I love starting my classes off with a discussion on the difference between a coach and an instructor.

Students from all sizes of agencies. Rural and urban. Large and small, will generally offer the same kind of feedback.

They will tell me things like this:

“An instructor is knowledgeable of the material. They should hopefully practice the craft they are instructing. 

Instructors will have an outline or course document and will ensure they get through the material.”

Then I ask them how the instructor is evaluated and how is course determined to be a success?

After a short pause and some awkward silence, I usually must prod them again with the question.

Reluctantly they will say the course is a “success” if the attendance sheet is signed and the material was provided to them.

No follow up to the results it created in the “real world”. No individualization to make sure each student leaves confidently prepared for the challenge of applying the new information.

I then shift gears and ask them to tell me about a “coach” who has made a difference in their lives and why?

They will provide many of the same attributes they listed for the instructor, but then something more becomes clear.

The coach made an impact because they “cared, pushed them to be better, got on them when necessary, and was invested in their success”.

Coaches keep their jobs, reputations, and status based not on how much they know, but on how well their students apply what they taught them!

As the national narrative around policing talks about the need for more training, I would ask you to pause and give thought to this.

Do we need more “training” or “better” training?

Training that focuses on the creating confident prepared professionals that can use the information and skills to create positive results in their communities.

Courses taught by coaches prepared, skilled, and who are mindful of the impact they will have in the life of the students, if they choose to care.

I always remind my students to always remember this.

“It is never the student who should be honored to be before the teacher, but the teacher who should be honored to stand before the student”.

Go out and make someone better today!