In many Basic Academies there is an evaluation of the training done at the end of the Academy where the recruits have the opportunity to evaluate the training they received.  I believe the purpose behind this is to give the recruits the opportunity to provide feedback on the training and the trainers, ideally so it can be used to enhance training in the future. My belief is that this type of evaluation has extremely limited value for a number of reasons: You are asking the recruits to reflect on four to six months of intense training in one evaluation. By the time the … [Read more...]

In one of his Optimize +1 posts earlier this year Brian Johnson shared some powerful advice he received years ago from author Steve Chandler regarding presentations. That advice was to focus on Connection over Perfection. For trainers and speakers this is important advice. It is easy to get caught up trying to deliver the perfect presentation where you say the perfect things at the perfect time while standing at the perfect place to 'anchor' that perfect point. The challenge is that you can be so focused on perfection that you fail to make the connection with your audience. Without that … [Read more...]

A question that came up in a conversation with a fellow trainer was, "At what point is a trainer no longer relevant?" This is something I have given a great deal of thought to as I get older. At 63 years of age and having been retired for 15 years I have asked myself, "Am I still relevant?" As I reflected on this question I came to the realization that I am asking the wrong question. The question is not whether I as a trainer am relevant or still relevant, it is whether the training I am delivering to a specific audience is relevant or still relevant. As a trainer, I am only as relevant … [Read more...]

"How do measure success as a trainer?" This is one of the questions I challenge people to answer during the Excellence in Training courses and workshops. One of the interviews I listened to last year on Impact Theory was with Talib Kweli. Not being a fan of rap or hip hop music I had never heard of him before. I enjoyed the interview, as I do with most of the ones I have listened to on Impact Theory and Health Theory with Tom Bilyeu. One of the topics Kweli talked about was success. He said: "Too often our definition of success is whoever has the most toys wins. Whoever is the most … [Read more...]

"Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life." Amy Poehler As the Sergeant of the Skills and Procedures Unit in the Training Section of the Calgary Police Service for the last 8 ½ years of my career, I had the pleasure of going to work every day with a group of people who challenged and inspired me. If that is not the case for you, then where do you find a group of people to spend time with who will challenge and inspire you to be a better trainer, teacher and coach? Here are some ideas. Read and study. There are a lot … [Read more...]