The training is finally over. I must say it was one of the most intense experiences I have had in a while. Apart from lvarious egal bits we learned how to fight fires and yes, I passed my last exam with 92% which made me smile.
I am very glad I did the course and joined the MET, and I am very happy I managed to pass all exams, practical and academic ones, successfully. Once one is in his late 30ies, learning must be learned again.
The teams of trainers and trainees were great. We had an extremely good time, and with many of them I became good friends. Facebook helps to stay in touch because most of us will be allocated throughout all London boroughs.
Anyway, my real life has me back now. This coming week I am flying out to Hungary where I am going to analyse a company at which I installed a management operating system a few years ago. More of that in a new blog entry at the end of this coming week.
Saturday 29 August 2009
Sunday 23 August 2009
The Bill - Week 3
Week 3 is over and I am absolutely exhausted. Not that the material we learn is overly difficult, but maybe, since it is all new, one feels a bit overwhelmed. Anyway, we got to feel CS gas this week, which was "interesting". I got a full load blown right into my eyes by the wind when they sprayed it. And then I was blinded for a while. One thing is for sure, it is a good and effective tool.
And then we had 2 days of life saving training. That was extraordinarily good and important to have. Thinking about my last first aid training, which was back in 1984, I have forgotten literally everything!!!
The team has grown together even more now. It is fun to attend classes. People are great. Shame is, by mid week this week, it will be over and we are all being dispersed into our units. So far I suspect the whole of the MET is probably a big team and I am sure it will be fun getting finally out and do some work.
Anyway, 3 more days left and a final exam.
And then we had 2 days of life saving training. That was extraordinarily good and important to have. Thinking about my last first aid training, which was back in 1984, I have forgotten literally everything!!!
The team has grown together even more now. It is fun to attend classes. People are great. Shame is, by mid week this week, it will be over and we are all being dispersed into our units. So far I suspect the whole of the MET is probably a big team and I am sure it will be fun getting finally out and do some work.
Anyway, 3 more days left and a final exam.
Sunday 16 August 2009
The Bill - Week 2
In week 2 we, the trainees, certainly became a team. This was particularly clear after 2 days of Officer Safety Training where we had to "get physical" and beat each other up, well, pretend to at least, so that we could learn how to defend ourselves. Admittedly, these 2 days were one of my best I have ever had. I was on a 2 day high, and my body must have released adrenalin like there was no tomorrow. Self-defence should be taught at schools I think, especially in London and other metropoles like this one. Our trainers are absolutely spot-on.
For the rest of the week we got our uniforms and learned several legal bits such as theft, offensive weapons, etc. We also had 2 exams - one in handcuffing techniques and the other one was an academic one and comprised all subjects taught so far. I managed to achieve 88% which is quite nice.
So, all in all, I still think joining the MET was the right thing to do. The training is absolutely fantastic, the curriculum enables us to learn all important matters in an extremely structured manner, and in fact, it is very funny and relaxed. Well done Training Department! Looking forward to week 3 now.
For the rest of the week we got our uniforms and learned several legal bits such as theft, offensive weapons, etc. We also had 2 exams - one in handcuffing techniques and the other one was an academic one and comprised all subjects taught so far. I managed to achieve 88% which is quite nice.
So, all in all, I still think joining the MET was the right thing to do. The training is absolutely fantastic, the curriculum enables us to learn all important matters in an extremely structured manner, and in fact, it is very funny and relaxed. Well done Training Department! Looking forward to week 3 now.
Sunday 9 August 2009
The Bill - Week 1
My first week passed by and I was extremely exhausted by the time Friday's lessons had finished. I went home and fell to bed and had a deep power nap. Saturday and Sunday I revised and did what I learned at university many, many years back - writing things up, summarizing pages and chapters from the big handout folder, and in the end, it was actually a very reasonable package to learn and review.
Last week we learned the "street" sections of PACE, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act - Stop & Search, Power of Arrest, etc. And then there was also a self-defence part one day which was my biggest challenge. But I think I mastered both parts pretty well.
Group dynamics is interesting. I am one of the oldest with my 39 years. Most people are in their early twenties. What is the best though about the group is its diversity - half men/half women, British, Continental European, and all sorts of racial mixes from around the globe which have integrated into Britain; like me, suppose. This is absolutely perfect and mirrors London's society extremely well.
What I find strange though, compared to Germany, the lack of a written Constitution enables British police to enter private living space only by applying PACE and without a warrant. This would be absolutely non-thinkable in Germany. The new policeman in me says "yes" to this right given by PACE, the German in me is still a bit hesitant to accept it.
All in all, I had an extraordinarily good experience, my class mates are pretty nice and friendly, and my trainers extremely funny and very professional. I am looking forward to week 2.
Last week we learned the "street" sections of PACE, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act - Stop & Search, Power of Arrest, etc. And then there was also a self-defence part one day which was my biggest challenge. But I think I mastered both parts pretty well.
Group dynamics is interesting. I am one of the oldest with my 39 years. Most people are in their early twenties. What is the best though about the group is its diversity - half men/half women, British, Continental European, and all sorts of racial mixes from around the globe which have integrated into Britain; like me, suppose. This is absolutely perfect and mirrors London's society extremely well.
