Leadership

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Presented by:The Association for Fire & Police Cadets

Rules of the class

If you have the question raise your hand To answer a question raise your hand No side conversations

If there is a side conversation the class will stop and this will waste time

Take Notes Everyone is expected to participate

Today’s Goals:

Today we will cover

1. Different styles of leadership

2. Traits of a leader

3. Communication

4. Chain of command

5. Delegation

6. Initiative

7. Preparation & Planning

8. Praise & Punishment

9. If we have time we will do some hands-on activities

Question for you

Is there a difference between a Boss and a Leader?

Yes

Key Difference

Leaders are people that are responsible for inspiring, guiding and leading a group of people on a path for a common cause.

A boss is a person who is in charge of the work place and tells you what to do.

Question Can a leader be a boss and can a boss

be a leader? The simple answer is Yes But not all bosses are leaders. It depends on their leadership style!!

Leadership Styles

If you Google leadership styles there are different answers to how many styles there are, we have seen as few as 3 and as many as 10 different styles.

We are going to concentrate on 3 of the major styles today

The 3 main styles are!

1.Authoritarian Leadership (Autocratic)

2.Participative Leadership (Democratic)

3.Delegative Leadership (Laissez-Faire)

Authoritarian Leaders• Authoritarian leaders, also known as autocratic leaders,

- provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, - when it should be done, - how it should be done.

• There is also a clear division between the leader and the followers. -Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently with little or no input from the rest of the group.

• Researchers found that decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership and they have found that it is more difficult to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa.

• Abuse of this style is usually viewed as -controlling, -bossy -dictatorial

• Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group.

Participative leadership• Participative leadership, also known as democratic leadership, is generally

the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders - offer guidance to group members, - but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members.

• Members in this group were less productive than the members of the authoritarian group, but their contributions were of a much higher quality.

• Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say over the decision-making process.

• Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative.

Deligative Leadership

• Researchers found that team members under delegative leadership, also known as laissez-fair leadership, were the least productive of all three groups.

-The members in this group also made more demands on the leader, showed little cooperation and were unable to work independently.

• Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making up to group members.

• While this style can be effective in situations where group members are highly qualified in an area of expertise, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.

Traits of a Leader

We use Traits to Characterize.

Used to Define Some specific traits

help mold you in life

Bearing Courage Decisiveness Dependability Endurance Enthusiasm Initiative Integrity Judgment Justice Knowledge Loyalty Tact Unselfishness

What traits do people need to make them a good leader?

Bearing

Impression Appearance Personal Conduct Not just wearing a pressed uniform Self control

Beware of uncontrolled displays of emotions Use of profanity and telling off color jokes

Dignity

Courage

Moral & Physical courage

Stand up for what you know Is right no matter what is typically perceived.

Never Quit Examples

Understand the Risk Peer Pressure

Decisiveness Leaders need to make decisions timely and prompt Articulated clear, concise, and forceful manner. More than one way to handle a situation

Quickly gather the relevant information Analyze the situation Decide the best course of action Execute

Don’t be afraid to admit a mistake Remedy the decision by changing course“In any moment of decision the best thing you can do

is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.

Dependability

Reliable Superiors and subordinates

Ensure you have the best interest of the post

Strong attention to detail Once you lose credibility it’s difficult to

lead“You cant build a reputation on what you

are going to do”Henry Ford

Endurance Stamina is essential in Law

Enforcement & Fire Service Physically Fit Physical and Mentally

Endurance Reliable and persistent

“Work hard to keep fit. That little extra stamina may some day pull you out of some deep holes.”

General Matthew Ridgway

Enthusiasm

Spread enthusiasm in each and every task Its infectious to your Cadets.

Encourage subordinates to perform to the best of their ability. Ability to turn an uncomfortable situation into a

challenge. Academy Example

“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender” Vince Lombardi

Initiative

Initiative Recognizing what needs to be done

without being told to do it. Innovative and improvise Doing something is generally better than

doing nothing“Even if you’re on the right track. You’ll get

run over if you just sit there.”Will Rogers

Integrity

Most important human attribute This a non negotiable trait It is the basis of trust It is characteristic that is earned Make sure your facts are true and accurate Rumors are very rarely true, don’t believe it

unless you hear it from the horses mouth

Judgment

Judgment is the ability to logically consider available information to reach reasonable solutions to problems.

Know how to apply common sense and experience in everything Don’t get into a strangers car

Justice

Know when to praise Know when to punish Be impartial and consistent in exercising

Command Specifically the assessments of rewards and

demerits. Judge each situation separately on its merits. Be cautious and keep perspective Be fair in everything you do

Knowledge

It is NOT expected that you know everything

You should be proficient in those topics you expect your subordinates to know

Its ok to not know something, but admit it. Do not fake that you know something Recognize and correct inadequate

performance, especially your own

Loyalty

Need to be loyal both to your subordinates and your superiors

You need to give it in order to receive it IF you get a task from a superior, give it

your full support even though you might not personally agree with it.

