What piece of this do I / we own?

If the participants in our training are disengaged, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?”

If the participants in our training are not retaining what we are teaching, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?”

If the participants in our training do not understand the application of the training to the real-world environment they will have to function in, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?”

If the people we “trained” fail to perform at the expected levels in the field, instead of blaming them we need to step back and ask, “What piece of this do I / we own?”

It is easy to play the blame game and blame the people we train for their lack of learning and their lack of performance in the field. The problem is that if we always blame them, and never accept responsibility for our role then our training will never improve. Do the participants in training have a responsibility for their learning? Absolutely, but I do not control them. If I always see the responsibility for learning as a 50 / 50 proposition, then I will always blame them for not doing their part. It is only when I focus on my circle of control and circle of influence, accept 100% responsibility, and ask myself, “What piece of this do I own?” that I will take action to enhance the design and delivery of my training. 

As Sydney Dekker says, “You can blame, or you can learn. You cannot do both.” As challenging as it might be, let’s choose to learn by asking “What piece of this do I / we own?” and then taking action to address that piece. 

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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