Think about it! This applies to everything, not just fire department training. Remember the movie “Field of Dreams” and the belief that “if you build it they will come?” Apply the same concept to fire department training. Create training sessions that encourage people to attend. It all starts with your approach to the training. There is no reason for individuals to get excited about their next training session if you, the person giving it, are not excited about it. Imagine getting ready to go to training, getting there, and the person leading the session saying, “I know you don’t want to be here, me either, but we have to put in the time.” Sound familiar? Is that you?
Here’s a few simple ways to change your mindset and, through performance, the mindset of your students.
- Prepare for each session as if you were learning the material.
- Put yourself in the student’s position.
- Challenge yourself, don’t take the easy or lazy approach
- Challenge the student, you’ll lose them before you start if you don’t
- Keep everyone involved
- If they need to know the material, make sure you tell them why. Not because you say so but because it makes a difference in their job. It’s up to you to make them believe in reasons why.
- Be able to explain WHY. Someone will ask. Be prepared to handle the question! If you’re not then you shouldn’t be teaching the material.
- Don’t teach outside your knowledge, it’s sure to bring the entire session to the ground, fast!
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