Excellence in Training – Retribution? Respond? React?

“He deserved it,” is usually the explanation we hear for behavior that strikes us as unproductive, inhumane or counter-productive. The bully is always happy to point a finger at the person he hurt, to cast blame for his inexcusable actions.

Retribution is a habit, usually a learned one. It’s tit for tat, the instinct to punish.

That’s a very different posture than the one the productive professional takes. She says, “I choose to take actions that are effective.” She chooses a response designed to produce the outcome she seeks, actions that work.

We can react or respond, as my friend Zig used to say. When we react to a medicine, that’s a bad thing. When we respond, it’s working.

When the world dumps something at our door, we can take the shortcut and allow ourselves to react. We can point out that whatever we do is happening because the other side deserved it. Tantrums are okay, in this analysis, because the other guy made us.

Or we can respond. With something that works. With an approach we’re proud of, proud of even after the moment has passed. It’s not easy, it’s often not fun, but it’s the professional’s choice.

With all the anti-police hype going on across North America it is critical that you continue to teach your officers the difference between responding and reacting and remind them of the dangers of falling into the trap of retribution. Now, more than ever, law enforcement professionals need to remain calm, focused, in control, confident and professional as they continue to serve their communities. 

Take care.

Brian Willis 

Inspiring law enforcement trainers to utilize  Life’s Most Powerful Question – What’s Important Now?  to think differently about training. 

Here are the links to two recent articles:

We Don’t Do Easy

Enough Already

We have Excellence in Training Courses scheduled for 2015 in Scottsdale, AZ, Fort Worth, TX and Madison, WI. Go to  www.brianw260.sg-host.com to register now while there is still room.

If you would like to book me to speak at your event or to your agency on Excellence in Training, The Heroes Path to Excellence in Law Enforcement, The Pursuit of Personal Excellence or W.I.N.: Lessons From Life’s Most Powerful Question contact me at winningmind@mac.com.