Page 62 - MERCIAN Eagle 2022

Bullet Coaching
The JNCO’s of 2 MERCIAN conducted a training package with ‘Bullet Coaching’
as part of a wider JNCO development programme. Mr Dave Maddock (Ex Mercian Captain) and his company ‘Bullet Coaching’ provided this part of the programme and was overseen by the RSM. The series
saw the JNCO’s complete modules
on self-reflection, high performance, coaching and mental resilience with the underpinning questions of ‘How do we overcome challenges both in the physical and the mental space, be work related or personal? And ‘How do we get the best from ourselves as leaders to perform to the highest standard’?
The JNCO’s used their personal
experiences where challenges would or have prevented them from conducting training or investing in themselves or their subordinates as much as possible. The training audience worked through some very honest self-reflection and coaching techniques to understand themselves and their surroundings better. Doing these exercises gave the JNCO’s the tools to be able to plan and mitigate against challenges for the future – both experienced challenges and anticipated. The Bullet Coaching series was completed with an arduous ‘Sandbag race’, this was a five-mile race as pairs carrying a 40 kg sandbag (one between two). The ‘sandbag’ is a metaphor for mental health and the problem it can cause
being seen as a very heavy burden. This metaphor helped the JNCO’s understand that a problem shared is a problem halved and that there is no shame in asking others to help when the burden gets too heavy on our shoulders. The Bullet Coaching series was an all-round very good experience
for the JNCO’s of 2 MERCIAN, and it
was well received by all. Some excellent self-generated discussions and ideas on how to grow our junior leaders with some coping mechanisms learnt along the way. The JNCO’s have learnt much about themselves, which in turn will help develop them and their subordinates in turn.
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THE MERCIAN EAGLE