Overview
“The system you’re using is perfectly designed to give you the outcome you’re getting.”
Chris Voss, Former FBI Hostage Negotiator
One of the things that makes drill teams effective is efficiency: the ability to improve in multiple ways on multiple levels at the same time thereby increasing leverage and productivity. One of the hallmarks of Drill-Team Dynamics Inc. is our approach to the activity. Rather than seeing problems as isolated events and providing solutions to address those problems, our mission is to create processes teams can use to product their desired outcome reliably, repeatedly, and efficiently.
Enter systems thinking. 
Systems Thinking (n): an approach to problem-solving that views problems as part of a wider dynamic system
We utilize systems for everything. If a drill team would be expected to do something more than once, we likely have a systemic way of approaching that thing and anything remotely like it. Our systems are based on our values and assumptions and are ever-evolving to meet the needs of the teams we serve. If you’ve reached this via on-site training, hopefully this will be a good refresher for the systems we installed with your team! If you’ve reached this via our Coaches Network, implementing these systems will hopefully help you take your coaching practice to the next level OR prepare you to partner directly with us!
Drill Team Hierarchy
A successful drill team functions best when students understand that their season in life correlates to their primary responsibility on the team and act in accordance with that principle: Freshmen Learn, Sophomores Support, Juniors Execute, and Seniors Teach.
Small Group Training Models
Teaching, learning, and practicing in smaller groups which mirror the Drill Team Hierarchy results in more efficient practice with more specific outcomes. All drill movements, regardless of phase, can be worked in small groups first before being performed as a full team.
Quick-Cue Protocols
Standard military protocol is often aimed at managing chaos more than creating an efficient, streamlined performing arts rehearsal environment. Implementing shorter cues saves time, increases responsiveness and engagement, and saves the commander’s voice. Examples include:
“Set” = Pop to the initial starting position for a movement and maintain bearing
“Break” = Relax and break the Position of Attention
“Check” = Observe yourself with your head and eyes only
“Adjust” = Reposition and correct yourself
“Reset” = Return to the starting position
TMT (Technique, Mechanics, Timing)
Every drill movement can be broken into three components: Technique (the static “pictures” throughout a movement), Mechanics (the motion and muscle groups required for movement between each Technique), and Timing (how we break down AND verbalize time for a given movement). Students should be able to articulate each of these three components for ANY drill movement regardless of phase.
Manual Literacy
Before we teach or train on ANY Regulation movement, we should ALWAYS read the manual. Both together as leaders but also to those we are about to train. Reading the manual needs to become normal and commonplace so much so that it would be absurd to teach a movement without also reading directly from the manual.
Words-First Drill
Drill occurs first in the brain and then expresses itself through athletic bodily motion. By learning the “words” of a movement (in ANY phase) first, each student builds a conceptual framework to which they anchor the movements of their body. This results in faster learning, increased adaptability, and less learning loss when not physically drilling for prolonged periods (such as over school breaks).
Words/Rep/Feedback Practice Process
When practicing a movement or sequence in any phase, cadets should first sound off the associated words (to unify timing, approach, etc.), then perform the movement while sounding off the words, then receive actionable feedback to implement the next time they perform the movement or sequence.
Celebrating Success
Drill team can become a very nit-picky activity and many students will inevitably link critique to character. Furthermore, knowing what to sustain is just as important as knowing what to fix. We build a healthy, cohesive drill team when we specifically and intentionally celebrate things done WELL in addition to critiquing things that need improvement.
Drill Team Vocab
Speaking the “language of drill” is the shortcut which allows teams to get very specific very quickly, even with new or inexperienced drillers. By cementing a common drill team vocabulary, we can increase the level of cleanliness and specificity by increasing the impact of our feedback to the team.
Team Breaks
Down-time at practice is still TEAM time and we can’t neglect the value of taking breaks together. If we allow the team to separate, friends will naturally group together, newer members may be left out, and “drama” is given room to grow. Strive to take breaks in an organized fashion and keep the team together, even if it’s just sitting together vs. spread out.
Brain Break
Done right, drill is A LOT of mental activity and it’s natural to feel like your brain is going into information overload! Thankfully, neuroscience shows us that even when we aren’t doing an activity, our brain is hard at work forging neural pathways to help retain, recall, and connect new information! When we get overloaded and start to become unproductive as a result, it’s OK to take a break and completely disengage from drill entirely – in fact, we encourage it!
Equal Contribution
To be a successful drill team, every member needs to contribute their efforts equally, even if their performance isn’t yet at the same level. This means sounding off and performing with energy and enthusiasm!
Last Time, Last Time
When it comes to performing (and competitions), drill is a one-shot activity. We simulate this in practice by being intentional about the last time actually being the last time so we can get used to the idea that when it comes to real life, the last time IS the last time!