Introduction
As the current government increasingly distances itself from the impact of its own policies on policing, senior leaders and managers will rightly interrogate the impact of trust and confidence on their current reality. A decade of governments may have underinvested in policing, had an irresponsible attitude to risk and an almost perpetual need to create mythical 20k cops which are nothing more than images of the real without origin or reality (Baudrillard), yet ultimately, policing will need to repair its own current deficits – at speed. Why? Because the situation is unforgivingly complex and many of the problems are of their own making. So, the future is about ‘clarity and courage’ (Black).
Context
Some commentators will ask for the option of a well-oiled reverse gear (Scott) and while this feels attractive to return to some concept of traditional values, these on their own, are insufficient in a modern highly connected world. Policing needs to re-evaluate its concept of self against a backdrop of significant public unease. There has been evidence of considerable ineptitude at organisational and individual level – as well as some horror stories around criminal and cultural behaviours. There are few occasions when spontaneous recovery emerges from incompetence (Scott). Hands-on Action is required, and three initial questions need to be addressed:
- What is going on?
- How long has it been going on?
- How bad is it? (Scott)
Internally, these questions need to be negatively framed to ruthlessly address, amongst others, the needs of high performing police officers and staff who must be finding the current constant criticism of policing both personally insulting and organisationally tiresome. These are the people who make constant contact with reality, have ‘knowledge of tragedy’ (Ker Mur) in the daily lives of vulnerable people and who consistently deliver excellence. It is not just the publics that need reassured; in an environment where there is a war on talent, destabilising high performing employees will generate an even further exodus of fresh thinking, experience, and knowledge.
Serving the Public: the intrusive manager
In Wilful Blindness, Margaret Heffernan poses the question:
- What are the forces at work that make us deny the big threats that stare us in the face?
Each policing organisation needs to be asking this of its many operating and leadership cultures. She also argues that organisations regain confidence and value when they stop defending the past. A fresh, forward-thinking approach that consistently asks difficult intrusive questions of the organisation and individuals within, is a necessary approach. It was Graham Greene who wrote ‘every now and then a door opens and lets the future in’. This is the open-door moment in policing history where a critical future is rushing forward, and its best people need to be fully equipped. There must be ‘no dickheads’ (Kerr) in positions of influence or authority. And, if there are, they need managed, quickly.
If we address the challenges within policing and think less about blame and more about our contributions to the current and future scenarios, we may want to pose a couple of intrusive managerial questions:
- What could we know?
- What should we know, but don’t know because it makes us feel better not to know? (Heffernan)
Where are policing’s discomforts? Good management is a person-to-person activity. There are too many managers being required to constantly supervise systems and processes at the expense of inspiring their people. Managing via email does not work; your people need to see, hear, experience and be influenced by your presence. You bought the ticket to be a manager. Be present to ask difficult questions and only be satisfied when dissenting voices start to positively influence policing services.
Likewise, too many leaders are down in the detail instead of strategically leading the organisation! They might want to think about how much personal power they are prepared to relinquish to achieve their aims. It’s axiomatic that they need to grip the figures in order to placate political auditors and to run a successive multi-million pound business. However, excessive demands placed on already busy managers creates the wrong message. It then becomes, what Geertz describes as a ‘confusion of tongues,’ where the organisation is unclear of its corporate messaging. Managers need the freedom to connect with their people and leaders need the capacity to set an even more inspiring strategic vision that gives meaning and ‘has the emotional power to shape behaviour’ (Kerr). Leaders need to STOP blurring the boundaries and getting too drawn into the dramas of others!
And all this comes at a personal cost. Leaders and managers need to sit down with their coaches and work out how much personal pain they can afford to take on behalf of the organisation. Or as Black puts it: ‘how much shit are you prepared to take?’. The energy levels required to move policing forward are intense with change and progress being a real fitness test. Am I fit to lead and manage the demands of the service? This is thepersonal coaching question that requires to be addressed?
The Local Context
Finally, there is no universal answer to address the complexities in policing. ‘Moving from local truths to general visions undermine the effort of understanding’ (Geertz). The grave danger is that through this complexity, solutions are sought, discoveries are locally identified and then universally imposed across the organisation. That is just lazy leadership!
We have constantly argued on this platform for local approaches to local issues – this is the true essence of an empowered culture. ‘The major dynamic consequence of culture is that it stabilises things for group members’ (Schein). Empowerment and the interrogation of reality are two sides of the same coin. In this current climate there is no place for a hands-off management or leadership style. Trust, but constantly challenge and verify.
Conclusion
‘Crisis exposes the kind of leaders we really are’ (Black). The environment is complex, the demands are high and there has been historical underinvestment from government. That’s the reality. But the public demand for improvement and scrutiny is rightly made. Policing is a brand and when one part of the brand is underperforming, it impacts on everyone. The ill-informed could point to one force and say the problem rests with them; that would be supreme naivety. Greater demands are made of leaders and managers, and they must step-up and step-forward to meet them. This intense hands-on approach helps good people flourish and exits those who damage trust and confidence.
Dr Mark Kilgallon
Bibliography
Baudrillard, J (1994) Simulacra and Simulation
Black L (2023) How to lead with purpose
Geertz, C (1973) The interpretation of Cultures
Greene G (1940) The Power and the Glory
Ker Muir, W (1979) Police: street corner politicians
Schein, E (2010) Organisational Culture and Leadership
Scott, S (2002) Fierce Conversations