In today’s world of constant threats and immense disruption, effective security is a necessity. Security starts with people and a high performing security team is the difference between success and failure. Failures in the security industry can be catastrophic and lead to dire consequences. The antidote to these failures is a high performing security team which ensures ambitious standards and effective oversight are maintained consistently.
After the tumultuous events of COVID-19 and economic turmoil worldwide, security practices need to be refined constantly and security teams need to be on the top of their game. This blog post will provide some key steps for how to build high performing security teams. This human wall can be achieved with the following:
“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” – John Wooden
Scenario Testing
Scenario testing allows security personnel and managers a safe context to polish up on fundamental skills. This can include recreating previous incidents, future situations and evaluating the incident response overall. This type of dynamic testing allows observers and trainers to get a first-hand view of the efficacy of the security team’s knowledge, their response to pressure and the ability to deal with troublesome situations. It allows security personnel to practice and become fluent in numerous ways of handling diverse types of security situations.
Some experts even promote the use of props and dressed up actors to play the role of suspicious and threatening people. This makes the experience more visceral and gaps in security knowledge can be identified more easily. By drilling the fundamentals of observation, detection and threat mitigation, security teams have the ideal opportunity to evaluate themselves during these scenarios. Scenario testing can be seen as a dress rehearsal for the real event. Without adequate training, practice and preparation, security teams may freeze in critical moments or handle situations incorrectly. This is not in line with developing a high performing security team.
It is fundamental these sessions are held consistently and that significant takeaways are discussed constructively. This builds camaraderie amongst team members. Vulnerabilities and mistakes are bound to happen during these sessions, but this will allow security teams to keep their skills sharp. Scenario testing combines effective training, disciplined practice, and application all in one. It can be said scenario testing is the secret sauce of security training. The beauty of this approach is the ability to be creative with different situations, intensity levels and duration.
“Collaboration allows us to tap into the collective genius of others.” – Simon Sinek
Collaboration
High performing teams throughout different industries usually contain diverse people with unique skills, aptitudes, and abilities. The best teams can combine their different strengths and varied experiences to create a collective cohesive unit. In the security industry, it is important for each team member to share critical ideas, listen to feedback and seek to improve together. Actively sharing knowledge and promoting mutual understanding will allow security teams to develop the imperative skills for handling incidents and conflicts professionally. High performing security teams are a necessity in today’s modern world and without a spirit of collaboration, the crucial mission of safety and peace of mind for clients will not be achieved.
According to Thomas International, a leading HR company, high performing teams can achieve this collaboration through active listening, open dialogue, and a free exchange of ideas (Thomas International, 2023). This further emphasises the need for security teams to constantly train and educate themselves to be better all the time. The nature of security threats has changed in frequency and type throughout recent years. High performing security teams need to be able to bounce ideas off one another to devise clear strategies for combating crime more effectively. Crime is constantly changing, and collaboration allows security teams to think more strategically and ask pertinent questions of how to manage these new threats.
The best teams thrive under pressure situations and can band together to keep refining best practices. To build this human wall in a security team, collaboration needs to be a constant in every facet of its security efforts. This crosses across manpower, technology, and strategy. By ensuring everyone on the security team is on the same page, this promotes productive problem solving to mitigate risks properly. Collaboration takes place not just internally but also externally. For example, high performing security teams can build solid working relationships with police, law enforcement and clients with relative ease. Collaboration leads to engagement which makes every member of a security team feeling trusted and feeling enthusiastic about their work.
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” – C. S. Lewis
Integrity and Ethics
Extreme ethical standards and integrity are non-negotiables in the security industry. People invest much money and effort into protecting their homes, properties, and infrastructure with the latest security technologies and manpower. Trust is paramount in the security industry and any act of dishonesty can lead to breaches, physical harm, and potential loss of life. The best performing security teams take responsibility for their actions and ensure to consistently repay the trust their clients place on them.
Security measures rely heavily on protocols, procedures, and an unwavering commitment to the best security practices. If any member of a security team shirks on their responsibilities, this can also lead to reputational damage which erodes the trust between the client and the security team responsible for protecting them. Ethical conduct is the cornerstone of effective security practices.
High performing security teams need to be ethical, truthful and endeavour to maintain integrity even under extreme moments of pressure. The measure of this human wall is its ability to manage challenges honestly and stay true to the correct values. By committing to proper ethical behaviour and practicing integrity daily, security teams can foster public trust and uphold the industry in a positive light. Integrity and proper ethics are the fundamental pillars behind any successful and high performing security team.
In the same fashion, Mantis Security prides itself on our security teams possessing integrity, collaborating effectively with its clients, and evaluating their skills through scenario testing and regular training. If you are interested in upgrading your security solutions or having one of our knowledgeable staff discuss an integrated solution of guarding and technology for you, look no further than the leading contract guarding specialists in South Africa, Mantis Security. We can conduct a free risk assessment on your property, business, or establishment. Our related services also include employee vetting and background screening.
Contact us on 0114871000, email info@mantissecurity.co.za or visit our newly updated webpage on www.mantissecurity.co.za. We are also on social media applications such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
References
Thomas International. (2023). The Benefits of High Performing Teams: Why Investing in Your Team Yields Success. [online] Available at: https://www.thomas.co/resources/type/hr-blog/benefits-high-performing-teams-why-investing-your-team-yields-success.
Written by Eyal Ben-Shir for Mantis Security