Decisions and pranks are similar: No two are exactly alike. Every practical joke has the potential to evoke many different reactions. Much of this is due to the multitude of circumstances.
Yet, mischief seems to be a part of our human condition. As playful incidents roll in with the undulating regularity of ocean waves, many questions arise. Are these jokes wholly bad? Do pranks have any benefits? How much is too much? Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations, What the...?!?
I once heard something to the effect that with three people you have a clique and a potentially disenfranchised person. It doesn’t take much to create an exclusive group. Some groups believe that they are better than others. Unfortunately, it is a part of how human beings operate.
Many factions exist in our vocation. Perhaps clique is the most appropriate word for this. One could argue that the phrase subgroup is a reasonable substitution. There is an important distinction between clique and subgroup. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Is there simply one way to look at programming in correctional facilities?
“Why do you send expensive books to convicts?”
“Prisoners don’t learn anything from school.”
“They shouldn’t be paid for working.”
There are also many strong opinions about the many productive outlets provided by programming in corrections. Perhaps the most prevalent attitude from the anti-programs camp is “They’ve got nothing coming.” Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Staff relations
As sure as the sun will rise in the East, analysis and skepticism are two traits that become enhanced through experience in corrections. We learn to scrutinize as a matter of vocational survival.
With enough practice, we not only see the exposed tip of the iceberg; we can also visualize the huge bulk beneath the surface. Things are not always as they appear.
Unfortunately, not all mentors are what they appear to be. Sadly, we encounter ulterior motives and complex factors that place the mentee in hands of a bad mentor. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Staff relations
Policy is the true roadmap to corrections operations. It is the written manner by which we do everything from health care call outs to offender meal preparation. Without policies and operating procedures, we wallow in the mire of ambiguity and uneven treatment.
Staff routinely encounter at least one offender who refuses to acknowledge that policy applies universally. In other words, some prisoners steadfastly disobey the rules as a sort of self proclaimed right. How many times have you heard, “That does not apply to me!”?
Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, What the...?!?
Not so long ago, in a village quite like yours, there was considerable excitement. The first day of October was fast approaching. And as everyone knows, October 1st is Pie Day. That is the special time each year that everyone in the village would get a chance to enjoy a slice of the Pie.
As long as anyone could remember, the Pie was always large and delicious. Anyone who wanted could have their fill. But this year would be different. There would be a very small pie. Everyone wondered if they would get a large enough slice to meet their needs. Some others wondered if anyone but a select few would get anything at all. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization
For an institution to run efficiently and effectively, the three ”C’s” of effective operations need to be in place. These fundamentals are: Chain of command, Communication, Clique control. An effective leader will best drive these lessons home and make them part of the institution’s values.
All three of these foundation elements are challenged by the specter of bullying in the workplace. Bullies of all varieties thrive on control. They rule through coercion. Their presence often makes achieving the mission statement of any agency more difficult. And sometimes when we endeavor to control bullying (or take out the trash) we might consider some unorhtodox methods.
Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
In corrections, there is often a complex posturing that is based on image and intimidation. It is a matter of survival. Such is the world that we work in. Therefore, it should come to no surprise that staff and offenders sometimes perceive the other as bullying.
To most, intimidation is the tool of the bully. But is it always bullying? Is aggression sometimes really assertion? Is there a difference between meeting issuing direction and coercion? Is it fair to use bully tactics on a bully? Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Prior to entering corrections, I was a steel worker. Al (a.k.a. “The Dog”) was my supervisor. He taught me a lot about interpersonal relations and surviving in a sometimes difficult environment. He did not necessarily speak these lessons, as he was more action-oriented than a verbal sort.
Ultimately, I was surprised about the applicability of those lessons when I moved to corrections.
Often, I apply them to the nebulous and confusing art of dealing with difficult personalities. There is also applicability when I engage in the frequently arduous task of gaining a better understanding of myself. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Inside Out, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Bloody battles!
Betrayals!
Broken treaties!
Sneak attacks!
Shifting alliances!
Vast tracts of territory under contention!
These are components of an empire on the rise. From the Athenians to the Mongols to the British, the rise and fall of empires have provided us many historical examples of how large domains develop.
When looking at groups in the work place, the common clique stands out as a fascinating and divisive example of how we treat each other. Upon further inspection, the rise and fall of cliques bears many resemblances to the rise and fall of empires.
Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
