Has your training become static, repetitive, and moribund?

“Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund.”

Anthony Bourdain

First things first. Yes, I had to look up the word “moribund”. Two elements of the definition that jumped out at me regarding training are: 

1. On the verge of becoming obsolete.
2. In a dying state; dying; at the point of death. 

Do one or both of those elements describe your training from the perspective of the people who attend it? 

How willing are you to ask questions of people who have a greater level of skill, knowledge, understanding, expertise and experience than you? How willing are you to ask questions of your peers, your students, your administration, and those you serve? Just as importantly, how receptive are you to people asking you questions about your training, why you teach what you teach, in the order and manner you teach it? 

How willing are you to experiment and try new things? When was the last time you made changes to your training to reflect the evidence related to effective teaching, coaching, and learning? Are you delivering training in a manner that lends itself to understanding, learning, retention and the ability to recall and apply what was taught? Or are you still using blocked and siloed training, rote repetition without context and teaching to the test? 

What have you done in the last 6 months to invest in yourself to make yourself a better trainer? What about the last 12 months? What have you read? What have you listened to? What courses and webinars have you attended? What conferences have you attended in? 

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

Maya Angelou

What have you done in the last 6 months to improve your training? What have you done to apply what you learned? What have you done to share what you learned with other trainers and participants in your training? 

Knowledge is not power, it is potential. The potential to inspire others to dream more, do more, learn more and become more. Knowledge that is not put into action and shared is of limited value.  

As you look to make changes in your training focus on your Circles of Control and Influence. Start with small changes keeping in mind the advice from Robert Cooper PhD, “Where might the smallest change make the biggest difference.” Once you make a change take the time to reflect and assess the impact, iterate as necessary and then repeat the process over and over and over. 

Training is too important to allow it to become static, repetitive, and moribund. 

Take care.

Brian Willis

Winning Mind Training –  Providing practical training to law enforcement professionals in the areas of instructor development, Performance Enhancement Imagery, leadership and mindset.  

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