This Is The Hidden Art of Executive Protection
✅ Proficiency with multiple military grade weapon systems. Check.
✅ A keen sense of situational awareness, an “always-on” tactical mindset, physical endurance and the ability to sustain high levels of alertness for days on end. Check.
❌ The ability to lay the groundwork of solid social connections everywhere from the C-Suite to the hotel kitchen… Needs work.
In addition to the hard skills that are most often discussed, successful Executive Protection Agents possess a number of other characteristics that can be described as soft skills or personality traits. However, the importance of these interpersonal skills are often overlooked.
So, what is the “Hidden Art of Executive Protection?” Keep reading to find out.
Scott: “What’s the most important skill they [Executive Protection Agents] bring to the table beyond their ability to just be a war fighter.”
Byron: “Social dynamics. Social dynamics is the hidden art of success in our industry. It’s what I give all my talks on when I teach at different events we have in the industry.
When I started at 21 years old, I was working one of the hardest clients in Southern California. If I dial back into how I got the job, it was all social dynamics. I saw numerous agents come and go because they weren’t able to really grab onto the social dynamics of it.
The failure to be able to walk away from hardcore skills and not respect the soft skills of the Executive Protection industry is what I’m dealing with. You need to transition and package yourself in a way that is palatable to the civilian.
