The NAVSUP enterprise offers a wide range of education and training opportunities for active-duty personnel and the civilian workforce. One day, I ran across an announcement from the Workforce Development Office about the Advanced Management Program (AMP) course. I was intrigued, so I asked my supervisor about it. He told me that I should definitely invest the time like he had done more than a decade ago while he was in Athens, Ga. I immediately signed up. I was expecting the usual “Death by PowerPoint,” focus on external metrics and then a culminating event, such as a group presentation to a senior flag officer on the last day of the course. I had no idea what I was in for. Happily, AMP is something totally unique and completely different than what I’d experienced in the past.
The training turned out to be phenomenal and maybe even life-changing, that is… if you apply the techniques, advice and guidance taught over the two-week course. AMP focused on change from the inside out – self-awareness and self-reflection as a way to achieve true happiness, both in a professional setting and life in general.
The instructors were energetic, entertaining and well-organized. I enjoyed them all: Mr. Kevin Stacey and his Mental Toughness session; Mr. Casey McNeal, who boasts a PhD in behavioral psychology (and who moonlights as professional comedian with his own Amazon Prime video special!); Naval Aviation Combat veteran Vice Adm. Lou Crenshaw (ret); living legend Vice Adm. Keith Lippert (ret) – the 41st Chief of Supply Corps and longest-serving Defense Logistics Agency Director; and the plethora of authors, psychologists and coaches who also taught. They all made an impact and really got me thinking.
It wasn’t that the concepts presented were widely unfamiliar, since there really haven’t been any new leadership concepts invented recently. But they were concepts that I hadn’t taken enough time to think deeply about, and so I never internalized and implemented them into my own life and my own leadership style.
I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered on the first day of AMP that we were headed to a team-building luncheon, included as part of the class, where everyone socialized and got to know each better on a personal level. We were also all relieved to find out that there was no end-of-class project, which allowed us to relax and just absorb what was being taught!
I honestly believe that the lessons I learned – specifically the value system exercises – are going to make me a better father and husband, not to mention a better leader of Sailors.
You know you’ve had some great training when you find yourself continually reflecting on all the lessons you learned and are always searching for ways to implement it into your life and leadership style.
I can’t recommend AMP highly enough! Phenomenal staff, phenomenal course, phenomenal experience!
HOOYAH AMP!