Be loyal to your post, agency, jurisdiction, and country

Tact Ability to deal with others in a respectful

manner during times of stress or when offering critical appraisal.

Do unto other as you would have them to unto you

Make critics meaningful, not embarrassing or harmful.

Consider the dignity of the Cadet by realizing the impact of your comments.

It’s not what you say, its how you say it

Unselfishness

Essential to be unselfish Do not take advantage for personal

pleasure, gain , or safety at expense of post.

Look out for your Cadets before you look out for yourself

Share hardship, discomfort, and undesirable task with your Cadets.

Difference between a Leader and a Boss

Leader Boss

Inspires employees Drives employees

Depends on respect and honor Depends on authority

Cares for your well-being Cares for your productivity level

Says ‘We’ Says ‘I’

Inspires enthusiasm Inspires fear

Gives credit Takes credit

Says ‘Let’s go’ Says ‘Go’

Asks Orders

Knows how it is done Shows how it is done

Another Question for you

Do you have to be a supervisor/boss to be a leader in your organization?

NO

Anyone can be a leader If you can

Inspire the group Help guide the group Lead the group on a path for the common

cause. You can be looked upon as a leader Is that not what part of this program

you belong to is about? Building leaders!

Earning the respect of your membersThe number one reason why Members don’t respect their

Post Officers is because…..

The members don’t believe that they should be in that position…

To avoid this from happening to you…. You must:

Follow the golden rules!

There are 7 golden rules that lay the foundation of a good leader: Lead by example (i.e. appearance, attendance, conduct

& participation) Display a positive attitude at all times Treat members equally and with respect Be confident in your leadership role Demonstrate knowledge of and enforce all rules and

regulations. Recognize and reinforce the positive actions of others Be approachable to everyone with questions and or

concerns

CommunicationYou must be able to effectively communicate to members and do it in a

manner that is appropriate.

-“It has nothing to do with what you say, but by how you say it.”

-A good way of avoiding saying something in a harsh manner is “think before you speak”.

-Also, keep in mind that members listen to Post Officers that listen to them. So it is imperative that you ask questions and opinions of the members rather than constantly telling them things.

-If you’re having trouble keeping a group on task, offer some type of award to those that can accomplish the task the most effectively.

Competition is a very good motivator, if you communicate it effectively.

-Also, you must be able to effectively communicate to other Post Officers, especially the ones above you.

-Remember that you’re not going to be perfect so you have to be open to criticism. If you make a mistake, just brush it off, forget

about it, and move on.

Communication Cont.

“We are each blessed with two ears and one mouth; a constant reminder that we should listen twice as mush as we talk”

– Kevin J. Murphy, a very cute saying but a very true saying.

Non-verbal Communication

Personal hygiene and grooming is a form of non-verbal communication.

-Imagine how it would feel if a Post Officer approached you wearing a dirty, wrinkled uniform, their hair was a mess, they smelled as if they hadn’t showered and they needed a tic-tac like no tomorrow.

-Now imagine if this same guy tried to tell you what to do, and he told you that you weren’t doing something good enough. Do you think this would be an uncomfortable situation?

-Yes it would, and I bet you would lose a lot of respect for that person.

So keep that in mind when you have to meet for an event in about an hour, you might want to start getting ready now, rather than later.

Non-verbal Communication Cont. What are some other forms of non-

verbal communication that we have to be careful of???

TextingHand GesturesFacial Expressions

If I can offer you one piece of advise on how to be a leader, it would be…

Avoid being The JerkA leader is using this style when he or she:

-Uses only one style of leadership to deal with all people and all situations.

  -Yells at, threatens, or uses abusive language with followers.

  -Uses fear to motivate followers.

  -Is indecisive and afraid to take action.

  -Sets unrealistic goals for the group.

  -Is more concerned with his or her personal reputation than the work conditions or motivation of the team.

  -Takes credit for the accomplishments of followers when things are going well and shifts blame to followers when things go wrong.

 

This style is never appropriate.

Chain of command Within this chain of command there are rank and

positions that are “in charge” Cadets need to follow the chain of command, before

moving up the chain of command they should go to their direct supervisor/ team leader first

Chain of command Cadets contact their Sergeant before going to the Lieutenant, If they can’t reach a sergeant and it’s important then go to the

Lieutenant If they cant reach the and its important then continue to move

up the chain. If no one can be reached and its important then an advisor

What does this picture mean to you???

