The seminar entitled “SFA Advisors’ Enhancement Seminar 2022”, organized by the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE), took place from the 12th to the 15th of July at the Army Infantry School Officers’ Club.
The event, in collaboration with management consulting and professional training specialists and experts on mediation and negotiation techniques, aimed to analyse, test and standardize the knowledge and skills that Advisors must acquire in order to operate effectively in the ever-changing international scenarios.
The data, information and experiences collected during the seminar will be used to update and integrate the results of the SFA Operator profile analysis Report, a document drawn up by the NATO SFA COE which describes the aptitude and professional requirements, psychological traits and optimal skills that SFA operators should have in order to advise at every level (trainer, mentor or advisor).
The seminar began with a practical team building activity. The participants were encouraged to collaborate in small groups and together deal with unforeseen critical situations.
Furthermore, the attendees had the opportunity to engage in role-playing activities and practical tests of interaction with local authorities, simulated with actors, through an interpreter, applying the negotiation techniques and cultural norms acquired during the theoretical lessons.
Among the novelties of this year, the participants simulated a remote advisor / counterpart interaction, using a commercial VTC. The goal was to experience the difficulties of virtual interaction between local actors and Advisors who have a different level of technological familiarity and to encourage the sharing of experiences and observations among the participants.
This initiative, of very high international significance, is part of a broader NATO SFA COE program in the field of training, aimed at increasing the potential of “Human Capital”, considered one of the most important factors for the conduct of SFA activities.
