For employees of the public safety sector, the work environment is a place where they spend a significant portion of their lives. They deal with reality on a daily basis. The situations encountered in various areas of their work are, for the most part, dynamic, constantly changing, considerably dangerous and yet, oftentimes, repetitive in nature. Working in the public safety sector can be exciting and challenging as well as demanding and stressful.
Whether these professionals are in an office setting, on the street or in a courtroom, the atmosphere created by their superiors should be one that exemplifies the best leadership for the right purposes. Not everyone has the qualifications or capability to be a leader let alone an effective one. An organization is only as good as the people who comprise it. Good leaders should be attuned to this key fact and realize that the employees who work under them can make them shine by their representation of the agency through their demonstrable knowledge, skills, and abilities that are exemplified through the performance of their public service duties.
Public safety professionals have the strongest impact when they are passionate about what they do. Most who work in the field are there because they genuinely believe in their mission, feel they have something significant to contribute to their field and have a strong desire to help people. Although they may embark upon their career with a passionate spirit and committed dedication, the flame of this passion, in all aspects, should be recognized and nurtured by leaders within the organization from top to bottom. It should never be permitted to diminish or die.
Leaders who excel understand the importance of passion and will encourage its continual development within the organization. They will communicate how vital it is within the hierarchy of the agency with a trickle-down expectation that it will be maintained by all levels of personnel throughout all divisions. Consequently, it’s important to have the right people in place as supervisory personnel. In order to do that, it’s important to understand the elements of good leadership.
Keep a Finger on the Pulse of the Agency
First and foremost, leaders at the top should not be far removed from the organization and the daily tasks at hand. At all times, they need to be attuned to the pulse of their agency regardless of how preoccupied or busy they are. Though police chiefs, sheriffs, judges prosecutors or any other head honchos undoubtedly have many demands on their shoulders, they should be keenly aware of the people within their organization—who they are, where their talents lie and what work they are doing. Importantly, leaders need to make an effort as well as make the time to become personally acquainted with every member of their organization. They shouldn’t merely be aware of a staff member solely by name, an organizational chart or through another employee. It’s also essential that the insights and perspectives of employees with proven history and tenured experienced in the field be sought out by the top leader as they are assets to any organization.
Good leaders will make it clear to all within the organization that they want to foster and maintain good morale, and they need to follow through with supportive action behind the words. For this to occur, the leader at the top must make careful selections of those who will be supervisors to lead various divisions within the agency. Those supervisors should be well seasoned and mature enough to avoid playing favorite. Boundaries should be maintained, fairness and objectivity should be embraced, and concern and caring should be prevalent. If passion and morale diminish or die within an organization, it’s usually the result of some dysfunction that occurs within the agency that is frequently the result of inappropriate or misguided choices regarding supervisory roles.
An effective leader will learn to listen and listen to learn in an objective manner. The good leader will hear what employees say and carefully weigh the feedback, opinions and perspective of the information presented to them without being preconditioned by hearsay, gossip or commentary. Leaders should have good rapport with their employees, show an interest in their thoughts and opinions and try to align their interests, passion and knowledge base with an appropriate position within the agency. In so doing, the agency benefits with productive and satisfied employees who will work even harder, which, in turn, benefits the agency both internally and externally.
An organization that thrives is one that is devoid of bias, pettiness, gossip, back-stabbing, jealousy and the formation of cliques. If any signs of these are present at any level, a proven leader will ensure that such negative factors are quickly dissipated and won’t be allowed to prevail. They’re harmful to an atmosphere that should be conducive to healthy productivity with a professional aura. Additionally, they serve destructive purposes to some individuals and to the greater good of the organization as a whole.
In any organization and, particularly, any public safety agency, there are employees who suffer in silence. These employees may fear speaking out or seeking assistance for their problems for fear of retaliation or the possibility of losing their jobs. Consequently, their passion is crushed, their hope is lost and they may experience deleterious effects through the negative impact of biased, unfair or undeserving performance appraisals. The leader at the top may be unaware that any of this is occurring at lower levels. Therefore, it’s critical the leader doesn’t become insulated.
An Open-Door Policy Is Key
In order to run a truly effective and top-notch agency, a wise leader will implement an unconditional, open-door policy. One public servant who was lauded and respected for his policy when he was police chief was former U. S. Capitol Police Chief and Current U. S. Senate Sergeant at Arms, Terrance W. Gainer. He says, “The balance between an open door policy for the troops and not disenfranchising the chain of command rests on constant communication. Recognizing there are at least two sides to every story are as essential as being a comforting shoulder.” During his tenure as U.S. Capitol Police Chief, Gainer maintained an unconditional, open-door policy. “In listening, I usually asked if they tried working through their command. Many times I listened but needed additional information. Sometimes it was personal, not job-related. Many times, it was mere frustration because no one would listen,” says Gainer.
Any employees who have a genuine and significant concern that affects them in the work place and that they feel must be heard outside the chain of command should be able to meet individually with the leader at the top and be able to speak candidly about their concerns. The ability to be able to engage in this process should be welcomed regardless of whether or not the leader ultimately agrees with the employee.
In Sum
Public service is a laudable goal, and the rewards that can be reaped from it are monumental. Throughout the nation, public safety agencies within the criminal justice system consider themselves part of a “family” that isn’t determined by distance or locality. For public servants to be the best they can be in any agency, the tenets of good leadership, healthy work productivity and positive morale should be embraced to leave behind a memorable legacy.
