Stripes and Bars AMAURY MURGADO
REVERSE MENTORING Older and more experienced officers can actually learn quite a lot from new recruits. We have all had to deal with the guy who comes in with THERE WAS A TIME when becoming an expert in your field required a long apprenticeship under a respected master. Now, prior experience and says, That's not the way we did it at X." the apprenticeship philosophy has largely been replaced by The usual response is, "You're not at X anymore so get over mentoring. This involves a senior and experienced person it." However, if you are going to use reverse mentoring, then coaching a junior and less experienced one. For the most part you should find out why it was done differently. Maybe there this model accomplishes what it sets out to do, but it's not per- is something there that translates into doing a better job fect by any means. The problem with this top-down approach over here. In other words, don't be afraid to learn something is that it doesn't always translate well to areas like technology different even if it is from a junior person. Keep in mind that and current trends, where younger people may have more what worked five years ago may have lost its relevancy in knowledge to share with their senior counterparts. This is today's terms. Just because someone with less experience points that out, it doesn't make it any less valid. It's been my why I'm a proponent of reverse mentoring. Reverse mentoring was created by former General Elec- experience that learning is seldom a one-way street. My last point is to break down typical seniority type stereotric Chairman Jack Welsh in the late 1990s. He felt that types. Being senior doesn't automatiyounger employees could help older cally make you better. Take shooting staff become familiar with emerging DON'T BE AFRAID TO digital technologies. Anyone my age LEARN SOMETHING FROM at the range, for example. I have seen many senior officers who talk a good who transitioned to a smart phone THE VERY PERSON YOU game but can't shoot worth a damn. or ever played Call of Duty against a ARE TEACHING. If you're having trouble, why not get 10-year-old understands perfectly. If coached by the junior person that isn't you are younger and wondering why having any? They might be new to law anyone would have trouble expertly using a smart phone or playing a video game, you're making enforcement, but they may have years of firearms experience from somewhere else like serving in the military or spending my point for me. I think we can use the reverse mentoring philosophy in time hunting. We need to put our egos in check and work on law enforcement by broadening its role to be more inclusive our skills regardless of who is helping us. Seeking improvebeyond digital applications. The first thing we can do is ac- ment is a priority for everyone, senior and junior alike. In order for reverse mentoring to take place you need to knowledge that when dealing with new hires we are dealing with the agency's future. Assuming they stay on, they are not create and maintain an attitude of openness to the process. going to be the new kid on the block forever. They will be fill- You have to look past status, authority, and position. You ing in those senior slots and moving up the ranks just like we also have to make time for it. You have to look for ways to did. They may not have very much experience now, but we share information. You need to use active listening or you can still learn something from them by way of their feedback. will miss golden opportunities to learn something or help For example, they can speak to how effective their train- yourself with something you are having a problem with. You ing was and how training can be improved. As an FTO, I must be able to overcome differences in generational style read all my evaluations and looked for ways to stay relevant and be open to seeing things from different perspectives. and fine tune the material. That fit the traditional model In other words, don't be afraid to learn something from the well. But under reverse mentoring, feedback should be on- very person you are teaching. That in a nutshell, is what regoing and not saved until the end. If you think about it, de- verse mentoring is all about. layed feedback might help the next recruit but does nothing for the one going through training now. Amaury Murgado retired a senior lieutenant from the Osceola The next point I want to make is experience comes in many County (FL) Sheriff's Office with over 29 years of experience. forms and we shouldn't shun anyone just because theirs is He also retired from the Army Reserve as a master sergeant. different than ours. We need to recognize that there are gaps He holds a Master of Political Science degree from the Univeron both sides, and that each person can help the other. sity of Central Florida.
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POLICE DECEMBER 2016