Training: We Have Shooting, First Aid, Driving, and EP Courses, But Where Are the Leadership Courses?
09/11/2009
You know, I really dig all the action schools out there. That stuff is fun, and they are also vital to our core skill set for working in this industry. But something is severely lacking in the training industry, and that is leadership training.
It is not enough anymore to say ‘I was an NCO or Officer in the military’, or ‘I was a Police Sergeant at my old PD’. Nope, what we need is industry specific leadership/management training, and I just don’t see it out there.
Better yet, we need to see companies putting more of an emphasis on good leadership out there, by setting up training for their contractors, managers and regional managers. So much money these days is spent on shooting and all the other sexy stuff for overseas spin ups, but you see absolutely no training at all for leadership stuff. The companies make a god awful amount of money on these contracts, and the least they could do is spend the money for this training, and go over what they expect out of their leaders and aspiring leaders. To actually institute some system of management that will give the contractors out in the field, a better chance at doing well out there.
That sucks that this is not happening, because if you look at what the core problems are out there, it’s not the lack of shooting skills or driving skills or whatever, it’s the lack of leadership skills. Guys are put into management positions on good faith and whatever is on the resume and DD 214, and companies just kind of cross their fingers and hope they do good things out there. That is odd to me, because a lot rides on the management skills of the leaders these companies hire and put into these vital positions. You would think a company would ensure that the manager is good to go, by putting them through some company and industry specific training.
And to take a hint from McDonalds and other fast food franchises, even they have management training for their floor supervisors. So why don’t the companies in this industry have the same thing going on? Well, I would speculate that McDonalds and others wanted to minimize liability (no more serving boiling hot coffee to folks, and them getting burned, and then suing the company for millions) and maximize customer service and satisfaction. PMC’s and PSC’s are getting sued left and right, and they are dealing with the results of poor customer service and satisfaction. They are also dealing with high turn over rates, because contractors that despise poor leaders or poor pay, usually jump contract and find greener pastures. Funny how that works, and all roads lead back to leadership.
I will also say that just because you were a Sergeant in the Marines, or whatever service, does not make you an outstanding leader in the private industry. I learned that the hard way when I transitioned to civilian life from the military, and tried to apply military management principals to a civilian job. I chuckle about it now, but boy was that a big lesson to me. The take away from my experience is that you have to be very keen as to whom your team is, what their function is, and determine the best management style for that team. You should have a proverbial ‘tool kit’ of management methods that you take with you from contract to contract and apply them judiciously. And just having a hammer in that tool kit is not very smart, nor is it ‘being prepared’.
So what kind of leadership skill sets are needed for contracts? Hey, hey, hey….Are you listening to what I am saying there ‘training providers’? (hint, hint) This could be an entire niche market that a provider(s) could fill, and I would really like to see it filled by some competent folks. I could see management courses for ‘how to manage LN and TCN forces’, or ‘how to plan for and lead convoy operations’, or ‘how to set up an effective evaluations system’, etc. etc. I could even see management systems being developed, that are built upon a sturdy foundation of tried and true principles. (J 9 Systems or something catchy like that, lol)
You know, building snowmobiles stuff, where you take the best concepts from all the companies and contracts out there, and build a leadership system out of it that companies and contractors could rally around. A system that is built by, and specifically for security contractor leaders. Now that would be cool.
The thing working against leadership training is if it is as fun and as sexy as a shooting course, or some high speed driving course? Not really, but it could be close. Maybe a creative company could make it fun and sexy, but that is up to the providers out there. I just want an effective management tool, and if someone can make it interesting as well, then I think that would be nice. And if guys got the hint from the companies that leadership training was a good thing to have on your resume, then I could see the providers ramping up for that need.
The question to ask yourself, is if leadership training is necessary for your career in security contracting, if you want to get into management? Yes. Could being a really kick ass manager make you a lot of money, because the company recognizes your outstanding leadership skills and continues to advance you through the ranks? Yes. Will contractors that were under your command tell others on how kick ass you were as a leader, thus putting you in a favorable light when it comes to the all mighty ‘reputation’? Yes. Most of all, could your outstanding leadership save a life, save a contract, save a company, and protect the industry and client from anymore ‘black eyes’? You bet it could, and to me, that is sexy. –Matt