Welcome back to another edition of Old Man Conjugate. My regular readers are familiar with my rule of NEVER STOP LEARNING, and this log is about exactly that. In today’s edition, Old Man Conjugate: D5 Disruptive Environment Training, I’m going to tell you the story of one of the greatest experiences of my life and the lessons I learned from it.
“One of the greatest experiences of my life”. That’s a bold statement Cotton.
Well, it’s true and I don’t say that lightly.
In my nonstop quest to learn new things and apply them to my life, business and relationships, I registered for a Haley Strategic D5 Carbine Disruptive Environment class.
Let me start off with the fact that I went into this class with very high expectations, and they were exceeded.
More than can be imagined.
Before I go off on the point of the article, I need you to know what the course was and why I took it.
For those of you who may not have a positive opinion on firearms and private ownership, stay with me until the end, there is something here for you too.
The Haley D5 Carbine Disruptive class is a three day event put on by Travis Haley and his team of expert coaches. I spent over ten hours a day for three days with Travis, Jared and Aaron. Liam and Dale joined us on Day 2 and 3.
I left feeling like we were family.
I don’t say that lightly.
Instead of rewriting the description of the class, here is a snippet from their site: “Disruptive Science™ Carbine is designed to give students a template for increasing; mental acuity, focus, dexterity, balance and spatial awareness while performing skill based Carbine manipulations.”
For those who are not familiar, a Carbine is a type of rifle.
I took this course for many reasons including:
- To make me a better firearms instructor
- To build my skills and ability with the Carbine
- To expose my weaknesses
- And to learn from the best.
Learning from the best is how I got onto this TEAM in the first place, but I have already written about that so I’ll move on.
Now onto the Old Man Conjugate: D5 Disruptive Environment Training - Never Stop Learning nuts and bolts.
One of the best pieces of advice I ever got about continual learning and improving my business was from none other than Dave Tate himself. Dave told me decades ago to look at other industries outside of ours and learn from them what I can apply to my own business. Things like systems building, problem solving, customer relations and just about any other aspect of business will apply here. The point was that you don’t pigeon hole your knowledge by staying in your own world. There is a ton of information available that you can use TODAY to improve, and it might come from a source you never considered.
That piece of advice applies here and I‘ll explain as I go.
I knew going into this course that I would have a fair amount of difficulty because of my mobility, or lack thereof, and vision. The class contained precision shooting out to 300 yards, and I have ZERO experience doing that. It also had things that I knew I would have major issues with, such as running, dropping and shooting from kneeling and prone (on your belly).
But, if you know me, I am not going to let anything stop me and I will give 100% of my effort and ability to improve. Even if it hurts. And it did. All week.
We began the class with a two-hour introduction period where all of the students answered a list of questions about themselves and why they were here. As I listened to the first few students, I noticed that all of the instructors were taking detailed notes, or at least appeared to be.
The light bulb went off on my head and I guessed that they were doing something we do at TPS seminars.
They weren’t just getting to know us and allowing us to help the group learn about each other. They were assessing how to communicate best with the individual students based on science. We do this by getting a feel for experience levels and goals of students at our seminars, but they were on a whole different level. They were taking Conative Assessments. Look it up. It’s easier than me writing another 3000 words.
As we went on through the days, I found that this time was well spent, as every student seemed to be building skills and confidence quickly and it was due to the work that Travis and his TEAM did here.
They were also building unit integrity (in my opinion-I may be wrong).
Without boring those of you with no interest in guns, I’ll add in this critical part.
I was obviously frustrated about an hour into the first range session and while it may have been justified, I let my emotions show and begin to take control. That hinders learning. Before you ask, I did not throw a fit, I was just visibly frustrated with my own performance and I was in no way frustrated with the instructors or the course.
I was frustrated with my own performance, or lack thereof.
Aaron, one of the instructors, took me aside and calmly asked what was going on and developed a plan to fix it on the spot. The point is not WHY I was frustrated, it was THAT I was frustrated, and Aaron took the time to address it.
If you must know, I was frustrated because I broke one of my own guiding principles and took advice that my gut said I shouldn’t have before the course. The choice I made resulted in me doing something before the course that affected my ability that day quite negatively.
I always trust my gut and when I don’t, it bites me in the ass.
For the lifters out there, it was equivalent to getting a new bench shirt two days before a meet and not testing it.
Moving on in the Old Man Conjugate: D5 Disruptive Environment Training Never Stop Learning story:
As we progressed to Day 2, I was more frustrated, not with the class, the Coaches, or my effort. I was not happy with the issues I was having visually and physically. Plus it was raining, foggy and we were laying in cold, wet mud. If you know me, you know I hate that.
A memory went off in my head from Lt. Flynn on Day 1 of BPD Motorcycle school. When we arrived for Day 1 of classes it was raining like the biblical story of Noah’s Ark and one of the officers asked what we would do for class because it was raining. Lt. Flynn said we will get wet. And then we did.
This got my mind right about the discomfort of the environment and I was somewhat back on track.
But, the mobility and vision issues were still there, so I made a decision to bring a different gun on Day 3 that I would be more comfortable with. I asked Travis if it was ok and he said yes.
On the way home that night I realized that I was going against my own grain and quitting.
I hate quitting. There is a huge difference between quitting and making an informed decision that changing directions might be best.
I was quitting by changing guns.
This observance really stood out due to Travis adjusting a few things, and talking with Liam (one of the coaches). I can’t really remember exactly what Liam said, but it was gold. I decided to stick with my DDM4v7 and the scope that was giving me trouble.
