THE PODCAST
Elevating the conversation about all things tactical.
Guns n’ Guitars: Go learn something new
Hobbies are an important outlet but often, the hardest part is getting started. The next thing you have to learn is how to break through the inevitable plateaus and challenges that come with learning new skills, so in episode 153 we talk about how to develop techniques without sucking the joy out of something that is supposed to be fun.
Do you trust me? Selflessness in Teamwork
It’s one thing that we all get along, but real trust isn’t something that can be assumed as a given–we’ve got to earn it. Building trust in teams has a lot to do with the often unwritten social contracts that help us get on the same page about our roles and responsibilities. We have to know that everyone is going to put the mission before their own personal interests to really build harmony and a combined effort that is greater than than the sum of its individual parts.
All’s Well…If We Make it Well
“Wellness” is a buzzword these days. Employers offer all manner of wellness aids from fitness to nutrition as part of benefits packages, but the truth is that nobody can make you care about your wellness if you don’t. In this episode, Mike explains why this is an important concept and the reasons you should care about it.
Team Selection: Real-Life Fantasy Draft
Having a good selection procedure is important for getting the right members on a team. Mike steals a page from advertising, only where an ad man conceptualizes the ideal customer, he’s looking for the ideal SWAT guy. The process could work for any team selection, though. Just think about what the ideal candidate would say, think, do, or feel, and look for those people. Listen to this episode for ideas on how to do just that.
A Good Commander Knows What to Control
In this episode Mike and Jim talk about command and control, and teaching decision-making skills to team members. In this way, when everything hits the fan, the right decisions get made fast, and get made at the right level. There’s a reason for supervisors, commanders, and leaders, but it’s important to know when to let subordinates make decisions. Not every incident is The Big One, but nobody’s ready for The Big One if they haven’t been taught in the small ones.
Sleeping for Success
Dr. Sargent retired from a 25 year Navy career that included such exotic postings as being the only psychiatrist in Anbar Province, where he helped stand up the Combat Sleep School.
How to maximize healthy sleep hygiene without using drugs that might blunt the tactical edge is his specialty, and in this episode he talks with Mike about the best way we can adapt modern life schedules to bodies that have ancient sleep needs.
Finding the Bomber
Ever wonder why you suddenly had to start showing ID to ship a FedEx package? Blame a serious of mysterious, deadly blasts in Texas five years ago. How does one go about finding the perp in a mystery bombing case? What patterns and clues stand out? All this and more are in this episode of Tactical Tangents.
Put Me In, Coach!
Whether its an athlete of the conventional sports kind or the tactical variety found on a SWAT team or military base, there’s a tremendous value to be gained from a good coach. How can you spot a good coach? More importantly, what are the indicators of a bad one? How can you be a good coach for the people who look up to you? Listen in and find out!
Both Sides of the Door – Breonna Taylor and Bad Outcomes
While it’s about the Breonna Taylor incident, we’re focusing on the tactical issues surrounding the actual warrant service that night, not the plethora of issues that led to it. Risk is always involved in serving a warrant, so how can it best be mitigated for all involved? Remember that having a warrant doesn’t make you any smarter or tactically proficient. The court just gave you permission; the skill department is all on you.
The Real Burdens of Everyday Carry
One of our favorite topics at Tactical Tangents is realistic risk management, and this applies in the personal world as well as the operational one. While “EDC” has turned into a marketing term for everything from watches to para cord bracelets, what do you really carry every day. Listen to this episode for a deep dive into the topic. Remember, millions of people go unstrapped yet remain unclapped every day.
Strategy for Door Kickers
What’s the difference between strategy and tactics? Some definitions might help, but it’s also important to learn how to think critically about complex problems. Strategy is about the big picture. Learn more here.
Ordering Troops to their Deaths
EPISODE 162 Ordering Troops to their DeathsIs the American military prepared for the sacrifices...
Tactical ADHD: Managing Attention
EPISODE 161 Tactical ADHD: Managing AttentionSituational awareness demands focus and selective...
Lights in the Sky: Aliens or Drones? Jim Spills the Beans on UFOs
Some of you are too young to remember the tagline “The Truth is Out There,” but Mike and Jim went full X-Files on this one… If you don’t know what any of that means, you definitely need to listen to this episode!
What’s up with the beards? Setting and Enforcing Standards
Green Berets have to work with a different rule book than the troops guarding nuclear weapons—and for good reasons. We explore the balance between strict adherence to rules and the often necessary flexibility to go off-script in tactical operations and your organization’s culture.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Dry Fire
WANNA SHOOT BETTER? There is no magic to becoming a great shooter—like most skills, it is mostly...
Not Much Has Changed…
WHAT'S CHANGED SINCE SEPTEMBER 11 2001? Prior to September 11th, 2001, the face of America’s...
The People Ideas Hardware Paradox
People, Ideas, Hardware. Right? Back in the day, a fighter pilot named John Boyd investigated why...
Why go to a trauma center?
TRAUMA CENTERS: LOAD AND GO! Several times in my career, I’ve had interactions with other police...
Should kids talk to Strangers?
STRANGER DANGER! WHY "NEVER TALK TO STRANGERS" IS WRONG At Tactical Tangents, one of our goals is...