Instructions:
- Post a new discussion related to the topics covered in this module. Your post needs to provide specific lessons learned with examples from this module helping you enhance your leadership capacity at work.
- After posting your discussion, review posts provided by other students in the class and reply to at least one of them.
This was an exceptional lecture that addressed an array of issues and possible solutions. Being an African American man in policing hasn't been easy. I feel the profession is so far behind in the things discussed, and the leaders need to emphasize the need to attack the disparities plaguing the law enforcement relationship internally and externally.
There was great information in this training module. I enjoyed and took a lot from the Anthony Robbins video. He stated that Great Leaders maximize resources. I agree and try to practice this every day on the job. Know your people and what they can do, and put them in a position to be successful to help your department. He made another great point about never settling and not making excuses. He made the point several different times that great leaders have resourcefulness. Find ways to make things work with what you have and look to stop problems before they can get any momentum.
"The Narrow Road" portrays the image that leadership is a never-ending journey and that no one leader will reach the end; when the struggles come, they are not an end but simply a hurdle to overcome. Scheduling proactive, positive behavior actions can only make these hurdles seem more like challenges than like problems. As Dr. Crum pointed out, our mindset will make the difference in whether we accept leadership as difficult, but rewarding or we choose to take the easier, wide path of selfish behavior that leads to an early end of not being a leader, but one of a bad manager.
That is very well said; I agree that leadership is a never-ending journey. Good leaders should always be willing to learn to help themselves and others around them or those under their command.
The statement made in the Personal leadership section “Would you be willing to do what you are about to do in front of your parents, spouse, and children? If not, then don’t do it” caught my attention. It is a lesson that we all need to learn. We should evaluate ourselves and build up from there. I learned as a child, treat others as you wish to be treated. It will be a learning curve for all to evaluate our implicit biases and try to be a better person.
Travis, this is an excellent point. The treatment of people is so important. This module forces you to self-evaluate even if you try to always perform the duties without bias or malice. As a whole, we must focus on effective leadership that carries into the rank and file. This will bring about change.
This lecture contained valuable information about leadership and implicit bias. In Doctor Alia Crum’s YouTube video, the quote Change your Mindset, Change the Game stood out to me. I could not agree more with this statement. Often times we change the game in a negative way because of our mindsets. Our mindset has a huge impact on the outcome of any situation. Do not waste energy on the terrible leaders in your past also stood out to me in Personal Leadership Part 1. I have always tried to learn from every leader. Although what is learned from certain leaders, is not what I personally would implement there are still things to learn even if it’s what not to do.
Until this module I had never really thought about how important the mindset can be for your own health and well-being. While I had always saw the importance of having the right mindset for mental health reasons as it related to what we see or must do in law enforcement, I had never thought about it the way it was described by Dr. Crum in her video presentation.
I also found the importance of not wasting energy on bad leadership insightful and not something I do well. While we sometimes can’t control who we end up working for we can go into work everyday with the right mindset to deal with that bad leader. With the proper emotional intelligence, we must keep our composure with the right mindset and not act in an irrational manner.
Josh, I could not agree more with you statement, keeping our composure and the right mindset is extremely important. This is especially important when having to deal with immediate supervisors who practice coercive power as a leadership form.
The blend of the lectures for Personal Leadership and Implicit Bias blended in a way that I could not imagine. Revisiting history in the Implicit Bias lecture was helpful. The discussion on community engagement was intriguing. “Coffee with a Cop” is no stranger to my office, but “Barbershop Rap Sessions” is quite inventive. This is something that could be utilized in at least one area of my jurisdiction if not all or a different label for a something popular in our area may also work.
This Module was incredibly insightful and beneficial. We focused primarily on developing and strengthening leadership skills, and I was able to recognize areas in which I need to improve. The most enlightening part of this Module was the realization that Heuristics play a major role in the decisions we make.
I found heuristics with the impact of thin-slicing to be a big reason of why we need to repeatedly practice and train to help alter our natural cognitive behaviors. The examples that showed how the brain works in quick decision-making was a very effective tool for this lecture.
Man, Speaking of being biased! I went into this module being skeptical that I would get anything out of it. I assumed it would be an attack on "them racist white cops". I've policed for twenty-eight years and when I periodically encounter a black driver that says they're afraid of the police, I always find myself thinking "I wish people would quit teaching their kids to fear the police." Some of the history in this module shed a lot of light on why their parents and grandparents taught them the way they did.
This module was truly eye-opening, highlighting the immense amount of work that needs to be done to rectify the mistakes of our past. We are fortunate to have a Sheriff who is actively implementing programs in our community to help bridge the gap and propel the department forward.
This module made me realize even more we need to have more positive interactions with our communities. I believe we get so focused on just doing the job and going home that we forget to spend more time getting to know and socializing with people in the community. I noticed this a few years ago when I helped coach a baseball team. I did not have a kid playing on the team but just wanted to interact more with the public. Also, I heard of an all-star team not having enough coaches due to nobody liking the head coach. The head coach does have a history with our department for years and it was definitely not a good history. Assistant coaching with this team has had a very positive effect not only on myself but on the kids and coaches on the team. To this date, I still see several of the kids while working at the high school baseball games. All of them come to speak with me and so do their parents. One of the coaches owns and operates a barbershop. I guess I will call him and try a rap session next.
Michael, I agree, getting out into our communities as "real people" builds bridges and closes gaps that we may not even realize exist. I have had small children walk up to me in the grocery store and ask why I am buying milk, they don't realize that I am a wife and Mama and have a home just like they do all because they only see a uniform. Spending time with people outside of our circle not only promotes a positive image but as the lecture talks about, helps to break down the biases within ourselves.
Test comment
The cornerstones of effective leadership are many, but they are the foundation we need to build upon. No matter what our position within our organization may be, the consistent employment of the virtues will go a long way to building up the members of our team, our agency, and in the way the members of the communities we serve, see us.
I agree with you on the importance of the cornerstones of effective leadership. All leaders should strive to do or have these traits listed in the module. It is definitely should be used as a go by to grow into a great and effective leader.
A leader in law enforcement has many challenges. Bias is one of the greatest. A leader not only has to deal with bias from an enforcement aspect, but from citizens’ aspects of police conduct, and their own biased opinions. We all know that humility is one, if not the most important cornerstone to effective leadership. Having a good moral compass along with genuine humility leads to effective and great leadership. Recognizing and listening are two aspects of humility, and when applied to law enforcement they should alleviate the biased thoughts or preconceived notions of most things we deal with in law enforcement. Actions do speak louder than words, and being impartial in our enforcement actions, serving with humility, and ensuring that our own moral compass points in the right direction can greatly affect the biased preconceived thoughts the public may have towards law enforcement, as well as changing any personal biases that law enforcement may have when dealing with the public. Sir Robert Peele’s fifth principle is that police seek and preserve public favor not by catering to public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.
The bias portion was exceptional training and needs to be uniformly trained by leaders that believe in it vs. perfunctory training. If conducted by the training division, the Chief or Sheriff needs to attend every class and speak personally on the subject matter to create immediate culture change. Initiatives such as coffee with a cop or the barbershop real talk are as good for the officers as they are for the community but it can do more harm than good to send officers that don't believe in or agree with the mission. You must first reach these officers through mutual understanding and if they simply will not buy in or don't agree with the mission of the agency, then they are in the wrong field or agency. One of the best ways to mitigate bias is the socialize positively with others and therefore this must be a part of our mission.
I Agree that the Chief / Sheriff needs to attend these trainings. If the deputies and officers see it as something important to their leaders, they're more likely to buy into it.
Biases exist in society. We all have them. Recognition is the first step. Listening to others and not jumping to conclusions before all of the facts are gathered is one way to avoid the trap. As leaders, you cannot tolerate biases that affect how an individual conducts themselves in this profession. Only the facts of an investigation should determine a conclusion. Everyone deserves our best effort.
Jason, you condensed the training very well and are 100% accurate. This must be a part of the mission for each agency and leaders need to ensure there is buy in at every level.
Jason I really like the statement at the end, “Everyone deserves our best effort”. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I believe we should enact training that gets everyone on the same page.
The implicit bias lecture was more beneficial than any other equity and inclusion class I have had in the past. While I found the historical aspect of the lecture particularly interesting, I gained the most benefit in the section on community outreach teams. I think implementing something like coffee with a cop or having barbershop jam sessions in various areas of the county would have a positive impact on not only the community but our deputies. Events like this could also be co-branded with municipal jurisdictions within the county, increasing interagency relations with other departments in the jurisdiction as well.
I particularly enjoyed the lectures pertaining to personal leadership. I thought the speakers, especially Jack Enter’s portion of this module, provided invaluable information including simple ways we can all improve as leaders. Enter’s statement of “leaders don’t use I” made me think of the previous lesson regarding Extreme Ownership. I found the lecture on implicit bias valuable, but difficult to follow. I appreciated that we learned everyone has biases and it is important to recognize our own biases to overcome them and be more effective officers and leaders.
This was a very good block in my opinion. I topic that resonated best to me is you always must swim upstream concept. If you go with the flow, you have no control at all, and I think that is important for a leader to know. What this means is you must lead up, sometimes you need to tell your boss that he or she is wrong, discipline an employee or change a situation that is problematic. It won’t be easy, and you will have a harder day than someone floating down for sure. If you do what needs to be done you will always find turbulent water and many obstacles in your way, that's the bottom line. Being a leader means that you should always be swimming against a steady strong current. If you prefer a casual float down a calm stream, then you should stay out of leadership positions and let the muddy water dictate your destination. That float into the unknown is not for me.
As someone who came on the job in the late 1980s, the new ideals regarding race relations have been challenging for me, on a personal and professional level. I was raised to not see color, and to try and judge people as individuals, not as a member of their respective ethnic groups. I now realize that in theory, this seems like a good idea - what could be more fair than treating everyone the same, regardless of their skin color? But in practice, being "colorblind" can deny many of the struggles that ethnic minorities have had to overcome to achieve equality and respect in the 21st century. A fair and equitable leader understands our similarities and differences - as both individuals and members of unique cultural groups. By recognizing and empathizing with the challenges that people have met and overcome in their quest for recognition and a truly level playing field, we should be saying, "I see you and I value the differences and unique experiences that have brought you here."
The lecture on implicit bias was outstanding. I would like to share sections of that training with my shift. A few years ago, I began reviewing the demographics of the traffic stops my officers were making. I did not believe any had an explicit bias; however, if you focus your traffic enforcement in impoverished communities, you'll find more equipment violations and expired tags. I would pie chart the demographic of their traffic stops and ask them if they would feel comfortable in court if that pie chart was blown up for a jury. My argument is that eventually, they would find the mother lode, like a large quantity of drugs. The defense attorney could argue that you stopped someone, not for the violation. You stopped them for their race. I encouraged my officers to police equally in all communities and basically not to hunt on baited fields.
This module on Personal Leadership had many valid points in my opinion. Changing your mindset and interacting with those on your team and even those, not on your team. Seeking out problems and correcting them before they become problems is also important for a manager. Humbleness as a leader is one of the more important traits that most supervisors should look for. Not talking on the phone while someone is trying to tell you something that is going on in their life should not even be a thing but yet here we are.
I agree with you Randy. Some of these topics seem pretty obvious, but yet we still see these behaviors and can often forget how small bad habits or behavior can have a lasting impact on coworkers or citizens we interact with.
There was some good information in the module to be obtained. My favorite quote was from the barber shop rap session segment.
"It takes both sides to be willing to make this thing work."
- Anthony Smith
Too many times our community efforts are met with resistance from the community we are trying to better relationships with. And often the message is delivered by an officer's half hearted effort.
I enjoyed the community outreach program as well. I could 100% get behind coffee with a cop. Connect with the community and feed my addiction all at once.
I am struck by the fact that Sir Robert Peel's key principles of policing were written in 1829, but still hold true today. There is a consistent measure of police and community interaction and dependency in each of them. In very basic form, the list speaks about police and public relations, use of force, trust, community, and many other topics we visit today in the wake of public distrust, confrontation with biases, and social injustice.
I agree 100%. I first learned of these principles in the police academy 20+ years ago. If we would all adhere to these principals, our "self inflicted wounds" would be less often.
Chiquita, I too was shocked at how relevant Sir Robert Peal's principles remain in modern times. Especially this one: "To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police, the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence." To me, this statement says, "hey, we are you and you are us, and we're in this together." I immediately ordered a framed print of the principles to hang in my office. I want to be reminded every day that I am equal to, not greather than the community I serve.
Session #018
There is a lot of information in this module between personal leadership and implicit bias. The two topics completely compliment each other. With the current social justice movements and political climate around law enforcement, I believe agencies need to be investing in more individualized training in implicit bias at the early stages of our officers’ careers with relevant updates as they progress through them. Understanding how our individual cultural environments, upbringings, perceptions, and life experiences have developed our implicit biases is key to being able to ensure that we are maintaining the path of the mission and vision statements of our profession. I completely agree that the best way to foster this growth is socializing outside of our comfort circles and environments. I learned this best in the military and during my deployment to the middle east. The relationships that were developed through both taught me more about myself and generated new growth and acceptance of change and difference far greater than any other time in my life.
* complement
Jarrett, I agree. Understanding comes from open dialog. We must all be better "listeners". Recognition is the first step in regaining the trust of the community.
This module is packed with relevant and valuable information. For example, Jack Enter's quote, "Leaders are problem finders, not problem solvers." is something we should be doing more of. We must be proactive in seeking where we are failing, not waiting until we fail to find a solution.
The cornerstone of effective leadership requires maintaining physical, phycological, and emotional wellness. “Don’t waste energy on carrying anger towards terrible leaders as mentioned in this block by Dr. Tobia was on point”. Something good can come from something bad that is why we should pay attention to all types of leaders. When we can recognize what bad leadership is it will help us to not repeat the same mistakes of less affective types of leadership.
I absolutely agree with you when you. We can learn just as much from a bad leader as we can from a good leader. I have endeavored to take the lessons I learned from a bad supervisor who was only concerned with his own needs and desires, and not make those same team killing mistakes. I have also made it a point to emulate the example set forth by a very gifted leader i was fortunately able to work for and carry on his example.
help
I think as first responders we have the "alpha" mentality. After reviewing this section, it really showed me that listening to the community is as important ( maybe more important) than doing something or speaking first. I feel a lot of time people just want to be heard and not judged. I know as humans we all are bias or profile a little, but I think I will be a little slower to action or assumptions from now on.
This module hit on key points I have been working on in my career. I noticed that the cornerstone of effective leadership traits reinforced my goals and my views as a supervisor. For example, allowing others to have input or don’t email, text, or answer the phone when someone shares a significant issue with you. I performed these tasks out of respect, not realizing it was a specific value. I taught this to other officers and rising supervisors. One key issue I have learned in this module was not to waste energy carrying anger toward terrible leaders. I know many supervisors, including myself, would work less with bad leaders versus trying to help them work towards being influential leaders.
Cory, I could not agree with you more. Simply put the better we treat each other the better our work product will be in all aspects of the job. There is no reason to be on your phone while someone is trying to explain something to you. Or to be a smart ass answering a question.
There were so many powerful messages compiled into this module. From the intro video covering the importance of changing the mindset will change the game. The importance of having the right mindset achieves goals in leadership as well as breaking through the social barriers that were created during the birth of our nation. As quoted by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The public are the police, and the police are the public”. Both go hand and hand and without each entity engaging together on a positive platform and building trust, history is destined to repeat itself. There were many forms of community policing that were exhibited in this module that wouldn’t require much effort. There’s no way to ever know the full impact of what a transparent police department can do for a community, but the benefits of it will most certainly minimize the issues that cities such as Ferguson and Baltimore have experienced.
I enjoy the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his creation of the classic Sherlock Holmes character. I know this module referenced Sir Arthur Doyle as attributing "the public are the police, and the police are the public," but harkening back to my undergrad days I thought this was a quote attributed to Sir Robert Peel. Either way, it is a great quote.
Test 6/6/2022
As I was going over this module of Personal Leadership, I really enjoyed the section of this module with the videos conducted by Tony Robbins. I loved the part of the video by Mr. Robbins where he stated "effective leaders find a way to maximize the resources they have at their disposal to achieve goals and get results, instead of complaining about their lack of resources". This I took to heart because way to many times we (including me) sometime complain about the items that we don't necessarily have, that we wished we had in order to made our jobs easier. Through his lecture, I realize that you have to use the tools that you have at to accomplish the mission. By complaining and criticize you are adding to the problem. Instead try something different and work with that of what you have and be part of the solution.
This module of learning taught me that we all have biases rather if we want to admit them or not. Our bias shape our belief system in how we interact with people. It is highly important to control those biases if we want to be effective at our job duties.
I agree that coming to an understanding we all have biases is important. These biases don't make us bad people, just normal. It the type of biases I think can cause concern. I believe acknowledging the and learning from them is the key to success. If we have learned a type of implicit or explicit bias over time and we let it's negative results continue then we are doomed to fail or just keep repeating or mistakes. If we can recognize them and learn from our own biases that is key,
I thought the section on personal leadership was really good. I enjoyed the videos of Dr. Crum, Tony Robbins, and Dr. Enter. The quote that said, "just because you know the answer doesn't mean you have to offer it every time" stuck out to me since I have struggled with this in the past myself.
Jeremy, I enjoyed that quote as well. At times, I find it hard to sandbag and to keep my mouth shut. I now see the importance and I will be keeping that in mind in the future.
I agree with the 5 L's. As leaders, we should work to achieve all 5 of the Ls. The one that speaks to me most is Laughter. So many times we forgot that laughter is therapeutic. We become rigid and strict and we forget our lighter side. Please stay grounded and don't forget your sense of humor.
Joseph Spadoni Jr.
Session #15
This module has shown how valuable community relations are and how we must work on these relationships. Having a good relationship with the community makes law enforcement policing work much easier. Cooperation from the public can be priceless when conducting investigations, etc. The cornerstones of effective leadership serve as a good reminder of how we should carry ourselves in and out of the eye of the public. This module provided a few ways of interacting with the community. I really like the ideas of coffee with a cop, barber shop rap sessions, and the Sheriff’s Office citizen’s advisory board. I believe those types of interactions with the community could help us tremendously with building trust and good standing relationships with our communities.
I thought the ideas of the barbershop rap sessions and coffee with a cop seemed like really good ideas as well. It was nice to see those success stories.
Joseph, I totally agree. It takes all stake holder (law enforcement and the community) to have a unbreakable relationship. this relationship can only lead to a one team concept that helps the officer better serve and protect the community. Likewise, it the community gains because they too are taking a value able stand in the community and shows that they support the law enforcement agency. This show of positive leadership on both parties show the community policing can and will work.
Joseph,
I could not agree more. Until now, I have never heard of barbershop rap sessions. I may have to try that one. We do coffee with a cop and other things along that line. After going through this module, I feel like we need to have more of these types of interactions with our communities.
Most officers, especially those in jurisdictions with larger populations, are familiar with some form of community outreach. It is likely a much smaller number of officers engaged in outreach do so as part of their assignments. While this module is loaded with instructional history, examples of ineffective policing and suggested corrective measures, and concepts to help ensure we individually make correct decisions, the social gatherings in which police and citizens meet to form relationships and exchange ideas stood out most. This is because it can almost immediately initiate new bonds between police and the public and strengthen those bonds where they already exist. These are investments in public trust and police commitment to communities with nearly instant return for the public and for law enforcement officers.
I agree. Socializing amongst our communities has served well in fostering relationships. In my experience, these relationships are not generally openly displayed but one on one they have been very beneficial in providing intel.
The cornerstones of effective leadership made me reevaluate my department and my self as a leader. In doing so I find that my department has implemented several of the styles with the community, such as the coffee with a cop. Although I have not been a part of this, I have heard a lot of great success stories. My department has also been sending deputies from every position to leadership schools. Effective leadership should not just be taught at the top, but at the lowest rank. This will build the future leaders for the department and ensure that others that follow will be properly supervised. One think that stands out is that we should always have a mentor and be a mentor for others.
I agree with Paul that effective leadership should not just be taught at the top but at lower ranks. I will put a slight twist on this notion; I believe that for an actual change, it must originate at the top, and the focus should be at the bottom. The senior Leader in most organizations are from a different generation, and their implicit and explicit bias is ingrained in their entire belief system. They either believe that their bias is wrong and are truly working toward change. Or they are forced to adapt to the changes in society but still hold to their bias. The younger and lower-ranked officers have different perceptions and biases that reflect today's culture. Their belief system is still growing and able to accept change. It is hard for anyone to accept that I have been wrong all these years. In other words, if it was good enough for my mother, it’s good enough for me.
In many ways, officers’ behavior can be traced to agency standards and the quality of the agencies’ work product. Officers at times unknowingly model their perspectives—and consequently, their behavior—on that of leaders of the agencies, including those of the heads of agencies. I agree that widespread progress should be begin with the leaders of organizations and their model behavior.
Paul,
I applaud your department for its efforts to produce quality leaders. They are putting in the work to be the best. Leadership training is essential for building future leaders. I love the idea of how they train every position, just not ranking officers—Kuddos to your department.
I thought the list of cornerstones of effective leadership was excellent. One of the cornerstones we use in our department as a command staff regularly is asking for help, and we often have round table discussions to solve problems. I reflected on my need to work on maintaining my composure when dealing with employees. Early in my leadership role, I lost my composure while dealing with an employee who wanted to be heard and thought he was being disrespectful in how he approached the situation. I often think of the impact my reaction had on that employee. Leadership takes constant evaluation and work.
This section was so long and informative, it is difficult to just pick out one subject. Right off the bat, I enjoyed the opening by Dr. Alia Crum when she said, “Change your mindset, and change the game”. That’s really what it’s all about. We were all born different places, grew up under different circumstances, and all have different biases. There is something more in those of us who were called to this profession, and whether we knew it or not, we all chose to put those biases aside for the sake of the greater good. I took some things away from Chief Tobia’s segment: Leaders maximize resources, no matter how minimal they may be. We are all operating short-staffed in this day and age, and on a tight budget. We make do with what we have and carry out the mission. Also, don’t waste energy on terrible leaders, just work to understand the lesson. We have all had (or have) those leaders. Iron sharpens iron. Then Jim Collins’ statement that the key to great leaders is their humility really resonated with me. Long segment, but it was a good one.
I agree with you. I do feel that n matter what we do in law enforcement, the mission must be put first. We have to put our biases to the back and accomplish everything that is put in our way.
Definitely good information on implicit and explicit bias and how fundamentals of good leadership can be used to find and fix the problems. Its really hard to think back on the past and realize that in the grand scheme, it really was not that long ago. Relations should always be worked on no matter the case or history.
Test
This module showed the importance to building a relationship with the public regardless of race. As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quoted "the public are the police and the police are the public". Community policing makes law enforcement work easier. When u can go into the community and build relationships and trust, it makes it safer for the police and the public. Sir Robert Peels Nine Principals are great examples to use when interacting with public.
Devon,
I could not agree more with you that community policing makes law enforcement work easier. We see it all the time when there is an issue in the public, someone in the community that we have a good relationship with will come forward and give us information. If we could build relationships with more people in the community like that I believe it will help us tremendously with doing our job.
