Law enforcement is one of the most complex and demanding professions in society. Trainers play a critical role in preparing the minds and bodies of the heroic men and women they train to perform at the highest levels while dealing with complex and challenging tasks in dynamic and often chaotic environments. So, what are you doing to continually develop the skills and knowledge of your training cadre so they can accomplish their mission? A 40-hour instructor development course and a 40-hour instructor course in some system of control tactics, firearms, or EVOC should be just a piece of the … [Read more...]

If the participants in our training are disengaged, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?” If the participants in our training are not retaining what we are teaching, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?” If the participants in our training do not understand the application of the training to the real-world environment they will have to function in, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?” If the people we “trained” fail to perform at … [Read more...]

“Did you get a certificate for the course you attended?” is a question of little value. Better questions would be, “What did you learn on that course? What are you doing to apply what you learned? What are you doing to share what you learned?” “How was the conference?” is a question of limited value. Better questions could be, “What did you learn at that conference? What are you doing to apply what you learned? What are you doing to share what you learned?” “What nonfiction books have you read lately?” is a question of some possible value. Better questions might be, “What nonfiction … [Read more...]

One of the blogs / newsletters I subscribe to is The Daily Coach. Once a week there is an edition titled The Daily Coach - “Notes” of an Elder. In a recent edition of “Notes” of an Elder there were four insights that jumped out at me that I wanted to share and encourage you to ponder.  Successful people are measured by the lives they've improved. Your character is more important than your credentials. Don't get too comfortable with your opinions. They are just opinions, not facts. The real test of an idea isn't whether it's true but whether it's useful. I hope you found … [Read more...]

Is it necessary for participants in training to be intrinsically motivated? Necessary? No. Important? Yes. Why? Here are a few reasons: As a trainer you do not control learning. You cannot make people learn. You control the learning / training environment. The participants control learning. The key for you as a trainer then is to create a training environment that is most conducive to learning and part of that is creating an environment that helps foster and support intrinsic motivation.  In the mid 1980’s Edward Deci and Richard Ryan wrote a book titled Intrinsic … [Read more...]

I am not a fan of the term “21st Century Policing”. I believe it is a problematic term for several reasons: I am, however, an advocate of The Infinite Game and enhancing the policing profession long term. While this may seem hypocritical based on what I wrote in the first paragraph, let me explain. Because the term “The Infinite Game” is not about a finite amount of time, like a century, it brings a different image to mind. The Infinite Game is about what are you doing today, to help build a better future. What you are doing today to ensure you leave your team, squad, division, agency … [Read more...]

I have written before about the dangers of dogma in police training; thinking there is only one model, philosophy, system, or way to teach, coach, and train. I have also shared my support for the philosophy of Professional Judgement and Decision Making (PJDM) in Coaching / Training. PJDM is also known as, “It Depends Coaching”.  Personally, I am not concerned if trainers can memorize the sometimes-confusing terminology of some pedagogical models or philosophies of teaching, or if they can recite the textbook definitions. If they can, great, but I don’t believe it is necessary. What I do … [Read more...]

Yes, I know the title alone has already pissed off some firearms trainers but hear me out. I am not advocating that we devote fewer hours to firearms training in the academy or in any way diminishing the role of firearms trainers. In fact, I believe we need to enhance the role of firearms trainers.  The reason I pose this question about shooting fewer live rounds is linked to a question I have been pondering, which is, “Is the poor shooting performance during deadly force encounters on the street a result of poor shooting mechanics, or the result of a potential training gap?” I … [Read more...]

In today’s world we have access to more information than ever. There are blogs, books, courses, podcasts, conferences, articles, and a seemingly endless stream of research available on topics related to teaching, coaching, learning, psychology, physiology, human factors, human error, and a host of other topics related to human performance.  There are several seemingly conflicting theories related to effective teaching methodologies, which add to the confusion and overwhelm. However, as Chris Cushion PhD and several other experts have explained to me, these are all ‘theories’ and when you … [Read more...]

Last week I wrote about the importance of desirable difficulties, struggle, and friction as part of the learning journey. It is critical, however, for trainers to realize that effective training is not about having your trainees struggle all training session, every training session. Even if the learners learn to Embrace the Struggle, Embrace the Suck and trust the process, constant struggle in training can come with both a motivational and a physical cost. There are several factors to consider when planning training sessions. A few of those considerations include:  Years ago, we … [Read more...]