Would You Work For You?

WOULD YOU WANT TO WORK FOR YOU?

I asked myself this question numerous times during my career. Once, I achieved a “rank” in law enforcement, as a Lieutenant, then a Captain, and finally a Chief of Police.

Would rookie Dave want to work for Lt Dave? For Captain Dave? For Chief Dave?

How would Rookie Dave feel about the older version of me as his supervisor? What would rookie Dave tell his family, his friends, and his co-workers about working with me? What would Rookie Dave tell his peers about working for the older version of me?

Would Rookie Dave think of me as a self-serving, egotistical jerk? Or would he think of me as someone who cared about him as a person, not just as an officer? Would Rookie Dave describe Chief Dave as someone who looked out for him and the other officers and employees of the police department? Would Chief Dave actively seek out better wages, better benefits, sound equipment, and more training funds for the department, or would Rookie Dave feel that Chief Dave just wanted to ride it out, boost his resume, and seek individual awards and rewards?

Asking myself these questions as I progressed through my career helped me in many ways. It kept me grounded, focused, human, and humble.

Certainly, I had moments when I knew Rookie Dave would tell Chief Dave, “You screwed that up!” but I used those moments of reflection and criticism to turn things around and make myself better. Not just as a supervisor but as a person. I tried to get back to the core elements of being a leader. I reminded myself regularly that I needed to keep learning to be the best version of myself I could be, not just for me but for all those who counted on me to be the best leader I could be.

This is not just for the officers and civilian employees but also for their families at home—the spouses, kids, and friends who were counting on ME to be a good leader and care for the people they loved who looked out for them at work. It went beyond the walls of the police department and into the homes of their families.

In full transparency, I have screwed up in every way possible throughout my career. More times than I care to remember or reflect on, but I tried over and over to learn from it and gain leadership wisdom to bring about positive change to be the best version of “Dave” I could be.

If we are honest with ourselves and seek humility in our reflections, we can achieve more than we could ever imagine as leaders. Try it out. Seek to understand.

Ask yourself, “What would the rookie version of me think of me as their supervisor?” Be honest and seek to understand. Then, gain knowledge, convert it into wisdom, and actively take steps to change what needs to be changed. Set a goal, create a plan, and get to it. You are never too old to learn and adjust.

I’d like to think that overall, Rookie Dave would like to work with Chief Dave, but then again, maybe not… It looks like it is time to do some more work on this Old Goat.

Stay Focused.

Stay Faithful.

Go Home Safe.

“Funk”