One of the cornerstones of law enforcement is objectivity. We have a duty to see things as they are, evaluate information without prejudgment, and act based on the totality of what we know. There is no place for ego, either as an officer or as a leader.
As a leader, we work derivatively through the actions of our subordinates. To motivate them to accomplish our shared mission, we must put aside our own biases and personal weaknesses, while at the same time showing our humanity. All of our actions must display integrity, guided by a properly-oriented moral compass. If we are biased, either by or staff or the community at large, we lost the right to lead, and we lose legitimacy.
I tell my troops that the badge we wear, and the power it represents, is not ours; it belongs to the people, who we have taken an oath to serve. When I see that badge or the power of being a law enforcement officer as mine, when I let my ego intrude, I no longer deserve the honor of serving.
Gerald Whealton Session 15
Personal leadership and implicit bias: Upon entering this module, I did not think I would learn much as the topics covered early in the narrow road to leadership were already part of my core beliefs. However, as the module developed, I found some interesting points but one point in particular, “leaders are not problem solvers, they are problem finders” piqued my interest. I found this an interesting dichotomy because as law enforcement, we are seen as leaders in our community and in being the torch bearer for law and order. On the other side, because of our profession, we are primarily called upon to be problem solvers. So, under that premise, as a leader within a law enforcement organization, I need to reassess what I was trained to do. As a leader within a profession that leads, I’ve learned that I need to better understand and reflect on the personal problems that my juniors may have in efficiently and competently completing their tasks. This is not to say I should be looking for the problem employee but rather the processes or underlying life issues that may be affecting the product. That’s a refreshing take on leadership. In my career, most current and past leadership have been influenced with implicit biases by “thin-slicing” the problem at hand. This “thin slicing” is reactive and not proactive which leads nicely into the next section, implicit bias.
As I continued in the module, I was initially offended by the premise that we all have biases because I constantly reflect upon my life travels with empathy toward others point of view which would seem to influence future interactions. I’ve always perceived the term “bias” in a negative light but after hearing the lecture, my train of thought has evolved. As the lecture points out and because of my life experiences, I’ve learned that I have been biased to the principles of good behavior, responsibility, and accountability to name few. I am not necessarily biased toward ethnicity, race, or sex. I am biased against the criminal! I also enjoyed the history lesson that took me through the “original sin”, the sundown laws, Jim Crow, reconstruction, redemption, separate but equal, lynching, internment, the “green book”, the color of law, and the black codes. Very succinct and a stain on our democracy. It’s been a while since I’ve considered this lineage but as I’ve always thought, this caste system has retarded the growth of minorities in America. I’ve long known that this lifelong thought (bias) has influenced my interactions with minorities and majorities. I’m of Caucasian descent and when interacting with minorities, I’ve consistently spent more time when taking their call as a problem solver. On the other hand, when dealing with a minority suspect, I’ve always been careful when applying use of force so as not to perpetuate the perception of heavy handedness. At a different point on the spectrum, I’ve found I have been “thin slicing” when dealing with a majority suspect. Not really listening to their situation as intently as I would a minority suspect. It seems I would be less inclined to show empathy towards a majority suspect.
So, amongst many things, I’ve learned I need to redouble my leadership and empathy efforts when dealing with majority suspects.
Gerald, I rather enjoyed your take on this module. I, too, took away some of the same things as you did with regard to being more empathetic and getting to the core of the issue with a troubled employee. I have found that my subordinates follow me because they know I care about them. Their issues, their families, and their lives in general. People will not follow someone who does not care about them.
To your other point, I grew up out of country and in another culture so when I returned to the US as a child, I found myself more fortunate that I had more appreciation for the things we had and later in life, I discovered that I did not share the same prejudices as my friends and extended family had. Still, I found that I did have biases in many other ways.
The review of our history reveals much about the reasons our society is as it is today. It is up to us to change the identity of law enforcement together.
I found it interesting in the latter component of the discussion having to do with Challenges of Change. We have a sheriff election coming up this fall and one of the republican candidates is having trouble with the republican party because they stood with the BLM movement shortly after the life lost in Minnesota. It is amazing how many people see that as a 'negative' instead of a person's willingness to stand with those who were grieving and show that we are there with them.
I did not realize until the discussion on Civil Rights in America just how new the idea of equality for everyone is so recent for many people. I guess living in my bubble meant that that was a thing of the past, instead of a thing of a recent past, of something that still exists. It frustrates me that in our society, this continues to be a problem...
Andrew, when you talk about the past, I also find it hard to imagine how relatively recent the fight for civil rights has been. That seems like such a foreign concept to me that it couldn’t have been so recent, but it was and continues. I am frustrated by that as well. I applaud your sheriff for his actions, that shows true leadership and the foundation of the original republican party. I think Lincoln would be proud to call him a fellow republican.
In Chief Matt Tobia’s lecture on Personal Leadership, he tells us not to waste energy on bad leadership. I have found in my own career, there were leaders who I felt were great. I also had leaders who had little to no respect from those they were attempt to lead. I learned I can take away from both. The leaders who I felt were great, mentored and supported me. I received needed direction and guidance from these men and women. The leaders who I felt were not good, showcased what not to do in a leadership role. I gained valuable insight from these toxic “leaders” and had to learn not to dwell on the not so good leaders. As Chief Tobia stated, “don’t waste energy on bad leadership.”
On the subject of Implicit Bias, Christopher Horn has told us to keep our bias in check. That any decisions should not be made based off biased feelings. When dealing with the public, you have to know what the facts and evidence are to make decisions that will affect their lives and future. Slow down your thinking, look at the whole picture, and make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision.
I found the explanation of bias, both implicit and explicit to be very interesting. the types of bias and reasons we have them added clarity to my understanding of it.
Everyone has them, but if I focus on what actually occurred, I can start to work against the impact of biases. It's not what color someone is, but what they did that is important to a law enforcement officer. Are the person's actions suspicious? If they are, regardless of the identity of the person, then I should contact them. If they are only suspicious because of some inherent characteristic, then the justification for the stop is gone, and I should keep on driving.
"Check It at the door" really stood out as what all law enforcement officers should be doing in any circumstance, provided officer safety is in mind.
Mitchell, I agree with you. Being an effective communicator is key to being an effective leader. You may have great intentions, but if you are not communicating to your officers and getting their “buy-in” you will not be as successful as you could be.
The section on traps was highly informative. It challenges me to think about my own biases and to slow down before deciding too quickly based solely on personal biases. The challenge moving forward will be to recognize my biases in the moment and to not allow them to negatively impact my thoughts or actions.
The module on Personal Leadership and Implicit Bias has many great speakers. I was able to gather takeaways from each one of them. I particularly enjoyed Dr. Jack Enter’s presentation on The Narrow Road of Leadership, as it was on point. When he spoke about standing before an audience of one and facing the judge in the mirror, that spoke to me about how we, as leaders, need to challenge ourselves and not get complacent in our roles. Dr. Enter also addressed how leadership is abnormal behavior, but it can and must be learned by trying, failing, and trying again, in learning how to be a servant leader, one must be humble, gracious, respectful, and seeks out feedback from others. A good leader must have a relationship with teammates, encourage those around them, and lead by example.
Christopher Hoina, lecture on Implicit Bias, was extremely informative and purposed several challenges that not only face the law enforcement professionals but simply how we, as a society, need to recognize the past and work towards a new future of equality and social reform. These topics have many significant layers to them and I am not sure how each one will be addressed. I do know that whatever I do in moving forward, I need to be part of the solution, acknowledge my own biases, continue to challenge myself, and engage with my community at every chance I can.
This module contained important information about Personal Leadership and Implicit Bias, resulting in a deep self-reflection dive. Chief Tobia spoke on the Cornerstones of Effective Leadership, and it begins internally with us by maintaining physical, psychological, and emotional wellness. As leaders, we have to have ourselves in order and always be ready to complete any task assigned to someone else. Being an effective communicator is vital to being an effective leader. We have phones, texts, and emails, yet communication continues to be an issue in almost every department. We need to communicate the department’s vision to its officers, seek their input, and increase their “buy-in.” Better communication may also help our retention rates, avoiding high turnover.
The Implicit Bias section on traps was fascinating to me. I can see how easily we can fall into traps, especially when constantly multitasking. Continuously evaluating oneself is the key to recognizing our own implicit biases and not letting them change our behavior. The cognitive overload on the card trick still has me somewhat amazed. I went back and picked different cards, and it kept working.
Mitchell, I agree with you. Being an effective communicator is key to being an effective leader. You may have great intentions, but if you are not communicating to your officers and getting their “buy-in” you will not be as successful as you could be.
The section on traps was highly informative. It challenges me to think about my own biases and to slow down before deciding too quickly based solely on personal biases. The challenge moving forward will be to recognize my biases in the moment and to not allow them to negatively impact my thoughts or actions.
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In the lecture by Chief Tobia on Personal Leadership, my greatest takeaway was “Don’t waste energy” on terrible leaders. I feel as this may be my greatest deficiency as a leader in my organization. As he said, my energy is far too valuable to allow that to happen and to learn the inadvertent lesson of “what not to do” they are teaching
I also appreciated the video by Dr. Jack Enter and his backing up of many of the values of leadership I strive for daily, most notably ownership and humility. These are two of the principles of leadership that serve as a foundation of one’s leadership abilities.
Chris, I agree. You don't waste energy on terrible leaders. Learn from their mistakes and avoid making the same ones. When you make a decision, own it.
Chris, I agree our time is valuable as leaders. It is frustrating to see leaders that are unwilling to learn or accept feedback to be good leaders. They instead impact morale and take time to deal with. Their impact on an organization is worth the time though for leaders above to take action.
One of the points I found was key in the video with Jack Enter was where he speaks about having to swim up stream. If you do not swim up stream you will not stay in the same position. You will be swept away with the current. I believe this to be true in the fact that if we do not practice or better yet exercise our good leadership muscles we will go backwards or lose them. This of course in not the easy way but it is the right way. We all need to exercise and improve our leadership skills everyday and regularly conduct those self-evaluations.
“The Narrow Road to Leadership” video brought home an important point. “I am the problem”. Ultimately as a leader, I am the problem. Any failure under my command is ultimately my fault. Either I failed to communicate my intent and expectations, I failed to set a proper example, I failed to ensure that subordinate leaders were properly trained, I failed to supervise (to include accountability), I failed to train subordinate leaders to execute their duties properly, or I failed to properly resource the mission.
I would like to think that I do a good job of owning my personal failures. I publicly acknowledge when I realize that I make bad decisions or wrong someone; however, I do a poor job of actively seeking candid feedback from staff. I need to seek feedback openly and actively from all levels and establish a command climate, where people are comfortable providing candid feedback. It’s easy to forget that everyone sees other people and situations through their own lens. That their perception is their reality. I need to determine if my failure to seek honest feedback from staff has contributed to my being “the problem”. Then I need to be vigilant, so as not to slip back into my old comfort zone.
All very good points on ownership and the "I am the problem" quote. I believe in any organization, every issue can be traced back to a leadership problem.
I was pretty struck by the quote from Philip Goff, the Director of the Center for Policing Equity, recognizing that people have had contacts with other systems and organizations before they ever come into contact with the police, and that these systems often have the same or worse inequities as policing. It was a solid reminder that we don't police in a vacuum. It's easy for us to be irritated at how after people are willing to assume that we are acting out of prejudice and this irritation can effect the way we interact with people in the public. I suspect that it would be much easier to be empathetic with people in our community if we realized and remembered the fact that often people's perceptions are based on their lived experiences prior to our contact with them. Whether we realize it or not, we are often policing people who have been harmed, even if in this situation they are the problem. In then becomes incumbent upon us to prove to them that our actions are not based on bias. We often get this backward. I think understanding that even if people are wrong about us, the reasons they are wrong might be legitimate, and this understanding may help us to respond appropriately.
Jeff,
I have listened to several lectures by Phillip Goff over the years. He does a great job separating rhetoric and fact. He is very reasonable and willing to listen to all sides. There is a wide spotlight on law enforcement concerning bias, whether implicit or explicit. Unfortunately, the spotlight could easily be turned on any other profession, and you would find the same or even worse behavior. Bias is a human issue and not just a law enforcement issue.
However, I do believe law enforcement can use the focus we have to lead the way in healing historical wounds and demonstrating that implicit bias can be mitigated through focused effort. Hoina spent a great deal of time in this module’s lecture imploring law enforcement to use their brain and heart to connect with the community (2021). I do believe that once anger toward law enforcement begins to lower, we have an opportunity to step into that space and strengthen relationships that have been historically weak or even non-existence.
References
Hoina, C. (2021). Implicit bias [Online Lecture]. Retrieved December 23,2021, from https://cloud.scorm.com/content/courses/NAGVXPB5E6/ImplicitBiasNational2c975217f -6f5b-45b4-bb9e-4281c39735dc/4/index_lms.html
To practice personal leadership, you apply the principles of leadership that makes being a leader successful. Effective leadership involves a compelling vision, developing strategies, and inspiring people to use their talents to meet a goal for improved results. A good leader is responsible, organized, and takes accountability for goals being set. Personal leadership can be used to enhance your well-being in your everyday personal life. Personal leadership is powerful because it applies to you. It's personal. It is you at your best. Personal leadership is a way to lead yourself from the inside out and apply proven skills to get more out of life.
I agree with your points. Leading by a example often influence others to become a leader.
There were several fantastic points in the Personal Leadership lecture. Specifically, the cornerstones of effective leadership. One of the cornerstones that resonated with me was input breeds commitment to success and the power of letting others provide input. I often seek input from others prior to making decisions when time allows. However, the point that stood out to me was not feeling the need to blurt out the answer, but allowing others to work through the problem. I think this goes along with one of the "Five L's", learn. The idea of observing twice as long as speaking.
Matt,
I totally agree. This is something i feel i need to work on within myself. Being a better team member with my troops. Allowing them to provide input on solutions to solving problems instead of always just telling them this is what we are going to do. This would give them ownership and buy in to solving the problem.
I have to say I really enjoyed the lectures by Tony Robbins and Jack Enter! They were very interesting and entertaining. It makes sense how you have to use your emotional muscle to make it grow.
Under Personal Leadership Part 1, it stood out to me when the instructor pointed out to not waste energy on the terrible leaders in your past. Work on the lesson being given out and learn what not to do.
Kim,
I agree both of those speakers were entertaining. I also liked the idea of not wasting time on terrible leaders. Too often, we spend time complaining about poor leadership. It is more important to learn from others rather than just criticize them.
John, I too am floored that someone at the beginning of policing made observations that today stand true. Statements much like those of the founding fathers.
I liked how this module not only defined implicit and explicit bias but also told people that this is a natural behavior. So often, people harbor feelings of guilt for their bias. The correct action would not be to feel guilt but to recognize those biases and not to allow your actions or thoughts to be regulated by them. For you to conduct your life as a human in a larger group of other humans, all with wants, needs, and feelings.
Steven, I also appreciated the focus on the brain science of bias. I think that one of the things that makes it so hard to train and mentor officers in issues of bias is that officers can be very quick to shut down and refuse to listen anytime these issues are brought up. This is in large part because officers can feel attacked, like by teaching them these things, we are calling them "racist." In their minds, any teaching on bias ends up coming with an implied accusation. I think a much larger focus on the science of bias could help to make the topic more acceptable to our officers. Bias doesn't make you a bad person; it makes you a person. And acknowledging and working to overcome your bias, in fact, makes you a better person.
Steven, I agree with your statement. We need to be people dealing with people.
Well said, Steven. If you don't correct your biases after recognizing them, you feed them. They continue to be present in your life and your project them into the lives of others. We can also help change the views of people who have biases against us. Some of the programs discussed in the module help the community to recognize their biases as well.
The presentation by Jack Enter PhD., was very easy to listen to. As a matter of fact, I've just ordered his book, "Challenging the Law Enforcement Organization: Proactive Leadership Strategies". Enter's description of the narrow road to leadership, really struck a chord. I can acknowledge that I have often travelled the wide path as it is of least resistance, but know that taking the narrow road is the better choice. After all, "if it is hard, it is probably right". I especially like portrayal of swimming upstream. If we don't swim against the current it is easy to get pushed or pulled to one side or the other. Swimming upstream, keeps our path straight and narrow.
I found Chris Hoina's lecture full of useful information, but much more difficult to follow.
This section was very informative and even more enlightening. When we think about the biases that we have, whether implicit or explicit, we should be encouraged to work on ourselves. The fact that we all have biases shows that we have to work diligently to make ourselves better and think about what we say and how we act (and react) to situations and people. We all have tendencies to respond to situations how we expect the situations are going to go without taking the time to see what is really going on. The influences that we have had tend to guide us and we need to improve on that every day to show that we can be better leaders for our people.
I was particularly happy to see the section on Sir Robert Peele’s Principles of Law Enforcement. It seems that everyone has moved on from these guiding principles, and try to re-invent the wheel. “The police at all times should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the intent of the community welfare.” If agencies would get back to this, most of the issues surrounding law enforcement would be eliminated because it would break down the “us versus them” mentality.
My agency has a genuine relationship with the community we serve. But, unfortunately, we had a situation following the death of George Floyd where a post on social media accused some of our officers of mistreating a subject during his arrest. Before the department could respond to the post, the community came together to defend the police department and spoke of how they personally knew the officers involved. As a result, the post was quickly removed from social media. Chief Chapman then reached out to the subject who made the post and invited her to meet with him and review the videos of the incident. Overall, a positive relationship with our community helped to keep the peace.
I enjoyed the lectures in the Personal Leadership lesson. I enjoyed the video from the Sheriff’s Association meeting. Personal leadership is relating to others and caring. When confronted with problems and trying to find resolutions humility is not always easy to project. It is certainly not easy when you feel like you have the solution to the problem and that solution is not being received well. But when empathy is applied to humility a clearer understanding may be gained of the problem and maybe your solution is not the best solution after all. I agree that being a good leader is having a strong moral compass and valuing others.
Implicit Bias was a long section with a lot of material. I understand why. It’s a complicated subject. I understand the importance of self-identifying those biases so they can be managed if not eliminated. We all have them and through training they can be changed. The first step in addressing a problem is admitting there is a problem. One of my pastors over the years used to say that we should consider how boring the world would be if everyone looked, acted, and talked the same. This is not the first time I have had training on implicit biases. Having said that, I see the value of having this training annually. There were a lot of things I had forgot that I needed to hear again.
Personal Leadership:
One of my takeaways was from Jack Enter’s portions when describes the power of humility. Leadership that gets results involves humility, which is often perceived as a sign of weakness or the inability to make decisions. It is not. In fact, it is a vital trait that people desire in their leadership. The power to admit when you are wrong and to be compassionate when others fail. Self-awareness and critical reflection allow leaders to be humble. Some of the best leaders I have worked with displayed this trait. It made them human, to know we all make mistakes, and it is okay. You learn and you move on.
Implicit Bias:
What I learned about implicit biases is that implicit biases are not set in stone. Being mindful of what they are and acknowledging them, seeing differences, being present through actions, awareness, empathy, engaging in conversations, and socializing will help minimize those unconscious biases. It is possible to adopt new attitudes, even on the unconscious level.
Effective leadership is a valuable commodity as it is rare as is demonstrated by the number of books on leadership that one can find in any bookstore. Effective leadership in the law enforcement setting is even more difficult as modern law enforcement is under two harsh microscopes, one by the officers being lead, and the other by the public who are the recipients of law enforcement services. This should come as no surprise since historically law enforcement leadership was not chosen for their leadership abilities, but the ability to make internal and external problems go away without much care for how the process effected the officers being lead and the community being served by preconceived biased ideas about how different communities should be served. This has a more than trickle down effect on how the officers being lead view the communities who are in some way different from themselves which has resulted in the nationwide backlash against law enforcement in general. Law enforcement can in no way afford to continue to promote to higher leadership positions those petty, biased tyrants who only seek higher leadership positions for their own self-aggrandizement at the expense of the officers being lead and the community that they are supposed to serve without "fear or favor, malice or ill will".
I had the opportunity to see Jack Enter in person when we invited him to our department to talk to our staff. We had previous trainings about leadership and usually our staff eyes would glaze over when you started talking about the theories of transitional leadership or any of the other different styles of leadership out there. Where I find Jack as being easy to understand and relate to is that his method of instruction allows for common understanding of his topic rather than relying upon the large volcabulary or explicit concepts being discussed at theroetical levels.
As for implict bias, our department has had the opportunity to have a professor from the University come and speak to us about this concept. When it first brought forth, again eyes began to glaze over. But as he spoke about it and began to discuss the acual meaning along with our department use of the Project Implicit program from Harvard University, there was a mutual understanding and feeling of accomplishment at then end of the trainign session. Being able to understand your own self and how you see others in a subconscious level helps us in our day to day lives.
Sir Robert Peel's Nine Key Principles of Policing created in 1829 masterfully sums up this module. Principle one where the mission of policing is to prevent crime and disorder begins with our leadership. Through strong leadership we learn to emulate professionalism personally and professionally. We value others, model good behavior, listen and learn, be accountable, and be readily accessible with individual attention to name a few. We use the same leadership goals with the public we serve to overcome implicit bias. Peel summed it up, "Police are the public and the public is the police." We become stronger and more united as we explore the history where we work to understand the lessons of the past as the goal is to stop thinking without thinking. A high effort of processing is necessary in the direction of the new law enforcement era within the agencies and as we serve the public.
It is amazing that the man known as the father of policing (Sir Robert Peel) got so much right so long ago. Police officers’ power is from the people. The people are the police, the police are the people. So simple but so correct. This concept really sets itself up against biases. When officers reflect the community they police, and the different races and genders are represented in the department, there are less biases.
John, I too am floored that someone at the begining of policing made obervations that today stand true. Statements much like those of the founding fathers.
This module on Personal Leadership and Implicit bias touched on many different subject topics that really does not get brought up in conversation very often. Mr. Robbins described what leaders do and gave a good list of our greatest resources that we can use to get the maximum result when we think of ourselves as leaders. A few that stuck out to me were having a vision and the commitment in carrying our that vision. No matter what rank we are, our vision should never change. In fact, our vision should grow as we involve others into the plan of success.
The differences between the implicit and explicit biases are something that I have not heard much about however, it holds true that we all possess a bias when dealing with different situations. I recall that many times during my career, I have had the unconscious behavior and concluded on something before knowing the facts and most certainly the outward attitude on certain things which reflects the explicit bias side of it. With us being able to recognize these biases, we can alter the outcome of a situation by not falling victim to them.
Even though it may be hard at times, we must socialize with our citizens in order to reflect the proper change we are looking for. The citizens have many opinions about what we do as an organization. Most of the contact we have with them is in the form of something negative. By us recognizing the need to influence people through positive dialogue, we are building a solid foundation for a great relationship which will pay dividends to all involved.
In this module, I took note of Dr Alia Crum’s TEDx, Power of Mindset, our minds matter. Along with the cornerstones of effective leadership. I see how the two mesh together. The importance of emotional wellness and no such thing as an off day, show the importance of working on being a better person and leader every day. Having a positive attitude will help one stay self-motivated. The 5 “Ls” display a good road map to follow for life in general!
I enjoyed Dr Enters, The Road to Leadership. Schedule leadership behavior and have a presence is important to let your people know you care and want to know and support them. With a county covering almost 2200 square miles, and the call volume, it is hard for me to have face to face time with each deputy assigned to my squad. I make the attempt to see each one at least once per week weather it’s backing on a call, a traffic stop, or if we are lucky to have a cup of coffee or a soda.
