Swimming with a Seal
At 24 years old, barely two years out of the police academy, I found myself navigating a whirlwind of challenges and opportunities. Having passed a rigorous physical fitness test, aced my shooting qualifications, and articulated my understanding of the purpose and passion behind SWAT team operations during interviews, I earned a spot on a metropolitan SWAT team.
Before I even had the chance to attend basic SWAT training, I found myself thrown into the deep end on a team training day. Most of my teammates were in their 30s, seasoned veterans of tactical operations. Leading the session that day was a legendary figure—a Navy SEAL who had transitioned to police work in the relatively peaceful 1990s but continued to deploy as a reservist to conflict zones worldwide. His unique blend of battlefield experience and law enforcement expertise brought unparalleled depth to our team. Not long after that day, he would leave the police force to serve two more decades as an active-duty Navy SEAL. But on that day, my first with the team, he was the boss—and he was larger than life.
Training began with a bang—literally. Moments into the session, I was running complex coordinated drills, firing a fully automatic submachine gun. The experience left my head spinning. I felt less like a rookie learning to walk and more like a toddler being knocked down by a Navy SEAL wielding a machine gun.
During one particularly chaotic exercise, as I struggled to align myself with the team, engage targets, and fire at the right time, I heard a thunderous “STOP!” In the blink of an eye, the SEAL was in my face, passionately explaining that if I couldn’t figure out my role, I’d be swimming in the nearby lake—with all my gear. Even 25 years later, I’ve never doubted his sincerity. One more mistake, and I’d have been drenched.
Looking back, I wouldn’t recommend this approach for most leadership situations unless you’re preparing people for high-stakes, high-stress environments. But even in that intense moment, essential elements of growth were at play. As leaders, after relationally connecting, sharing truth, and inspiring action, we must help others process change and growth. That day, amid my rookie overwhelm, the SEAL taught me invaluable lessons about development.
The Five Stages of Learning
Reflecting on that experience, I see that the SEAL’s instruction aligned with a natural progression of learning:
1. Unconscious Incompetence
At this stage, learners are unaware of what they don’t know. Ignorance of their deficiencies often shields them from the complexity of the challenge ahead.
2. Conscious Incompetence
Here, learners become painfully aware of their shortcomings. This realization is humbling but crucial—it fuels the desire to improve.
3. Conscious Competence
At this point, learners acquire the skills but must consciously think about their application. Practice and repetition are vital to build confidence and proficiency.
4. Unconscious Competence
In this stage, skills become second nature. Learners execute tasks effortlessly and adapt their expertise to new contexts, achieving true mastery.
5. Evaluation and Reflection
This involves assessing progress, reflecting on successes and setbacks, and identifying areas for further growth. Reflection ensures continuous improvement.
That day, I bounced between stages 1, 2, and 5, often floundering in the chaos but receiving immediate, actionable feedback. The SEAL reminded me that I’d been selected through a rigorous process and affirmed my potential, even as he corrected my mistakes. Over time, the reflection and repetition of that day set the foundation for a journey toward unconscious competence—a path that eventually led me to train SWAT teams full-time.
Leadership and Growth
The learning process, as described by researchers like Carol Dweck, requires both belief in one’s ability to grow and the hard work to make it happen. Dweck’s research on growth mindset highlights that change doesn’t overwrite old beliefs; instead, new beliefs coexist, gradually strengthening and reshaping thoughts and actions. Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Similarly, Oliver Wendell Holmes observed, “A mind once stretched by a new idea never returns to its original shape.”
In that first SWAT training, the SEAL instructor gave me not just a hard lesson in tactical proficiency but also the gift of growth mindset. Despite the stress, he created an environment for improvement through immediate feedback, affirmation of progress, and opportunities to try again.
A trainable system of improving people and situations.
As I’ve shifted my focus over the past decade toward developing leaders, I’ve learned to take a more collaborative approach. No, I haven’t threatened anyone with a swim in a lake while wearing 40 pounds of gear—but the principles of growth, feedback, and reflection remain the same.
A Call to Leaders
Growth takes time, feedback, and practice. Leaders, how are you helping your people process the effects of change and the progress they’ve made? How do you balance challenge with encouragement to foster real growth? Let’s lead with intention—because while not everyone needs Navy SEAL-level intensity, everyone benefits from guidance, reflection, and the space to thrive.