I first met Dr. Kimberly Alyn, a best-selling author and international professional speaker, at a SC Sheriff’s Association Conference where she was our guest speaker. I was totally impressed with her ethical vision for leadership and its consistency with the character-based message of Police Dynamics. Since that day, we have remained strong colleagues and email “pen pals.”

I came across this video of her speaking at a leadership conference and asked for her permission to post it here. I thought it would make a great finale to our series on Dynamic Leadership.

She emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships to influence others — a key component of our Coactivity Maxim and the Team Building Roles of a SuperVisor. You will particularly like the example of a Renegade Cop who “overdosed” on some confiscated marijuana. See the video through to the end because the best part is her rendition of “Up Time“…

Thanks, Kim. And keep up the good character…!

Coactivity Maxim
The Power for Effective Change Rests within your Relationships 

In her video, Kim talks about the formal and informal leader which ties right in with our teaching on the Roles of a SuperVisor. The formal leader has strong Organizational Roles, while an informal leader has strong Team Building Roles. Of course, a Dynamic Leader is one who has learned to integrate both. As Kim points out, Inspirational Leadership is all about creating an environment where team members are motivated to change…

The Bat "Cave"

The Bat "Cave" in the dark

To understand the important role that ethics plays in accomplishing the police mission, or achieving success in any organization for that matter, let’s look at a model I call the Twin Towers of Integrity. Imagine this model as a five-storied building with a two-tiered foundation. I’m going to describe this building to you from the top – down, although we understand that buildings are built from the bottom – up.

The Highest Ideal of Law Enforcement:
Bringing Peace Out of Disorder

Let’s start at the top-floor, the pinnacle. There we’ll place the highest ideal of law enforcement -
bringing peace out of disorder. That’s what we’re all about. Bringing peace. In fact, long before we were called police officers, we were called peace officers.

And we know officers who are highly talented at this. Some of you reading this page are extremely capable of bringing peace out of disorder. I could take some of you into a highly-charged, emotion-packed, volatile, near-riot situation… and in a matter of minutes you would have a calming influence. You would de-escalate the situation. In fact, some of you are so good at this that we might soon find that we are no longer at a riot at all. Maybe it would remind us of something much more peaceable… like a church picnic.

But we also know of officers… who I could take to a church picnic… and in a matter of minutes they’ve turned it into a riot!

Now, what is it about officer #1 that makes him or her so incredibly successful and officer #2 that makes him or her such a problem child? And is there any way to encourage our officers to be more like officer #1 and less like officer #2? And is there any hope for officer #2… or is he or she a lost cause?

In this dynamic, we’ll attempt to answer these questions. And in the final analysis, we will find that the fundamental difference between the two is their character.

The Next Three Floors:
Coactivity
Relationships
Trust

We learned in the last dynamic that coactivity is the key to restoring peace. Coactivity, in turn, is based on the power of relationships.

Remember our first maxim: the power for effective change rests within our relationships.

And coactive relationships are fueled by something we call trust. Coactivity, Relationships and Trust form our next three floors.

Let’s talk about Trust for a moment. Think back to the illustration I used in the Dynamic of Coactivity where I talked about four-wheel drive policing. We first imagined that your jurisdiction was a passenger car powered by one drive wheel. Now you’ve graduated to a four-wheel drive monster truck – one capable of plowing through the muck and mire of lawlessness, neighborhood decay, and family instability to accomplish your coactive goals. Trust is the fuel that drives the effort forward.

With a full tank of trust, we can take this effort a long way and cover a lot of ground. But if the tank’s dry… or if it’s been dry for a while,… we’ve got some work to do. We’ve got to start pumping some trust into our relationships.

Integrity – a Definition
“being who you represent yourself to be”

We also know that integrity is a key ingredient of this thing we call trust. Integrity is a word that we often use, but have trouble defining.

The simplified Police Dynamics definition of integrity is being who you represent yourself to be. In other words, if you represent yourself to be one type of person, I ought to be able to look into your life and see evidence that you are, in fact, that type of person.

On the other hand, if I was to look into your life and see evidence that you are some other type of person, we have a word to describe you, too. We call you a hypocrite. So, by our definition, hypocrisy is the exact opposite of what I mean by integrity.

Character vs. Competence

There are at least two elements of this thing we call integrity. There is, of course, the character component. But there is also the competence component. Together they form the Twins Towers of Integrity.

Let’s define character this way: the inward motivation to do the right thing regardless of the circumstances… and regardless of the costs. Competence is simply the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to get the job done right.

Both are critically important to our success. But most of our emphasis has been on competence. We have the best trained, professionally competent law enforcement officers in America today that have ever walked the face of the earth.

We have trained you well. But most of our problems lie in the character arena.

Think about it this way: up to this point in your career, what percentage of your training has been competency-based, versus what percentage has been based in character and ethics? Most officers would say 80% or higher has been competency-based training.

Yet on which side of the equation do we have all of our problems? It’s the ethical failures that plague us.

