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There are several values that are crucial to the success of a great leader. I will start with respect, this has to be earned and in return it has to be shown by a leader. It’s having self respect but also having respect for those around you by showing empathy and some compassion. We instill this value in our basic academy recruits and it really is the basis for all of the other values we want in our police officers and our leaders to have.
Integrity would be another value that is equally important to a great leader. Its about having the morale courage and the ethical strength to do the right thing when you are tapped on the shoulder and you are called on to act. It is a everlasting value that must not change or we run into a significant problem relating to the trust of those around us and those we serve on a daily basis.
I mentioned courage in the last section and I would also list that as a separate value imperative to leadership. We have to stand up for those who cannot, we have to say something when no on will when we believe there is a wrong that needs to be right. We must be prepared at all times because he never know when we will be called upon to display that courage, which is much more than just bravery it’s a slow continuous process that we must always be mindful and aware of in our leadership roles.
Finally is service. I strongly believe in having a servant’s heart and putting others before me for the greater good of the organization. Its about a greater cause than just me, it’s about others and our ability to impact their lives in a positive way through our service as leaders.
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I believe that a leader has to have several key attributes. All the great leaders I had through my military career and police officer career had some of these attributes and I have tried to mirror myself after them. Honest, Integrity, Dependability are just a few to start off with. I believe I possess these characteristics, and try to instill them in the guys that I lead. You have to be trustworthy and ethical. These are just a few of the characteristics I think a great leader should possess.
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Honesty, integrity, and enthusiasm are important values that I embrace. Honesty and integrity are not only important values to embrace in our job but these values are equally important in your personal life. Officers should not have different values at work than in their personal lives because the we are law enforcement officers all the time until we retire. Anything we do off-duty can effect us at work and we are always being watched and scrutinized by the public so honesty and integrity are important. If those you lead see that you are doing the right thing even when no one else is looking they will have the respect for you that is needed to be a successful team. Enthusiasm is important in order to get the job done and make the job enjoyable. To many officers get caught up in the “this is bull####.” Good leaders keep their people focused on the mission and don’t allow their staff to get caught up in worrying about things that they have no control over. Enthusiastic leaders are able to keep people motivated and keep them from focusing on things they cannot control and focusing more on things they can control like their attitudes towards a controversial issue. These are the leadership characteristics that are important to me.
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A great leader has to be both credible and ethical. I believe these two value complement each other very nicely and allow a leader to be respected. For a leader to be credible he/she has to be able to be trustworthy, loyal and accountable to decisions that he/she makes. A credible leader is someone who is respected and will be a driving force to productivity in an agency. As a leader I strive to make decisions based on facts. For instance a leader who promotes a friend up the ranks when it is apparent that the friend is not qualified or there are better applicants will ruin his credibility as a leader. Thus, that leader will not be credible within an organization and in fact ruin moral within an agency.
An ethical leader is also of upmost importance. For a leader to be ethical he/she must show this in and out of work. This is important as this follows the same path of integrity. A leader must always do what is right even when no one is looking. That is what will make distinguish you from a supervisor to a leader. You will demand respect based on your daily actions with out even trying. An ethical leader, even when making a tough decision, will be supported by subordinates as long as they are making an ethical decision. Lack of making a ethical decision will ruin your credibility and will in turn make your leadership toxic and will have the potential of bringing down an agency.
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A great leader is someone who can build trust within team members and leadership. I believe you can have all of the greatest attributes of a leader, but if no one follows you then are you truly a leader? Leadership is a job that is used everyday to gain the respect of the people who CHOOSE to follow you. I say choose because you have to earn their respect of leadership everyday.
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I have had the opportunity to work for some great and not so great leaders. I have found the integrity, honesty, and courage are three of the values that make the most effective leaders. The best leaders I have worked for have been in my time in the military. In my law enforcement career they have been harder to come by. I have tried to emulate the best traits I saw in the most inspiring leaders I followed into battle.
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Values such as competence, integrity and honesty with their subordinates as well as with themselves are of great value. The strongest leaders share their experiences and knowledge with their subordinates and recognize they are not only leading through successful missions today, but are also grooming their replacements for tomorrow.
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Speaking in reference to the Marine Corps leadership traits and principles, I truly believe this is a great foundation for all leaders. Justice, Judgment, Dependability, Integrity, Decisiveness, Tact, Initiative, Enthusiasm, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage, Knowledge, Loyalty, Endurance. These are the leadership traits I have based my leadership style on.
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Humility, first and foremost. Good leaders must be able to listen to their followers, rather than just hearing them. I can’t effectively listen if I believe my opinion is better than the guy talking. I as the leader have to be able to swallow my pride and admit when my idea or plan isn’t the best option or even stupid, and defer to the officer on the ground who may have a eye-level view of the situation in real-time.
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What Leadership Values do You Embrace?
I am going to try and do something a little different and go with technical, interpersonal and conceptual skills all come together as critical traits for a leader. Technical skills are those that you are proficient in such as firearms, emergency vehicle operation, or report writing. A tactical leader need to be well rounded member of many things. He needs to be able to know about everything listed on the NTOA training website, but they do not need to be a master of any of them. Interpersonal skills consist of negotiations, active listening, and being able to connect with people on all levels inside of the agency as well as outside. With the millennial generation coming aboard this is more important now. A leader needs to communicate well with everyone around them and have the knowledge and ability to recognize how certain people communicate and what their work habits and abilities are. Perhaps the most important skill is conceptual skills. To have goals and a vision for every facet of the job.
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Integrity.
A leader has to have the highest level of integrity that is beyond reproach. When a team sees a leader that never compromises his integrity that team will replicate the behavior because they understand the standard that is being set. Anyone that does not meet the standard will be removed from the team.
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Integrity: People must trust you to do the right thing when no one is watching.
Courage: People must trust you to do the right thing when it may mean uncertain outcomes for yourself.
Empathy: People must trust you to see the world from more than one point of view.
Resilience: People must trust that you are fit to complete the various tasks we are faced with regardless of the duration and obstacles.
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