Steve Martin (President/CEO, NEI) – “The Top Ten Behaviors of Expert Trainers”
Think of a trainer you recognize as an expert. Now, think of the characteristics that inspire you to call that person an expert. Is it the person’s knowledge, skills, charisma, confidence, reputation or … something else? We all know great trainers in our lives, people we look up to, admire, talk about favorably with others. But, how does a person earn that reputation as a great trainer? And, what separates a great trainer from an average trainer? To answer these questions, we need to start by operationalizing the construct “training skill.” What does a trainer do to earn a reputation and label of “Expert?” This presentation will operationalize some of the most important characteristics that expert animal trainers exhibit, from Steve’s point of view.
Chris Jenkins (COO, NEI) – “The Top Ten Behaviors of Expert Human Mentors”
Steve Martin’s “The Top 10 Behaviors of Expert Animal Trainers” lists and operationalizes ten behaviors he has observed in highly skilled and successful animal trainers over the course of his career in our industry. These behaviors are based on honest, two-way communication and empower animals with control, the result of which are strong, trusting relationships. It’s an interesting exercise to consider the implications this list has for people in the business of training the human animals in our field: our leaders and mentors. Steve’s “Top 10” list provides a great framework for many of the behaviors that great leaders and mentors exhibit, and a fantastic list of strategies to keep in mind for those looking to become the leaders of the future.
References
NEI TEC in Conversation – Steve Martin, Chris Jenkins, Marty MacPhee (Animal Behavior and Guest Experience Consultant), Ari Bailey (Show Manager, NEI)
A panel of NEI TEC faculty members gather to have a conversation about their thoughts on the presentations and questions from the previous two sessions, as well as best practices in animal training, mentorship, and anything else from wherever the conversation leads them!
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