Highlights from the episode:
- His advice for people who don’t upskill themselves and stay in their comfort zone
- Performance facilities and tech they use in defense
- What their periodized annual plan looks like
- How they do rehab in defense
- Fit For Life philosophy and injury mitigation
THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE
Being fired from a job is never an easy experience to go through, but sometimes it can be the catalyst for change that we need. For me, getting sacked was a huge wake-up call to continually develop myself and improve the way I communicate and engage with others. This experience taught me the importance of self-reflection, self-improvement, and personal development, which has since become a driving force in my professional and personal life.
As I progressed in my career, I found myself drawn to organizations that valued continuous learning and development, which led me to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The RAAF has a strong commitment to human performance, which is reflected in its sport science programs.
SPORT SCIENCE PROGRAMS
The RAAF’s sport science programs vary across different locations, but they all share a common goal of enhancing the physical and mental performance of its personnel. These programs provide personalized training plans and assessments for individuals and units as well as access to facilities and technology.
RAAF’s Human Performance and Safety, Human Performance optimisation programs offer a range of services, including strength and conditioning, injury prevention, and nutrition advice. HPS/HPO also has access to performance technology such as motion capture and force plates, which are used to analyse movement patterns and measure physical performance.
ANNUAL PLANNING PHASES
The RAAF is starting to look at understanding the application of annual planning, with a focus on agile perioidisation. This allows the individuals to understand how to accomidate there training around there occupational tasking.
REHABILITATION SUPPORT
The RAAF has support for rehabilitation through Joint Health Command. It is important to ensure we have a good understanding of the occupation to properly manage the return to work process. In the military, injuries can occur from physical training or occupational tasks, which can impact a person’s ability to perform their duties.
To properly manage the rehabilitation process, it’s important to have a holistic understanding of the individual’s physical and mental fitness, as well as the demands of their occupation. This is where the RAAF’s human performance philosophy comes into play.
HUMAN PERFORMANCE PHILOSOPHY
The RAAF’s philosophy in Human Performance is “Fit for Life,” aiming to prepare people not just for their job but also to enjoy their life after defence and prevent long-term injury. This approach recognizes that physical and mental performance are closely linked and that a person’s well-being is influenced by many factors.
To support this philosophy, the RAAF has a range of programs and services that focus on physical and mental fitness, nutrition, sleep, and recovery. This includes access to performance psychologists, physiotherapists, and other performance professionals, as well as educational resources on how to improve these areas of one’s life.
COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT
In addition to physical and mental performance, effective communication and engagement are also critical for success in the workplace. This is something I learned the hard way after being fired from my job earlier in my career.
Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to improve my communication skills and develop stronger relationships with my colleagues. This includes listening actively, providing constructive feedback, and seeking out opportunities to collaborate and learn from others.
The RAAF recognizes the importance of communication and engagement and has a range of programs