Delegation

As a Post Officer you are going to be faced with a lot tasks and assignments especially while running an event. Rather then showing too much initiative and trying to do everything yourself (a.k.a. getting burnt out while nothing get accomplished) you should delegate tasks.

The best reason for delegating tasks is to see how others will handle it and to see if they have leadership qualities.

Delegation continued…The highest ranked Post Officer gets assigned every task!

That Post Officer picks what things he/she wants to do, and which things the Post Officers one step down should be assigned,

Then the same thing gets done for the next step down, until hopefully everything is getting done and getting done equally amongst the Post Officers. 

After delegating a task, let go and forget about it, Don’t hover over the person, Don’t nag them to do it your way, just let it get done. By doing this you are empowering them and allowing them to exercise their

leadership qualities. Yes, it is okay to allow others to fail because you are also allowing them to learn. 

Use your power wisely, do not over delegate, Remember that there is nothing worse in life then a “Power-hungry leader”. Try to realize that it is the members that give power to the Post Officers.

Initiative

As a Post Officer you must constantly be showing initiative. In Cadets, initiative separates the “men from the boys” so to speak. A reactive Post Officer sits on their hands until they are told to do something; A proactive Post Officer (with initiative) already has the task completed. The Cadet with the most initiative is 99% of time considered the best Cadet;

it’s as simple as that.

A Post Officer with initiative anticipates something going wrong They already has a back-up plan for it and often likes when things don’t go

according to plan Because they get to watch people scramble for a moment while he/she is

getting their back-up plan into action. Another way of putting it is that they are flexible when things don’t go perfectly.

Preparation and Planning

One of the most important attribute to becoming a successful leader is to BE PREPARED.

-Whether you’re at a meeting

-running an event

You must be prepared. Going into something blind will only set you up for failure. If you are in-charge of an event; yes, you need to bring the 7 golden rule attributes with you.

-But if have no clue on where to post your members -You forget to bring your materials and

-Nothing gets done properly

you’re going to be considered a nice kid but a horrible leader. A good saying to live off of is “Don’t put off tomorrow what you can accomplish today.” BE PREPARED.

Attitudes

Good attitudes are contagious, Bad attitudes are contagious, As a matter of fact all attitudes are contagious.

Remember that when you are a Post Officer don’t allow a member’s negativity to cramp the entire group.

Take that person aside, let them know what they are doing wrong, and ask them to stop.

A good Post Officer has a “can do attitude”, and views everything (no matter how difficult) as an accomplishable task.

Organization

An organized Cadet is called a Post Officer This is because if you are truly organized and

motivated it’s not going to take long for you to be Post Officer.

An organized person can accomplish so much more then someone who is disorganized.

Although everyone knows this, too many people struggle with it.

Praise and Punishment

As a Post Officer you will encounter people helping out and doing a very spectacular job. First step is recognizing it as something good. Second step should be to take a moment to let them know

and to thank them in front who ever is around. Please don’t wait till the next day to do a performance report

for them. There are two reasons for recognizing some one for doing a

good job 1. You remember to thank them (“Don’t put off tomorrow what you can

accomplish today.”) 2. To motivate everyone else.

Praise and Punishment continued

Also, as a Post Officer, you will notice a lot of negative things going on, things that can potentially hurt a group’s performance. In this case you DO NOT call them out and publicly humiliate

them in front of the other members, Politely ask them to step away from the group and then you let them know

what they are doing wrong. Also, when asking the member to step out, you don’t have to announce it

so everyone can hear you. That’s just as bad. Ask them to step out to help you with something or say it quietly.

A good saying to go by is, ”PIP, PIP” which is “praise in public, and punish in private”

Praise and Punishment continued

Never discipline someone for something you did yourself, such as goofing off. If you and a group of Cadets are goofing off and it

escalates to an inappropriate level, then say “WE have to take it easy”, Don’t say “YOU GUYS have to take it easy”,

you are part of the group too. Take responsibility for your actions!

Leadership Training and Refresher classes

At least once every month or two all Post Officers & Team Leaders should be challenging themselves and stepping outside their comfort zone to be constantly brushing up on their leadership skills.

As Post Officers or Team Leaders you should be either conducting leadership classes or participating in them.

How do I avoid the day my Advisor comes and says:

“you haven’t been doing a good enough job, I’m demoting you”

Post Officer EvaluationsHave some type of formal evaluation process every

couple of months so you can be informed of your status and you would avoid being surprised be a demotion or suspension or something that can potential hurt the entire Post.

Post Officers & Team Leaders should be made aware of their strengths a weaknesses so that they can have time to work on them and grow as a Leader…People are not born leaders they have to be trained and worked on for years and years.

The End