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The latest issue of Strategy + Business has a great article on Special Operations forces: “What’s So Special About Special Ops?”. Readers of this blog will know that I am a total Special Ops fanboy. I have been since playing with my first GI Joe in the 70′s.

The article focuses on the training required to produce an “operator”. All in, it will take a minimum of 2-3 years to produce an operator. 2-3 years!

There are 5 aspects of spec ops training:

1. Winnowing – The author makes a great point that points out a glaring problem with corporate training. If a SEAL rings the bell during the Hell Week he is sent back to a new conventional unit. He is a superstar for trying to be a SEAL in the first place. The author states:

In corporations, there is often no “Plan B” when someone drops out of a program or fails to make a promotion, and a disappointment or setback may very well mean the employee leaves the company altogether.

2. Deliberate Practice – “research supports the notion that intensive, deliberate practice — not innate talent — is the secret of exceptional performance.”
3. Realism – not computer based training. But real, in the field, hands on, fake blood squirting training.
4. Constant Feedback – something else I like – all training is delivered by operators. Not trainers. And I LOVE a good After Action Review. What did we do well. What do we need to improve. And – stack rankings. Feedback is constant. Not once a year or once every six months when you sit down with your supervisor.
5. Physical and Mental Stress – HR won’t let me do this. Instead they will make you sit in a training room/conference room for days on end until you can’t feel your legs any more.

When operators get to their teams, each is considered a deep generalist who also has a couple of specialties. It is their job to share their knowledge in on-going trainings with their teammates. Oh my god, I love this.