Transformational Management Training by
Johnny V. Boykins
I recently boarded a flight to Vancouver and traveled approximately 3,300 miles for Paladin’s Junior Management Training Program. I arrived in Vancouver late at night, checked into the hotel and tried to get some sleep because I was competing with a time zone change and early wake-up call. The next morning, I met up with the group in the lobby of the hotel after breakfast. We piled into the hotel shuttle, and made our way to Paladin Security’s Burnaby, BC Office or “The Mothership,” as I like to call it. We took our seats in a large conference room; the energy was nervous but positive.
We started with brief introductions, and to my surprise, there was a tremendous cross-section of representatives both geographically and by job function. I quickly realized that I was part of a special group of emerging leaders who were already acting within leadership roles throughout the organization. I recognized after the introduction that I was truly among peers. The agenda for the program was robust and comprehensive. We began with an introduction from Ashley Cooper, Paladin & PalAmerican’s President and CEO and he set the tone with emphasis on corporate culture.
Recognizing the PalAmerican Difference is essential to success in building leadership ability, establishing successful teams, and driving our security business forward. Cementing the unique culture of PalAmerican Security drove the training and was the common theme throughout each session. The intense focus on PalAmerican’s culture was a good thing that was left with me and the JMTP 2018 cohort inspired by a security company that is not only providing stellar security services to our accounts and clients but changing the perspective of what a security company can be.
The training was comprehensive and developed. As a millennial, working for an organization that values professional development is important. I found that The Junior Management Training Program provided an overview of how I could navigate a career not only with PalAmerican Security but in the security industry in general. The cohort engaged in 27 working sessions throughout the week that ranged on topics of human resources and people management to finance, security products, and emerging trends in the security industry. The sessions also sprinkled in some big picture concepts and insights on where we are going as an organization.
More importantly, as a group and individually we were able to share stories and experiences and offer advice to one another. That was the most rewarding part for me personally. It was nice to know that some of the challenges I have in St. Petersburg parallel those in Halifax, Toronto, Winnipeg, Salt Lake City, and Burnaby. We were able to share strategies for success, avenues to avoid, and conduct basic brainstorming and information sharing.
By the end of the week, we had grown into a family that had just experienced something transformational. I have no doubts that my JMTP colleagues and now friends will be the organizational leaders and managers that are desired in every industry. The Junior Management Training Program has started the development of the next generation of change-agents and change-makers and for that PalAmerican Security and Paladin Security will be better served. Most importantly, we have been put on a course to better serve ourselves, our communities, our teams, and our industry and for that, I am honored and grateful.
