Winning Mind Training

  • Home
  • About
    • About Winning Mind
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Courses Listing / Calendar
    • Training Schedule
    • Course Descriptions
      • Dare To Be Great Leadership: Strategies to Help Build and Sustain a Culture of Leading, Learning and Excellence
      • Dare to Be Great: Strategies for Creating a Culture of Leading
      • Dare To Be Great Leadership 2.0: Continuing the Journey of Building a Culture of Leading, Learning and Excellence
      • Dare To Be Great Leadership: Strategies to Help Build and Sustain a Culture of Leading, Learning and Excellence
      • Excellence In Training
      • Performance Enhancement Imagery
      • PPCT Threat Pattern Recognition Use of Force Instructor Course
      • Ground Fighting and A.C.E. Edged Weapons Defense Instructor Course
      • Lessons From Life’s Most Powerful Question
  • Resources
  • Contact Us

July 19, 2022 By Brian Willis

Professional skepticism is a virtue. 

In a recent blog post titled Skepticism and Denial , Seth Godin shared an important message for trainers: 

Skepticism is a virtue. It requires a willingness to question conventional wisdom, and the guts to accept something after you discover that it’s actually true.

Denialism, on the other hand, is a willful rejection of reality. It’s safe and easy, and unproductive. Because there’s no room to change your mind.

A level of skepticism is valuable for trainers as you need to be willing to question conventional wisdom when it comes to training techniques, tactics, and methodologies. 

“It is a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on things you have long taken for granted.”

Bertrand Russell

A healthy level of skepticism will allow you to hang a question mark on things you have long taken for granted. It will also allow you to have the guts to accept when you discover that the evidence and research do not support your current way of teaching and training. When that happens you also need to have the guts to change your training. Sadly, denialism is alive and well in the training world.

A healthy level of skepticism will also allow you to question the claims of trainers and training organizations who claim that a particular system, a new program they just developed based on the hot topic of the day or a specific style of martial arts will solve all the problems facing the law enforcement profession. The challenges facing the profession are complex and multi layered. No program or system has all the answers. You need to have a hard look at the training content and the background of the trainers before investing time, money, and energy, all of which are limited commodities.

As a trainer you should encourage the participants in your courses to be skeptical and ask questions instead of blindly accepting your statements as gospel. When you are a student in a course, bring a healthy level of professional skepticism to the training. Ask questions, seek clarification, then follow up and test the material and check the references and supporting documentation. Professional skepticism does not mean yelling at the instructor, trying to embarrass the instructor or stating, “this is “f_ _ _ king bullshit”, all of which I have encountered from fellow trainers.  Professional skepticism is asking intelligent questions to seek understanding of the material; theirs, and yours. 

Be wary however, of letting your healthy skepticism turn into unhealthy cynicism. This is a slippery slope and easy to go down. If you reach that point you need to reassess your frame of mind or get the hell out of training. 

Maintain your healthy skepticism and have the courage to hang a question mark on things we have all taken for granted.

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.  

The Excellence in Training Academy – A membership site for law enforcement trainers seeking to invest in their ongoing professional development. Join Now.

Dare to Be Great Leadership – Providing practical leadership training.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Subscribe To Our Blog

Sign up to the Winning Mind Training blog to receive new articles, tips and posts directly to your email inbox.

Excellence In Training Blog

  • Building the bridge of change brick by brick.  September 12, 2023
  • Is your training potentially setting your people up for failure? September 5, 2023
  • The dogma and debate about “the best” system of control tactics or martial arts for police professionals. August 21, 2023
  • Step away from dogma and focus on evidence informed principles.  August 15, 2023
  • Policing is a phenomenon, not a calling. August 1, 2023

Contact Winning Mind Training

Address:
246 Stewart Green S.W., Suite #2486
Calgary AB. Canada. T3H 3C8

Phone: 403-279-5954

Email: winningmind@mac.com

Connect With Us

  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Winning Mind Training is a proud member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. To get more information and to find out how you can become a member of the Chamber of Commerce go to www.calgarychamber.com

Events

  • Dare to Be Great leadership - Closed Workshop
    • Tuesday, Oct 03, 2023
  • Dare To Be Great Leadership: Strategies to Help Build and Sustain a Culture of Leading, Learning and Excellence - Rio Rancho, New Mexico
    • Monday, Oct 09, 2023 - Tuesday, Oct 10, 2023
    • Rio Rancho
  • Excellence in Training Course - Rio Rancho, NM
    • Wednesday, Oct 11, 2023 - Friday, Oct 13, 2023
    • Rio Rancho
  • Copyright © 2023 · Winning Mind Training