“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
People will pay more attention to what you do, than what you say. This is true of your children, your peers, the public and the officers attending your training.
As a trainer are your behaviours consistent with your message?
Do you admonish your officers for never training between mandatory training sessions, but only train when you you are told to attend training or classify your teaching sessions as your teaching?
Do you preach about the importance of wearing body armour all the times, but never wear body armour when you are teaching, in the academy or the office or when you are traveling between training sites?
Do you talk to officers about the importance of fitness, but have allowed yourself to get out of shape?
Do you have strict rules for students to follow when they are in your class such as no e-mailing, texting or side conversations, but violate many of those same rules when you are sitting in the back of the room auditing someone else’s class or attending a class as a student?
Do you preach about the importance of the five tenets of Below 100 then violate some or all of them on a regular basis?
As a trainer you are a very public figure in your agency. You are a role model and an example for others in your department. If your actions are inconsistent with the messages you preach in training your officers will:
a) See you as a hypocrite and ignore your message, or
b) Mimic your actions and ignore your message.
Being a trainer is tough. You have to continually be aware of what you say, how you say it and the message you are communicating with your words and your actions. As a trainer you have tremendous influence within your organization. That position of influence comes with a great deal of responsibility and accountability. Being a trainer is also very rewarding because of the ability you have to positively impact your organization and influence the abilities and behaviours of your officers.
Be aware of what you are saying and what you are doing and ensure the message is consistent.
Take care.
Brian Willis
Committed to maximizing human potential through Life’s Most Powerful Question.
At Winning Mind Training we are driven by our dedication to inspiring the pursuit of personal excellence and our belief that every law enforcement officer deserves to experience awesome training.
If you like the Excellence in Training philosophy make sure you attend the comprehensive and one of a kind Excellence in Training Course. Check out our website at www.winningmindtraining.com for a list of upcoming dates and locations for the Excellence in Training Course.
To book Brian to speak at your event or to your officers contact him at winningmind@mac.com.
Address: