With all the information available at our fingertips, and through the next "expert", we need to have a good filter.
So the person standing in front of the class has a cool shirt and a helmet melted down and covered in black ( which is the topic for another day ). He has been to 110 fires in just the last week, 12 "Jaws" calls over the weekend and 3 war zones since last Christmas. He MUST know what he is taking about! Or does he?...
Every instructor will have a portfolio to impress. Every trainer has stories that will pepper his lectures to add some colour/humour/gravity. These are great ways to help deliver the lesson. But every student should use their critical thinking skills ( curious, questioning and humble ) to filter new information or skill sets. You have to run it through the L.O.G.I.C. filter.
L.O.G.I.C.
LISTEN - to what's being said. Like, reeaaally pay attention. Put the phone away. Quit organizing your snacks and 3 drinks. Pay Attention
OBSERVE - watch what's being done with a "researcher's eye". Take in the general but look for the nuances too.
GAUGE - put it up against what you have experienced before. Past-practice and previous training.
INQUIRE - ask questions. Challenge the instructor! You can do this in a respectful way and still dig into the topic. Look for the cracks.
CONCLUDE - make up your mind. Does it work for? Will it work for your Team? Can it be adjusted to fit in your toolbox? It may not work for you but do you have an individual on the Team that it will work for?
“ Challenge the instructor! "
Pressure test...
new ideas, skills and concepts. Youtube videos are opinions. So are instructor opinions. Put it to the test them before you adopt it into your Craft.
If it don't survive the L.O.G.I.C. filter, it probably won't make it through a fire either.
Keep safe and get "ON IT"!
See ya on the Road,
Snides
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