There is no doubt that corrections management has a different flavor than it did 20 years ago, or even a decade ago. Corrections today is a business with stakeholders, employee development issues and a massive budget. It takes a hardy leader to weather these issues and that is what many in the field hope they can turn out.

"If you are going to have a long career in this business, you have to be unflappable and be able to confront all the issues of citizens and staff," said Reginald Wilkinson, Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Wilkinson and other leaders in the field will participate later this week in a National Institute of Corrections satellite conference on leadership. (Click here).

As one of the longest serving corrections directors in the country, Wilkinson has seen many changes in the field during his tenure and recently shared his thoughts on what it takes to be successful with The Corrections Connection.

Q: What leadership qualities are the most important to being successful?

Wilkinson:  One of the very first things is be able to select people who are compatible with the corrections business. Workforce development is a science. It isn't just important for the initial hiring but also in how you develop these persons and continue to give them new skills and how to deal with challenges and normal changes, such as budget restrictions. In this business there is always something new to deal with.

Q: How do you remain a strong leader despite changes above you?

Wilkinson: You have to have strong personal ethics. If I were asked to do something I didn't believe in, I wouldn't be the right person for the job. You have to have personal integrity about what you believe the work ought to be, but if you switch with the wind to make someone happy, you will make an equal number unhappy. I'm certainly vulnerable if the wind moves a certain way, but I also know I will err on the side of doing the right thing. I will do that by taking calculated risks, not ones that would embarrass the governor's office, the legislature or the mayor's office. They expect for you to be the expert and that's what I'll try to be.

Q: How has leadership changed in corrections over the years?

Wilkinson: Leadership has a lot to do with the trends that exist now in this business. Over the last 30 years there have been quite a few of them. The one that didn't make a lot of sense was the abandonment of rehabilitation. We are in an era now where practitioners and politicians know there is some value in putting together programs that work. Anytime you can have the President of the United States say that America is the land of second chances, we ought to believe in programs that works and use those options to make our business work.
I have always been proud that rehabilitation has been a part of our name. I think we made a statement.

Also different than in years past, the ethics of how we do business have changed quite a bit. No longer do we allow companies to fly us to Florida for a golf game to see if we will purchase their products. We have to be extra careful that we are still representing the citizens of our jurisdiction the best way we know how and we believe in good government. Anytime we think we are above that I think we have missed the boat.

Q: What is one thing that you have changed in relation to your leadership?

Wilkinson: The first thing is your staff has to be cultivated. You have to give them the tools you want to use to get that done. We've instituted a series of supervisory leadership and executive leadership training sessions t o make sure folks know from an academic perspective about what leadership is all about. It's not just believing leaders are born but helping to cultivate them.

The other trait is you let the people who know the work best do it. Don't get in their way; let the people who are experts do their work instead of micromanaging. From the CO to the deputy director, they are responsible for a certain area and if everyone does their job mine will be very, very easy.

Q: What is the most difficult part of the job?

Wilkinson: It's difficult but also challenging and that is the unknown -- not knowing how much the budget might get cut or whether a lawsuit will change the dynamics of how you provide healthcare or not knowing the philosophies of a new governor. The unknown, it might be the most challenging but we know it is inevitable. You have to know it is coming and you have to be able to deal with it.