Last week I asked what mindset you had regarding training – A Job, Career or Calling. I am assuming if you are reading this you have either the Career or Calling mindset. In the last part of my career with the Calgary Police Service I was fortunate to supervise a full time training unit where everyone had a Career or Calling mindset. If you saw training as a job, you did not get into that unit.
Not all trainers are as lucky as I was. You might be the only trainer in your agency. Or, you might be the only trainer who sees training as a career or a calling. You might be the one who is always trying to innovate, integrate and change the way you design and deliver training and engage learners and the other trainers see you as a pain in the ass. At times the life of a committed trainer can be lonely.
To maintain your passion, perseverance and commitment you need to belong to a community of like minded people, you need ongoing professional development, you need mentors and role models and you need constant exposure to new ideas and new ways of thinking, leading and training.
There are two places where you can get all of that.
- The International Law Enforcement Educators and trainers Association – ILEETA (www.ileeta.org). ILEETA is an organization of law enforcement trainers from around the world. ILEETA a community of people who, like you, see training as a career or a calling. Many of us started out viewing training as a career and discovered over time that it was in fact our calling. ILEETA is, and always has been, an organization of peers. We are all trainers. Some have been doing it longer than others and some have more name recognition but, we are all committed to the same cause – serving the men and women of law enforcement by providing quality training. The ILEETA community is willing to set ego aside for the betterment of the the men and women who serve their communities through the law enforcement profession. If you are looking for mentors, role models and inspiration the annual conference is an event you need to attend annually. The 2017 conference is March 20 to 25 in St. Louis. If you are not a member of ILEETA, join today. Start saving now so even if your agency will not pay for you to attend the 2017 conference you can make the investment to attend on your own, it will change your life and your ideas about great training.
- The Excellence in Training Academy (www.excellenceintrainingacademy.com). The Excellence in Training Academy is a membership site committed to the professional development of law enforcement trainers. I launched the Academy in August of 2015 as a result of my frustration at the lack of easily accessible professional development training (between ILEETA conferences) designed specifically for law enforcement trainers. For an investment of less than $1.00 per day you get access to new professional development content every week. The content is in the form of interviews with trainers and subject matter experts from across North America on issues such as resilience, leadership, evidence based training, mindset, lessons from legends in law enforcement training, problem based learning, myths of motor learning, lessons from the science regarding human factors and problem based learning. There are also webinars designed to help enhance the way that you train. The Academy is a community of law enforcement trainers committed to becoming great at what they do in order to best serve the courageous men and women of law enforcement. There are Individual and Training Unit membership packages available. Use the code eitblog to get the first month free.
As you pursue your career or your calling in training it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are like minded trainers out there who are willing to connect with you, share with you, learn from you, mentor you and be of service to you. Make the commitment today to become a member of those communities.
Take care.
Brian Willis
Winning Mind Training – Dedicated to helping good trainers become great trainers and great trainers to deliver awesome training.
Helping you on your journey to become a great trainer. – The Excellence in Training Academy – Where trainers come to grow. Join the Community of trainers committed to the pursuit of excellence in and through training. Use the code eitblog to get the first month free.
Interested in hosting an Excellence in Training Presentation, Seminar or Course? Contact to me at winningmind@mac.com and we can work together to determine what will best suit your needs.
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