“The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds”
Mark Twain
Every trainer who has come up with a new and innovative idea for a training technique, training methodology or piece of equipment was “considered a crank”, at first. Many became the object of ridicule by their peers; until the idea became successful. They were told all the reasons it would not work. All reasons why, “cops will never buy into that”. Just ask Ken Murray about his experiences when he first introduced FX Marking Cartridges to the law enforcement training community. Like FX Marking Cartridges many of those innovations are now commonplace in training and everyone just takes the tool, technique or methodology for granted.
If you have ideas on how to enhance the training and learning experience for your officers, then you have an obligation to grow the courage to share and implement your ideas. Be prepared for the reality that it may make you a target for the skeptics and cynics for a while. You have to be willing to be considered “a crank”. You have to be willing to be the brunt of the jokes and the object of ridicule. You have to be prepared for the push back on your ideas. You have to be prepared for those skeptics and the cynics.
I speak from experience as I have gotten some pretty ugly e-mails from law enforcement officers who disagreed with the thoughts and ideas I shared in articles articles I had written for online law enforcement publications. I have also experienced some very strong push back during my Excellence in Training Course regarding the use of imagery in law enforcement training. I have had trainers tell me imagery was a bunch of f…ing bullshit and that cops would never buy into it. On one course I actually had two trainers walk out part way through a week long course because they thought Imagery for Cops was bullshit. Trainers however, who kept an open mind regarding Imagery for Cops (even if they were skeptical at first) and had the courage to go back to their agencies and build it into training have experienced great success. Imagery is nothing new. It has been used extensively for decades in athletics. In law enforcement we have talked about mental rehearsal, crisis rehearsal and when – then thinking (all forms of imagery) for years. However, the formal structured use of imagery as I teach it in the Excellence in Training Course and the Imagery for Cops workshop is new, and uncomfortable for some trainers.
What is your idea, or innovation? Are you willing to “be the crank” and get the idea out there?
Take care and always remember Life’s Most Powerful Question – What’s Important Now?
Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training – Inspiring Change through Excellence in Training.
Interested in hosting an Excellence in Training Presentation, Seminar or Course? Please contact to me at winningmind@mac.com and we can work together to determine what will best suit your needs. Make sure you ask about the Seminar / Mentor package.
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