Should You Really Trust the Process?

In the topsy turvy world that we are living in, can you really take your hands off the wheel and “trust the process?” Every day we face unknowns in the world like whether China will remember their nuclear pledge to Ukraine?'

This week we were joined by Michael Brown who has worked for some of the highest-profile names in protection. Michael shares how to develop a mindset of ‘trusting the process’ and warns why skipping steps could disadvantage you in the long run.

Meanwhile, in the pages of the Circuit Magazine, Craig Burns gives us a proven methodology that goes beyond trusting your instincts when presented with homegrown violent extremism and active shooter incidents. 

We hope you enjoy reading this issue and however you plan to spend your weekend, stay safe! 

The Circuit Magazine Podcast

A lot of people want to present the perfect image of themselves but what about the scars and bruises? Today's guest embodies trust in 'the process' and is an advocate for taking control of your EP career and priorities.

On this episode we are joined by Michael Brown who has worked for some of the highest-profile names around whilst advocating for mentorship, educating yourself by working multiple roles in the team and leading by example.

Join us as we talk to Michael to discuss:

  • How can you develop the mindset of 'trusting the process' and not skipping steps?

  • What can protectors learn about prioritization from the quote "stop saying you don't have time for something, just say you don't care"?

  • Can protectors keep and develop their relationship with a single client over decades without developing themselves as well?

  • How do you convert a verbal body blow to become positive energy?

  • How can you leverage others' mistakes through mentorship?

"I cannot lead employees if I don't understand when they come to me with problems...if I haven't been in their shoes"

If you enjoy listening to the Circuit Podcast and can spare a minute, please rate/review us. Your rating will help us to rank higher making it easier for others to find the podcast.

The Need to Know

Private military contractors see surging demand in Ukraine - but could the work turn mercenary?

The Islamic State has claimed the deadly suicide bombing that struck a Shiite Muslim mosque in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, killing at least 56 worshippers and wounding 194 people, many of them critically

MoD says service personnel are banned from travelling to fight Russia after reports of missing soldiers

Following the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the threat level against Russian President Vladimir Putin has increased manifolds. Many in the West are issuing clarion calls to Russians to assassinate Putin. But, how does Russia's Federal Protective Service protect president Vladimir Putin.

The hacktivists broke into the Roskomnadzor federal agency to steal the classified documents which they then passed on to transparency organisation Distributed Denial of Secrets.

The officer was on patrol on his own on Valentine's Day when he was called to a disturbance. However, when he arrived the situation turned violent and he was viciously attacked by a group of men.

Jason Lennon suffered a cardiac arrest while being restrained by security staff using ‘excessive’ force, inquest finds

For more timely global updates like this, get the Circuit Daily Briefing delivered to your inbox... daily! Get on the list >

From the Pages of the Circuit Magazine

Online radicalization to violence is the process by which an individual is introduced to an ideological message and belief system. It encourages movement from social norms toward extreme views, primarily using online media. Unfortunately, the propaganda of radicalization and recruitment online has never been higher and more active.

One of the hottest topics and questions is: “how can we prevent homegrown violent extremism (HVE) or Active Killer incidents?” The majority of training that organizations receive is the “Run, Hide, Fight” or a variation thereof. The problem with this type of training is that it is a reactive state that comes into play only after an incident occurs. In these life or death situations, if we wait for an incident to occur, we have already failed.

Therefore, the first step to help combat these HVE/Active Killer incidents is to change the culture to become more proactive and emphasize prevention before reaction.

So, the natural next question is how do we recognize an Active Shooter situation before it happens?

In this article, Craig Burns lists out his methodology for combating these scenario types.

If you enjoyed this article and want more great content from across the industry then sign up for the Circuit Magazine >

Circuit Magazine - Latest Issue

What is your protector mindset? Do you gravitate towards the warrior or the guardian? In this issue, we examine both approaches.

Situation Report by RANE

In his Feb. 24 address, Putin offered many justifications for the war, but by far the most direct was the following: 

''The purpose of this operation is to protect people who, for eight years now, have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime. To this end, we will seek to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, as well as bring to trial those who perpetrated numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including against citizens of the Russian Federation.'' 

It was a dramatic allegation that took many observers by surprise. Perhaps most importantly Putin repeatedly linked the modern Ukrainian state to Nazism. They warned that Ukraine's government was supposedly led by fascists intent on subjugating, if not outright conducting genocide against, ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine. In turn, this meant it was incumbent on Russia to defend these peoples — with force, if deemed necessary.

While right-wing extremist activity in Ukraine is deeply troubling, it is by no means unique to the country, and to argue that today's government in Kyiv is led by neo-Nazis strains serious logic. In their effort to portray Ukrainian society as something akin to a reincarnation of the Third Reich, Russian leaders have grossly exaggerated the significance of right-wing extremism in Ukraine.

Russian troops have trampled on not only Ukrainian sovereignty, but history. It should not be lost on anyone that, in claiming ethnic Russians were under threat and then using force to adjust borders, Putin is the one who much more closely resembles a certain World War II-era fascist dictator who made similar claims about ethnic Germans.

It is frequently said that the victors get to write the first draft of history, but in this case, history is being completely rewritten to fit self-serving objectives.

Special Offer for On the Circuit Readers

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From the Community

Driving head-on into an ambush isn't usually the preferred method of 'getting off the X'. But as this video shows, if you're going to do it, be decisive, be aggressive and execute it well.

Ask questions, get advice, and find industry resources from an active and thriving community of professional, working operators:

🇺🇸 NABA Protector >

🇬🇧 BBA Connect >

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Upcoming Events

Hosted by Craig Mckim and open to protectors at any and all levels! Protectors, law enforcement and military are all welcome! Come along for a night of great conversations and connections with protectors from the DFW area, throughout Texas and beyond!

Elsewhere...

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised Ukraine to destroy “disease-causing pathogens” housed in the country’s public health labs at the risk of spilling and spreading diseases if bombed, as the Russian invasion of the country continued.

Until next week...

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