There is no one-size-fits-all approach
/There is no one-size-fits-all approach
By: Chris Scilingo
Law enforcement organizations are regularly filled from top to bottom with officers ranging in age and coming from different backgrounds. Baby boomers to millennials currently make up police departments across the country. Although law enforcement organizations appear to be made up of a homogenous group of professionals; individual officers still hold their idiosyncrasies which can pose a particular challenge to law enforcement leaders. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to leading a group of individuals toward a common goal. A successful leader will know how to use different leadership styles at his or her disposal. A successful law enforcement leader must know which leadership styles are effective for different situations that they may face.
Fortunately, for today’s law enforcement leaders, we do not have to reinvent the wheel! History has provided us with some great scholars such as Bernard Bass, Warren Bennis and Stephen Covey, all of whom have studied leadership extensively and developed theories. The list of exemplary leadership scholars and military leaders is far-reaching. I do not aim to take credit away from the many while crediting the few. I just mention ones I have personally studied. I intend to emphasize that there are models that we as law enforcement leaders can turn to for guidance when we are faced with a particular situation. We do not have to feel stuck and resort to applying poor leadership practices. We should not be afraid to educate our minds and expand our understanding because we could appear weak or in need of help. It is perfectly OK to seek guidance if it means that we will be able to effectively lead our law enforcement organizations toward our goals, whether they are short-term, long-term, or superordinate. As Ret. Gen. Stanley McChrystal would put it, we should, “Listen, Learn…Then Lead.”
Some of the more common leadership styles that have been studied are those from the autocratic-based, democratic-based, transformational and servant-based. There are plenty of others and we must remind ourselves again that one style of leadership does not fit all situations or work well on each officer. Imagine the autocratic leader, for example, applying that style across the board. I can see more potential negative effects than positive effects resulting from autocratic-based leaders. Autocratic leadership does have its role and can benefit the outcome of a situation when used effectively. Successful law enforcement leaders applying an autocratic-based style of leadership will be able to make quick and precise decisions, under stressful conditions. Sometimes suitable directive leadership is required. Applying autocratic leadership under the wrong circumstances can lead to discouragement within the organization, resentment, crippled morale, and it can snuff out creative solutions.
On the opposite end of the leadership spectrum would be the democratic-based leader. Perhaps in situations where time is a luxury or long term and superordinate goals are the target, democratic leaders can be successful. Officers within the organization would be encouraged to share ideas and opinions with the leader and more commitment would come from the group rather than an individual. However, this style does not work so well if the majority of the group has communication issues or they are not very skilled. Transformational leadership is what comes to my mind when I think of the word leadership. Transformational leaders do what all leaders should; they move the organization toward positive progress. Otherwise, they are just in charge in some positional authoritative capacity and maintain the status quo, which is not leadership, it is management. There is a difference.
Last, I want to briefly discuss the servant-based leadership style, another one of my favorites. I had some great servant-based leaders during my time as an enlisted active duty Marine. Servant leaders serve their subordinates and put subordinate needs first before the leader's own needs. Servant leaders empower, develop, and uplift their staff when demonstrating this leadership style. Some benefits of an empowered staff are that they perform at new, higher levels. They become purpose-driven, which leads to higher skills, knowledge and abilities among the members, trust is fortified. Trust could be the most beneficial byproduct of this leadership style. Stephen Covey advocates that trust is the one thing that changes everything and his book on the speed of trust talks about how trust drives organizational performance.
Since we know that law enforcement organizations are filled with diverse individuals who form a homogenous group; we as law enforcement leaders can deduce that no one-size-fits-all approach, can effectively work on everyone or in every situation. Learning about various leadership styles can help a law enforcement leader become a successful and effective one. Knowledge of different leadership styles can help law enforcement leaders make better decisions for their staff and their organization. Knowing when and how to apply different leadership styles is vital in the success and survival of today's law enforcement organizations.