When was the last time someone in your agency was fired for a lack of competency? Maybe they couldn’t qualify on the firing range, couldn’t pass the driving course, couldn’t process a crime scene properly, couldn’t write a decent report.

Sure, these things happen. But compare that to the last time someone was fired because they failed an integrity test. Maybe they lied to a superior, falsified evidence, took something that didn’t belong to them, used excessive force, lost their temper, took indecent liberties with an inmate. These are the failures that are causing our problems.

We must re-establish this character component. Without it, our structure is going to tumble… and then it’s going to crumble. And now what has happened to the integrity, the trust, the relationships… what has happened to the peace? It has dis-integrated.

The Building Blocks of Success

What is the foundation of integrity? It is the individual character qualities that make up a man or a woman of integrity. These are the building blocks of trust-based relationships. Qualities like truthfulness, dependability, diligence, loyalty, gratefulness, and attentiveness.

Technology increases, knowledge expands and the world changes. But character doesn’t change. The same qualities that made successful people, families, communities, businesses, and governments 2000 years ago still make them successful today.

Check out the International Academy of Public Safety website, and their affiliate site  www.icommandacademy.com, which features “yours truly” on the Instructors page. The Police Dynamics Institute is partnering with IAPS to produce a series of leadership videos, so stay tuned for more information… 

When I inspire, I inhale. When I expire, I exhale. When I exhale for the last time, I have expired…! But think about the process of inspiration. When I expand my rib cage and my diaphragm, I create a low pressure system, a vacuum, within my chest cavity and air rushes in.

The question is: does the high pressure system outside of my body “push” the air into my lungs; or does the vacuum I have created inside my body “pull” the air in? Most scientists will tell us that a vacuum seeks to be filled. So it’s not that the outside pressure forces the air into my lungs. What happens is that I have created an environment where the air “wants” to rush in. It doesn’t have to be forced. It occurs quite naturally.

Dynamic leadership works the same way. By creating an environment that is conducive to change, your team wants to follow you. It is as natural as breathing. When the status quo is no longer acceptable, people are looking for a change. All they need is a leader to inspire them in the right direction. So it’s not like you are behind them cracking a whip and trying to force change. An inspirational leader is out front, casting a vision, and drawing others to follow him due to his character, charisma, integrity, and example…

Dynamic Leadership Equation 
OR x TBR = DL

This equation makes no sense until you recognize that it stands for Organizational Roles multiplied by Team Building Roles equals Dynamic Leadership.

When I first put together the Dynamic Leadership training curriculum, I originally used an addition sign instead of a multiplication symbol in this equation. I was trying to make the point that an effective, dynamic leader must integrate both organizational roles (those based on policy – the power of position) and team building roles (those based on relationships – the power of influence). But a colleague of mine, Al Cole, convinced me that I needed to change it to a multiplication sign. His point was that there was a synergism between organizational and team building roles where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Then he went on to give this example: suppose a supervisor is really good at following policy. I mean he knows the policy manual inside and out. He can quote it chapter and verse. But he has no relationship building skills. We could give him a score of 10 for OR and a score of 0 for TBR. If you add them together, he has a total score of 10. But if you multiply them, he scores a goose egg!

In the same way, there are people who are really good at influencing others. They have great charisma, but are always violating policy – operating out from under authority. Or perhaps they just haven’t risen to a position of authority within the organization…yet. That person would also score a 0. Neither example can be considered a dynamic leader. Both OR and TBR are necessary. And when they are combined together there is a multiplication/synergism effect. That’s what makes a Dynamic Leader…!

Theodore Roosevelt

I just finished reading a most excellent book, the River of Doubt which chronicles Teddy Roosevelt‘s last adventure, a trip down an uncharted river in South America. It was an incredible account of survival and adventure and will forever be one of my all time favorite books. I gained a healthy new respect for Roosevelt and his character (although not always his policies).

I found this quote from him on the I Command Academy website, an organization that the Police Dynamics Institute is partnering with to bring interactive leadership training to law enforcement agencies throughout the world…

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it. — Theodore Roosevelt

There were two employees who were engaged in an improper action that clearly demanded some type of discipline. They were both essentially guilty of the same offense, but we noted that the character of the two individuals was clearly different. By applying the Rule of Discipline, we were able to come up with two entirely distinct disciplinary actions which ultimately resulted in the full restoration of both employees.

Rule of Discipline 

Let the nature of the offense determine the range of options
Let the character of the offender determine which option you choose

First, we determined what range of disciplinary options were available to us based on the nature of the offense. In this case, we had the full range of options available from counselling to termination. Secondly, we looked at the character of the individuals. I actually passed out a printed copy of the Path of Destruction dynagram from the Dynamic of Restoration which depicts the steps in the downward progression of a Renegade. I asked the staff to tell me where each employee fit on the dynagram.

