Leadership Doesn’t Require a Certain Rank: It Requires Moral Courage

Leadership Doesn’t Require a Certain Rank: It Requires Moral Courage
By: Sgt. William Woods

Early in my law enforcement career, I’m not even sure I acknowledged what being a leader was, is, or was meant to be. It wasn’t until years into my career as a police officer, when I was thrust into a supervisory role with leadership responsibilities. I was promoted to the rank of sergeant and almost right away was assigned temporarily to the position of patrol commander which is normally held for the rank of captain. I had to learn very quickly how to become a leader to a large number of officers including supervisors with a higher rank than myself. I must admit, it was not the easiest position to be in. However, I took on the challenge with the right mindset and took that step forward.

I recently attended a command-level leadership training and one topic of discussion really stood out to me. The attendees were asked to describe the qualities of a good leader, and the one trait that struck me was courage. The courage to accept a role or position and having a fearless mindset, in my opinion, is one of the most important aspects of leadership. The courage to lead can be both physical and moral. Almost all officers have the ability to exhibit physical courage and that will to act when danger is present, but what is more arduous is having the moral courage to make the right decision whether or not your subordinates or supervisors feel the same way.

As a patrolman and detective, there were numerous occasions where I displayed physical courage and approached danger without hesitation. As a supervisor, I found it more difficult and strenuous to use my moral courage and make a decision that I knew was right but not popular to my subordinates than displaying actual physical courage. Decision making is a huge component of leadership and having that courage or resolution to make a decision will help you grow as a future leader of your agency and establish credibility. I cannot express how important courage is to leadership and how it has helped me institute myself as a leader.

As I continue my leadership role, I’m required to be the expert, lead by example and develop that working trust that is so coveted with your subordinates and supervisors. Without the trust, there can be no loyalty, and without loyalty there can be no growth. A primary role or goal of a leader is to develop and mentor the future leaders of your agency. You are responsible for leaving your agency with high-quality, knowledgeable and loyal officers. To accomplish this, you need to develop that trust between yourself and your subordinates and other members of the staff. It is extremely important and wise to have a mentor in this profession. A mentor provides guidance, motivation, emotional support and role modeling. Early in my career, I always looked to those proactive officers and supervisors as my mentors who helped me excel at my niches, which included mainly narcotics work. I also have had the luxury of working under many exceptional supervisors over the years and have acquired small pieces of insight which I have carried with me through the years. To this day, I have mentors who guide me and are helping me grow as a person and a future leader of my agency. I cannot stress the importance of having a mentor.

Leadership requires a great deal of self-reflection and honesty about yourself. A great leader knows his own personality, values, habits, needs, emotions and how they affect the actions of others and their own actions. Having that self-awareness will assist you in making better decisions and inevitably leading others to do the same. The most successful leaders know where their inclinations are and use that knowledge to either increase them or compensate for them. Being open to criticism is a key component to leadership. The feedback, whether good or bad, leads to having empathy and helps you understand the impact of your actions on others.

As I move forward in my career, I can stand here today and state without a doubt, leadership does not require any certain rank. In our hallway in police headquarters, we have a sign which hangs outside the door which reads “Being a leader doesn’t require a title. Having a title doesn’t make you a leader.” This cannot be truer, as I have personally learned. This message should ring true to the ears of the young officers who do not have that rank but can still provide their leadership skills which will ultimately guide them through their careers and influence other young officers and even veterans. As British-American author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek says “Leadership is not a rank or a position to be attained. Leadership is a service to be given.”

William Woods has been in the law enforcement profession for 15 years currently with the rank of sergeant assigned as the patrol commander of the Elmwood Park, New Jersey, Police Department and a part of their Office of Professional Standards.