The article I posted below was taken from officer.com. The article was about Creating High Performers. Often, in CAP members (myself included) can use the reasoning of "Im just a volunteer." to justify training deficiencies, or to complain about a new training requirements. Often, when CAP attempts to make standards that may exclude some members based on required experience, required course completion, etc. the complaints come in about the sure-to-come decline in membership, lack of participation, etc. In the near and dear discussion of uniforms, again, challenging our membership to present a professional military appearance without becoming a dreaded CAP uniform Nazi has always been an issue.
Our standards in ES, whether it be a Mission Pilot, Observer, Scanner or ground pounder, should be to the level where being a CAP (fill in the blank with any CAP specialty) causes people to do a double take and be impressed. In my experience as a Mission Pilot, being a CAP Mission Pilot should be an accomplishment recognized in the aviation community, not something you become to build flight time as a young pilot. It should be a challenge to become and remain a Mission Pilot or Ground Team Leader or IC.
Just because you are a non-paid volunteer, you die just as easy as the full timer when your on duty. Even more so, a paid member can't leave without dire consequences. You as the volunteer make the choice on a minute to minute basis to stay when its easier to leave.
In Cadet Programs, Cadets desire to be challenged. Have you ever seen the look on a cadets face when you decide to cancel uniform inspection? If you were a cadet, you know what I mean. If you were not, listen up. Your cadets spend hours pressing and shinning because they want you to be proud of them. They want to show off and strut their stuff. Challenge them to perform. If you do not, they will stop performing. And that expands far beyond uniforms. If your cadets have promotion review boards, make them KNOW that they earned the right to pass the review board. If they need to make presentations, make them GIVE IT!
Being a former Marine NCO, I can testify to the portion of the article that relates to military recruiting. While all of the other services were touting "job skills", "money for college" and "travel", the Marines said, "Your life will be harder, your standards will be higher, and you will be required to run farther and faster for the same pay as the other service members." People flocked in droves to join the Marines. We didnt promise you a rose garden as they say
Why do people join the SEALS, Paratroopers, SWAT, work under cover, become CEO's or managers in their organizations or volunteer to be Squadron Commanders or Wing Commanders? Because people respond to being a cut above. Why do people join CAP and often times end up working what seem like full time jobs for free? Because we desire the opportunity to lead and influence others. We decided to live a life of inconveniences to place ourselves a cut above our peers and to be part of the solution and not be just another drone shuffling to and from. Many of us live in worlds that have nothing to do with what we encounter in CAP however we have chosen to devote the time and energy to becoming technically and tactically proficient for the betterment of others and the organization. Although we are all come from different parts of the country, and have different and sometimes passionate views on many issues, in the end, I believe any one of us would come to the defense of another member in any given scenario because of our common bond. I would encourage you to read the article below and find ways in your areas to raise the bar.
___________________________________________________________
VAL VAN BROCKLIN
Training Contributor
Officer.com
Last month in an article entitled The Power of Belief--YOU Can Create High Performers we looked at how your beliefs and expectations--as a law enforcement leader or trainer-- can predestine recruit and officer performance. This month we take up the challenge of how to put your beliefs and expectations into action to create high performing officers.
Call Your Recruits and Officers to BIG, HEROIC Challenges
Some years ago, Time magazine wrote about the problem our "all volunteer" military was having filling their enlistment quotas with recruits that met minimum standards. Can any of you relate?
The military pointed to the economy--blaming low unemployment and a private sector that offered flex-time, profit sharing, better benefits, career changes and advancement. They considered a two-prong approach. First, they tried to compete with the private sector by touting sign up bonuses, paid college tuition, and career training that could later be parlayed into big bucks in the private sector (presumably when the soldier declined to re-enlist). And, they looked at their standards. Can any of you relate?
Faced with this dilemma, what did the Marines do? They raised their standards. Let's get this straight. The Marines said, "We don't pay any more than those other branches. We don't offer any more educational or other benefits. In fact, we're harder to get into and harder to stay in. But join us, because we expect and demand more of you." Yeah, right. So which branch of the armed forces has consistently met or exceeded its recruitment goals with soldiers who meet higher standards? The Marines.
What's the lesson here for law enforcement leaders and trainers? Whenever you have a goal you want to enlist recruits or officers to work towards, frame it as the biggest, toughest, seemingly impossible goal possible. People are drawn to grand, heroic adventures more than small tasks. That's the problem with "dumbing down." Asking small things of people, makes them feel small.
George Orwell said it,
The high sentiments always win in the end, the leaders who offer blood, toil, tears, and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.
