If your supervisor doesn’t have a plan, there may be a lot of reasons why. Perhaps they don’t know how to plan. Perhaps they are addicted to short-term problem solving and putting out fires, which is a self-inflicted wound for any supervisor. Perhaps they think planning is too complicated or requires more time than they have. Or perhaps they are… Read more →
I have asked thousands of people in public safety why they got into the business. The answers tend to fall into a remarkably predictable category. “I wanted to help people.” “I wanted to make a difference.” “I wanted to serve my community.” I hear variations of those answers over and over again. And every time I do, I find myself… Read more →
I’ve seen this one more times than I can count. Someone on the team isn’t doing the job. Deadlines are missed. Work has to be redone. Other people are picking up the pieces. Maybe the person is routinely late, ignores procedures, creates conflict, or simply doesn’t seem to care very much about the quality of the work. Everybody knows it,… Read more →
I hear this complaint from supervisors and executives all the time: “My employees just won’t take responsibility.” My experience has taught me that the problem is usually deeper than an employee who simply refuses to be accountable. In many organizations, people have gradually lost their sense of ownership. They come to work, do what they are told, complete whatever is… Read more →
You wanted the promotion. You earned it. You knew the people, understood the work, and believed you were ready to supervise. Then you discovered something nobody had adequately prepared you for. The job isn’t simply about knowing the work anymore. Now you are responsible for getting other people to do the work, dealing with problems you didn’t create, answering for… Read more →