Learning about implicit bias and the history of race relations helps me see from another point of view. It is important to learn from the mistakes of history to ensure that it isn’t repeated. An open dialogue is a must to bring communities and law enforcement together.
As I listened to this Module it took me back to many experiences I had personally while in the Military or just in life in general. The Cornerstones are very important in the process of realizing what biases we all may have and how to change that narrative. I thought back and was able to see how even then I was using some of the cornerstone ideals to deal with specific situations. The sooner we can understand our own personal or perceived biases the sooner we can have an honest dialogue with our own communities to bring about change and reform within our profession.
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What I learned in high school compared to the history in module 4, was significantly less. It was a long section but grateful for some of the things I've learned. Understanding everyone has biases and learning to overcome those biases is key to living an unbias life. I agree with Glenn Hartenstein. It is a subject that needs to be taught and enforced in our profession. More specifically, it should be taught in the academy and during the FTO process.
Tyler is correct about how little we learn about this type of topic in school. In the era we currently live in we cannot afford to not teach our children about this topic. I have spoken with my 12 year old son on numerous occasions about some of the things that have occurred recently in Law Enforcement and tried to help him understand the various sides to the discussion. We are truly living through the rewriting of the history that our children and grand children will be taught in school.
I learned a lot in Module #4, especially during the discussion of racial injustice through our history from the founding of America through the civil rights era. It was a different perspective than I had learned in the past but insightful. It definitely gave me a different perspective to consider when thinking about the current social justice movement and how to relate to those who are seeking it.
The lecture about Implicit bias was difficult to listen to but very informative and enlightening. It is very important in our profession to be aware of our implicit biases and find ways to over come them to perform our jobs. The lecture does a great job reviewing the subject and giving advice on how to counter these thoughts. Definitely a subject that needs to be taught and enforced in our profession.
I agree with you Glenn. Learning about our inherent implicit bias, being able to recognize it, and learning to manage and/or prevent them should be taught more in academies, and early in an officers career.
Glenn,
We all have inherent biases. I agree that it needs to be taught and enforced in our profession. I think getting it into the academy is critical.
As I was listening to the lecture about the cornerstones of effective leadership, I remembered some great leaders that I have had the pleasure to work with. Those leaders possessed these cornerstones and I have tried to learn from them. As stated in the lecture, don't waste your energy on bad leaders, learn from their mistakes and focus on learning from the good ones. Not only will these cornerstones help you be an effective leader, but will help you succeed in life. The implicit bias section was very eye opening for me. The lecture provided great advice with dealing with biases within oneself. I believe communication and building relationships with different cultures in your community are key to eroding bias. As stated in the lecture, socializing positively with other cultures can minimize biases.
This was a long module. It covered a ton of material. The most impactful for me was the information about implicit bias. Due to my other profession as a pastor, I believe one of the most important skills we can learn is how to truly listen to others. Too many time we are too busy thinking of a response while someone else is talking and we do not hear or understand what the other person is trying to tell us. Listening is one of the most difficult skills to learn, but when you learn it it has a major impact on not just your own life but others as well. I believe listening is a powerful tool in overcoming implicit bias and it can have a major impact on the future of policing if other officers begin to learn how to listen to understand.
I also believe listening is a powerful tool in leadership. I believe I have become a better leader as my ability to listen to others has grown. There is still plenty of room for growth, but being able to listen to understand someone instead of waiting for them to stop talking is a skill that builds relationships and allows for growth both in the leader and the team.
John, that is an interesting cross over in your profession as a pastor. It would be a good conversation to have between some religous based educated persons and professors/experts on implicit bias. It seems that sometime religon is used as an implict type of bias based upon other general factor such as a persons last name, or how they dress. It would be good to get a point fo view from those types of informed individuals.
I agree that listening is perhaps the most important skill law enforcement officers can possess to deescalate a situation, to learn more about someone, and to empathize with people. I've also learned to take more pauses in my own self interests in order to truly hear what others are saying in order to get to know them better. Having more awareness that I sometimes really do wait for people to stop talking in order to get out my words, has been a game changer. It helps with my relationships with my wife, my children, my boss, and those I supervise.
Personal Leadership
Naturally, leaders with consistent principals of leadership are inclined to motivate and inspire a working environment for everyone. By developing personal leadership skills it allows the individual to cultivate strong relationships with co-workers in the organization. Developing these types of skills will stimulate others to follow the leader’s direction. From my experience, being around other executives in law enforcement the growth of these skills is an ongoing process in building that efficient leader. With persistence and determination, it will lead to success for the leader and organization.
Implicit Bias
Law enforcement officers are policing in an ever changing society that takes a large toll on them mentally and emotionally. From experience, the public is more engaged in how they are being treated than in the increase of crime rate in their communities. Many people in society do forget that law enforcement officers are human, and a small percent of them make poor decisions. Law enforcement organizations have to make leadership training a priority and mandatory to achieve success . I agree it is significant for police to listen to other concerns, so relationships can be rebuilt in communities where hate prevails.
Joey, I could not agree with you more. In today's society, the public seems to care more about how officers make them feel verses the crime rate. Officers have to be mentally and emotionally strong to do all aspects of the job and to make the public feel good about the outcome. I feel communication is key for the relationships between the community and police.
Everybody knows a good leader when they see one, but it is almost impossible to define what makes a good leader because everyone has differing ideas on what makes a good leader. Good leaders however will tell you that they spend more time actively listening and are measured in their responses. Any person who finds themselves in a leadership position can almost immediately improve their leadership abilities by practicing active listening skills as well as learning to measure their responses based upon good listening skills.
Personal Leadership: Jack Enter's portion of this module was very interesting. I took a lot from what he said and something I underlined was being gracious when others fail. So often, I think we as leaders don't fully grasp what being gracious can be when someone has failed. It is something we need to practice every day because it would be nice to be on the receiving end of the graciousness when we fail; which we will at times because we are all human.
Implicit Bias: While tough to listen to at times, it did open my eyes to ideas and viewing things from a different angle or from someone else's point of view. It is clear that constant self-assessment and being willing to learn and listen from other people in other "walks of life" is key to making positive progress.
Jeff,
I think you're right. Grace is an understated trait in leadership. I think sometimes we get so focused on the results end, that even if we aren't losing sight of the people component, we may let it get bleary. In that, it is easy to forget graciousness for those we lead. Just because someone above us may come down on us, it doesn't mean we can't extend grace to those below us. Excellent point.
Jeff, you make a valid point. An officer being able to complete a self-awareness check and throw a negative attitude out the window before the officer walks out the front door is component of success.
The history lesson in the implicit bias lecture was not only informative, but also at times difficult to watch. The behaviors, attitudes and actions of certain police, and to a degree, entire departments was abhorrent. Stories are shared in all cultural groups as part of their oral history. These shared stories of the atrocities endured from the founding of America through the Civil Rights era have no doubt shaped the world view of successive generations toward law enforcement. Changing that world view is the responsibility of all law enforcement, but shaping the culture in which to do that is the responsibility of the leadership within the profession. It is our duty as leaders to challenge our own implicit biases and to eliminate, through consistent conscious thought and actions, not only our own explicit biases, but those for which we are responsible.
I love this lecture because it made see somethings that I would have never learn without taking this class. I am striving to be a better person in my department and in my community.
I found the Implicit Bias lecture to be interesting but at times difficult to listen to as it brought forth some of my biases. After listening to this lecture I now have a better understanding of those who see the world differently than I. The Jim Crow Laws, Civil Rights era of the 60's and the War on Drugs put a lot in perspective as to what is happening in the US today.
Completely agree, Donald. At times, was tough to listen to, but learned an incredible amount from how other folks see the world and what they deal with that I may not. This module gave an interesting take when people start talking about the Jim Crow laws "returning." Pretty eye opening module.
I enjoyed the module on Personal Leadership and was able to recognize several aspects that I believe I perform well on, while l also recognized even more aspects that require me to train myself harder. I have definitely been known to procrastinate on tasks that I'm apprehensive about. More so out of a lack of confidence in a plan of action when it comes to tasks that require advanced technological skills, rather than not agreeing with the task itself. I will work harder on that. The second lecture regarding Implicit Bias was informative and definitely something that I believe is very important in these modern times, specifically as a leader. We must teach out men and women to recognize and understand these biases so they can better perform as officers for the community.
Module # 4 brought some interesting lessons which can make some officers uncomfortable putting dialogue on the subject. Implicit biases are natural and necessary to be made aware of. Being self-aware of implicit bias is most vital as it is unconscious behavior. Our brain automatically tries to rationalize situations. Module #4 states that implicit bias significantly influences the outcome of interactions between police and citizens. Being self-aware of this is critical in helping us, as officers, make proper decisions while interacting with the public. As leaders, it is essential to monitor ourselves and others and ensure that we are fair, just, and compassionate. One way to accomplish this is by understanding implicit bias and its effect on our decision-making
Jose, I can relate to what you said. After viewing this module, I took some time and realized that I have several implicit biases that I was not aware of. You hit the nail on the head when you said that it can be uncomfortable putting dialogue on the subject as that was exactly how I felt. Uncomfortable but definitely necessary to better one's self!
In the first lecture by Chief Tobia he makes points on reflection, of past leaders, of oneself, and relationships. After doing so I can see times where I was more focused on being the sound knowledgeable leader and neglected the relationships aspect, especially at home. This was put in perspective for me when the question was asked about the importance of being a good roll model for your children. The “no” answer surprised me however the follow-up was very concise. Relationships, looking inward at problems, seeing value in people, living abnormal, the 5 -L’s all topics that were absorbed well and inspiring.
The second lesson on two types of Bias leaves me in awe of how often I’ve fallen into the “Traps” and the slides given really opened my eyes. Just as I did, how many others couldn’t see the Doctor was the boys mom.? This entire lesson (including American History) teaches the importance of awareness, empathy, creating meaningful conversations and more importantly, to aske ourselves if stereotypes have influenced our decisions. Great Module!
One of this biggest things to stand out to me was in the video clip The Narrow Road to Leadership. Jack Enter discusses good leadership and working for a good leader. He uses the example of the captain who never exited his office to check on his subordinates and suddenly, the captain who was speaking realizes he is doing the same thing he saw as a bad leader. This allowed this person to see his own faults and make a change in himself. Enter speaks about the day one retires and everyone shows up for the retirement party. Are they simply there because they want to "show face" or do they genuinely want to be there because of the actions one took to be a good leader. One of the best examples of this is the Sheriff who keeps an organizational chart and continuously makes an effort to reach out to and speak with everyone within his organization on a personal level. This Sheriff has even gone on to realize it must be something he continues to do over and over. The lack of this type of leadership is something subordinates constantly complain about and look for.
You are correct I love how the Captain was talking about the other Captain then he said I am that person also, and again I like how the Sheriff made a board to make sure he sit down and speak with every person who works for him. I will take those two lessons learn and put it in my everyday practice.
During the first lecture, some of the things that stuck out the most were being humble and as Jack Enter stated taking ownership for mistakes that you have made. Often times, supervisors or leaders do not own up to their mistakes. Instead of taking ownership, they place blame on others to make themselves look better. By doing this, it shows subordinates that they are not great leaders and they only think about themselves. I have also seen supervisors stand up to take credit for good things that have happened even when they were never involved in the situation or decision-making process. By remaining humble and giving credit to their subordinates, the supervisor will build the trust of their subordinates. As a supervisor, I have had stood up and taken responsibility for mistakes that I have made. It is not always easy to admit when you are wrong but by doing so, it helps build character.
In the second lecture, I learned about Implicit and Explicit Bias in law enforcement. I really enjoyed parts of the lecture more than other parts. I enjoyed going over the American history and world history portions where you see how law enforcement started and how much it has changed to present times. I also realized how some things are different from my personal beliefs or my bias but I know that in order to properly do my job and have a positive effect on my community, I have to put my own beliefs and biases on the side.
I agree. One of the biggest takes from the Implicit and Explicit lecture is learning that although our personal beliefs may all be different, we need to learn to put those beliefs aside in order to be successful in our goal and maintain a positive relationship with the community.
The segment about community outreach programs seemed to be well received in the communities they were held.
The cornerstone of effective leadership was an informative lesson on what it takes to be an effective leader. It gave us many points to focus on to be the best leader we can be. Many of them are just characteristics of being a good person such as Listen and learn and modeling good behavior. These are things that every officer should do. Often we fall short on the listening side of things. If we would listen more to our subordinates, witnesses, victims, and even suspects we may understand the world around us better. This connects back to our emotional intelligence and our ability to read a person and a situation.
Explicit and implicit bias are terms I had not heard in law enforcement till about 5 years ago. We all knew they existed. Some officers made their explicit biases well known. We did not really talk about it and how to deal with them in law enforcement. Now we are teaching our academy cadets to recognize these in themselves and helping them to work around and through them.
I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture on personal leadership. I can easily recognize some of the characterizations discussed in this lecture. I did not enjoy the implicit bias lecture however. The inclusion of the 1619 Project, Black Lives Matter movement, and Ferguson effect are politically hot button issues. The inclusion of these in the presentation caused me to instantly turn away from the learning material. I had to stop the lecture and begin it again in order to complete the lecture. This cause me to stop and reflect on why these topics affected me so dramatically. I believe my own political beliefs and practices are an explicit bias after reviewing the material again. I am aware that bias cannot be truly eliminated but I am able to set them aside in order to be impartial and fair. I will continue to reflect on this practice in order to remain objective and not allow bias to impede my interactions with my peers, subordinates, and the community that I serve.
Hoina, C. (2017). Implicit bias national version 3.2. Module 4, Week 1. National Command Staff College.
Tobias, M. (2017). Personal leadership. Module 4, Week 1. National Command Staff College.
Personal Leadership: I enjoyed Jack Enter's speech on "The Narrow Road to Leadership". From that speech, two of the components that stood out that are not usually discussed were the concepts of "self mastery" and being "gracious". I believe that the process of MAGNUS doesn't stop upon the promotion; but is a process of self evaluation, self improvement through education and personal/professional opportunities. Being gracious, especially in law enforcement is not a typical trait associated with police leaders; but having the ability to be vulnerable gives officers an opportunity to approach us without a feeling of anxiety.
Implicit Bias: My current role as a Patrol Commander on a college campus provides me opportunities to have continuous conversations that are not enforcement centric regarding race relations with leo's. The 8 steps to reduce implicit bias are VERY TRUE! My ability to build partnerships across campus and have the willingness to listen has helped tremendously.
I would agree that the concept of "self-mastery" is something that is rarely spoken of. The process of becoming MAGNUS, I believe, is a process that does not stop. After promotion, we have new responsibilities, roles, and tasks that we now need to become great at. As we become better in that new position more tasks will inevitably be added and the process of becoming great at those as well starts. I believe that MAGNUS is a process to work through and not a destination to reach.
One of the areas that stuck out to me in this lesson is something shared by Anthony Robbins. He spoke about eighty percent of success and achievement being psychology and only twenty percent is the actual mechanics. He said the actual mechanics of how to do something are not very complex, but it is more the will or psychology to actually do something. This really caused me to self reflect because when I first heard him talk about this it didn't really seem to make sense initially. However, the more I thought about it the more it rang true. I began to relate it to tasks I am assigned at work and how some times (or often times if I am really honest with myself!) I significantly procrastinate at completing them. Of the tasks, most of them are not significantly difficult or a large amount of work (the mechanics are simple). However, many of them are more mundane and uninteresting. My will to complete them many times is not there. Generally, I complete many of these tasks at the last minute as the deadline many times is what provides my "will" to complete the task as assigned. As a leader, I want to focus more on the psychology when assigning tasks. People are motivated by different things and interested by different areas of the job. I believe if I tailor tasks assigned to people's interests, skills, and ability I may be able to assist in providing them the will to complete the task successfully. This will result in me having a finished task completed by someone who finds fulfillment in completing that task.
I agree with you on this. Although its good to encourage growth by stepping outside of ones comfort zone and learning to master new skills, it is often times necessary to have the ability to empower the right person for a particular mission. Especially when it is time sensitive. I try and pair my investigators up in these types of situations so they can learn from each other, while still getting the job done timely.
The module had a large amount of information and it broke down the biases we experience in law enforcement. The look back on world history and American history in which major events have sculpted law enforcement as we now know was very good. A takeaway for me from this presentation, was that our communities need more positive interactions with police. Leaders within the organization have to recognize this and understand that this is an important factor in gaining our communities trust. The little things matter and will have a big impact when we need the communities backing. As noted, the police are the citizens and the citizens are the police. We need to be intertwined and have an understanding of one another. Law enforcement should strive to focus our attention with those little aspects that will surely improve our relationships. Our agency had begun the coffee with a cop program and it did have success. We did receive great feedback when it was launched but with the pandemic, it has hampered our efforts to continue that interaction. Moving forward, we have to be innovative and continue to look for ways to garner those relationships.
Hello Kevin!
My former agency (I retired from in 2018) was also very successful with CWC. Our community really embraced it. However, I would offer a suggestion that your agency make an effort to reach EVERYONE in the community with the event. We hosted regular events; but it was with the same people, same demographic which in my opinion missed the point of the event. IMO for these type of programs to maintain legitimacy; our agencies must be willing to connect with EVERYONE. Not just the easy wins.
Jay Callaghan
Session #013
When looking at an effective leadership cornerstone, I think that having a formal or informal mentoring program is very important. I know at my agency we do not have either of these, which has caused me to seek out mentors on my own. I also try to pay that forward and offer to mentor younger officers.
Hi Derick,
I’m going to agree with you on the importance of the mentoring program. Any type of community outreach programs so that police and the community can socialize outside of calls for service. About ten years ago our former Sheriff decided to invest in many different types of outreach programs in the community and with faith-based organizations. He always said that he wanted our community to know our heart before we encountered a incident. Just like in the lesson, socialize, socialize, socialize within the Department and outside. I wasn’t a fan then, but I’m sold now. Its not perfect, but a good start with some community bonds.
I agree with both of you. Our department has mentored through our FTO program. Upon completing FTO, New deputies should always feel comfortable reaching out to any FTO. As an FTO, it is essential to build a good report with deputies. Our department also has several community outreach programs through the Special Services Division, which help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. I have had the opportunity to participate in many of these programs. I believe community outreach is beneficial not only for the citizens but helps build a better understanding of the community by the deputies.
The personal leadership is a very important tool to help us everyday. This teaches us to stop wasting energy by carrying anger with us because energy is a very important part of our health. We all need to maintain physical, psychological and emotional wellness because they help us do our job every day. Remember to never be afraid to ask for help no matter what rank you are. If you ask for help you are being an effective team member. Remember to value others because people are the greatest asset we have. I also enjoyed learning about the difference in bias. There is always going to be bias in the world but as law enforcement we can help others understand that bias hurts everyone.
Buck,
I agree that personal leadership is very important. In fact, we should strive to utilize all resources available to us to ensure that success is inevitable. Maintaining these resources leads to having that clear vision of how things can be better for everyone involved. You’re correct in saying that bias will always be present but with that, we can learn how to control it and use it for the greater good through getting input on a particular subject or situation. We know that getting input breeds commitment and is essential in our success.
Sir Robert Peels Nine Principals were thought / mentioned in the academies until recently. If we look closely to his principles, we can see it influence a lot of what we do in modern law enforcement. Law Enforcement today still mimics several of Mr. Peels principles. Rank structure, policing the community, community trust, training, etc. Sir Robert Peel is called the father of modern law enforcement for a reason.
The personal leadership module was impactful and really hit some key points. In particular when it comes to the effort and / or energy you put into individuals. Our intentions when it comes to helping or leading individuals; should be about their growth, future, and well being. When it comes to being a leader or leading someone or individuals; it shouldn't be about personal gains or rewards. It should be about their success and growth; which in turn should be our reward.
Showing individuals that we care and treat them as they are irreplaceable; rather than dispensable goes a long way. It makes them feel wanted, appreciated, and part of the team. Put the same amount of energy into people that you would want invested into yourself. Respect and effort when it come to leadership and others is valuable.
I agree with you, Kevin. Most of the time, people do not want to invest in others because they feel that once they put the time into that person, they will become a threat to them and take their job. We see this too much in law enforcement, where supervisors only care about themselves and forget about their people. To some people, they can care less about troop welfare.
The corner stones of effective leadership broke down the basic fundamentals of leadership for me in such a simple way. And without over thinking each principle I again conducted a moral inventory of my self and doing so remembered fondly the people that took the time to teach me. And I can remember each one carried these principles in all that they did. Also quite frankly the presentation on race relations in America was absolutely nothing short of awesome for me. For educational purposes and self reflection, this was the stuff. We are gonna have difficulty, and we are having difficulty solving problems without honest and truthful dialogue; Even if it steps on your toes and hurts your feelings in the process.
I found this module to be extremely interesting and influencing. The information provided on the personal leadership module really hit home for me. I personally went back to the supervisor who personally had a strong influence on my career. This also influenced me to be a better leader and have that same leadership influence on others lives and careers as my supervisor did for me.
The module on implicit bias was very interesting. They did a great job of explaining how department's can engage with members of their local communities while still maintaining the highest order of law. This module did a great job of advising how creating and implementing programs within our local communities helps create bonds and strengthen relationships within the community. This can be done while on duty as well as volunteering your time off duty. This really shows the community how well involved you are and how much you care.
If we all had supervisors like that then there would be better officers in the world. I had a couple of great ones then I have had some that didn't have a clue. I believe that more departments should teach their supervisors more about leadership.
Lt. Roberts, I did the same thing during the personal leadership portion. I have had supervisors who always said they were leaders and then I had a supervisor who would never verbally call himself a leader. The supervisor that never called himself a leader is the one supervisor that I attempt to emulate. After this lecture, I realize even more that he was not only a great supervisor but was a great leader.
There was so much information to be taken from this Module. I found it ironic, that in the lecture on Personal Leadership, before it was even mentioned my mind went straight to a supervisor that had a huge positive effect on my career, as well as one who to this day that affected me negatively. In my career I have taken lessons from them both that have made me a better leader. Never let a chance to learn pass you by.
The lecture on Implicit Bias was long, but filled with so much information. At the end of this lecture I gathered my thoughts and tried to write down what I took from it. In the end I came up with this. I know it`s simple, but maybe we could all learn from it. Be a good human and love your neighbor. Just be the kind of person you would want to be around.
Could not agree with you more. Treat others as you would want those to treat your own family. Be empathetic, have humility, and compassion for all no matter the incident.
I think the thing that most impacted me was one the principals that was put forth by Sir Robert Peel. It a stated “To recognize always that the power of the police to fulfill their functions and duties is dependent on public approval of their existence, actions and behavior, and on their ability to secure and maintain public respect.”
Now more than ever police are in challenging times where very loud voices in the media appear to disapprove of our existence, actions, and behavior. It’s a struggle to honor the other principals and this one at the same time, as those voice appear to be driven not by fact and logic but by emotion. How can we rationalize our actions to someone who is irrational and unwilling to accept facts, and only trusts the emotions they’re feeling. The only answer to this is to continue to improve our relationship with the community when and where we can and to not allow emotions to obscure facts. Simply put, we have a job to do in impartial service to the law and we cannot seek to preserve public favor by pandering to public opinion.
