Mentor Ready™
Equip experienced officers to mentor the next generation of fire service leaders.
Program Description
Mentorship as an operational discipline.
Mentor Ready™ trains seasoned officers and chiefs to develop talent intentionally — not by accident.
- Structured mentoring frameworks for the fire service
- Tools for cadence, feedback, and accountability
- Reflection workbook and mentoring journal
- Capstone Mentor Ready™ Action Plan
Who it's for
- Veteran company officers — Ready to develop the next generation intentionally.
- Training officers — Building structured mentoring into station life.
- Chief officers — Designing succession depth across the organization.
Learning Outcomes
What you'll be able to do.
Design a mentoring relationship that actually develops people
Build a mentoring cadence that fits a shift schedule
Give feedback that shapes behavior without damaging trust
Coach mentees through their first promotional cycle
Build a leadership pipeline inside your organization
Mentor across generational and cultural differences
Address performance issues with care and clarity
Sustain a mentoring practice for the long haul
10 Module Overview
The full Mentor Ready™ curriculum.
Why Mentoring Matters
The operational case for mentoring in the fire service.
Defining the Mentoring Relationship
Roles, expectations, and the agreements that make it work.
The First Conversations
How to open the relationship, set cadence, and build trust.
Coaching vs. Telling
Helping mentees solve problems instead of solving them for them.
Giving Feedback That Sticks
Direct, useful, and protective of the relationship.
Developing Promotional Readiness
Preparing mentees for assessment centers and the seat.
Hard Conversations
Performance, conduct, and the moments mentees need most.
Mentoring Across Difference
Generation, background, rank — meeting people where they are.
Building the Pipeline
Mentoring as a department-wide succession strategy.
Your Mentor Ready Action Plan
Translate the program into intentional, repeatable mentoring.
Your Instructor
Built by a career fire service leader.
Derek Funyak has served as a firefighter, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, and deputy chief.
Every module is grounded in fire-service scenarios, written for officers who need practical tools, not abstract management theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions, answered.
Who should take Mentor Ready™?
Veteran officers, training officers, and chiefs who want to develop talent on purpose.
Do I need formal mentoring experience?
No. Mentor Ready™ is structured for officers stepping into mentoring intentionally for the first time.
How long does the program take?
Self-paced. Most students complete the program in 6 to 10 weeks.
Do I receive a certificate?
Yes — a Beyond the Badge Leadership certificate of completion is issued.
Pricing
One investment. The whole program.
One-time payment · lifetime access
- All modules and lessons
- Fire service scenarios in every lesson
- Reflection workbook and knowledge checks
- Capstone action plan
- Certificate of completion
Built for the work.
Every lesson is designed to translate directly into the next shift and the next promotion.
Group or department pricing? Contact us →