A Leader's Learning Equation

A Leader’s Learning Equation

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by Michael Wear, PCI #516B-T/EMSCI #059B-T
Prince William County (VA) Park Ranger
Metropolitan (DC) Police Department (retired)
IPMBA Vice President

“Leadership is not about the title that one holds in a public safety organization; it is about the influence all members of the profession have on the people they serve.” – Public Safety and the Need for a Culture of Leadership Consciousness

Instructor, Teacher, Trainer. All are called upon to be leaders. H&K offers a quote that leaders embrace: We Teach a Way, Not the Way”. Delivering a valuable presentation is a task few do well, and is one that few even attempt. We must believe in the process of learning and understand that it is a complicated equation. The equation appears simple enough: identify an body of knowledge to impart to others and convey it. Develop a knowledge base and become well-versed with your interpretation of it. Believe in the information you have gained and trust in your level of competency. You possess above-average knowledge; you must reassure yourself that it is not possible to know it all.

Decide upon the focal points of your presentation as determined by a realistic scope of time and the nature of the audience. Prepare the presentation by utilizing a method you are comfortable with and capable of employing. Review the presentation and practice it. The presentation itself will be the “proof” of the equation. Will you be a presenter, teacher, leader or a combination of all three? The equation will be solved by the reaction or impact on the group or audience.

As leaders and instructors, we must be prepared to accept differences of opinion that we encounter in a class. We should expect students to present applicable ideas, welcome the interaction, build upon their concepts, and validate what blends with the intention of the current session.

A leader’s intention should be to motivate the target audience. Leaders strive to impart knowledge; those who opt to simply pass along information are presenters, not leaders. As public safety instructors, we should possess a passion to share ideas and thoughts with others as well as teach. What can change the equation is the opportunity to share a new idea and offer a personalized presentation.

Another variable marking the evolution from presenter to leader is knowledge of the concepts and how best to utilize media to convey the intended message. The knowledge variable validates our ability to earn audience trust and ultimately dictates our success as a presenter, but perhaps not as a leader.

To cross over into leadership, passion must be inserted into the equation. We exhibit our passion by the way we dispatch the idea. Understanding the information presented will positively affect the interactions within individual groups and guide students to a place they could not have found without assistance.

A presenter must often provide information to large groups and possibly via multiple sessions. Reproducing the event with consistent values is not an easy task to accomplish. One of the most common and familiar methods of presentation is to use a “canned” or “standardized” PowerPoint® platform. Why? Because we are comfortable with the system, both as a teacher and a student.

The choice of how to execute the presentation will affect the final proof of the equation. As leaders, we must offer standardization yet also welcome individualism in order to gain the audience’s respect and confidence and provide an enjoyable experience.

While it is not necessary to interject comedy or eye-opening photos into the slides, such insertions can elicit the desired results. It takes more than visualization to gain the trust we seek as leaders. “They [students] want a campfire conversation, given by one of ‘their’ tribe” (Carpe Audience, Keyes, 2016). The less passionate tend to rest on the standardized platform and follow the prescribed path that will “check the box”.

Preparation is the unseen routine of the polished instructor. This variable establishes a fundamental duty of teachers. Their level of preparation defines their role as guides and mentors, steering others to realize their roles as developing practitioners. An early review of material ensures that major flaws are eliminated from the organization, flow, and visual images. This variable can dramatically change the outcome of the equation. If the PowerPoint® presentation is significantly flawed, the audience may disengage, and the desired outcome will not be achieved. The intent of the presentation is to provide a constructive visual experience, organize thought, and maintain the audience’s interest – all without distracting from the information.

As summarized by Dr. Marc A. DeSimone, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University: A leader is one who takes others to a place they would not have been able to go and to achieve a goal they desired. As an instructor, inserting the precise variables to the learning equation can transform a training event into a leadership opportunity, a true leader’s instruction can offer an opportunity to guide and mentor others to roles they may not have ever considered.

As public safety cyclists and instructors, we have the incredible opportunity to impart cycling skills, professional knowledge, and the earned experience of a practitioner to assist in the growth of those we impact with our teaching. The equation’s final proof can only be derived from those the subject was aimed to educate.

References:

Public Safety and the Need for a Culture of Leadership Consciousness (https://www.governing.com/gov-institute/voices/col-public-safety-culture-leadership-consciousness.html)

Keyes, John-Michael. Carpe Audience (http://carpeaudience.com/)

Mike is a currently a Prince William County (VA) Park Ranger. He retired from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC (MPD) and the US Army Reserve with 30+ years in public safety. He discovered IPMBA in 1998 and has been a dedicated member ever since. He served the IPMBA Board for six years as the Education Director and is completing his third year as Vice President. He can be reached at sgtwear@msn.com.

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