I really think this module could be broken up into several. The information is great; however, the sheer volume of it is almost overwhelming. I thought Sir Robert Peels Nine Key Principals of Policing were really interesting. I remember learning about them in college, but I don't recall seeing them anywhere since then. It seems like really good guiding principals that if were perhaps rewritten into some more modern language would be beneficial to teach in academies or to add to departments' mission statements as guidance for officers. It's amazing to me that something that was written about police work in the 1800s is still so relevant today.
I agree. There was a vast amount of information in this section and a lot of it was very good. I honestly had forgotten about Sir Robert Peels principals but they were brought to the forefront here. It's amazing how even principals from several hundred years ago ring true today.
Agreed, I have not heard or read Sit Robert Peels Nine Key Principles in many a year. Quite frankly I forget about it. But is was good to see and glad it still applies today as it did then.
Sir Robert Peels Nine Principals were thought / mentioned in the academies until recently. If we look closely to his principles, we can see it influence a lot of what we do in modern law enforcement. Law Enforcement today still mimics several of Mr. Peels principles. Rank structure, policing the community, community trust, training, etc. Sir Robert Peel is called the father of modern law enforcement for a reason.
This module was long, but had a lot of good information in to make me a better person and leader. I have to say the part that really hit home were the Five "L's".
Love
Learn
Labor
Laugh
Leave
Unfortunately I think many of us get to driven at our jobs. This can be either getting tasks done quickly and efficiently or we are looking to get the next promotion. I believe that we all lose sight of these L's. each one we should definitely do on a daily basis as that will make us a more effective leader. I believe that by doing these as well it will help us complete our tasks whatever they are in a more efficient manner than we currently are.
I agree with your comment. To live and follow the five “L’s” is difficult. I believe this is due to most leaders having a passion for their job. It is imperative to remember to Love, learn, labor, laugh, and leave. I believe that it is also essential to self-reflect. Doing so should make you notice things you can work on to better yourself. I also find it funny with the last “L,” Leave. I believe at our Agency, we have had a few members of a higher rank who were past due for retirement. Thankful, most have since retired, but I think the “leave” is essential.
This module also spoke on Implicit and Explicit bias. To address your bias, as I said above, you must self-reflect. I understand the importance of this topic as law enforcement is under a “microscope” between the public and the media. It is important to notice any of your biases and work to be a better person.
One of the things that I liked in this section was when it was said that richness is an emotion not a monetary thing. I had to look into my own actions and the things that drive me day to day. I have always been driven by want and need and how much will it cost. This was an eyeopener for me. I can have no money (and have been there) and still be rich because of who I have surrounded myself with. The next thing I really liked was that my time and energy are far to valuable to waste by harboring anger towards bad leaders. Instead I should put my time and effort into learning what I can from them and what I may not like so that I can do it differently. As it was said in other places in this course, people don't leave bad jobs they leave bad bosses / leadership. If I had put my effort into learning from the bad leadership I am certain I would have done things differently.
The section of implicit bias was also eye opening for me. I was never raised to treat people different from myself any other way than normal. But with some of the relationships I have had over the time of my life bad habits were picked up. I have in the last several years of my life taken an interest in getting to know people better and letting their character dictate how I interact with them rather than their skin tone or religious or political beliefs. The area or examples of how to bring a personal face back to the law enforcement community was also very interesting and something I would like to see done at my agency.
Brad, I agree about the take away that richness is a mindset and not a dollar amount. I think it's easy, particularly as driven individuals, to always be chasing the next promotion/pay raise, or the next tangible "thing" we often associate with success and status. This really puts that in perspective for me.
Module covered a lot of great material. One of the best thoughts from module 4 that I found interesting was, “leaders are not just problem solvers, they are problem finders.” I have never thought of leadership so much in this way. I agree that leaders need to be good at problem solving, but there is a lot to say about being proactive when it comes to our way of thinking. We ask our officers to be proactive daily and find the problem areas in our communities. As I was going through this module I kept asking myself, “Do I actively search for problems?” I am always ready to address problems as they arise, but I think that being able to proactively search for issues within the agency I would be more successful as a leader.
The section on implicit and explicit bias was also very interesting. It gave great examples of ways police departments can really engage with the community. The department I work for does participate in some programs within the community, but this module showed some really good ideas. Recognizing the demographics of your community and implementing programs to reach the individuals in your community will definitely assist in gaining the trust law enforcement needs. I am reminded of Sir Robert Peel’s seventh principle of policing; “To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police, the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” This is a great reminder of the importance to preserve the relationship and trust we have within our communities.
Jared,
I agree, and I also liked the section about police departments engaging with the community. The perception of our profession has changed in the last few years. For us to continue to effectively do our jobs, we need to get out with the community and engage. We do work for the people, we are public servants, and this is what the public now wants from us.
Our sheriff has also always made it a point to get out and know the people in our parish. We also have several programs and initiatives that are pointed at getting out and knowing our parish. I do not feel that we in Bossier Parish are experiencing as much backlash as other agencies around the country. The community involvement that our Leaders push is working.
I have personally experienced the "other race effect." This occurred during the first few weeks of my career, while serving at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. The first night on the job I was locked in a room for twelve hours guarding 64 maximum security offenders. I recall three of them being white and 61 being black. I had previously lived, and attended school in an area where the demographics equaled 93 percent white and 7 percent black, for my entire life. I had very little interaction with other people, and cultures before assuming my position, and knew this had placed me at a huge disadvantage. That night a fight took place between two black inmates, and multiple offenders stepped in separating them. By the time my supervisors arrived I still could not properly identify the two men who were fighting. An investigation was conducted and it was determined by physical evidence who was actually involved. This situation troubled me greatly, and I made a conscious commitment to learn my offenders, not by skin tone, or their numbers, but by who they were as individuals. Within a weeks time my efforts had paid off, and I was able to properly distinguish all of my offenders.
Thomas,
This is a really good experience, thank you for sharing it. I grew up in an area very similar to yours, and I can say that if I was in your situation I would have probably experienced the same thing. It is crazy to think that these types of experiences can show us so much into our reactions/perceptions. I am glad to hear that you were able to quickly recognize that and made the conscious effort to change. Thank you again for sharing that experience.
I was glad to see Tony Robbins included in this lesson. I have enjoyed many of his videos over the years. During this lesson a reference was made that pretending your family members were watching, helped in your decision making. I totally agree. When Sheriff Graves called me to his office to tell me that he had decided to hire me, he basically gave me that same advice. He actually told me to pretend that he was with me on every call, every stop, every minute of every day. He told me that if the decisions I made were the same decisions I would have made in front of him, then he would at least know I had truly meant to do what I believed was right. That advise has served me well, and I extend it to new deputies regularly.
Paul, because you and I were fortunate enough to have worked for Sheriff Graves at the same time I have heard the exact same thing from him. You may also remember hearing this as well during the fund raising time. We (the deputies) should feel comfortable to go the home of someone we may have arrested for any charge and be able to ask for a donation because if we treated the person as the Sheriff expected us to it was in all fairness and just. He believed in the golden rule and expected us to apply it. He said many times that most of the time when we encounter someone it would be at the point of their day and we should think about how we would want to be treated.
When we have leaders that consistently display, encourage, and demand effective leadership qualities and characteristics within the organization, we will see the profession of policing become more professional. Officers who think like sergeants, sergeants who think like commanders, and so-on, maximize organizational goals. Likewise, chiefs who think like officers can bridge gaps that often lead to mis-communication and lack of direction. The ladder of leadership should be one that encourages people to think up AND down the spectrum. I’m tired of leaders in our industry advancing in rank due to brash behavior that does little more than perpetuate problems of the ‘good ‘ole boys’ or the idea that humility has no role in law enforcement. And as long as these leaders remain in position, we will probably continue to see bias remain fully intact in some fashion or another. However, I do not believe bias is something that can be completely eradicated in a society of humanity in which we are not robotic nor perfect. This topic has been viewed, evaluated, discussed, and researched for decades. While improvements have been made and more are to come, it is also foolish to believe we will cease to be biased persons in any profession or manner. In the meantime, I will continue to do my part to recognize my faults, seek wisdom, understand I’m human the same as everyone else, and lead as best I can.
Brian,
I agree with you and discussed similar points in my post. It is hard to discuss uncomfortable topics such as bias and how we are guilty of it as well. However it is a constant obstacle that must be addressed and overcome in order to serve the community and organizations we are a part of.
This lecture contained a lot of information. I had to review my notes before I could even begin to write a discussion about it. It was hard for me to focus on the history part of this lecture, but I did learn a lot from it. What stood out the most for me was the lecture on implicit bias. I think that implicit bias is very common in law enforcement. I think that a strong leader knows how to deal with bias. Just as the lecture gave 8 steps to minimize implicit bias, a good strong leader will know what steps to take to interact with the public. A good leader will also know how to encourage relationships by spending more time with people from different backgrounds. I agree that officers should be more empathetic, see differences, and recognize that we are here for the public. Implicit bias impact behaviors, but if we focus on seeing people as individuals rather than focusing on stereotypes to define people we can reduce bias. I think that it is possible for law enforcement officers to adopt new attitudes. As stated in the lecture, the key concept is about awareness!
This was certainly a lot of information! I agree and made a note about strong leaders being able to deal with bias. I believe this may be one of the many times a leader will need to be professional, but stern. If as a leader, you recognize that someone is acting with bias, or treating others unfairly, it is your job to address it. These types of conversations may be uncomfortable, but they are completely necessary. In my opinion, a leader who is aware of such things is obligated to do what is necessary to see that it stops. Otherwise, they themselves are exhibiting the same behavior.
I agree with you whole heartedly. I think to many officers and the public in general look bias as a negative. I think that if you do recognize the bias and admit to it and work to get better it can actually be a strong point. I think that we need to encourage officers to not be afraid of them, but understand their bias to make them a better person and officer.
Kaiana,
I as well learned a lot from this module. Implicit bias does exist in law enforcement and isn't going away anytime soon. A strong leader will know how to deal with implicit bias while still maintaining control. A good leader will provide training and encourage interaction between people from different walks of life. This module also helped me better understand the importance of bringing awareness to this topic while strengthening relationships.
So many public safety entities today are besieged when it comes to recognizing and applying measures to address implicit bias, especially in the realm of fast traps. Many times, the solution is relatively clear, but unrecognized by those in the leadership whom remain uninformed when it pertains to the nuances of implicit bias. A noted pitfall in the phenomenon of implicit bias remains the fast trap. Fast traps take place when the brain cuts a corner, outside of one’s normally controlled and measured thought process (Hoina, 2021).
Certain situations that exacerbate fast trap conundrums stem from a variety of causes. These situations usually are associated with stress and can prove challenging to address. Although there are five constructs that lend to fast traps, three will be discussed herein.
A common situation that leads to fast taps is feeling threatened. Such may be characterized as physical in addition to a threat to one’s reputation or abilities. Physical fulminations may be illustrated by an actual physical intimidation or a perceived threat (Hoina, 2021). Conversely, the threat may be relegated to an insecurity along the lines of knowledge, or even an individual being use of their response to certain low confrontational situations, such as in the workplace. Such placers the mind under stress and lends to the development of fast trap situations.
Many leaders want to project strength and competency as early as possible (Phillips, 2009). Oftentimes, amongst those lacking formal leadership training, this is thought to be the trademark of an effective leader. An individual’s status as a novice, or reputation among others as a novice, also places great stress upon the mind. When an individual, especially those in new leadership roles, are questioned or challenged there is a tendency to react defensively. This invites the fast trap.
Finally, multi-tasking taxes the mind as it fires off multiple demands upon an individual. Those less experienced at multi-tasking and with fewer coping mechanisms than seasoned, trained leaders will reap the pitfalls of such. To combat these challenges, one must recognize the unfolding fast trap and address it in a deliberate fashion while re-shaping the conversation. Seeking assistance from outside sources, as well as engaging other cultures and ethnicities in meaningful discussion may also be helpful in reducing the frequency and significance of fast traps (Hoina, 2021).
References
Hoina, Sr., C. (2021). Implicit Bias. Module #4, week #3. National Command and Staff College.
Phillips, D.T. (2003) Lincoln on leadership: executive strategies for tough times. New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing.
I thought the section on implicit bias was very interesting. I learned more about policies and practices such as redlining, Jim crow laws and black codes and how they influenced and reinforced racism and segregation even after the end of slavery. It is interesting to note that families of color were forced to live in certain communities, which were typically more undesirable areas (older inexpensive homes, public housing facilities, etc..). These same areas were also more likely to suffer higher crime rates due to massive socioeconomic disparity, which creates a situation where law enforcement presence and actions are increased. This unnatural pairing (forcing people of color to live in impoverished communities) means increased police interactions and a greater likelihood of use of force, etc... Add into this implicit and explicit bias among officers and we have the perfect storm leading to our current situation.
It is very tough and very uncomfortable to acknowledge the realities behind our current situation; however the only way to move forward is to understand the past, listen the community and consider reconciliation.
Hi Eric- It looks as though IB is a major challenge in our LE environment these days. As a result, we, as leaders are going to be continuously challenged as to how we address these types of issues. Is there a training model that you feel mentees might benefit from in regard to this phenomenon?
Best-
Ken Davis
This module covered a tremendous amount of information. I was wrapped up with the parts of the nation's history. These topics were extremely interesting to me. Although we can not change the past, we can certainly learn from it. As a nation of many different cultures we must learn to live together harmoniously and peacefully. We should not bias affect us in critical thinking and sound decision making. The responsibility is ours for civility to remain regardless of our race, religion, age or social status. Perhaps those biases we are burdened with can be subdued, maybe even eliminated by concentrating on some (Love, Learn, and Laugh) of the 5 L's as described in the module.
The most I got out of this personal leadership module was from Anthony Robins explaining emotion is a driving force of life.
"I have not failed. I've just found 10, 000 ways that won't work." (T. Edison) this quote is what I thought of when Mr. Robins was talking about courage and not being afraid to fail. The statistics for success was aa eye opener I had not thought about the mechanics verses phycology leading to success. I coached kids for years and I taught the mechanics of fielding a ball or swinging a bat. I taught mental toughness in order to overcome the fear of being hit by a ball whether it was thrown or hit, I just never equated it to phycology.
I was less impressed with the impartial policing section, It has some very good points, the history is spot on and is an adjustment to the history I was taught in school in the 70's and 80's. Implicit bias is an internal mechanism that is being overcome everyday because people choose to be good people. I care much more about the explicit bias and the way even good people behave under stress. I look in the mirror every day, I know how I was brought up, and the choices I made as a very young man. An officer who lives and or works in a community different than mine may not like my answers or thoughts but I strive every day to the police officer anyone in my community can approach. This is not the first Implicit Bias lecture I have attended and I was not impressed.
Nice quote by Edison and good take away on psychology of leading. I hope you have the opportunity to utilize the new-found thoughts as you continue to coach our youth (if you still do that). If not still coaching, you will undoubtedly have the ability to merge new theories into your life, work, and personal life as both a follower and leader.
Implicit and explicit bias can be tough subjects to teach. I know, I’ve done it before. I was met with cynicism and some anger by my peers. Ironically, it was obvious that many who attended bias training walked into the room with a great deal of bias. The message I tried to perpetuate was not heard due to pre-conceived notions and ideas as to what may be said. While this may not have been a great lecture, there were some takeaways I’ll hang onto. Ultimately, thank you for being one to examine self, recognize your influence in the community, and being approachable. That is the example we all need to set.
I enjoyed the presentation by Jack Enter, specifically the part about learning from past leaders. It is very important to look at good leaders that you have had and model their good behavior, but bad leaders definitely leave an impression. I try to make sure that I don’t do any of the things that made the others a bad leader in my opinion. He also reminded me that I need to continue to look at myself and to ensure that I am modeling my behavior after the good leaders I have had had and not any of the bad ones. After watching all of the presentations, and looking at the cornerstones to effective leadership, if you simply value others, then most of the other things will fall into place.
I enjoyed this lesson in general but what I thought was most interesting was the lecture on implicit bias and fast traps. As leaders, we need to slow down and think about the decisions we make. In the presentation it lists situations that can create fast traps: Being mentally taxed, being in a bad mood, feeling threatened, being a novice, making quick decisions and multitasking. Our choices and the way we respond to things are often scrutinized by those we lead. This reminds me to slow down and carefully evaluate before deciding to ensure I am not biased in any way.
The portion of the module covering personal leadership highlighted several things I found thought provoking. One of them was Tony Robbins’ lecture where he said “leaders maximize resources”. I found this to be a simple but profound statement. No leader can do it all themselves. To be a good and effective leader you need to know those you lead and what their strengths are. You then need to use those strengths to accomplish the organization’s goals.
I also found the comment from Jack Enter saying “input breeds commitment to success” spot on. When leaders seek the opinions of those they lead, the buy in is much stronger since they then have a personal stake in the decisions being made.
I agree with Matthew, a good leader knows their people and they listen. No leader can do it all by themselves, they maximize resources. Too often leaders in a department don't listen to their people, and don't seek their opinion. That's why many people don't trust or respect their leader.
I enjoyed the "Narrow Road to Leadership" video with Jack Enter. His segment on recognizing that "I am the problem" and switching our thinking from "they did this" to "we did this", I think is very important to remember. As leaders, we need to remember if someone fails or makes a mistake, we also are involved. This ties in to the idea of taking "Extreme ownership" in your organization as was mentioned in a previous module. As a leader its important to lead by example, remain humble, and follow through on what you say. Doing so, helps build trusting relationships with others and can make us a more effective leader.
The second part of the module on implicit and explicit bias was very interesting. Learning how our brains process information and how it can affect our decision making is very important in law enforcement. We need to be sure we are assessing our own implicit bias's and engaging in self reflection to ensure we do not get "caught in a trap". Being aware of our own bias and taking steps to learn more about others can help minimize implicit bias we may have. I really liked seeing what other agencies are doing to engage with their communities to promote open dialog and create better relationships with the public they serve. Its important to take time to learn about the communities and people we serve.
There is so much that could be mentioned about this module. The module was filled with a great deal of content that can apply to our daily interactions, not only in a leadership position, but in all areas of our lives.
The video content with Anthony Robbins where he speaks of not wasting our energy on terrible leaders. It is important that we understand what it is specifically that they do that makes them a terrible leader. We can learn so much from seeing things that we are not supposed to do if we have the power to discern.
In the segment led by Jack Enter he discussed what leaders do that help reach success. It all starts with looking in the mirror so to speak. This is such a simple thing, yet it is incredibly difficult for us in law enforcement to do. Being a problem finder I have found is also a very helpful aspect of being a leader. Much of the content mirrored or supported other material in other modules with him presenting it in a way sharing practical stories and situations.
The Five "L"s by Gary Mack is a short and easy way to express some of the core ways to add to your success and legacy as a leader.
In the learning area with bias I believe that one of the quotes mentioned by Martin Luther King Jr. can serve us all well if we challenge ourselves to weave it into our way of life. "I do not see how we will ever solve the turbulent problem of race confronting our nation until there is honest confrontation with it and a willing search for the truth and willingness to admit the truth when we discover it." We must be willing to face the problem, learn, understand, acknowledge truth, and grow together. I shared with a group here in my own jurisdiction that we here agree on our destination, we must work together to understand the path and stops others want to take. We must learn to embrace our differences and our cultures. Grow together while respecting that those differences should be our strength and not feared or hated.
Of the entire module, I have to say “The Narrow Road to Leadership” by Jack Enter caught my attention immediately and was the highlight of this section. I think many leaders, not only in law enforcement, could benefit greatly by watching this short video. Being humble and seeking feedback from others will help perceive an “open door” policy from a leader, enabling proactive communication. One of the most difficult traits I believe most leaders acquire is admitting when they are wrong. If a leader can openly do this in front of the officers they supervise, I can only imagine this will help build trust.
Leading by example – one of the most important behaviors I think a good leader can undertake. This concept hit home, as I have had several supervisors throughout my career that have done just that. Some in a leadership position may feel comfortable sitting back in the shadows and supervising from a distance. The good ones will be leading the way.
Dr. Enter says, “If it’s hard, it’s probably right. If it’s easy, it’s probably wrong.” He goes on to give the analogy about “swimming against the current.” That is something good to keep in mind throughout your law enforcement career, and life in general. Specialty positions or assignments, promotions, and advancements typically do not come easy. It requires hard work and dedication.
And lastly, he stated, “Be a problem finder, not a problem solver.” I really liked this point, as it implies that a leader will have proactive communication and will know what is going on in their department. That leader will be aware of the problems when they arise because they are a part of the process all the time, not just when something needs attention.
This module provided me the opportunity for self-reflection and the honor it has been to serve the community that I work within. In my belief continual assessment about one’s own biases and challenging oneself to work through those biases in a positive manner is all part of being a leader. Getting out there and speaking to members of the community for me has not only been a rewarding experience but in doing so has developed trust in those that know me. Acknowledging our past failures in law enforcement while being transparent and accountable will continue to build trust in our communities. I enjoyed the historical perspective that the module offered providing the background for current state of law enforcement today.
The four categories of impartial policing in the 21st-century was quite interesting. Personally or more so somewhat ignorantly I never really thought that reconciling may be necessary with our community. Actually making contact with somebody that may feel as though they were slighted by previous law enforcement contact would be a start. By sitting down and listening to their side of the story, and possibly explaining law enforcement side of the story could clear up any discrepancies with the individual. In my career in law enforcement I have had run-ins with these people. During my contact with these individuals I have explained to them that not all officers/deputies are the same, and in some cases I have apologized for the previous officer/deputies actions with that individual. By having done this hopefully this will improve communications between them and an officer/deputy in the future. Hopefully with a better interaction between this individual and law enforcement, which will hopefully result in a better solution and/or outcome.
An important thought that I took away from this module was when Jack Enter mentioned that leadership isn’t about changing things or coming up with a whole new strategy. It’s about following through with the things that you know are right and should be done. I think that a lot of new leaders often come in with the mindset that there are lots of problems or that they don’t agree with the way things are being done. In turn, they want to come up with new ways of doing those same things. That may be effective with certain issues, but that isn’t the way to win over your team. Taking a slow approach and learning about the team and what they feel are issues that need to be addressed or if they have any ideas is what is most important. A leader being able to take that step back and be patient, will be extremely beneficial to everyone. The team needs to trust the leader and become familiar before throwing more changes at them. Keep things familiar but be open to suggestions.
A significant takeaway from the module is the continual and persistent challenge facing our ability to overcome the hate that seemingly is at the core of our Nation’s spirit. The national plan of subjugating people through law enforcement is troubling as I have dedicated my life to this profession and the ideals that Sir Robert Peel espoused. As a member of the law enforcement community, I unknowingly have been a part of this challenge.
Throughout my career, I maintained vigilance on my bias and beliefs as I interact with others. This behavior is in part to my vast exposure to a multitude of cultures and races. Seeing and understanding cultural differences enabled me to view situations differently, yet this course made me feel as though it was not enough.
Studies of our Nation’s history have always been of personal interest and this course provided a vastly extensive view of many of the founding challenges of our Nation. To see that our Nation promotes differing views on seemingly simple terms such as equality is confusing when one considers how this Nation serves as a shining beacon of hope to others. Millions of people seek refuge on our shores, yet the course shows this Nation as something less than ideal. This theory begs how much worse other nations are as the U.S. has this many systemic issues.