What I find strange though, compared to Germany, the lack of a written Constitution enables British police to enter private living space only by applying PACE and without a warrant. This would be absolutely non-thinkable in Germany. The new policeman in me says "yes" to this right given by PACE, the German in me is still a bit hesitant to accept it.
All in all, I had an extraordinarily good experience, my class mates are pretty nice and friendly, and my trainers extremely funny and very professional. I am looking forward to week 2.
Monday 3 August 2009
The Bill
Today, a completely new chapter in my life is going to start - life as a policeman. And no, this is not a joke, but today and for the next 4 weeks I am going to get trained up in the police training facilities in north London and will then work in one of the boroughs on a voluntary basis, 16 hours a month minimum.
Most of my friends and family were asking me why on earth I would do that. There are a few reasons:
1. The Altruistic Reason: I truly believe everybody has to give something back to the community and society. We are all very good in taking and expecting, but giving can be an extremely interesting challenge, too, and it can be fun!
2. The Uniform Reason: I think I have always been fascinated by the police, from childhood on. Strangely enough, I never applied for a job with them when I still lived in Germany, but hey, one gets older and wiser.
3. The Professional Reason: Since I want to also establish myself as Executive Coach (besides my consulting career) I truly believe that getting trained and working as policeman will open my horizons immensely and add to my skill-set.
4. The Leisure Reason: I want to force myself to get out more and do something useful. Temptation is far too high to stay in and play with the computer, watch TV or just potter about when one could do something else.
5. The Social Reason: Extremely interesting to me is the possibility to get to know so many new and interesting people. Especially as freelancer one cannot get to know enough.
So, all in all, this makes sense to me. And I am looking forward to later on, on my Day 1.
Most of my friends and family were asking me why on earth I would do that. There are a few reasons:
1. The Altruistic Reason: I truly believe everybody has to give something back to the community and society. We are all very good in taking and expecting, but giving can be an extremely interesting challenge, too, and it can be fun!
2. The Uniform Reason: I think I have always been fascinated by the police, from childhood on. Strangely enough, I never applied for a job with them when I still lived in Germany, but hey, one gets older and wiser.
3. The Professional Reason: Since I want to also establish myself as Executive Coach (besides my consulting career) I truly believe that getting trained and working as policeman will open my horizons immensely and add to my skill-set.
4. The Leisure Reason: I want to force myself to get out more and do something useful. Temptation is far too high to stay in and play with the computer, watch TV or just potter about when one could do something else.
5. The Social Reason: Extremely interesting to me is the possibility to get to know so many new and interesting people. Especially as freelancer one cannot get to know enough.
So, all in all, this makes sense to me. And I am looking forward to later on, on my Day 1.
Sunday 2 August 2009
My Director
The other day I got a phone call from a colleague of mine from Proudfoot, it was Thomas, and he was my director on the Otto Bock project. We worked together on various other projects, too. It was the first time we chatted since 2005 I guess, which was really nice. There was no specific reason for the call, just a chat and touch base again. Thomas read this blog and whilst doing so, he recognised that I disgracefully left him completely out in the Otto Bock story! Shame on me!
Let me do that now and pay hommage to a team member (and no, he is not dead yet) who had an extremely vital role in the project. I especially need to thank him for all the client handling advice he gave me. As a young project manager, who is still green behind his ears, client handling (and I mean the top clients) is extremely vital.
In the worst of times when the savings had to be cashed in and defined he spent an extremely huge amount of time on the project and took a leading role. And I am very happy he did!
Anyway, I thought I still had to mention that.
Let me do that now and pay hommage to a team member (and no, he is not dead yet) who had an extremely vital role in the project. I especially need to thank him for all the client handling advice he gave me. As a young project manager, who is still green behind his ears, client handling (and I mean the top clients) is extremely vital.
In the worst of times when the savings had to be cashed in and defined he spent an extremely huge amount of time on the project and took a leading role. And I am very happy he did!
Anyway, I thought I still had to mention that.
Saturday 1 August 2009
A Sandwich nearly eaten...
Yesterday, 31st July, I finished the manuscript of my book. This so far final version has 49,000 words. I quite did not manage the last 1000 words to round things up, but am sure they will come at the next revision. I sent it out to a few friends who offered to edit it and check how good or bad it actually is. I am extremely grateful to all of them. I am in utter need of them as at the end of the day I wrote the book in English which is actually not really my mother tongue.
So, what is the next step? To be honest, I have absolutely no idea. On Twitter I am chatting to a few people who tell me different things - the one says I don't need an agent, the other one insists on agents. And publishing is absolute new to me. I read a book called "How to publish and make money from it" and she suggested to also go via an agent. I think I'll end up doing this, as agents are probably better in marketing the thing afterwards anyway.
Okay, that's an update so far. In the next month or so I will probably get the first reviews back, I will have to get in touch somehow with agents, professional editors, publishers and just take it from there.
I'll keep the world updated on the progress!
So, what is the next step? To be honest, I have absolutely no idea. On Twitter I am chatting to a few people who tell me different things - the one says I don't need an agent, the other one insists on agents. And publishing is absolute new to me. I read a book called "How to publish and make money from it" and she suggested to also go via an agent. I think I'll end up doing this, as agents are probably better in marketing the thing afterwards anyway.
Okay, that's an update so far. In the next month or so I will probably get the first reviews back, I will have to get in touch somehow with agents, professional editors, publishers and just take it from there.
I'll keep the world updated on the progress!
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