imperative to prevent disruption from ruining the training session. Here are a few ideas that will be helpful in curbing disruptive behavior.

1. Ask a question. If a response seems off target, consider digging a bit further to understand the person by saying "That's an interesting view. Why do you feel that way?" We may find that our perspectives are not as far off as originally presumed.

2. Read verbal and nonverbal cues. If a person seems uninterested, engage them. Getting them involved in the discussion and lesson will help prevent disruptive behavior in the future.

3. Keep it private. Have a private discussion with a disruptive class member. The intimate setting can help to diffuse the situation, and is much more effective than calling someone out in front of the whole class.

4. Reinforce. Positive behavior should be reinforced. By reinforcing positive behavior for just one person you provide a guideline of how to act for the whole class.

5. Move on. It's very important to resolve the issue and move on. Remember disruptive behavior is a roadblock to your training goals. It needs to be addressed but not dwelled upon.