The first part of this module was about effective leadership and I took many notes about what are the cornerstones of effective leadership. I especially took note of the informal survey asking people the number one reasons managers fail, and the answer was "They...". It has been shown that many people do not leave jobs, they leave managers. Good people leave agencies or organizations because of the managers they work for. This is something that needs to be taken into account when people are promoted, it should not just be based on years of service and other merits alone.
The second part of this module was on implicit Bias. I took away a personal assignment to myself: look for more information on the Harvard Implicit Association Test. My plan is to take it so that I can learn more about myself and what bias's I hold. As noted at the end of the training, the 8 steps to minimizing implicit bias starts with acknowledging your bias. This test will help me acknowledge them.
This module could have easily been broken down into two separate modules since there was SO much information. The take away for me was to truly know myself, the art of listening and the need for humility and compassion. And not just listening but comprehending what is being said and the impact is has to the one/ones saying it. Its a large part of the disconnection we have with some encounters. The person who wants to be heard isn't, which results in animosity. It all goes back to the golden rule.
I agree, I think this could easily have been two module. And I feel the two parts are different enough that they each warrant their own focus. I also agree that truly knowing yourself, the art of listening and the need for humility and compassion go a long ways, both as a leader and also when working with implicit biases. I teach Verbal Judo and one the things we talk about is, "What is the opposite of talking?" and most people say listening. But truly, is it? I think your comments about comprehending what they are saying is very important. It allows you to show compassion and empathy, two traits highly desired of a leader.
I agree with that the module could have been broken into two. This was a tremendous amount of information. Comprehension and active listening is indeed essential. I think human nature is wanting to be heard more than wanting to hear. I had someone tell me once that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We should be listening twice as much as we speak. That made so much sense to me.
This was an incredibly in depth module talking about everything from having emotional muscle which is needed to change your life to how those before us several hundred years ago have changed history forever and the fact we're still trying to right the wrong's today. Really enjoyed listening to Anthony Robbins talk about emotions, getting where we want to go as future leaders and how to get there. Great advice from Mr. Robbins saying, "don't waste time or energy on bad leaders" but work hard to understand what not to do. Another great take away was the statement that, "leadership isn't for everyone" I think sometimes people feel they deserve to be promoted for various reasons but really don't have a clue what to do once they are. In my opinion though the best advice for all of us during this module was listening to Dr. Enter describe who leaders are and what they do. Great leaders NEVER say "they", great leaders admit when they are wrong, follow through, lead with a presence, trust staff, pay attention. Great leaders are problem finders not problem solvers and most importantly to me, great leaders do not lead from behind a desk.
The statement that “great leaders are problem finders not problem solvers” was interesting. I’ll admit that I enjoy being a problem solver, so as a leader, I need to step back and allow my capable staff and officers to be the real problem solvers. I need to focus on strategic matters and identify issues that are or will become problems.
In the Implicit Bias lecture there was a section on Sir Robert Peel’s 9 keys of Policing. As I read those, it resonated with me on many levels. In particular, Sir Peel said in #7: “the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interest of community welfare and existence.” I think that many citizens have forgotten that upholding the law is the duty of EVERY citizen. If we, as a society, can make a shift back towards personal responsibility, then more of the population will get involved in law enforcement & public safety. The end result will be greater understanding and trust between Law Enforcement and the public.
In reference to Sir Robert Peel's nine key principles of policing, I have found #9 to be quite interesting. " The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it". With today's climate and request for transparency in law enforcement it shows that Sir Robert Peel's principles of policing did not account for the climate we are now in. I am not in any way shape or form or even attempting to claim that I am more intelligent than Sir Robert Peel, but the days of our communities not wanting to know the procedures of how we handle the crimes and the individuals who commit them are over.
This is a great point.
There was a lot of meat in this module to digest. The part I got the most of was Sir Robert Peel's principles. Most notably, for me, was the public are the police and the police are the public. It was true then and surely is true now, we're a broken society in many aspects which arguably only plagues us as 2020/2021 law enforcement. This doesn't always have to do with race but there were many other biases and stereotypes discussed in the module. As law enforcement we need to view the public, all the public, as people who deserve professional treatment. We do have to dance the line a bit to proactively enforce law and to keep our communities safe. As it was stated however, as long as we do our jobs in a fair and unbiased manner, we have nothing to fear. Non-law enforcement critics have a responsibility in this equation too. We must all recognize the angle we approach modern policing in the U.S. Personally I think we need to lead by example as law enforcement. We need to try and understand differences and listen to the community we serve. No more can we look at people in a negative way because of certain stereotypes, for example how we perceive someone who is addicted to substances. People are broken now more than ever and we as public servants should rise up and challenge ourselves to do better.
I enjoyed the Ted Talk by Dr. Alia Crum on Changing Your Mindset. I have reviewed several similar studies over the years that clearly demonstrate the power of your mind to control your body. There are still so many things about the body and mind that we do not fully understand but, having a positive attitude and switching our mindset are simple strategies to begin with. One quote in particular struck a chord with me during the first lecture on Personal Leadership and that was "Don't waste energy on terrible leadership". I found this to be an interesting point, I can't say that I agree with it in it's entirety but I think we all get the point. Change what you have the power to change and stay focused and positive.
Rob, I would respectfully disagree with you on the point of not wasting time on bad leadership. I think that most likely we both have either seen or worked for bad supervisors that we do not have faith in, have a hard time taking direction from and quite honestly tell ourselves, "If I ever get promoted, I will not act like that particular person." Bad leaders certainly slow the movement of an office down and can affect the work place for years to come.
Acknowledging bias exists and combating its negative outcomes is the job of every leader. We are hardwired to think and act a certain way based on previous situations. Understanding that this is natural and that we have the ability manage it and conduct ourselves in an ethical manner is our duty to the community.
I think you hit the nail on the head William, We are who we are nd are not perfect, but knowing who you are and how to mange biases, faults and even behaviors is important to being able tp police in a fair and impartial manner.
I thought this course was extremely eye-opening in regards to the history of oppression, discrimination, and systemic racism in America. I think that every Officer should have an understanding of how we've gotten to where we are right now. What stood out to me as I progressed through the training was the "reconciliation may be necessary" portion. When I first saw that I thought, great, they're going to tell me that need to apologize for actions I personally and my partners had nothing to do with. After listening though, I appreciate and acknowledge that yes, as a Police department and profession we need to recognize and acknowledge what's happened, confirm that it was unjust, and strive to do better. I also appreciate that activists should also acknowledge that by in large most Officers of today are part of the solution rather than the problem.
Very good points. The part in the module where the missteps of old acknowledged the errors and the police and victim were able to reconcile was uplifting. I think we're in a tug of war-like mindset right now. The police and the community (in certain instances) are pulling; no one is pushing (generally) for substantive understanding on productive dialog.
I'm right there with you. I was also very apprehensive about apologizing for misdeeds and injustices that I or any of my Deputies have ever done. However, I also see that many minorities don't see me as a person, they just see cops. They don't understand different agencies or jurisdictions, they just see cops. It's not fair and it's not logical. However comma the world is not fair. If we as Law Enforcement want have better community relations, then we will have to "take the high road" and reconciliate. We will have to take the lead.
I believed the programs like coffee with a cop is a great way to lower the wall between police and the community. Community walks I think also work because the police are coming into the neighborhood to meet the needs of the community.
Completely agree, I would also add that small things like getting out of your car to interact with people in the community is huge. Big events are great but the small gestures are just as important.
Unfortunately 2020 saw a huge up rise in anti-police movements and rhetoric. We have been restricted in many ways from public interaction this year due to COVID. 2021 needs to be a great healing tour lead by our law enforcement leaders and line officers. County Fairs, various gatherings, in-person meetings, etc. were all shelved and that has only hurt us, in my opinion.
The extensive training on implicit bias was very eye opening to me. My police department has hosted training like this in the past, but I don’t know that it was this extensive. I really enjoyed the timeline of history. We have all learned about slavery, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Era, but I don’t know that most people understand the constant fight that many minorities fought over the decades to just be treated equally. I am currently reading a book on the history of the wars between the settlers and Native Americans. These wars were brutal on both sides, but again the wars showed the lack of moral authority by many of our leaders at that time. History teaches the good, bad and ugly. We cannot survive without understanding our history. The constitution is an amazing document but, in many ways, people are still fighting to realize the words written in it. I also found reconciliation an interesting topic. I think a lot of us have heard this term, but many wonder what does it mean. I think a lot of our profession questions reconciliation because many of us who are currently in law enforcement were not responsible for bias actions taken by our law enforcement profession in the past. Hoina does a great job explaining the community cannot blame current law enforcement for those past transgressions, but he also does a great job explaining that to heal, to fix some of these transgressions we must be willing to step up as leaders and acknowledge the wrongs of our profession in history. The Apex, North Carolina Chief and Sheriff did a great thing by bringing the now older man in and asking for forgiveness. Leaders must be willing to have honest discussions with our communities.
A class that couldn't have come at a better time for me. Listening to Dr. Alia and the studies that have been done on peoples mindset about stress determining our response to it is having myself do a self inventory. Although finding a positive way to spin stress can somewhat be difficult at times but overall the benefits are worth it.
Following up with Chief Matt Tobia about personal leadership and leaders maximize resources. I can sit back and remember how many times I have heard the excuses (or even used them myself) and failed due to excuses only. "Never settle for less than what you can be, do, share or give." is something that I want to lead by from here on out.
There were many great points in this module. The cornerstones of effective leadership presented by Chief Tobia stood out to me. The importance of valuing others and knowing that people are the most important assets is huge. Agencies who do not value these cornerstones will have an uphill battle with their employees as well as building community trust.
I liked how the Personal Leadership module opened, with idea that leaders don't believe in a lack of resources, they maximize what they have to get it done. The idea is that "resourcefulness is the ultimate resource". This seemed very relevant to my 19 years with my agency. This discussion always seems to be that we would accomplish so much more if we only had more money in the budget. Obviously money is great to make sure our officers are well equipped, but a law enforcement agency with the best equipment isn't necessarily a well run organization that people love to work at. In the same vain, the idea that people are the most important asset stood out in this module. Expressing sincere interest in your staff seems like an easy concept but personnel development and investment often get sidelined for daily issues that arise that need immediate attention. People like to feel like part of a team and a "work family", and that won't happen if you never have meaningful conversation with your staff.
I appreciated that portion as well. The Sheriff that has the org chart on his wall with highlighted names of employees they've had personal contact with was impressive. It's not always easy to make that connection, but it's a necessary thing to do in order to make sure all employees feel that they are important and help to make the organization successful.
That one trait that great leaders share, and especially resonates with me, is humility. I have found that some of the most successful leaders truly exhibit this characteristic above all others. Certainly, humility on its own isn’t the only trait a successful leader must possess, but it seems to rise above the others. Mr. Enter’s statement about leaders also stuck with me. “Leaders are problem finders, not problem solvers. They find the problem because they know the environment”. In order to truly succeed as leaders, we must know our people, the things they do and the reasons they do them.
In this lecture, I was moved my the cornerstones of leadership and realized that as a leader, I have neglected to practice some of them. Regarding good behavior is important to foster positive relationships between management and patrol officers. I have become more aware of using the listen and learn cornerstone when dealing with subordinates. It is important to not only hear but try to listen to what your people have to tell you. As a supervision we must take the time to listen to our troops when they come to us with concerns or ideas. Being accountable for our actions sets a good example for positive change. I will continue to be self-driven and motivate others around me. Maybe I could be the placebo effect and be the change for my institution.
Amen sir. Again, I'll point to COVID and all the negative side effects it has caused us this year. In person gatherings/meetings have been tabled for months. This only sets us back as leaders and the community in general. Our agency has leaned heavily on virtual meetings with our deputies (TEAMS meetings) to try and bridge the gaps. This works but it sure isn't perfect.
Absolutely agree with this. It has taken me years to get to the point where I can listen to someone and really understand what they are saying, then put it into a positive change in myself. If every leader or supervisor didn’t take the time to be accountable for their actions when someone gave them constructive criticism, how would they ever grow into an effective leader.
I had a wonderful mentor that had passion for his job but more importantly, the people around him. He wasn’t perfect and he accepted his mistakes and chose to grow from them. He had the five L’s: Love, Learn, Labor, Laugh and Leave. I often think about how he would handle situations and emulate the qualities I can. I hope I encompass most of the cornerstones needed. No one is perfect and I do catch myself hiding in my office to finish things for deadlines. I try to make at least one conversation with staff a day. Whether I seek them out or call them up to see me I try to connect. Being in administration isn’t easy, some call it the ivory tower, because one does lose connection with staff, you are not always present. It goes along way to be visible or present for your staff.
This was the second time I have seen this Implicit Bias lesson. Netflix has a documentary called 13th. It too illustrates the laws that allowed the government to remove African Americans from slavery but created loopholes to then criminalize them. This is a difficult time and a difficult topic all around. Whether we accept it or not we all have implicit bias. I look back at certain situations and it doesn’t sit well with me, I could have done better. I should have been more empathetic; I should have listened.
Having a passion for this profession and caring for the people around you is very important. We cant forget to love our partners, learn from our mistakes, work hard, and have good laughs every chance we get. Most importantly, leave this profession when we are not fully engaged. I agree with you we all have implicit bias. It is important to self-regulate and understand we can be more empathic.
Great self-reflection Jacqui. I have also spent a great amount of time since I started Command and Staff reflecting on my past 19 years as both a deputy and a sergeant, specifically how certain interactions may have been easier if I would have handled them with more listening and understanding. With this being my first training in Implicit and Explicit Bias, I was surprised with how much I learned about myself!
There were several parts of this module I enjoyed. Keeping a positive mindset really hit home right now. The presentation on placebo affect caught my attention. I really enjoyed the comment about learning more from bad supervisors. I've told myself at least a few times throughout my career when I've had a bad supervisor - "I'm not going to do that!" Probably the most notable part of this module for me were the five Ls. Love, learn, labor, laugh and leave. These seem so easy to remember and practice but I can think of an example where previous supervisors had a hard time with each of these. Each of them have an impact on those you serve as a supervisor but they can also benefit you.
The part of this module on implicit bias made me think more about what is going on in our county right now. It still baffles me why there are still equality issues after so many years of struggle. I'm not much of a history buff but hearing this info is a great reminder of where we've been and how far we have yet to go.
I was also surprised to see how there are still so many equality issues today. As embarrassed as I am to say this, I never thought of how convicted felons are limited in the resources available to them and how that can have a ripple effect on their families. It was interesting to see how far we have come, but also important to know we still have work to do.
Dr. Alia Crum talked about the power of mindset and how it shapes our view of the world and ourselves. Anthony Robbins’ motivational speech stressed that we already have everything we need to be successful if we simply choose to take advantage of our “greatest resources”. As Robins put it, “the ultimate secret to life is emotion”. Dr. Jack Enter used humor and anecdotes to effectively tell us to look in the mirror and do the right thing, because leadership is work that demands humility, honesty and a lifelong determination to get up every day and “swim upstream”. Chief Matthew Tobia discussed the Cornerstones of Effective Leadership and underscored that we must maintain physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, “because leadership is not for the faint of heart”. The Implicit Bias lecture reviewed the historical context of race in policing, discussed the current state of affairs, and outlined 8 Steps to Minimize Implicit Bias. We also learned that implicit bias is an unconscious bi-product of stereotypes, which are learned, acquired and sometimes socially constructed by the culture we live in.
I learned that leadership is a choice to think positively and that we have a duty to motivate ourselves to do right by our coworkers, our family, and our community every day. Personal leadership is not about excuses, it’s about accountability and proactive problem solving. Pairing Personal Leadership with Implicit Bias in this module was a powerful reminder that our leadership responsibilities transcend our personal ambitions and organizational goals. The lecture on Implicit Bias gave me hope that we can improve public perception of policing through honest dialogue, collaboration and transparency. Ultimately, we should ask ourselves every day: “Did I have a positive impact on how this profession will be judged by generations that follow?”
The lecture on personal leadership was inspiring. One of the things that really stood out to me was " A small act is greater than a big intention", a good reminder that we must "do" and put action to our intentions, everyday. When Chief Tobia presented the cornerstones of effective leadership, I found myself reflecting on weather I was effective or not at the different traits. This provided me with areas to focus on my own strengths and weaknesses as I move forward in my career. I also learned the importance of engaging with the community, especially with demographics that challenge our own implicit bias, as this is the way we can grow and effect the change we want to see moving forward.
I agree, when the cornerstones were being presented I found myself questioning if I was meeting the mark on each of those. It provided good info in terms of areas I need to improve as well as areas I am doing well.
Personally, I enjoyed the section on personal leadership. The subject presented is very relevant to my position. The cornerstones of effective leadership are guiding principle's that supervisors should be using on a daily basis. Perhaps if more supervisors were aware of them, there would not be as many "bad supervisors" contributing to the "I am the problem" issue. We owe it to our staff and our communities to know them (the cornerstones) and incorporate them into our lives. The future of our profession is dependent on effective leaders and supporting and encouraging our officers towards excellence.
I agree Lt. In these trying times, the importance of effective leadership is paramount. These principles need to be applied consistently and constantly. Our young officers deserve strong leadership and certainly need it now more than ever.
The highlight from this module for me was the wisdom of Sir Robert Peel. He wrote the 9 key principles nearly 200 years ago and I find it truly amazing that he is still spot on today. Look specifically at number 6. “Police use of physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice, warning is found to be insufficient”. This module was a LOT to take in. When I look back through my notes, there are several other areas that were very good. One of the other highlights was the motivation from Anthony Robbins. The reality of never having enough resources, but not letting that be an excuse to not succeed. It really goes back to working smarter and not harder.
Well said Sergeant Blanchette. I am also amazed of how applicable Sir Robert Peel's principles still are today. Another principle that stood out to me in this module was Peel's principle to commit to excellence. This is a principle that good leaders should adopt.
This was a very long module. With that said, it was filled with a lot of very good information. One of my takeaways from this module on the cornerstones of effective leadership was the importance to of humility in affective leadership. Asking for help when you need it and seeking out those who have experience in areas you may not. Recognizing your accomplishments but not being overly boastful. Taking you experience and knowledge and mentoring another towards reaching their goals. Service greater than one’s self. Another great takeaway from this module was the continued relevance of Sir Robert Peel’s 9 key principles of law enforcement. Written over 131 years ago, they are no less relevant today than the day they were written.
this was a longer lesson than what we have had previously. There was a lot of history attached to the lesson, which was helpful in the way of providing a resource of why there needs to be systemic change and an understanding of generational distrust of the police. One major takeaway came from the point about needing to meet the community where they are and where they feel most comfortable. Often times we want the community to come to our police department and meet us where we feel comfortable. That does not really work for building relationships and having open and honest conversations. I also found it useful to talk about creating liaison officer positions within the community. This allows us to build pockets of relationships amongst the community and continue to work on repairing areas of trust.
Chief Tobia hit on many key (interpersonal) points in his discussion on Personal Leadership. Several really stand out for me. The first is; poor leaders blame others and make excuses for failure while good leaders accept responsibility and and get the desired results with the resources at hand. I thought that the quote "mess up, fess up, clean up" summed up this concept pretty well. The second point really hit home for me. Chief Tobia points out that you waste energy and time carrying anger towards bad/ terrible leaders but also indicates there is a positive lining if you look at the experience as a lesson in what not to do. As a young military officer, I saw and experienced this phenomena first hand. Another impactful point Chief Tobia discusses in the "Cornerstone" portion of the presentation is ask for help (which is a humbling experience) and have a life. When taken individually or together these points and the other valuable insights presented in the module will allow you to look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of the person looking back at you.
The second block on Implicit Bias could not be more timely. The presenter Christopher Hoina really touched on several key points that I had not considered. A great deal of time was spend reviewing the history of slavery in the US and its connections to law enforcement. Things may be different now, but when I went through the academy there wasn't a block of training on the history of policing in America as it related to race relations in America. I think that being exposed to this information early in one's career better prepares new officers for the racial complexities they will face when they graduate the academy. Additionally, I remembered being introduced to Sir Robert Peels policing concepts early in my career and in my criminal justice courses in college but I will admit it was only in a historical context. Peel's principles were not associated in a modern context as was done in the presentation. to truly be change agents, Law enforcement agencies have to want to change, actively listen to their communities and work to break the historic cycle of mistrust.
I completely agree with you on both topics. I think everyone has experienced poor leadership. In my current position, most of my anger/frustration is usually caused by peer supervisors who refuse to accept responsibility, pass work off on others and don’t engage. It makes it extremely hard to work as a team when you have members like that.
I agree with you on implicit bias. Many people are just unaware of race relations connection with law enforcement. I think more exposure to this history is needed and it should start early in one’s career.
I really enjoyed listening to Anthony Robins. Maximizing your resources and being rich in what you have (family, faith, friends, health, etc). A solid message that can be passed onto others not just by voice but by example. It’s amazing how contagious things can be, both negative and positive. When there is a negative mind set in the team it can spread so rapidly. However, when there is one person that can be that change towards the positive others can gain that momentum as well. We as leaders need to be that positive momentum, especially in todays challenges with law enforcement and community relations.
Bridging those two topics I was reminded again of how important and true Sir Robert Peele’s nine principals of policing are in todays world. Number seven especially, “Police at all times should maintain a relationship with the public that gives the reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police.
I agree that maximizing resources and working with what you have and being able to improve conditions are what leaders do. A negative mindset with a negative attitude can corrode organizations, businesses and people. I always agree with changing first before trying to change others. You have to be the change. People will follow. Nowadays maintaining a relationship with the public is key for credibility and support. Great point sir.
There couldn't be more of a strong bridge between these two lessons in Module 4, particularly today, Having a positive mindset can directly effect outcomes when applied to leadership principles and cornerstones. Dr. Alia Crum and her colleagues showed significant impacts on the power of the human mind. Anthony Robbins laid out 10 cornerstones of effective leadership and although I have heard of each one previously in one context or another, hearing them all together, with the new perspective of a positive mindset in leadership, was a powerful message for me. And with Jack Enter's and Jim Collins' thoughts on deliberate leadership (scheduling leadership activities) and humility (ambition about others before your own), these thoughts really made me reflect on my own leadership ability.
And in that reflection, the topic of Implicit Bias was thrown in. Talk about a perspective on humility. I am happy there was a reference to Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink as I think that should be required reading at the collegiate level for criminal justice and law enforcement students. But we all have opinions on what books should be read. Understanding and accepting that we all have implicit biases is the first hurdle in understanding our jobs as leaders and future leaders. The next step is to be humble enough to remedy our implicit biases once we discover what they are. Implicit bias isn’t just a race thing; it is a status thing, too. And with leadership, there is status. As in this lesson described, and I think parallels with cornerstones of effective leadership, we need to exemplify high effort thinking and processing which is akin to maintaining composure and integrity, keeping a strong moral compass, having and giving hope and asking for help when we need it, whether that is in the form of physical, psychological or educational assistance. When we can do that, then maybe we can recognize when reconciliation may be necessary in order to serve the true values of Sir Robert Peele’s principles of policing.
