CAVU recently hosted its second quarter Human Performance Instructor (HPI) Community of Practice, bringing together HPI graduates, instructors, and leaders from across industries to share lessons learned, exchange best practices, and continue strengthening the global HPI community.

The Q2 sessions were facilitated by Will Burney, CAVU’s Vice President for Human Performance Curricula. The discussion focused on the purpose and value of the HPI Community of Practice, recent updates to CAVU’s HPI resources, real-world application of HPI tools, and opportunities to continue improving how organizations capture, communicate, and act on lessons learned.

“The value of the HPI Community of Practice is that it keeps the learning alive after the course ends,” said Will Burney, Vice President for Human Performance Curricula at CAVU. “When graduates come together to share what is working, what is challenging, and how they are applying these tools in the field, we strengthen the entire community. These sessions help turn individual experience into shared operational excellence.”

Since the inception of CAVU’s HPI program, CAVU has conducted 29 HPI classes, including 12 at home at CAVU’s Center of Excellence in Virginia Beach and 17 on the road. Those classes have resulted in 246 graduates across 20 organizations and nine industries. The Community of Practice was created to support that growing network by providing a forum for continued learning, practical discussion, and cross-industry collaboration.

During the session, Will provided updates on the HPI Community of Practice and highlighted the foundational purpose of the group: to share lessons learned, discuss best practices, address common challenges, and help sustain the behaviors that support operational excellence. The conversation centered on leadership fundamentals, continuous improvement, and the team behaviors that help organizations improve performance in high-risk and complex environments.

Will also shared several important updates with the group, including the release of a new Leadership PRO module, LF-13: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence. The module includes three video segments focused on how leaders can embrace AI as a tool to augment their roles, increase productivity, and support better decision-making. Participants were encouraged to log in to their Leadership PRO accounts to access the new content.

Sea Stories

A key highlight of the Q2 Community of Practice was the sharing of HPI “sea stories,” where participants discussed real examples of how they have applied HPI tools and concepts in their own organizations.

One participant shared how the presentation practice, coaching, and techniques from the HPI course helped prepare them to brief a large leadership audience shortly after graduation. They described how the course gave them the confidence and structure needed to communicate more effectively, even in a virtual format. To recreate the energy of an in-person presentation, they adapted their setup by standing during the briefing, allowing them to gesture and present in a way that felt more natural and aligned with the skills practiced in class.

Another participant discussed their experience conducting a virtual Leadership Roundtable for operations leaders and site supervisors across multiple locations. Because the Leadership Roundtable was originally designed for a face-to-face environment, the virtual format created unique challenges. The participant explained how they enlisted other HPI graduates to support the session as a scribe and note-taker, helping capture key points, document action items, and maintain engagement. They also emphasized the value of creating a setting where participants could speak openly before agreed-upon outcomes were shared with senior leadership.

CAVU extends its thanks to everyone who participated in the Q2 HPI Community of Practice. These sessions are strengthened by active participation from the global HPI community, and the lessons shared during this quarter’s discussion are a clear reminder that operational excellence is built through continued learning, open dialogue, and the willingness to share what works.

We look forward to continuing the conversation next quarter.

To learn more about CAVU’s Human Performance instructor Course or to enroll in a session, visit http://www.cavu-intl.com/HPI or email info@cavu-intl.com

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