The best leaders understand that calling people to big, tough challenges signals a belief in their heroic potential. This belief by their leader enlarges the spirit and strength of people. Calling people to noble endeavors does something else. It creates meaning in the work being done. People want deeper meaning in their lives.
What's that some of you Baby Boomers (41 to 60 years of age) and Veterans (61 years and older) say? Gen X and Gen Y don't want anything tough? You can try telling that to the Marines, but they're not buying it. One of their recent commercials shows Marines in the mud, in the cold, sleep deprived, straining, grimacing. In exchange the Corps offers simply, "Duty," "Honor," "Country." The Army isn't buying it. One of its recruitment ads after September 11th showed Army soldiers throughout history answering the call to protect and serve at great hardship to themselves. The ad ended with "Every generation has its heroes. This one is no different."
And I'm not buying it. I train recruits and officers all over the country--including men and women in their 20s and 30s. I tell them that Teddy Roosevelt, who was once the top cop of New York City, described well the path they've chosen,
The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena; whose faces are marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strive valiantly; who err and come short again and again...who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who at least know in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst if they fail, at least fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
George Orwell didn't say it any better. I've returned to the Academies where I've given Roosevelt's daunting message only to discover that the young recruits have emblazoned it on their class banner. The future of policing gets a consistent message from me--I expect heroic things of them.
Then Tell Them You Believe They Can Meet the Challenge
And I believe they will deliver.
At in international law enforcement training conference, the incomparable Dave Smith, aka J.D. "Buck" Savage," (or is it the other way around?) described a firearms training in which the instructor first gave all the female officers grip strengthening exercises. Then Dave asked his audience, "What belief did this communicate?" The audience wisely responded, "That the female officers were weak." The likely adverse effect on these officers was demonstrated in last month's article. (Similarly, if you believe Gen X and Y officers won't embrace tough challenges, you're setting up a self-fulfilling prophecy for them and you.) But, what do you do with a recruit or an officer that might need some extra remedial work? How do you raise their performance without signaling a belief that they are underperforming?
Continuing with Dave's example, first determine everyone's need without the burden of an instructor's preconceived beliefs. (Also make sure that grip strength is the issue, not gun fit. I can't palm a basketball but it has nothing to do with my grip strength. But, I digress.) Then, take those who need remedial measures aside and tell them that YOU and their community need them. That you believe they have an important contribution to make and they have what it takes to make it--no matter how tough the challenge. Tell them you so believe in them that you're going to give them extra work on top of an all ready demanding training--grip strengthening exercises (or whatever). And tell them, "Each and every time you work that grip I want you to say, 'I'm going to qualify,' because I believe you will."
And When They Meet the Challenge ...
What do you do when your recruits or officers achieve the high expectations you set for them? Recognize them and express your heartfelt appreciation. It sounds simple but research shows,
Only about 40% of North American workers say they receive recognition for a job well done.
Only 50% of managers say they give recognition for high-performance.
Unless this issue is addressed, the goal of achieving a high-performance workplace will remain unattainable.
Kepner-Tregoe, People and Their Jobs: What's Real, What's Rhetoric? Princeton, NJ.
Think that you already express big beliefs of your recruits and officers and acknowledge them in a meaningful way when they meet them? Let's see.
What Are You Doing to Mobilize Your Power of Belief?
Take the following test, adapted from Encouraging the Heart--A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.
Write the number from the following scale that best describes your response to the statements that follow.
1--almost never
2--once in a while
3--fairly often
4--often
5--almost always
I express high expectations about people's capabilities.
I let people know I have confidence in their abilities.
I pay more attention to the positive things people do than to the negative.
I personally acknowledge people for their contributions.
I make sure our department/group celebrates achievements together.
I am personally involved when we celebrate achievements.
I recognize people more in public than in private for their exemplary performance.
I express a positive and optimistic outlook, even when times are tough.
Now go back and list specifically what you're doing for any item you rated 2 through 5. Can't think of anything, or only one thing? Maybe you need to revise your rating. Then, if you're a truly courageous leader, ask your officers or recruits to evaluate you on these items.
Finally, a challenge for the heroes amongst you--soar to a 5 for every statement. Go ahead. I believe you can do it! And I know that when you do, you'll see recruits and officers rising to your expectations and working for your recognition.
The difficulty is balancing how high your standards need to be in order to get the job done given the amount of training time and money you have at your disposal. The other factor is the relevance of any additional training that might be proposed to the actual job. A lot of the complaining here about increased requirements have revolved around "safety" programs or the more generic ICS course requirements imposed last year, which while helpful don't do much to raise our performance.
