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Archive for the ‘Leadership / Management’ Category

FNG’S are not prepared

August 23rd, 2011

thumbnailcad3spfa1I have authored countless training articles in hopes that the information I provide will someday provide officers the ability to identify and prevent violence during their shift.  I have said many times that the initial education and annual training correctional agencies all across the country provide are not meeting the requirements that will give new officers the ability to remain safe and be able to effectively interact in a correctional environment.  It is always great when independent organizations support your education & beliefs and verify what you have been saying for years now.  For those of you that follow my training and informational articles this is nothing new for this is the whole reason I started writing in the first place.  Read more…

Leadership / Management, Mental Preperation

Be safe and remain above reproach!

October 30th, 2010

a3682a4a5c56564eBelow is an excerpt from the statement of Chief Judge Larry McKinney at the sentencing hearing of a former Federal Correctional Officer on October 4, 2007.  A great friend of mine, Sgt. Michael Van Patten, Special Operations Sergeant Oregon State Penitentiary sent this to me and I feel all officers should read the information herein.  Chief Judge McKinney uses the wording of Prison Guard which I don’t personally like, but the MESSAGE is clear and it relates directly to EVERYONE (not just the Officers) working for the DOC.  Please take a minute to read. I have underlined some key spots that stuck out to me. Read more…

Leadership / Management

Test For Smart People

January 27th, 2010

This is a test for Smart People…..I have determined that you qualify. Read more…

Leadership / Management

WHEN GOD MADE CORRECTION OFFICERS

January 23rd, 2010

When the Lord was creating CORRECTION OFFICERS, he was into his sixth day of 16 hour overtime when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”  And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?” Read more…

Leadership / Management

Mandatory Overtime = Sleep Deprivation

December 25th, 2009

92f366533628b6fcRemember that one little question on your application process that stated, “Are you able to work mandatory overtime” and you marked yes because you were excited to get into the system and started on your chosen career?  Looking back do you ever wish you would have marked NO?  In no other profession is there such a high turnover rate requiring so much forced or mandatory overtime on its personnel.  It was not uncommon for the entire third shift officers to be mandated to stay for the entire first shift 5 days a week making for an 80 hour work week.  40 plus hours of overtime a pay period was the normal not the unusual and after a while you began to hate telephone calls after 4:00 in the morning.  I always wondered what the effects of the daily stress and forced overtime did to a body. Read more…

Hot Tips, Leadership / Management

Leadership for Challenging Times

August 30th, 2009

 

1d766a672fa84676In the past I have been fairly critical of the supervision I have seen within the law enforcement and correctional community.  I have given very graphics examples and descriptions of the poor efforts being applied by many managers in all aspects of the administrative roles of our agencies.  And yet I have been given an opportunity to offer a solution to the problems administrators of today as well as the supervisors of tomorrow will experience.  An action plans so to speak, a detailed roadmap to deal with change and how to become a better decision maker and a leader whom your officers will want to follow and excel for.   They will sacrifice and extend loyalty and they will grow and develop. Read more…

Leadership / Management

Lions for Lambs

August 19th, 2009

5b4b94e8d5f3a4b8“Lions for Lambs,” stems from an expression that German soldiers used in referring to their British counterparts during World War One. Admiring the bravery of the English infantry while condemning the idiocy of their superiors, the Germans would remark “Never before have such lions been led by such lambs.” Read more…

Leadership / Management

Leaders vs. Managers?

August 7th, 2009

74e097e999e7686cHave you ever said, “How did this guy get into a leadership role?”

Well you are not the only one then.  I have stated hundreds of times that in our agency you don’t move up the ladder of success, you get pulled up by someone your buddies with.  This, in my opinion, only promulgates the continuing failure of leadership at the top most hierarchy of the agency.  I am a firm believer in blind testing and open interviews for supervisory positions conducted by outside individuals.  This truly rules out any rumors of friendship promotions and puts the best candidate available into an open supervisory position.  Sometimes you need a transfusion of new blood into the management in order to make advancements in the way the agency breathes. Read more…

Leadership / Management