Being “the Guardian” is the way I have led myself throughout my career. There have been times when it is very difficult to connect my head and heart, but it must be done. Working in the correctional field of law enforcement places me in various situations. On any given day, I may deal with an irate inmate, a calm inmate, or even several groups of inmates at one time. The ability to be transparent at all times, with the goal I was working to achieve, helped me to build trust among my peers as well as the offender population.
This module discusses self-awareness, which is something I consciously practice on a regular basis. Being aware of my own strengths and weaknesses allows me to determine what I need to improve on and what things I can strengthen to master. I also relate to the five L’s of leadership. I purposefully practice love, learn, labor and laugh with my peers and subordinates. These concepts make for a very positive work environment that is enjoyable to many.
The mentality of guardian first and the capabilities of warrior. The heart of our profession I believe is the guardian/warrior spirit. Self-awareness helps us to better understand how we fit this spirit into our service and daily work. Your comment helped me put that together a little and remind me how that kind of fits together. Appreciate your comment.
I agree it is very challenging at times (in the corrections field) to keep your focus on being "the Guardian." I do not believe many seasoned road officers would last long at all, inside a building filled with people they had arrested multiple times. We work in a world filled with the care, custody, and control of people. Many of these individuals struggle to live a normal life outside the walls. Keep the five L's of Leadership close to you along your journey and share them with others around you.
I liked the YouTube video when Jack Enter Ph.D. spoke at the National Sheriff's Association conference, and his statement about "Am I the Problem." To ask and honestly answer yourself that question would be a profound step into you becoming a better leader. There will be times when we are wrong., Having the insight to recognize it, and the courage to admit your mistake and fix it is powerful.
There was a ton of great information in this module. I especially enjoyed the presentation by Jack Enter. It was both intriguing and thought-provoking. One quote that stood out was that "Leaders aren't problem solvers, they are problem finders. I agree with this statement; anyone can be a problem solver, but a true leader can uncover potential problems before they happen. However, in some organizations, employees who bring potential problems to light are often seen as "rocking the boat" or worrying about something that isn't currently affecting anyone. As leaders, we should create a culture in which uncovering potential problems is valued. This reminds of Patton's quote, "If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
It's not very often that you'll find a supervisor who invites honest feedback and those who pay attention when staff disagree are even rarer to find. You are absolutely right that we must create a culture in which listening to negative feedback and proactive problem solving is valued. I know that I don’t have the answers to everything, so it would make no sense to discredit my staff when they bring something to my attention.
I like your point reference creating a culture that allows officers to "rock the boat." I think many of us started in an era that you were seen and not heard, but if we are to be a true moral profession, leaders must be able to recognize the courage it takes for an officer to come forward with a problem related to another employee.
Andy,
I agree that creating a culture that promotes open discussion about difficult topics should be valued. Although this is not widely accepted, I agree that we should strive for it. A true leader is open to negative feedback. The military often conducts command climate surveys and makes decisions and personnel placements based off those, may be something that could be implemented at the law enforcement level.
Personal Leadership
In this module the segment that captured my attention was the five L’s, which are “Love, Learn, Labor, Laugh and Leave”. There were so many things that hit the mark for me personally. I work hard every day. I am accountable for my actions. I am driven, energetic, and ambitious. As a supervisor, you must listen to your personnel. Pay close attention when assistance is needed and be mindful to their needs. Be a mentor to them and guide them the best way possible, and value their thoughts.
The main outcome from this module is to appreciate life. Nothing decompress stress caused by this line of work like family and friends. Enjoy your family! Spend time with your spouse, and children. Hanging out often with friends is an additional key as well. Do this often as you can, life is too short.
I agree, I appreciate how this module touched on health and wellness in our personal lives. Having that separation is so important. The “L” that really spoke to me was “leave”. Leave while it’s still fun, while you still have fond memories, and leave on a positive note.
I couldn't agree more with you Ryan. If it gets to the point where you truly no longer like what you are doing, it is time for an exit plan and find something that makes you happy. Life is too short to be unhappy.
It appears some of this is a bit dated, but wow, it is more relevant than ever. This country has tied itself into knots while either openly or inadvertently oppressing minorities. It is evident we, as leaders, must do our parts to end these injustices while seeking out new ways to connect with the community. In the first part of the lecture, Chief Matthew Tobia lists several Cornerstones of Effective Leadership. You can match those up against the second part of the lecture and see where we, as police officers, have failed in nearly every one of them.
True, I always find myself pondering for the answers to a question that is asked by my kids. What would you have done in that situation. I realize that at some point my family is the community. Continue to educate and train so we can find out where we, police officers have failed
I couldn’t agree with you more that these topics are more relevant than ever. And as for the cornerstones of effective leadership and our failure, I couldn’t disagree with you more. The unfortunate part of leadership is that it works both ways, meaning positively and negatively. We just happen to have the knowledge and understanding today that generations before us didn’t, particularly when it comes to racial equity (or lack thereof). We grew up in a different time and we can make positive impacts. But what if we don’t on other fronts? Dare I say that generations yet to come will evaluate us and our leadership ability and wonder the same thing…what the hell did they do?
I agree with what you are saying Jon. We are evaluating our leadership today through the lens of what we know as the community standard and expectations of today. We also enjoy the luxury of hindsight as we judge the leaders of the past. As future leaders will do of us. Good point.
You make a great point about being judged by the information we have now versus what was available at the time for those who have come before us. Without hindsight, seeing the future becomes impossible, as we learn from past experience.
I agree with your comment about some of the lesson being outdated, but it continually goes to show that we have not learned or changed the lessons of those who came before us. We have to find the balance between continually being tactically safe and building relationships with those in the community who do not trust us. If the community does not have trust in us we will never truly reach a place of peace.
I agree. As a university police officer this is a challenge I face every day (especially when hiring new officers). Finding a candidate with the right balance is difficult. We need an officer that can community police with key groups yet have the ability to bring the fight when the time comes. It is a difficult transition and it calls for a unique officer who can master both skills.
There were several key principles that stood out in this block of instruction. I keyed in on two principles or leadership thoughts that kind of go hand in hand. The first is that you should confront problem employees and follow things through. The next is You have to learn that everyday you get back in the river and continue to swim forward, if you do not swim you will stay in the same position and will be swept away with the current, if it is hard then it is probably right and if it is easy it is probably wrong. Leadership is not easy and there are times were you are going to have to make tough decisions often times not popular ones. Because they are not popular many times supervisors don't make them. If we don't make the tough decisions to move forward or "swim up the river" we will stay status quo we will not move forward and maybe even move backwards "swept with the current." In our positions we have to sometimes make those hard decisions but need to keep in mind that they are to keep the organization moving forward, maintaining trust with those we serve. As mentioned before there are others in the organization that our watching our leadership, judging how we are doing everyday. If we make those hard decisions, in the best interest of the organization, others will be more apt to follow.
I agree with the statement about leadership not being easy. If it's hard, it means you're doing it right.
I agree with you Marlon, it is a hard job you must work on every day.
The module and Sheriff Jahner mention a key point that most law enforcement agencies fail to grasp; The importance of confronting bad employees. I always liked the quote from Perry Belcher "Nothing kills a great employee faster than watching you tolerate a bad one". For some reason traditional organizations are slow to address this issue either because they don't know how to handle the issue or they delay doing anything in the hope it will correct itself. This lends itself to Jack Enters comment that even "a small act is better than great intention". sometimes leaders have to confront issues head on for the betterment of everyone in the agency.
I agree with your post, Leadership is not easy. It takes constant effort and continual improvement. It is easy to understand why there are so few leaders in organizations, but many whom are in leadership positions.
Your remark about the measurement of when things are hard, they are probably right, has been a core of my leadership journey. As I continue to be an advocate or agent for positive change, it seems like I am Don Quixote chasing windmills. Getting people to join in the challenging task of enforcing correct behavior appears to be an impossible challenge when the system encourages supporting taking the easy route, not cause waves, and going with the flow. Through this systemic challenge, the only thing that keeps me in the fight is knowing I refuse to sacrifice my set of values.
This module really put into perspective my personal leadership qualities and the areas that I need to improve in order to be effective. The opening presentation by Anthony Robbins was intriguing to listen to regarding maximizing your resources and to never settle for less than you can be, do, share, or give. I also enjoyed the comment he made stating that, “Richness is an emotion, not a thing.” I think many of us get caught up on money and material possessions for instant gratification instead of realizing that our richness comes from many more important things, such as our family, friends, and our careers; just to name a few. This module also discussed the cornerstones of effective leadership. If we all could take the time to focus on the attributes connected to these cornerstones, leadership would become more contagious and others would mimic our styles and behaviors in order to be more effective which would have a positive effect on the general public.
The implicit bias section discussed how each and everyone of us have bias and how important it is for us to recognize it. The module explained how we are operating on centuries of social assumptions skewed by biases that influence how we act, and a way to improve those biases are to socialize. If we socialize with individuals who have a skewed bias towards law enforcement, we could all learn to better understand one another. We have a couple of programs in our area that gives us an opportunity to engage with the community, such as, Shop with a Cop and a Youth Fishing event in order to interact and socialize with the youth to promote a positive image towards law enforcement. These programs have been a positive experience which allows the general public to interact with law enforcement on a more positive level. A portion of this module explained how it is important to check your biases at the door and give each person the attention and true justice that they deserve it each situation. This module provided me with more awareness that I will incorporate into my daily life in order to be a better person and a positive leader.
I enjoyed both the Ted talk by Alicia Crum and the clip from Tony Robbins. Having the right mindset is key to being a successful leader. Changing our mindset can turn stress into a positive rather than a negative. I did not realize that your mindset can have that much effect on your life. Having the right mindset and maximizing your resources (from the Tony Robbins clip) will help you go far in leadership positions. I am going to try to be more aware of my mindset on the job so that I always set myself up for success. The lecture on personal leadership nailed it. If a leader has those cornerstones and those traits that were discussed, they will most certainly be an effective leader.
During the implicit bias lecture, I couldn't help but revisit so many of the recent events that have occurred that sparked unrest in our communities at home and across the US. Going through our nations history and events that lead up to where we are today was laid out perfectly and lead to a better understanding, for me, on why people's reactions are as strong as they are. The quote from the 2016 IACP President Chief Terry Cunningham, "We must acknowledge and apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in society's historical mistreatment of communities of color. At the same time, those who denounce police must also acknowledge that today's officers are not to blame for the injustices of the past," rings true four years later. I took a lot away from the implicit bias lecture but that quote stuck with me.
I too, took a lot away from Chief Cunningham's quote. It is good to note there is a difference between acknowledging the actions of the past, even if we are not to blame. The simple fact is that it isn't about blame, its's about listening to each other and finding a way forward.
Timely module with great learning points. For a start, I enjoyed the Anthony Robins clip “What Do Leaders Do”. Of specific interest was the comparison of two of his talking points- that being “Didn’t Achieve Goal Because” vs. the counterpoint “greatest Resources”. It really hit home because the first are really just excuses, while the second is an actual list of how and why we all can accomplish our goals. To go with the latter, they are also things that do not cost money; they are traits and visions that can carry us further than any budget item could- and they are transferable by our attitude! Just to pull a few from the video: Vision, Compassion, Connection, Commitment- and a final one that I absolutely believe belongs- Playfulness. I also enjoyed Jim Collins’ video for Level 5 Leaders, What Defines a Great Leader.
For the Implicit Bias section- just a fantastic job on such a hot button topic. I enjoyed the history/timelines throughout, starting in 1492 with Columbus to 1776 and the Declaration of Independence. The section on the Jim Crow Laws was hard to watch- but necessary. The 60’s civil rights era the 70’s and 80’s war on drugs…just a very interesting module that puts a lot of things in better perspective with all going on in today’s society. Although I was aware and had seen them before, Sir Robert Peels “9 Key Principles of Policing” from 1929 still ring just as true now as when they were first written almost 100 years ago. Finally, the ending with the list of “8 Steps to Minimize Implicit Bias” was a fantastic way to end the module. It manages to be a cheat sheet for us as Law Enforcement to challenge ourselves to improve in an area that will make us all better at adapting to the changes that are coming.
James,
Sir Robert Peel's "9 Key Principles of Policing" also struck me as prevalent in our current time. Every law enforcement officer should revisit valuable guiding principals from time to time.
After reviewing this module one thing stands out and intrigues me the most was Dr. Crums research on the placebo affect. The affects that the mind has on an individual is astronomical. Just by making the mind believe it had a profound effect on these individuals. Now couple that with the cornerstones we learn about and you can have people move mountains for you.
This module was very informative. The thing that stuck out to me was the five L's. I believe a lot of us in our profession forget to laugh. We often take ourselves too seriously to the point where we are miserable. In dealing with the many tragedies facing our chosen career, we have to remind ourselves there is good in this world.
The module allowed me to reflect on what leadership qualities I possess and what I need to improve on. I also thought about my past leaders and what qualities they had that effectively impacted my career. In Anthony Robbins video, I was reminded to never settle for less than I can be, do, share, or give. I needed to hear that because sometimes I become comfortable living by everyone else rules. When I do that, I lose the ability to be innovative, and my followers lose inspiration to be their best selves.
Ravenel, I couldn't agree with you more. I have often thought about not only the good leaders that have influenced me but the bad. I have to continually remind myself to exhibit the traits of the good leaders, and get rid of the characteristics of the bad leaders.
I think one of the my favorite things about this module on Personal Leadership was in the lecture by Anthony Robbins when he discussed said that our greatest resource is gratitude.
This made me self-reflect on my day to day relations with the people around me and if I make it a habit to express my gratitude. I interact with so many talented, passionate, hard-working people but do I let them know that I am grateful for what they are doing? In reality, I don't think i express it enough but will make more of a conscious effort to do so from now on.
It makes me also self-reflect on those leaders who I look up to and realize that one of the reasons they have inspired me is because they have made it a habit to show their appreciation to me. They acknowledge me as a person and my hard work. Their gratitude makes me want to constantly improve myself and my practices to reach my full potential.
I need to make it a habit to let my personnel know how grateful I am for what they are doing. Thank you for sharing how you feel when others express gratitude towards you. I immediately realized that it was something I do not consistently practice.
I like your comments on gratitude and couldn't agree with you more. Often times we get caught up on the day to day activities, duties, missions that we are trying to complete. We have a tendency to focus on the negatives or the why's instead of recognizing our employees for what they have accomplished. I have found myself falling into this trap on occasion where I send out an objective and then focus on the negatives of why we haven't accomplished the mission yet. Instead we should be focusing our attentions on the positives of what we are doing to get there. If we do that i believe our employees will work harder for us. I think some of us do this because of how taxed and busy we are and in that become impatient.
I too agree with gratitude being so important. It is such an interesting concept that can both so simple and complex at the same time. How failing to show it can destroy a person and remembering to give it can save a person. I think in this world there is a lack of genuine gratitude being expressed and maybe a big part in the current climate.
Right off the bat in this module, they spoke about "Don't Waste Entergy." I have seen multiple supervisors during my career who should not have been leaders. I always told myself, don't be like them. I will not supervise the way that they do. Self-reflecting on this, I realized that I did carry anger on those supervisors because they were able to get the training or have already had the discipline to a great leader. They took it upon themselves not to be a great leader for whatever reason they have. I will now start practicing what I do have the capability to change.
I took several things away from this module. The first being the sheriff who had the organizational chart on the back of the door. For the past several years I have managed several detectives and see them on a daily basis, so I took it as a good thing. Then I realized that I just recently took on two additional people to supervise, one of whom's office is on the opposite side of the building. I'm just realizing that I've only spoken to him a handful of times over the past couple of months. I realize that this is a problem I need to address quickly. I also look forward to knowing more about each of my personnel on a more personal basis. I do have an open-door policy and believe most if not all of my personnel know this, but some may only do it on a business basis, not a personal basis. I need to make the effort to be more personable with each of them.
The organizational chart is a great idea. Just recently I had an evaluation with a school resource officer that I supervise and while I was completing his eval, I realized that I don't spend enough time communicating with him. I work a rotating schedule (8 weeks of days, then 8 weeks of nights) and I rarely communicate with him when I am on nights. During his eval, I took accountability for that lack of communication and told him that I will do a better job of that moving forward. I could see in his body language that he was agreeing when I pointed out that I don't check in with him enough. I do have an open door policy with my personnel but sometimes I need to be the one to reach out to them.
I know the feeling. I've always had good intentions to get out more, but don't manage my time to allow me to do so. I find myself falling back on "how much I have to do" and there never seems to be enough time. The simple fact is I need to make time. I don't want to be like the Captain that realized he never came out of his office either.
When the module prompted us to recall a great leader, I immediately thought of one person, who is no longer with us. Captain Octavio “OX” Gonzalez of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. EOW 6/16/06. Ox was revered as what we call an “emergent” leader, someone who others perceive to be a leader, regardless of rank. Ox was someone who always stayed on top of his game and embodied integrity and composure. As a SWAT commander, he could always be heard yelling, “looking for work.” That phrase can still be heard in the halls as operators train and function on a callout all these years later.
I found this training module to be very informative and inspirational. After watching the video, I was able to recognize some of the leadership qualities that I believe I am pretty good at. However, I also found several others that I feel I need to improve on in order become a better leader.
While watching the video, one of the instructors talked about the Sheriff that would highlight the names of staff on their organization chart after he went and spent time talking to them. I have seen how important it is to the deputies when the Sheriff or other command staff take the time to go around and visit with them, especially those who work nights. For several years (under a different sheriff), the only time deputies received a visit from command staff was when they made a mistake, and you never saw them if you worked on nights. I have always been a strong advocate for making it mandatory that all supervisory staff (Lieutenants and above) go around and meet with front line staff (days and nights) on a regular basis. Recognizing the value of others and being positive mentors to those we work with will change the culture and have a positive influence on the future direction of the agency for years to come.
Lt. Lyons:
I agree that making it a point to visit everyone under your command on a regular basis. I think many of us like the idea but falter when it is time to put a plan into action. It is wonderful that implement it as part of your policy.
I also like the idea of using an organizational chart to ensure you make contact with everyone. That can be a great tool to make this a success.
I completely agree that your subordinates and peers thrive under the command of a leader that visits and communicates with them often. I can say that I was fortunate to have a leader in my early career that did that in the division I worked in. It instilled a passion in me to want to continue that way of leading.
Mark,
Good point about being visible to all shifts and a personnel when in a supervisory role. I have seen both sides to this - having a supervisor reach out, even if it’s out of their way just to see how things are or to make small talk, means a lot. It allows them to be a “problem finder, not a problem solver.” They know what’s going on in their department. Proactive communication is healthy, and for a supervisor to reach out to their staff seeking feedback, or just checking in, can build that trust up.
I found this module interesting and very helpful. In the presentation by Anthony Robbins where he said that achieving a goal is 80% Phycology and 20% technical and followed it up with asking the question why we fail to achieve our goals. The reason being a resounding lack of resources. We all have to deal with a lack of resources. But, it is up to us as leaders to maximize what resources we do have. Complaining about it is not going to get the job done. I loved his statement "resourcefulness is the ultimate resource".
Then what Mathew Tobia said about bad leaders or supervisors before talking about the Cornerstones of Effective Leadership was outstanding. Don't waste energy being angry about bad leadership. Identify bad leaders quickly, learn what not to do and stay away from them.
This lecture for me speaks to my current state of well being with work, family, and coworkers. The ability to have a balance of positive contributions at work, be active in my family's life, and time to enjoy the facets of both worlds enforces my drive to "do better" every day at my agency. The ability to learn from the people I work with, teach others, and interact with people makes me a better person. The positive way we can impact others is to embrace the opinions of others, speak up when things should be discussed or addressed, and grow in a mature manner. This is what I use to try and "lead" in whatever I approach in any situation. Tony Robbins speech with how the "leaders" who became successful in any respective field started with an idea or vision. They sacrificed up front, some times with nothing, grew and maximized their resources, and built it up to succeed.
I agree with you when you stated that the ability to learn from your co-workers, teach others, and your interactions with people make you a better person. We have the ability in our careers to socialize and to connect with people on a positive level. We just have to take the initiative with those the opportunities. We also have the ability to learn from one another and to mimic positive behavior from those who we inspire to be like. There are many supervisors from our office who I inspire to be like and their leadership styles are contagious. If I am able to mimic their leadership styles when I become a supervisor, my leadership styles will then be passed to them in a positive way. Behaviors and attitudes by those who surround you are learned and contagious.
As some of my colleagues have commented, this was an excellent module. I am struck, by a few things. First, as I have said in the past, I need to get a life. While I spend time with friends, neighbors, and family, the majority of my interactions outside of the job is still on the job. It seems that everyday there is a fire to be put out or problem that comes up form the minor to major. Last weekend, I was actually concerned my phone was messed up, because I didn't have the plethora of emails, that come with the weekend. Second, I need to work harder on the problem solving. I get too many people coming to me to solve their problems, because I always have.
I believe the 5 L's provide a good piece of advice for me, and many that I know. One point that I do not fall in is under the labor. Now that I have moved up to a certain level, I feel more job accomplishment that when in patrol. Over the last few weeks, during the pandemic, I went back to patrol on night shift. I still enjoy patrol. No, that is not sarcasm. As for the last point of leave, there have been a few times, in my career that I thought I was at that point. The common factor though was bad leadership. If I had, there are things that I would never have experienced, that I would regret. When it is time, I want to leave on my terms and move to the next chapter in my life. I do not expect that for a while though.
There was plenty to take away from this module on personal leadership and the cornerstones of effective leadership. Several things caught my attention in a positive way, others definitely shed light on what we as busy people lose sight of. I often lose focus when taking on too much responsibility and forget the most important aspect of being a commander, the personal contact with personnel. When doing this, I lose the process of knowing what is going on with personnel and how things are working within the sections, missing problems that arise and being able to head them off before they grow. This module definitely has my mind refocused on what's important.
Sir,
Darren Gros with St. Charles. We do not know each other, but I feel like I know you. People that work with me now speak highly of you and regard you as someone to follow during critical times. This module speaks of what it takes to have personal leadership. For me, integrity and composure stuck out. I was looking to reply to you when I completed this module because you are revered so highly. Keep doing what you are doing.
The narrow road to leadership was the perfect title for this lecture. It reminded me that not everyone can be a leader, and the path to being a great leader can be narrow and hard to follow. Finding a supervisor to mentor is crucial in learning how to be a great leader. I have worked for numerous good supervisors, but very few great supervisors. The statement made by Dr. Enter about leaders being problem finders and not problem solvers was hugely impactful to me. We have to be mentally fit to see the problem coming and correcting the issues before they happen. I believe that we all must find a way to keep a balance between work and home to give ourselves the opportunity for a mental recharge and to be effective leaders.
Well said Lieutenant. Dr, Enters comment about leaders being problem finders (not problem solvers) was a "Whoa" moment for me. I had never heard or even thought of it that way, but when you stop and really take that in, what a great way to see what true leaders do. and on a second note of agreement- I need to be better at finding that balance between work and personal life as well. I find so much of my "off" time still revolves around work, thinking about work, planning for work, etc... that it's no wonder that sometimes I just need to take a break and remind myself that I have to find the balance now in order to plan on my actual retirement. If I don't do that now, retirement would (I assume) leave me with no sense of purpose. Good reminder to be better of taking care of ourselves, now and down the road.