Path of Destruction

With very little debate, they were in agreement that the first employee was typically very faithful, but just this once had stepped out from under a authority by demonstrating an Independent Spirit. We decided that counselling was all the action that was necessary. In fact, when the employee was confronted, she broke down in tears and demonstrated a genuinely repentant spirit as she expressed her heartfelt apologies over and over again. We never had another problem with her and she continued to be a very valuable member of our team.

The second employee was more of a challenge. He was in a supervisory position and, as such, needed to be held to a higher standard. Also, he had a reputation of being a renegade, consistently demonstrating a poor attitude and a lack of respect for his authorities. The debate was whether he was Unrestorable, in which case termination would have been the appropriate choice, or merely a Rebellious Spirit, in which case a severe, but more lenient option would be called for. I decided that we should give him the benefit of the doubt and attempt to restore him if possible. And that’s the same advice I give to you in implementing this principle. The tie should always go to the runner. If in doubt as to an employee’s character, consider being more lenient rather than more severe.

So, instead of termination, we chose demotion as the appropriate discipline option. Only we didn’t bump him just one rank, we bumped him down three ranks! I really thought that he would show a negative and rebellious reaction when he was informed of our decision. But he accepted it graciously and continued to work at the Sheriff’s Office for many years before retiring honorably. During those ensuing years, he was a very faithful employee and valued member of our team. He was meritoriously promoted and turned down a second promotion because he did not want to be assigned away from his team.

We spoke frankly about the situation many times. He continued to show repentance, an understanding of the predicament he had placed us in, and an appreciation for us giving him a second chance.

Thought you might enjoy some photos…

Abner Nash

Interestingly (to me at least), I was reading Patriot Sons, Patriot Brothers, a book about two of my ancestors Abner and Francis Nash, and found that their elder brother, John Nash, Jr. was present at Saint John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia on March 23, 1775 when Patrick Henry made his famous speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Gen. Francis Nash was killed by a British cannonball at the Battle of Germantown. The same cannonball killed the son of John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of my favorite Founding Fathers. Thomas Paine passed Gen. Nash as his wounded body was being carried to receive medical attention. He died a few days later and his funeral was attended by none other than Gen. George Washington. Just thought you should know…

There are specific steps in the downward Path of Destruction that a person will typically experience once he steps out from under authority. To gain a full understanding of the Rule of Discipline and the reasons behind ethical failures, it is essential to understand this process.

Path of Destruction

We start with the Faithful Spirit – protected from harmful and evil influences and acting in harmony with the principles of his authority. He takes the first steps out from under this protection by displaying an Independent Spirit. His life now becomes characterized by personal conflicts, particularly as his authorities attempt to reel him back into compliance. The conflicts often result from one or more of the three root character flaws at work in his life – anger, lust, and greed.

How this officer responds to these personal conflicts will, to a large degree, determine if he is restored into a proper relationship or if he continues further down the Path of Destruction. Left unchecked, he is headed to an ethical failure.

The next step in the process is the Wounded Spirit. This person blames other people or circumstances beyond his control rather than taking personal responsibility for the conflicts in his life. He fails to recognize that it is his own lack of character that is producing the conflicts and ethical crises in his life.

If you go around blaming other people for all your problems, it won’t be long before a Wounded Spirit will turn into a Bitter Spirit. A Bitter Spirit is just mad. He’s mad at all of the people that he blames for his problems.

The Dangers of Bitterness

Let me pause here to speak more about bitterness. Bitterness will destroy you. Bitterness is like a cancer that eats away at your heart and destroys relationships. The only difference between bitterness and a real cancer is that bitterness is contagious – it infects other people.

That’s why it is said, “Do not let a root of bitterness grow up among you to defile many.”

If left unresolved, bitterness often turns to rebellion. A Rebellious Spirit is no longer content to get mad, he wants to get even. And he will deliberately seek to undermine the authority of those that are over him, especially if he perceives them to be the source of his problems.

The final stage on the Path of Destruction is the Unrestorable Spirit. This is the person who refuses to be restored. He enjoys being a renegade and has no interest in being under authority. His life is characterized by the destruction and death of relationships.

Interestingly, when you superimpose a progressive discipline model to this diagram, you find that the five most common disciplinary options fit rather nicely. If someone is an Independent Spirit, perhaps all they need is counselling to be restored into a proper relationship with their authorities. If they are a Wounded Spirit, more serious discipline is called for. Perhaps a written reprimand is more appropriate. A Bitter Spirit may need suspension. A Rebellious Spirit may need to be demoted in a last ditch effort to salvage them. And an Unrestorable Spirit should be terminated if that option is available to you.

The good news is that, despite what you might think, there aren’t that many Unrestorable Spririts out there. But if you genuinely have one, AND your policy allows termination as a viable disciplinary option, I suggest you fire them. Otherwise they will continue to be a destructive influence within the organization.

Let me be clear about this, however. If you are unable to determine where a person falls on the chart, I STRONGLY encourage you to give them the benefit of the doubt. The tie should always go to the runner.

Sheriff Ray