Lead Like The Camera Is Always On
Lead Like the Camera Is Always On Because the future of policing will be defined by what your people do when it is. What the Camera Sees Culture isn’t found on a poster. It lives in the decisions your people…
Category Leading Self
The Chaos Is the Job
The Chaos Is the Job There’s a moment every leader in policing knows well. You’ve finally gotten your arms around one issue. Your team has adapted. You’ve updated the training, revised the policy, had the conversation you needed to have.…
Authenticity Is Owning Who You Are
Authenticity Is Owning Who You Are The concept of authenticity has been a subject that is being batted around in business circles and policing circles a like. Conversations point to the importance of honesty, availability, and vulnerability in an evolving…
Boss vs. Leader: The Choice that Changes Everything
Boss vs. Leader: The Choice that Changes Everything In policing, we talk a lot about leadership but what we often mean is supervision, management, or simply authority. Real leadership is about caring for those in your charge and creating the…
Being the “Stupidest” in the Room is the Smartest Thing a Leader Can Do
Great leadership extends beyond holding rank or making decisions. It’s about creating the conditions where the best answers can surface. The fastest way to do that is to lead like a learner. This approach is not about pretending. Rather, it’s…
Why Who You Are Matters More Than What You Do
When I was police chief, one of my favorite things to do was visit new recruits in the police academy. In those first few weeks, their excitement was palpable. You could see the pride they felt in earning their spot…
What a Handshake Can Teach Us About Leadership
Last weekend, I had the privilege of speaking to a room full of high school students. Bright, eager, and genuinely curious about leadership and public service. As I walked in, the facilitator was teaching them how to shake hands. Not…
Mastering Modern Communication: Why Digital Presence Is a Leadership Imperative
In the 15th century, a goldsmith named Johannes Gutenberg changed the world with a machine no larger than a dining table. His invention, the printing press, broke the monopoly on knowledge held by the elite and gave rise to a…
Stay Values-Driven in a Rapid World: Why Purpose Matters in Policing Leadership
The pace of change is accelerating. In the policing profession, we face complex decisions daily: public trust in flux, shifting societal expectations, technology outpacing policy, and new crises emerging faster than the last one can be resolved. It’s tempting to…
Be an Experimenter, Not a Knower: The Mindset Shift That Leaders Need Now
For generations, the policing profession has rewarded certainty. We promoted those with answers, not questions. We looked to leaders to be decisive, firm, and confident…especially in moments of chaos. And while decisiveness still matters, something else is becoming even more…