Once I let that frustration go, shit changed on Day 3 and I shot better (not great) but better at distance.
Remember kids, I always say that you have to earn the right to be frustrated and I had not earned anything at this point.
Letting go of the unearned frustration allowed me to progress.
And I don’t think I would have let it go without Liam’s help.
D5 Disruptive Environment Training Day 3
It would take me a week to relay a portion of what we were exposed to and what we learned, so I’ll keep this brief before I wrap up the points.
Day 3 was more “fun stuff” and less long distance. As I am not an avid distance shooter, and hate laying in the mud, and was frustrated for much of the first two days, I say “fun stuff” because it was things I like to do when shooting.
The last drill we did was a run and gun that had us shooting 3 steel plates at 50 yards, one round on each plate, standing, kneeling, and prone, then sprinting 50 yards to do a 2,2,4,2,2 drill and then sprinting another 50 yards to the finish line and hitting a steel plate to stop the clock.
I was sitting on the tailgate of a truck watching, and I saw Travis come over. I knew what was about to happen and you won’t believe this.
I didn’t want to let him down.
He asked me if I went yet, I said no. And then he asked if I was going to. I didn’t want to answer because I felt I would be disappointing him. I said no and explained why.
Now you must take into account that there was a line of shooters 25 deep to get through this drill and he did not need to come over and ask this. But he did.
AND
He actively listened to my reason.
I told him that I was not comfortable doing the drill because I was pretty sure my hip would give out on one of the 50 yard runs causing me to fall and possibly discharge a round towards someone else.
I expected him to say try it slow or with a walk/jog and see how it goes, but he nodded in agreement and said that I was making the right decision.
That was a huge moment for me because over the three days I got the feeling that each and every coach actually cared about us, and this cemented it. I know a lesser coach may have attempted to guilt me or shame me into it.
Travis and his TEAM are not lesser coaches.
They are what the standard should be.
Wrapping up the Old Man Conjugate: D5 Disruptive Environment Training experience:
I said in the beginning of the log that this was one of the best experiences of my life and I meant it.
I spent three days with people from different countries and professional backgrounds who all shared a common goal.
To be better.
I spent three days out of the office developing skills that will benefit me in one of my businesses, and will hopefully, never need to be used.
Much of what I learned will carry over to operating TPS and to my own personal development.
I also was also away from social media and the news for virtually the entire time.
This had a bigger effect on me than I realized until this morning. I need to readjust my media consumption and go on a “diet”. I lost nothing by being away from it, and gained a lot.
I spent three days forming a relationship with the TEAM and the students, most of whom had a very different background and life experience than I did.
New skills and concepts were learned.
The fact that I was correct about what I was doing well was reinforced while weaknesses were revealed is a good thing. Even great. This allows me to continue improving weaknesses while spending less time on my strengths. That is Conjugate AF.
Work your weakness, make it a strength.
I took many business lessons away from this too, and it was not something I expected.
A big one was discussed in the final debrief of the class when we all discussed our sustains and improves. Sustains and improves are skills we need to sustain or keep, while improves is as stated. Stuff we need to make better.
My biggest take away business wise was as follows:
In my debrief I took a different direction than the others. Everyone talked about their shooting skills and how they needed to improve specifics.
I explained the part about looking at different industries and using what is successful in theirs and using or adapting to make mine better. I told Travis and the room that in my business, I will stack up my coaches against anyone’s and they will be as good or better. My TEAM does an incredible job everyday.
I followed with it is not because they are skilled, which they are, but it is more so because they CARE.
They care about every client and they care about the business almost as if it was theirs.
Travis’s team is the same. I said that I wanted to build my TEAM’s level of caring about the clients and the business to an even higher level, but I don’t know how. Building a TEAM that is qualified and cares is the ultimate goal of any business because if you have this, you will thrive.
Without it, you will die.
My TEAM, and his cares. A lot.
As a leader, I need to develop that and nurture it to a higher degree.
Another point on his TEAM, I failed to mention Jared much in this. Let's just say that I have someone like Jared on my TEAM too. Everyone on your TEAM is an asset (hopefully), but Jared is a GIANT of a man in a compact package. All of our TEAMS need at least one like him.
Now, my second last point in Old Man Conjugate: D5 Disruptive Environment Training is a bit about the course itself.
Travis and his TEAM use a scientific approach to training the Carbine and all weapons systems to develop thinkers before shooters and also to use the best biomechanics possible for maximum performance.
That isn’t a lot different than what we do, except for the fact that we are training people for different activities. Being exposed to the specific methods and types of scientific information they use will directly improve my clients progress if I study it further and implement it properly. I’m pretty sure Travis will be getting emails and texts from me going forward for help.
My final point is this.
Perceived value is everything in business, so if you own one, listen.
We’ve all heard under promise and over deliver right?
There is more to it.
I told Travis that our Mission Statement at TPS is to deliver $2.00 in value or service for every $1.00 spent. His eyes sort of bugged when I said that. At least from my perception.
I told him that I felt the price of my tuition for the three day class was exceeded in value at the conclusion of Day 1. Yes, you read that right. I felt like I got my money’s worth on Day 1 of a 3 day course.
This is from someone who had lofty expectations.
My goal going forward is to ensure that all of our clients felt like I did at the end of Day 1.
If you ever get the chance to train with Haley Strategic, do it.
It’s worth triple the tuition fee.
Did you miss last week’s log?
Read it here.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
October 28, 2022