Without question, what I learned most throughout this imperative training is the leadership spelled out is T-I-M-E. All of the great insights provided by the masterful teachers throughout this module make it clear that true leaders need to know their people and with this, there simply are not shortcuts. If we are to know the people that we labor along side, we must learn of them to really appreciate them and this takes the precious commodity that we all struggle with. The question is, are we going to be the right leader to invest this way or try to cut corners that all will readily see through?
I've learned from this module that seeking feedback is a strength and not a weakness. I've had situations where I as the leader did not have all the answers. Only by seeking help and the feedback of others i found out I did have the answer, just the not confidence in trusting myself. Also the one idea that struck me the hardest in this module, is that leaders stand before an audience of one, the Judge in the mirror at the end of the day. I know i am my own harshest critic when mistakes are made.
I have been told I was my own best friend and enemy. It is true that we are our own worst critic. I was told, early in y career, that you surround yourself with good and knowledgeable people. A person can not be expected to learn and retain every morsel of knowledge, but you should be able to find the information. This mentor told me that those people we surround ourselves with are a resource for our life, whether personal or professional. Who was better to train a new guy on the watch on crash reports? Was is me who worked traffic 20 years ago or the guy on the watch who is a reconstructionist? You know the answer.
I guess it comes down to the fact that without friends or colleagues and their help, I would be a lot worse for wear and the phrase, you delegate the authority but not the responsibility.
In law enforcement leadership is a constant grind. It is hard to separate the job from our personal life. I have had very few great leaders but the great ones were really great. While watching the video, it reminded me about humility. I had my former sheriff tell me that I needed to humble myself. This really made me open my eyes to the way I was leading. I have been working on this every since. The great leaders were always the ones who took the time to listen and made me feel like they cared about what I was saying.
This is so true. I have had every type of leader imaginable and the finest one's allowed me to speak and input ideas. One of my favorite supervisors had this thing he would do. If you asked him a question, he wouldn't answer. He would ask you what you thought the answer is. Then he would discuss your answer with you to determine if it was correct. I use this today.
Major,
It was unexpected to hear you say that the Sheriff had said something to you about being humble. Whatever you have done to work on this, in my opinion, is working. Although we have only met on a couple of occasions, I found you to be easy to talk to, as well as humble. I have enjoyed these talks and look forward to future conversations with you in the residency.
In Module 4, learning Personal Leadership, I've seen that as leaders we need to learn to maximize resources and knowing that 80% psychology and 20% mechanics. That key of the lecture was a very important part of the lecture. I've also learned that wasting energy isn't needed and carrying anger towards terrible leaders. When having effective leadership I know that maintaining physical and psychology wellness plays a part in learning personal leadership. In closing knowing the five L's is a huge and major key, knowing to love, learn, labor, laugh and leave.
So many cornerstones. Many of these I possess, but I see I still have many I need to work on. I've had many leaders in m career, good ones and bad ones. As probably most of you have I have learned from all of them. I've had more bad ones, in my opinion, than good ones. There are a couple of good ones that still to this day when I make certain decisions, i will think to myself; What would he do in this situation? And sometimes i will actually call them for advise if it is a decision I am having a hard time with. Probably the most important thing to me at this point in my career is that I can find someone to mentor and to see them grow and become a better leader than I am. I also found the first video with Dr. Alia Crum very intriguing and though provoking. I would love to see if I could somehow put that into practice in my current position with those under my command.
I think that I am in the same boat as you with the more bad supervisors then good. I recall when i started my law enforcement career, many of these bad supervisors did not want to to succeed or move on to better your career. I seen a couple of supervisor who use to get mad when an officer left, and not even speak to them no more. I even seen supervisors not want to help the people under them in fear that they will take their job. As you said, I learned from what not to do.
I mentor the supervisor under me. As i always tell him, this will be your job one day, you need to know as much about the job that you want. I strive in teaching him everything that I know, so when it is his turn to lead, he will be better than me. By doing this, our division will only get better.
In this lesson, I was able to gain a copious amount of useful knowledge, and reassurances that some of my own leadership qualities are actually being showcased in my current state of leadership. With that being said it also brought many of the cornerstones to light that I can still use some work on, listening and learning more often can better all of us. Actually sitting back and watching your team and learning what attributes they have of the cornerstones of leadership also helps when it comes down to the Five L's, Labor more accurately.
One of the things I tell my team often was mentioned as a cornerstone and I truly believe it is one of the most important for our personal health as well and that is "Have a Life" it is far too easy for younger/newer officers to live by the radio, i preach to my guys to turn the radio off and reset your personal life when given the opportunity.
Here, here! I believe that this is especially true with regards to public safety. We must have a life free and clear from the challenges of police work outside of police work. What you shared reminded me of one of the best pieces of advice that I have ever received and that has stayed with me and has served me greatly. That advice was simply, do not hang out with cops outside of work. Having a family makes this a little easier but even during my single years, I heeded this advice and I believe that I was blessed immensely for it! Perhaps this helps someone else as well!!
While watching the different lecturers I could not help but notice the traits talked about being present in the good leaders I have and often lacking in the bad leaders I have experienced. Most of these Cornerstones are built off of the previous lessons of being virtuous. The area that many in our field fail at is to have a life. It is all too common for us to let the job become us. Some of my best mentors had a healthy life outside of work and often would not associate with police on down time.
While the Narrow Road lecture was very motivating, the beginning of this module hit home the most for me. Maintain physical, psychological and emotional wellness. This statement I find is very valuable toward anyone's self worth and total life happiness. I always told my children that the definition of a success is being happy in life, not only with your personal life but with professional life also. Many times in the past I would allow myself to be in situations that were harmful to my psychological and emotional wellness which eventually will affect your physical wellness. This is why a planned "off duty" life is so important and you shouldn't feel guilty about enjoying that.
That is a very true statement when it comes to physical wellness being affected by the emotional and psychological wellness, I do believe that the cornerstone mentioned of having a personal life free of the professional constraints of law enforcement goes a very long way in keeping all three types of wellness in check and moving towards a healthier total leader/law enforcement officer.
Couldn't agree more. I too have children and stress to them about being well rounded, mentally and physically. Both go hand in hand and each cross to make the other better. Without a happy personal life, and a dedicated focus on it, work life will rarely prosper.
The part that really resonated with me was Dr. Enter's comment about always having a person on your staff that doesn't like you. Having a crew of supporters is fine, but without someone to give you honest feedback you could be making mistakes you never even realize.
I enjoyed that comment as well, but I want all people to feel like they can speak the truth to me. I have participated in outside meetings where many just went with the flow of every comment and I knew they were not honest in their thoughts. I like to be challenged on decisions to take a second look and make sure its correct.
I agree. While I'm not sure how many people don't care for me, I'm sure there are a few. But I'm lucky enough to have a person under my command who i went through the academy with who to this day, even though I am now his commander, is brutally honest with me and lets me know when he thinks I make a mistake or and handling something the wrong way. I appreciate that and though sometime we get in to heated discussions over things that we don't agree on, the next day we are back to being academy buddies. I'm pretty sure he still likes me (ha).
I would not necessarily want someone on my staff that doesn't like me but he makes a good point. If you have a staff full of people who agree with you all the time you will never grow as a leader. They will never tell you the truth when you are wrong.
This makes a lot of sense. If you always surround yourself with "yes" people, you're setting yourself up for failure down the road. Sometimes those who will tells us the harsh truth are the most valuable people to have around.
The videos for this section touched home so well that I had to watch them twice. The one thing which really resonated with me was from Dr. Enter’s video on the Narrow Road to Leadership; when he speaks about leaders being abnormal. In so many words he says leaders are introspective. He says they good leaders are always attempting to find issues before they become problems even within themselves. The constantly reexamine their own styles and are looking for feedback.
When I was a new officer, I had a supervisor who would give good, constructive criticism which allowed me to grow as a law enforcement officer and person. After being promoted a couple of times, I would sometimes ask my supervisor (not the same one) how I was doing. He took this as me needing positive attention and would tell me I was doing fine. After many of these conversations with the same answer I finally told him I needed the negative as well; that I could not fix something if I could not recognize that it was broken. Taken aback, he let me have it – the good, the bad, and the ugly. I was thankful for the commentary.
I don’t practice the same unfiltered criticisms of those who fall under my command, but I do try to talk with everyone on my shift at least once a pay period and give them my undivided attention. In my conversations I try to encourage them to be better by pointing out things in which they are deficient and in the things which they do well. And hopefully one day, when these deputies are supervisors, they’ll pay it forward.
After that lecture, I have to agree. As leaders we have to be abnormal, why else take on the burdens of leadership. I recall my first weeks in FTO and i was speaking with my Lt. He made mention that one day it'll be my turn to lead people. I asked who would want that job and he laughed. He responded you'll have your chance to find out and you wont have a choice. Now as a leader, even on the worse of days, i wouldn't want it any other way.
Jim Collins identifies the trait of humility as being the most important trait that a great leader possesses. Humility is so important in a leadership role and how it defines the leaders ambition for the organization. Humble leaders have more influence, they attract better people, and they earn more confidence, respect and loyalty than those who rely upon ego and power. As Jim Collins stated in the video, Humility is one of the most important traits a leader possesses. Humility is the quality of being humble. As a leader, it is important to be humble, putting the needs of another person or group of people before yourself. It also means not drawing the attention to yourself and acknowledging others. Spend time listening to others, be mindful and grateful. People respond well to humility because it shows that you are placing yourself at a level as a team player, and not above them, exhibiting higher self-control in many situations.
This lesson was my favorite so far. When the lesson began it seemed like the same old thing of focusing on a problem employee and why a leader won't correct their behavior or approach their behavior. Then the lesson turned and it made you focus on yourself. As it is important to address a problem person it is just important for a leader to look at themselves and work out their own problems because without do so how can they possibly help out the problem person.
This lesson was a valuable lesson in many aspects that we sometimes do not look at. I enjoyed the discussion on “wasting your time on bad leaders.” I served under some chiefs before that could not only be careless but would cuss and swear at you. I would always come to work stressed out and full of chest pains. However, I did take notes on what not to do when I became a supervisor.
As supervisors and leaders, I think the biggest take away was on the 5 L’s of this lesson. Sometimes we are all stressed out, and we forget to love our family and team. We always are learning, but was the lesson we learned a quality lesson. Enjoy the labor of our job. Laugh with others is a key to being happy and personal emotional wellness. This last “L” stood out to me the most, on when its time to leave and how to exit. Often as a leader, we don’t see when we are not being practical and do not realize we need to “stop driving the train get into a different seat on the train.”
The last key point that leaders fail to do is find a life outside of law enforcement and take care of themselves and their mental health. Upper-level management sometimes works so many hours on the job, and we fail to take time to decompress.
All of these lessons will make us better in the long run, not only as leaders but as mentors to upcoming leaders.
I liked your comment about finding a life outside of our work. Our work is so very important and it is very hard to find that time to get away and spend it with our families. Even when we do get time away from work it seems that work is still there. When I first started in this career I was told to find a hobby outside of work. It was probably one of the best things I was told as a young officer.
Yes as a young officer I was told the same thing to find a hobby, because you will get burned out quickly. Working overtime and details will take a toll on you mentally and physically, you find yourself not having time for your family. When you're off all you want to do is sleep. It was important to prioritize my work schedule to be more affective for my family and for my team at work.
Work life balance is one thing that police officers seem to be particularity bad at, my thoughts are that it is due to how we are trained that we are "different" than regular people so we carry that mentality 24/7.
I do agree that balancing personal life can be hard when it comes to your job. Sometimes I do believe when you just go out to eat sometimes the reaction of work always kicks in, because instantly as a cop we have to sit with our backs against the wall. So I do believe as well separating the two can be a hard task. We are cops 24/7.
As I grew up in the department I watched senior leadership and one of the biggest issues I noticed was their lack of a life outside of the department. This created a crisis mentality. Now that I have assumed a leadership role it is harder for me to maintain the separation of home and work. This is a daily struggle for me and my family. By recognizing this I hope to be able to maintain a healthy life away from work.
This was a great and knowledgable lesson on Personal Leadership. I agree, we should not waste valuable energy on terrible leaders, because the negative energy can be transferred to whoever is entertaining this type of leadership. These types of leaders only hurt an organization in the future because once they are retired, the energy continues with the followers who are still employed.
The presentation by Tony Robbins was outstanding to me, especially talking about living by your own rules and not trying to fit in. Resourcefulness being the greatest resource and emotional muscle. I think those are great rules to start living by and teaching others in our department that are looking to promote and move up the chain of command.
I particularly enjoyed the Narrow Road to Leadership video in this module that was given during a National Sheriff's Association meeting. I was able to take note of some of the key points in this video and hopefully use these when developing/growing my leadership ability. I would hope to strive to exude some of these qualities that the speaker spoke about such as, focusing on the biggest part of your like (your own), taking ownership, leading by example, being know for humility and scheduling leadership behaviors. The last one with regards to scheduling leadership behaviors was and is key for me. I believe that this could benefit us all as leaders by making us more personable and showing a genuine interest in our people.
With each presentation the central theme that Leadership means taking personal responsibility was well driven home. All the presenters: Robbins, Tobia, Enter, Collins and such were clear in the concept that leaders take ownership of their responsibilities. While it is easy to point the finger at someone else's short comings, a true leader understands that part of their responsibility is to guide those they lead to achieve. If someone they lead needs more guidance, it is the leader's job to give them that guidance. If they need more tools or more assistance, that is what the leader is there to provide.
The discussion about Wal-Mart focused on maximizing resources. I have seen several times were ingenuity, especially mixed with some humility, has lead to great solutions. I am reminded of my efforts with our Explorer youth group. We had found some grants and they were running out. We needed an way to raise money for our youth. In looking at fundraisers and discovered that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts does fundraisers with a profit margin of $5 per dozen sold. We could buy 300 dozen and sell them with a profit of $1,500. It was much less work and a lot neater than car washes. It tasted a lot better as well. We had a good location at a busy intersection with a light where lots of traffic could see the sale. We just needed a way to draw attention and that is where some humility came in. We picked up and sold the donuts out of the back of a marked law enforcement SUV. People who did not even want donuts stopped to buy a dozen just so they could say they bought donuts out the back of a "cop car." The youth group raised $1,500 in a matter of a couple hours. The youth had a blast. and my group met the fundraising goals.
Leaders take responsibility and they are enablers in the best sense of the word. If we work harder on making solutions and less on pointing fingers, our hands can get a lot more accomplished.
This was a good lesson on self-awareness. I think the biggest take away for me was allowing others to contribute to the common good. I don't always have to be the biggest "ego" in the room. When I learn to listen and allow others to speak, I learn.
Burke, in my personal and limited experience so far as a leader or supervisor. I have come to find also that letting go of ego and your status is very important and helpful. Learning to listen to those around you, including your peers and employees, helps you take a step back and see the full picture. Some of the greatest leadership lessons I have learned so far have come from people who I was responsible for supervising. Even when you listen to someone else's take or point of view on something and might now necessarily agree. I believe you still learn from that interaction.
I agree with what you are saying, there are times that we do not stop and listen to team members, due to the fact we are in the weeds, and not looking at the 30,000-foot view.
I could not agree with your last statement. you hit the nail on the head.
I agree with your thoughts. When mistakes happen, a leader should acknowledge fault and learn from those mistakes. I know owning failure will strengthen an individual for future endeavors.
The example that Tim Robbins used during the video presentation on Sam Walton was insightful on his business approach. He spoke how Sam Walton used resources to become the most successful businessman, which exceeded Bill Gates. Being able to use all resources at your disposal, and being able to exceed the limits of expectation through determination and creativity will lead to success.
I agree that it was very insightful so see the relationship between resourcefulness and success. It is a reminder to make the most with what you have instead of being jealous of what others possess. I like to share with my cadets the concept that the grass may look greener on there side, but when you get there you will find out it is still grass. Making the most with what we have is far more rewarding and sustainable.
I enjoyed this module on Personal Leadership. The video from Jack Enter, where he stated leaders take ownership of leadership and see their failures, is so real. It is easy for a leader to pass the buck, but at the end of the day, the buck stops with you. As a young officer, I had a Leader that would stand up for the shortcomings of our section. He taught me to own up to your mistakes. He once told me a good supervisor will give credit to their guys and will take the heat when things go wrong. This supervisor also harped on getting a life outside of Law Enforcement. The things I learned from him helped to mold me. I also enjoyed the many cornerstones of effective leaders and will utilize this as I move forward.
I agree with your thoughts. When mistakes happen, a leader should acknowledge fault and learn from those mistakes. I know owning failure will strengthen an individual for future endeavors.
I believe I got the most from Anthony Robbins video "What Do Leaders Do"? He was spot in saying that it was 80% psychology and 20% mechanics. He added that you have to be resourceful. I recall having to be resourceful in Iraq in 2004 when certain types of vehicles were not as well armored as newer versions. We were trying to find ways to defeat improvise explosive devices. As we had some of these vehicles in our inventory we had to find ways to make them more protective. We would scrounge for whatever steel we could find and mount it to our existing vehicles. So we were grateful for whatever we could get. This started a fantastic networking system among leaders. Ideas for using sandbags and water bottles to build walls in the beds of trucks were shared. The biggest thing of all, nobody asked for credit. We just wanted to keep our troops alive. Now, as an SRT CDR, I have to find ways to be resourceful to train my team members. Technology is expensive so we find other ways to accomplish the training mission. We have a simulation shoot house (glass house) made from pallets and old bill board vinyl. It’s pretty ugly. But the training value in it is priceless. No Excuses.
This lecture was a well laid out path to becoming a better leader with numerous talking points. Each presenter touched on one topic which stood out to me when each mentioned it. That topic was humility. It was mentioned we have all experienced good and bad leaders which is most certainly true. The most common trait in all of the bad ones that I have experience is that they lacked humility. Their decisions and actions were based on how it benefited them and not how it affected those around them or even the organization.
I couldn't agree more. Over the years of having good and bad leaders I took something from each. Sometimes I think I took more from the bad ones. Learning what I would not be when I was given the same opportunities.
I completely agree with you view of the bad leaders lacking humility and only looking out for the next step to promotion for themselves. This lecture did lay out the path to being a successful leader.
I really enjoyed this lesson especially the end where it talked about a "special kind of humility". A humility where this is not about me, it is about a greater purpose and that greater purpose should drive my decisions.
The five L's are a good reminder of remaining humble for the greater good; compassion for others, listening and learning from others, remembering to serve and work hard, keeping a sense of humor abut yourself and your job and knowing when it is time to pass the torch.
This module is a reminder of how true Leaders should carry themselves. As a leader one should never assume he / she has all the answers. “Input breeds commitment to success” rings true. Allowing other to contribute to the team builds unity and accountability. A leader cannot lead if they are never on the field. A true leader is accessible to all, humble, and accountable to for their actions and the actions of the team.
I with everything you said Rocco. The best leaders I have ever served under did not have all the answers and they sought out "input" from others including myself. This built team unity and accountability because it gave me a stake in its success. Your point about leaders cannot lead if they are never on the field is spot on. You cannot be a "problem finder" stuck inside an office waiting to fix a problem when it arrives at your desk.
I could not agree with this more. No leader should assume they have all the answers. I find that some supervisors feel they cannot take ideas from the people they supervise as if it was beneath them. The more input, the easier it is to make a decision. Team input also builds your men/ women to have confidence in their decision-making ability and is good to build unit cohesiveness.
This module provided some great information. Anthony Robbins and Jack Enter were interesting and I enjoyed both of their videos. I think the biggest thing I took from this module was from Jack Enter. Lead by example, admit when wrong, be gracious when others fail, do what you know you should do, spend time with employees, and be problem finders not problem solvers are some of my favorite topics.
There were some pretty interesting videos in this lecture. I got roped in by the very first video before the lecture. Dr Alia Crum sees an opportunity to begin a study on mindset and has the initiative to start from nothing and accomplish something that is now being studied by numerous persons. I know I'm only four modules into this course but nothing has been said about initiative. I believe it's one of the foundations in leadership. She pretty much created four different ways to study mindset and because of her initiative, will make a lot of waves in the health world. She's shifting the mindset of people and making their lives better.
In this module I learned valuable lessons on leadership. Mentors are very much needed in this profession. Leaders need to listen and manage by "walking around." Leaders need to know their greatest resources and must have courage, effective communication, determination, humility and integrity. In my career, I have not always displayed these traits. I have some work to do.
I really enjoyed this module, from Tony Robbins talking about maximizing people to the five L’s.
There were so many things that struck a chord with me personally. Always be humble. Be accountable for your actions. Admit your mistakes, fix them and move on. Stay self-motivated. Be truly accessible to your personnel and give them the attention they need, when they need it and listen to what your people have to say. Never stop learning. Value others and mentor them.
The biggest takeaway I have though, and something I stress quite a bit, is to have a life. Nothing decompresses the stress caused by this line of work like spending quality time with family and friends. Do it as often as you can!
This response is the cornerstone of how to "remove" yourself from work and take time for one's "emotional" well being. We always take work "home" with sometimes, and it can effect how we live our daily life. Being able to have healthy habits and to have a "release" or relieve stress helps to mend us in mind, body, and spirit. We need to take care of ourselves if we want to take care of others.
What I take away from this lesson as well as the previous lessons is about being strong emotionally and knowing ourselves as well as building relationships. I especially liked the story told by Jack Enter about the flavor of our tea. All too often we see those who let disappointment turn to anger and then it lasts throughout their career. That is when a person who strives to be a great leader let's their motivation kick in and strives just that much harder. I also think that humility is a long lost art among most people, and the world needs more of it.
In this section it talks about Leaders having humility and taking the blame when things fall apart. I think that is one of the hardest things for some Leaders to do. Actually for people in general, no one wants to admit when they are wrong. As we learned, its one of true signs of being a Leader. Its protecting your followers when things do not go as planned. I have seen a lot of people in “Leader” roles that do quite the opposite. The credit for doing things right should be shared with everyone in the same respect, it’s a group effort, not a ME effort.
I simply agree with everything you said Laurie!
When things go well, commend your team for their success. When things don't, accept responsibility for the failure.
I know it may not be easy for some in supervisory roles to do, but it is an amazing way to inspire loyalty and dedication within your personnel.
Well said Laurie. It takes more courage to admit when you're wrong then to blame others. It will also build trust with your employees if you take the fall instead of passing it on to them.
I concur. There is not an “I” in the word “Team”. A good leader will give all of the credit for a successful incident to the individuals working under them. Without these individuals the success would not have been possible. Without these individuals this leader would not even be in a leadership role; meaning they would have no one to lead. Giving credit where credit is due is a just one of the many aspects of leading humbly. Asking for help and never doing anything alone is a cornerstone to effective leadership.
First off, Jack Enter is a great speaker and did an excellent job of delivering his message at the National Sheriff’s Association. The one topic that I enjoyed learning about was knowing your humility. As a leader, we must admit when we are wrong. I have witnessed higher ranking officers make errors or cause a complete “Charlie Foxtrot,” but they will not accept their fault in the incident. These same ranking personnel did, however, quickly blame it on other subordinates and lack of resources. I have made faults as a leader, and I have admitted my mistakes to my supervisors, though at times, it was uncomfortable. When we as leaders confess to our failures, we usually are quickly forgiven.
