If you are one of the lucky 14,000 to get a job at the Olympics as one of the security staff, you will be undergoing your security training as we speak. But it is not just going through the motions of checking bags, directing people into queues, looking at CCTV cameras and sorting out disputes which security guards have to deal with at events like this. It is the inevitable frustrations and difficulties which people experience when they have to wait for long periods.

Part of the security guard training, door supervisor training and CCTV training is how to keep people calm and on your side when they are having to wait in queues or are not getting the service they had hoped for. Security training teaches you that your demeanour can have a huge effect on how people relate to you. This can extend to the way you stand, the stance you take, how you use your hands when speaking to people and the way you say things. In fact, everything about you will give off signals about how you feel about the person you are talking to. People react to this type of signal without even noticing it.

At an event such as the Olympics, the crowds are going to be huge and the turnover high. The security staff will, in many cases, be new to the job and ensuring that they are meeting the required standards of customer service is going to be difficult. The security training in this area needs to be top notch. Door supervisor training is is of particular use in this case. Knowing how to deal with queues of people is a great start. Communication is key to keeping those waiting to get to their seats happy. As long as those who are waiting know what is going on and why they are being kept waiting the chances of any emotional outbursts are kept to a minimum. It is frustration which most often causes problems at events such as these.

The Olympic security staff undergoing security training at the moment will be finding out why the way they act is as important as what they say and the carrying out of basic tasks. If you thought that being a security guard meant breaking up fights and checking people for weapons, you can think again. It is as much about prevention as it is the cure. Your actions and reactions will be an important part of ensuring people have a great time at whichever event they are attending.