The Secret Sauce of U.S. Navy Seals
Last week we discussed the core attribute of a 3strands LEADER. It was good character. Unless you have good character, at the end of the day nothing else matters.
I was struck this past week by an article on the Navy SEALs approach to training by Michael Schrage at HBR. He believes business training needs a makeover to be more like U.S. Navy SEALs training. Too much training in business today is weak.
Years ago the Navy decided they needed to improve their SEAL training. Before Brandon Webb's radical redesign of the curriculum, SEAL sniper school participants had an average attrition rate of 30% (3 out of 10 dropped out or failed).
After they changed the curriculum, "the course standards got harder, if anything", but the graduation rate increased from 70% to 95% and held there. Why?
I believe one reason is the motivation behind the learning experience moved beyond HOW to do things like operating firearms or executing a mission plan to WHY the training was important. The ability to perform in any situation demanded more training on WHAT to expect in combat situations and an in-depth explanation of HOW their equipment worked. They also paired everyone up with a mentor to increase accountability.
The four attributes of the new SEAL training that we are working to incorporate into our Certified LEADER program:
- Product Excellence - Not "Above Average"
- Incentivize Excellence, Not Competence
- Incorporate New Ideas From The Ground
- Lead by Example
Schrage does not endorse my 3strands LEADER system, but consider how the Systematic Power of training more thoroughly engages your employes in Meaningful Work. Also, mentoring/encouraging them like SEALs communicates you value them as team members (Sincere Gratitude).
These are the three attributes of a 3strands LEADER.
Ponder this wisdom during your weekly Sanctuary time, or take up to a day in seclusion to assess how you could better apply it in your organization. While not all of us can be trained by the best, we can still learn from them.