I understand that you're trying to make a general statement about standards, so I won't get too down in the weeds on this, but since you suggested that CAP Mission Pilot should be recognized as an accomplishment of significance in the aviation community, lets focus on that.
I think the specific tasks that MPs are asked to perform to obtain that specialty are pretty much on target and I think there is some general agreement here that it would be preferable to have more additional training sorties before becoming qualified in most ES specialties, but whether we require 2 sorties or 20 to become qualified no one outside of CAP is going to really recognize that. Right now there are only a few thousand MPs out of hundreds of thousands of pilots in the US, so it is already a pretty exclusive club.
So, what could we do to raise standards for MPs that would make that specialty of such significance that the high standard itself might draw people to CAP?
:clap:
I'm shocked and disappointed that there are not more responses to this post. I wish my lunch hour was not ending in... 1 min or so...
Will respond in the next day or 2.... hopefully others will get in before me...
CAP's standards are in the various regulations concerning senior and cadet membership/behavior. Importing requirements from other organizations and places is well intended but just muddies the waters. if we just enforce the requirements on the books everyone will be OK. The unfortunate truth is that's not happening which is why this thread was created.
^^^ +1 :clap:
Quote from: RiverAux on September 27, 2009, 12:39:16 PM
The difficulty is balancing how high your standards need to be in order to get the job done given the amount of training time and money you have at your disposal. The other factor is the relevance of any additional training that might be proposed to the actual job. A lot of the complaining here about increased requirements have revolved around "safety" programs or the more generic ICS course requirements imposed last year, which while helpful don't do much to raise our performance.
I agree. Standards for standards sake is pointless. Meaningful standards which make the job enjoyable, safe and, effective make perfect sense. It is also important to train to these standards with proper motivation from our instructors/mentors. Volunteering for a job means; you
want to do it. However, good training is contingent upon a complex formula based on continued motivation, proper instruction, constructive feedback and, enough time.
A set of standards for John Jones, may be totally different for Mary Smith. What one person sees as a violation of a regulation, may just their interpretation and based on their upbringing. Peoples standards vary from person to person, and even from region to region of the country.
Training standards for ES achievements are spelled out in the regulations and the task guides. They shouldn't vary that much based on local interpretation. The requirement to be able to plot 10 points on a chart shouldn't be interpreted to mean can you find who has a chart.
There are training requirements levied on us that are at best ornerous. However, all the ICS training is a one-time only requirement. The few hours required to finished all the on-line ICS courses shouldn't be considered that big a price to pay to participate in CAP. However, some of the other recurring requirements get old fast and become a waste of time simply because they provided little to no useful (actionable) information and the person reading the slides or notes has no more knowledge of the subject than is on the slides or notes.
I really don't know how much longer I can sit through a safety briefing that consists of a person reading (poorly) the Sentinel - after the Wing has emailed it to everyone to read at home. It would be great if I ever got a safety briefing that actually provided tips on how to be safe instead of just listing the scrapes and crashes. This applies to some of the other subject areas as well.
Quote from: RiverAux on September 27, 2009, 12:39:16 PM
The difficulty is balancing how high your standards need to be in order to get the job done given the amount of training time and money you have at your disposal. The other factor is the relevance of any additional training that might be proposed to the actual job. A lot of the complaining here about increased requirements have revolved around "safety" programs or the more generic ICS course requirements imposed last year, which while helpful don't do much to raise our performance.
I understand that you're trying to make a general statement about standards, so I won't get too down in the weeds on this, but since you suggested that CAP Mission Pilot should be recognized as an accomplishment of significance in the aviation community, lets focus on that.
I think the specific tasks that MPs are asked to perform to obtain that specialty are pretty much on target and I think there is some general agreement here that it would be preferable to have more additional training sorties before becoming qualified in most ES specialties, but whether we require 2 sorties or 20 to become qualified no one outside of CAP is going to really recognize that. Right now there are only a few thousand MPs out of hundreds of thousands of pilots in the US, so it is already a pretty exclusive club.
So, what could we do to raise standards for MPs that would make that specialty of such significance that the high standard itself might draw people to CAP?
I agree it's always a balancing act. Risk versus reward. If we can do the mission effectively and safely then that is the goal. The more success we have in our assigned missions the natural course will be to draw people to CAP.
Just from my personal perspective getting and keeping qualified requires a tremendous commitment. I'm pursuing my instrument rating on my own time and dime because it makes my flying safer. I take physical fitness seriously for all the obvious reasons.
All about putting forth the effort needed to succeed and I'll admit it's a lot to juggle with family, job, deployments etc.
You just gotta want it.
edited to remove duplicate text