I agree, Clint Patterson, I admitted my mistake and took full blame for my team not following the directive. When I informed the supervisor that nothing was ever put in place to complete the assignment. He/she got upset and advised there was. We then proceeded to the work area, it was then my supervisor realized nothing was set up to complete the task.
The biggest take away I got out of this module is humility. Far too often we see “leaders” in upper level management positions who don’t think about others, mainly their followers. They are the types that will constantly boast about the things they have done in their career to make themselves look better. They are the types that will take credit when things go right, but will assign blame when things go wrong. As law enforcement leaders, we must remain humble and give credit to the people we lead when things go right, but take personal responsibility when things go wrong.
I like this section because it hit home oh so well. As leaders we are trying to make the business the best it can be with that being said, then we must provide all of the resources we can. Leaders must communicate externally in selling the vision, creativity, and courage. A Leader displasy integrity and composure while still being compassionate and Caring.
The thing that stuck out most during this module was looking introspective and being humble. Too often people lack accountability, shift responsibility and blame someone or something else when things go wrong. It's refreshing when someone stands before an audience of one, is self critical, is accountable and asks how they contributed to the problem.
Samuel, you are so correct, it is nearly rewarding when a Detective comes to me and confess to being wrong or doing something wrong. I respect their honesty and help to guide them back in the right direction by supplying them or showing them how to utilize their resources better.
This module reminded me that it is always important as a leader to have a relationship with others. We all know that can be hard taking the time out of your busy day to just talk with employees, but the information you learn during these conversations are truly valuable to becoming a good leader. We as leaders have remember that employees have lives outside of our departments, and stresses that are not job related. By having an open line of communication with the employees you will have a better understanding of what needs to be done to continue to have that employee be productive.
Agreed Chris. Many say they have an open door policy, but few truly do.
You’re absolutely right. When reading your post, I immediately thought about one of the leaders within my agency. He would often walk around the office just to talk to his people. He knew everyone by first name, knew about the personal lives and would often ask his people how their kids were doing. This person is a true leader.
The open door policy is a great policy. Unfortunately its one of things lacking in alot of agencies. I think people say they have open door policies, but in general they do not. If they allow their door to be open, then they have to deal with issues and some people would rather not hear what you have to say....
Laurie,
You are so correct about most leaders really not wanting to be bothered by subordinates, it also goes to the principle that leaders should build relationships with their people. That's where a leader's true self shows through and when the morale takes a turn to the negative.
You have hit the nail on the head. Open door is going to bring problems. So they say they have open door but don't want to be bothered. They simple say they have an open door policy because they know it is the right thing to do but lack the leadership to make it happen.
I believe having an open door policy is great. I agree that more leaders say it and don't mean it. I have an open door policy. What I realized was that my door was too open and that a lot of communication was coming to me instead of up the proper chain of command. If you have an open door, you still need some boundaries.
In this lesson it states don't waste your energy carrying anger toward terrible leaders. In my career I had a lot of terrible leaders which means I have had a lot of lessons. I had to admit that I carried anger towards a few of them but I have also taken this used it as a model of what not to do and how to treat people under my supervision.
I agree. When leaders waste energy being angry, we forget about the mission of the business then the business fails.
I found the video of Tony Robins very interesting. Once you learn a skill, you have to practice or you will lose it. I found that this ties in with self-reflection. You must always evaluate where you are as a leader in order to become more proficient. I have had many supervisors over the years, some were great and others were simply waiting to retire. A good supervisor makes their subordinates want to come to work and complete any task that they are given.
I did too. The part on emotional muscle. I agree if you do not use it you will lose it.
As I watched the videos, It made me recall the good supervisors I've had and also the poor ones. The best supervisor I had lived by the "five Ls." Every subordinate respected him and did not want to let him down because of that respect. Others and I have tried to emulate his leadership.
I enjoyed this lecture, especially talking about looking at yourself as the problem with bad leadership. In the past i have been guilty of whining and complaining about not getting a promotion. I learned the lesson the hard way when people always were in a hurry when i wanted to chat.
I completely agree with you. Sometimes you as the supervisor may be the problem. This is not easy for most people to admit.
This is true, in the video it states that 100% of managers that fail are because they don't follow through. I believe that supervisors must do the following like the video says: lead by example, don't manage from behind the desk, and manage by walking around.
This module is a reminder of what is important in effective leadership. I like the positive aspect to have hope and input breeds success/buy-in. Remembering that courage is acting in the face of fear. I really like the idea presented by Jack Enter to prepare an organizational chart of all your agencies' employees and highlight each name as you make legitimate contact.
I took many things from this module of Personal Leadership and reflected on each cornerstone for effective leaders. After listening to Dr. Jack Enter, I went back and reflected again on each of these and tried to fit them in my professional career as it applied. By doing a self-examination, I realized I have plenty to work on. The biggest thing that has guided me along both my career paths is having a mentor. Some of the leaders I had were great mentors and didn’t even know they were mentoring me. They were technically competent, accountable, self-motivated and readily accessible which made followers want to emulate their behavior.
I was impressed by the lecture in this module. I had never listened to Tony Robbins speak before and found his words profound. His thought on exercising our emotional muscle make perfect sense when you think about it. If I have a skill and I stop practicing that skill, whether it be a sport, a task or a language then the skill will diminish and ultimately be lost. We must learn to be resourceful and not waste energy on shifting blame.
I was also impressed by Jack Enter and his thoughts on leadership as an abnormal behavior. He also said stressed that leaders take ownership of their failures.
jprevost,
Agree with your comments of Tony Robbins and the way he emphasized the point of one of the cornerstones of effective leadership, Maintaining physical, psychological and emotional wellness. Very important in maintaining this asset that took many years to build. Also, with Dr. Jack Enter on a quote, “they stand before and audience of one”. Very true of every effective leader and self-examination.
In this lecture, I took away some additional skills that I realize I need to improve upon. These skills are communication and the ability to learn when I am the reason that someone is failing. Both of the included videos of were inspirational and informative. Some of the ideas presented in the video that Jack Enter Ph.D. mentioned at the NSA conference that I intend to do is to print out an organizational chart with all my personnel. I will speak with each officer and then highlight the chart. Once I make it around to everyone, I will start over again. I think that communication is a very important part of being a great leader. So many times, we become too involved and do not take the time out to stop and hold those conversations that are need with our subordinates. This lack of communication causes our subordinates to feel as though they have been forgotten about. I have at times felt this way in my career and the video reminded me of those times.
I must agree Captain. How often do we pass a face in the hallway not taking the time to show interest in that person or what they may be dealing with. We often forget that not that long ago, we were that nameless face in a uniform crossing the boss in the hallway.
I think of the supervisor who demanded an officer apologize after he was passed in the hallway without a "good morning". This same supervisor would get into an elevator without acknowledging those he had no interest in speaking to. His role model ethic was non-existent. This supervisor is a important reminder to me of what I don't want to be.
We need to instill a vision that individuals need to begin building their own leadership skills while becoming a skilled leader.
After listening to the lecture I thought about the many leaders I have worked with and for and what all good leaders have in common is honesty, compassion for their job.
As I watched this lecture I began to self-reflect on what would strengthen my leadership. Too many times I lacked empathy and was too focused on the goal or objective. I also thought of past leaders that stayed way past their time and did not provide anything to our department. I will make a conscience effort to value my employees more as I go through my career.
I agree with you on the empathy. I tried to work on an ambulance one time and was told i had no bed side manner, because i had problems showing empathy. I have since learned to change and be more caring.
I also like you, lack empathy and focus on the goal. My supervision has changed through the years and not necessarily for the better. I once was more employees friendly and took the team approach. Now it's more the objective. I feel I need to find a middle ground between the two.
I have also fallen into the trap of just worrying about getting the job done at any cost. After awhile I began to see that the trust from the officers began to fade. I had to make a concerted effort to turn focus more on the employees and open conversations with them. I believe this has helped me in becoming a more rounded leader.
The thing I picked up most from this module was the emphasis on humility. As I was listening to the lectures, I was thinking about the past supervisors that I have had. I have been fortunate to have had positive role models during my career and the thing that they all had and have in common is the trait of humility. I find myself falling in this same category, even though I have had this trait in my personal life, I can’t help but think that they are responsible for it. This module made me realize that I am without knowing it following in the roles that my former and current supervisors have led me by.
Class, this module was very candid as to what is required from us personally to become a great leader within an organization. Today, we are all expected to do more with less to get results. It is easy to come up with excuses as to why you cannot achieve your organizational goals. We all short personnel and have had our budgets cut. However, what I learned out of this module comes from a quote by Jack Enter, “A small act is greater than a good attention.” That quote brings it all together. A good leader must take that chance or step to achieve success. Sitting around thinking about it gets nothing done. You have to have the will, courage and a plan to be a leader, while at the same time willing to ask for help from others, because a good leader does not mean that you know it all.
I agree with your post completely, we are ALL short handed. We all wear numerous hats which require us to be in two places at once. Being a good leader figures out a way to get it all done, resourcefulness.
I agree, good leaders are able to identify the obstacles they face and seek out a resolution through any and all available resources. Even if it means they have to rely on someone else who is more qualified or experienced for a particular task.
I agree with your comment about being expected to do more with less. I also agree that we must input the effort to be a leader and that is doesn't happen by just sitting around and thinking about it. Professional development is even more important in today's current police culture. Once promoted we are expected to know things based on our position when in fact, little is often done regarding training of supervisors. We must be continually examining our staff and ourselves in the pursuit of excellence.
This was a great module. The Narrow Road to Leadership has some very important learning ideas/principles. The big take away for me was the Lead Yourself First. As part of my leadership journey, I've developed part of John Maxwell's teaching: The Rule of Five, which involve daily activity to develop your leadership capacity. Study leadership: reading, writing, scanning, filing and modeling leadership traits. This has been a cultural shift for our department. We have started by sending all our personnel to the MAGNUS leadership program. We have sent approx 25 employees to the first two classes and will continue until every employee has completed the course. This has created a shift where every employee feels that they play a critical role in fulfilling the mission as a leader within the department. We are trying to instill a focus that everyone needs to start building their own leadership capacity while becoming a life-long learner of leadership.
Chief, I could not agree with you more as it pertains to "Leading Your Self First. As stated by author Gary Mack in "The Five L's." We must have Love, Learning, Labor, Laughter, and yes the knowledge to understand we it is time to leave. The Magnus leadership program has jump started my career and help me better understand what I have to offer the organization as a leader and mentor for our younger personnel, while understanding that education is never ending and we must continue to grow and improve. When you think you know it all it is time to leave because you have stopped growing.
This module on Personal Leadership helped me to reflect on my self as a leader, This module made me think about how we need input from other people about our selves because sometime we do not realize our faults and how others view us as leaders is sometimes different than we see our selves. After competing the lecture i thought about different leaders i have worked with and for and what all good leaders have in common is honesty and a compassion for their job.
I agree that this lecture made me reflect on what kind of leader I am currently, and what I want to become. I also looked back at the leaders I have had a what qualities I need to strengthen.
Yes I agree a good leader is not about just telling employees what to do. A good leader leads by example, shows empathy, cares for the employees needs and makes the employee feel welcomed
The video form Dr. Alicia Crum “Mindset” helped me to realize it’s possible to change a person’s mindset by the information relayed to them and the content of the information. How we interact with all members of our department and community may present the opportunity to initiate a change of mindset. If our mindset is changed does it help us to acknowledge and minimize our implicit bias?
This lesson shares many key points regarding personal leadership. A leader must display courage, vision, integrity, be humble and always be willing to learn. A common mistake leaders make is to create a plan or program based upon their own ideas or experiences, without seeking input. A leader must not only be willing to be a good mentor but must also have a mentor of their own. Each of us can identify one good leader, and one horrible leader we have worked for. We can also likely identify virtues displayed by each leader which made them good or bad. It is important that we as leaders understand that unless we are faced with a time-sensitive decision, we can more than likely seek input to ensure we are viewing our solution from different viewpoints than our own. This is where humility and accountability come into play. You must be humble and know that your decisions may not always be the best course of action and many advisors make for more well-rounded decision making.
Frank
Great post. There will always be good and bad leaders. Hopefully the bad ones will continue to work on themselves and their strategies as a leader. Being humble is certainly important and that can be important when making decisions. Everyone has their faults and others may think they could have done things better, but that's normal. Having the trust and support of your team is what is important. As long as the leader of that team is willing to trust their team and is also open to any ideas or issues they may have, they will most likely be successful.
Frank, this is so true for many people. I remember thinking about my past leaders, taking note of the traits I wanted to possess and not possess. I agree you have to always be humble and hold your self accountable. No one is perfect. Always strive to be better.
Exactly Kim. Looking back at the poor leaders that I worked for and looking at the good ones, I focus on where those people are now. Almost every one of the poor leaders are no longer with the agency. And the good ones have moved on to better themselves which also betters the agency. And I notice that I still look up to these good leaders for motivation and advise in my position.
This was a very interesting module. It ties in the prior lectures of virtues and emotional intelligence. It highlights the importance of humility and self-awareness. This lecture talked about “Hope” and having the vision of how things can always be improved no matter how good or bad an outcome to any given situation was. In today’s world of law enforcement and ever-changing laws and perceptions of law enforcement, officers are more restricted in what they can do and are highly scrutinized. The stress they are under eats away at their hope and beliefs, and many question their career choice. For me, as a leader and a supervisor this certainly highlights the need to stay humble, be more understanding and start practicing a little more the 5 “L’s” of Loving, Learning, Laughing, doing Labor and Leaving at the end of each day. It goes back to not losing sight of the mission to serve others and be the best leaders, mentors, and resources we can be. We need to remain visible and available to our staff, be responsive to them and help them so they know we are in this together. It has been my experience that many times we as administrators get lost in the minutiae of paperwork, policy and politics and lose sight of what they need or are going through.
I thought this was a very enlightening module and although almost everyone believes they are a "leader", often times, the are not. I agree with the previous discussion posts. Humility and self-reflection are two, often forgotten, leadership traits. I think I would add to that and include leading by example. In our organization, past practice has been when someone has been promoted to an administrator role (Lieutenant or higher), they forget about where they came from include the line level patrol officers. Most of the administrators think because they are now administrators, they are above going out their and helping the patrol officers during their shifts. Now, I am not talking about going out and handling their paper calls on a continuous basis; however, our shifts are almost always short officers. The officers that come in day in and day out, may need help. Seeing an administrator out on the shifts, helping out with calls for service has a drastic impact on those officers. Now the officers see administrators hustling just as much as they are. When they (the patrol officers) talk amongst each other, they tend to feel a sense of relief knowing that, although there is a staffing issue, at least the administration see's it and is willing to at least help out until the problem is solved.
While there are numerous takeaways from this module, the discussion on impactful leadership requires humility. The references to President Lincoln and truly his humble approach, highlighted this void in not only our current administration, but worldwide. Leaders who boast of one's accomplishments and/or fail to recognize the full implications of an action taken, statement made, relay only one perspective. Thus, leaders need to be cognizant of all subordinates/peers and not disregard implications, reactions, or unintended consequences. Knowing not everyone will be happy should not deter action but the delivery can change everything.
For me, I really enjoyed the section of the module with Jack Enter Ph.D. as he spoke at the National Sheriff's Association conference. It caused me to reflect on issues I've either had or am having with peers and subordinates. It made me ask the question, "Am I the problem?" And in some situations, I am the problem. My failure to connect with others within my agency has hampered relationships and caused undue friction. Simply reaching out and connecting with others can most likely resolve a lot of issues.
@Brian Lewis - I completely agree with you. Self-reflection is extremely important for everyone. I am finding so many don't have a true mentor and aren't given feedback, ideas, criticism necessary for their growth. I have often learned I was also the problem or created a secondary issue as a result of my words/action. Slowing down often and looking in the mirror to determine if you are the problem would greatly assist one's growth as a leader and help to build a stronger team. Be open to receive negative information, learn from it, and try not to make the same mistakes. Humility builds leaders.
Brian, great post. I have found that self-reflection is key and making sure that we understand and forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make. Just as important, the ability to provide "feed forward" which starts with the positive premise that we can learn from each and from our own mistakes.
I agree with you Brian, I though about issues i have had over the years the staff and i now know i could have handled the problem different by simply taking in consideration of my staff rather punishing them for their mistake. I now see in some cases i was the problem.
Brian, I completely agree with you. The video made me reflect on myself and I realize that maybe it is because of my actions that some of my personnel are failing. I stated in my discussion that I intent to work on this area of myself along with communications skills.
I agree with your thoughts on this. Self-reflection is a good thing to do on a regular basis. Taking that step back to take a look at the big picture and how you responded (did I make it better or worse) or looking to someone you trust for advise.
Brian I also had the same take away from the Jack Enter presentation "I am the problem" when it comes to solving issues. I have spent my time looking at what I can do to make an impact where I work. Why do things happen or not happen to or for me then low and behold I looked in the mirror, talked with my wife, and signed up for a self improvement project. now I am responding to your comment.
If we are all honest with ourselves and look within, I think we all have (or currently still are) experienced and dealt with the same thing. It is so much easier to assign the blame to others versus looking within and finding out if you are the problem (and how to change to make the situation different). I personally feel this is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, areas of leadership. As a leader, you must build relationships and find ways to connect with anyone. The inability to build relationships can be detrimental not only to your own personal career growth, but to your organization as a whole.
Brian,
Your post was dead on for me. Self-reflection has proven to be something I must master. I have also found a failure to connect with others within my agency and can see why something’s haven’t worked out as I had hoped. Recently, I have began the habit of reviewing every conversation I have with subordinates to ensure that I provided clear guidance that they understood. In a lot of instances, I found I was the weak link in the exchange and have focused on improving my communication ability.
Brain I agree with your outlook on this. Most often we get in our our way when it comes to connecting with coworkers and the public.
This module reminded me of the importance of humility, not taking yourself too seriously, and proactively engaging with others to build strong relationships. In my opinion, most great achievements are built on or result from one’s relationships with others. By being humble and actively and regularly engaging others, we create an environment that supports and nourishes honest, open and genuine relationships. Such relationships are vital as we, and those that we lead, travel the “narrow road to leadership” that is often fraught with failure (i.e. opportunities to learn and grow). Recently, my supervisors and I committed to engaging our staff in one-on-one meetings in which we humbly asked that our staff share with us examples of how we as leadership were falling short. This approach provided valuable input on our shortcomings as leaders, and we are now using that input to correct those deficiencies, and in turn, strengthen our unit and further develop the relationships that are so critical to achieving success and emotional wellness.
I agree with your comment about "actively and regularly engaging others, we create an environment that supports and nourishes honest, open and genuine relationships." This is one of my professional goals for 2020 is to have those one-on-one conversations with peers and subordinates. I like the idea of asking where we are falling short as leaders.
I completely agree with you, relationships are vital and are essential to the success of our agencies. I like that you are committed to meet with your staff in one-on-one meetings. I applaud the fact that you and your peers are willing and open to take the feedback as it comes and take the initiative to make changes. That will speak volumes to your staff. I don’t think many understand the importance of that investment and understand the value of having that type of feedback provided. It also takes courage and the ability to be humble and vulnerable. Thank you for that and the reminder we really need to take that time at all levels and at all ranks to meet with our subordinates, peers and superiors to provide and receive feedback at every level.
Chris,
I like the idea of meeting individually with staff to solicit feedback on how we can become better leaders. What a great opportunity to allow staff to become more comfortable talking with leadership and offering feedback when needed. I'd imagine a ton of valuable information and ideas stem from these conversations and I'm sure they also offer a bit of humbleness.
I also believe that this module reminded me of the importance of humility. My agency has recently began a similar type of one-on-one meetings. Our Sheriff sits down with a representative from each division to discuss any issues and they brain storm on solutions to them. They also discuss any ideas they may have that would make the office better. This is done on a regular basis and with different representatives each time so that each employee can have a voice. I think this shows great leadership and is a great example for upcoming leaders.
What stood out most to me in this module was the two speakers' emphasis on humility and service to others. The second speaker made the point specifically of if you look back on the history of this country's leaders, those considered the best leaders were also considered the most humble. This rings true to me in my personal experiences with organizational leaders. Those who flaunted their productivity, intelligence, or general greatness, were often those who were disliked the most, especially over time. Often those leaders that claim greatness garner immediate attention and admiration from their subordinates (especially if they come from outside the organization) but over time people tire of doing the work just to give their leader the accolades. In our society, people often feel like they need to announce their own accomplishments and pat themselves on the back. But doing just the opposite, by giving attention to others, deflecting praise and rewarding the hard work of those who work for you, your reputation as a leader is enhanced.
You made some great points in your post, especially how humility enhances one's reputation as a leader. I think we have all had at least one personal experience with a boss who was very proud of their own accomplishments and felt it necessary to talk about how great they are constantly. Even if the stories are cool in the beginning, the constant barrage of greatness, does cause a deterioration of respect over time as you suggested.
The lecture for this module on personal leadership provided many great examples and contained informative videos by Tony Robbins and Jack Enter that really brought many of these ideas and concepts into focus. I enjoyed the lecture by Tony Robbins where he spoke about the need to have "emotional fitness" and "psychological strength" to achieve goals and get results. What really drove these points home for me was the discussion about the fact that effective leaders find a way to maximize the resources they have at their disposal to achieve goals and get results, instead of complaining about their lack of resources. All too many times I have heard others, and have come to realize after really listening to the content of this lecture, that I too complain about the lack of resources. Focusing on the things we do not have will only perpetuate scarcity - we must focus on that we do have and what we want to achieve to actually realize results. The energy we put out into the universe will give us a return in that same energy - if that energy is negative we will get negative results, but if we focus on and put out positive energy than we will achieve positive results. Everything and everyone in life is connected by energy and we will attract that which we focus upon.
The discussion on the cornerstones of effective leadership was enlightening and provides a good road map to ensuring success as a leader. These points were summed up in examples in which we all can relate in the video by Jack Enter. He discussed the theory that leadership is an "abnormal behavior." I agree with this in that it does take courage to travel the narrow road of effective leadership. If often go against human nature to do what is difficult - but what is ultimately right.
I especially liked your comment that "the energy we put out into the universe will give us a return in that same energy". I find that to be especially true when we work with others. When we invest time and effort into others and do so with the goal of helping them grow and succeed, whether personally or professionally, their growth and success ultimately becomes our growth and success. And when we conduct ourselves in a positive manner, seeing 'problems' such as a lack of resources or other's failures as opportunities instead of shortcomings, we create positive energy that radiates onto others and in turn reflects back onto us.
That is an excellent point. It also helps with employee retention. If you mentor and help young officers like that, they are more likely to stay with the organization and not always looking for greener pastures.
I agree with your comment. Your points go well with the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics where it states it is our fundamental duty to serve our communities with respect to constitutional rights without prejudices, political beliefs or animosities when making decisions. To be successful you must listen and invest in those we serve. The 'energy' created bridges the gaps of history and forges a new direction in relationship between law enforcement and the community. We become one with one mission.
Nancy,
What a great and well put together post. This summarizes all the key points taught in this lesson. I really enjoyed the video by Dr. Jack Enter and his straight-forward delivery of many leadership characteristics. I also believe leadership is "abnormal behavior" and it is not easy to lead a group, when it is much easier to be a follower.
Frank