New Traditions in Public Safety Is change possible in our culture?

New TraditionsNew Traditionsin Public Safetyin Public Safety

Is change possible in our culture?Is change possible in our culture?

What’s this <Donkey> up to now?What’s this <Donkey> up to now?

A Different PerspectiveA Different Perspective

First Defining PointFirst Defining Point

Whose presentation is Whose presentation is this?this?

Traditions/CultureTraditions/Culture

Why do we do what we do?Why do we do what we do? What is our job about?What is our job about? What traditions exist in our What traditions exist in our

workplace?workplace?

How we answer these How we answer these defines the culture…defines the culture…

On Traditions…On Traditions…

How do we recognize or find an How do we recognize or find an “old” tradition?“old” tradition?

A Hint…A Hint…

They are in the

“That’s The Way We’ve

Always Done It” Book

(Thanks Stacy!)

Assessing your Assessing your Culture…Culture…

What pronouns do we use?What pronouns do we use? Are we passionate about our Are we passionate about our

work?work? New Employees…New Employees… Pubic Safety Mentality…Pubic Safety Mentality…

On Public Safety On Public Safety Passion…Passion…

How do we show our passion?How do we show our passion?

Passion…Passion…

Simple Organizational TestSimple Organizational Test

When discussing a perceived When discussing a perceived issue, is it about “provement” issue, is it about “provement”

or “improvement”?or “improvement”?

……on Public Safety on Public Safety LeadershipLeadership

Public Safety Team Findings…Public Safety Team Findings…

Status and Ego“Us vs. Them”

Low Standards Policy Driven

AmbiguityNever at Fault

Artificial Harmony Talk About Others

Invulnerability “Never Wrong”

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Leadership Construct Leadership Construct #1#1

““Our Management does not Our Management does not know what they want until we know what they want until we

tell them…”tell them…”

Leadership Leadership Construct #2Construct #2

““Staff gets the Staff gets the Leadership they Leadership they

ask for or ask for or deserve…”deserve…”

Leadership Leadership Construct #3Construct #3

““You get what you give”You get what you give”

If you don’t like what If you don’t like what you’re getting, you you’re getting, you better check and better check and

change what you’re change what you’re giving.giving.

Core ValueCore Value

Humor Me…

““Old” TraditionsOld” Traditions

Our Needed TraditionsOur Needed Traditions

Unconditional RespectUnconditional Respect

Development from WithinDevelopment from Within

Passion Without NegativityPassion Without Negativity

Common “Unified” Common “Unified” Premise(s)Premise(s)

Back to BasicsBack to Basics

Proactive / Positive (Shift away from Proactive / Positive (Shift away from Negativity)Negativity)

Solution FocusedSolution Focused– It isn’t about “provement” anymore…It isn’t about “provement” anymore…– We are the stewards of our attitudeWe are the stewards of our attitude

Mission OrientedMission Oriented Education Based StructureEducation Based Structure – Focused on – Focused on

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Leadership Team – 25% what we do and 75% Leadership Team – 25% what we do and 75%

how we get it donehow we get it done

On the Education Based On the Education Based StructureStructure

Knowledge is the only instrument <of production> that is not subject to diminishing returns.Knowledge is the only instrument <of production> that is not subject to diminishing returns.

J.M. ClarkJ.M. Clark

The only things that evolve by themselves in an organization are disorder, friction, and malperformance. The only things that evolve by themselves in an organization are disorder, friction, and malperformance.

Peter DruckerPeter Drucker

What is our message with What is our message with Correction and Discipline?Correction and Discipline?

Policy Specific DisciplinePolicy Specific Discipline

Policy Enforcement is ChallengingPolicy Enforcement is Challenging Consistency is a ConcernConsistency is a Concern Correction Occurs in One Area…Problems Appear in Other AreasCorrection Occurs in One Area…Problems Appear in Other Areas Comparatives to Other Employees’ Performance Always Create “Noise”Comparatives to Other Employees’ Performance Always Create “Noise”

DisciplineDiscipline

Progressive…Prioritized – Offense Progressive…Prioritized – Offense DrivenDriven

Un-BiasedUn-Biased Concentric Concentric

Circle Model…Circle Model…

Concentric Circle Concentric Circle ModelModel Focus on the TargetFocus on the Target

– IndividualIndividual– TeamTeam– DepartmentDepartment– Outside Depts.Outside Depts.– ProfessionProfession

““What did I/we do to cause this?”What did I/we do to cause this?” Eliminate the “background noise”Eliminate the “background noise”

Basis for Effective Basis for Effective DisciplineDiscipline

33.3% or One Third Test33.3% or One Third Test– Pole Top 1/3 of Staff at Various LevelsPole Top 1/3 of Staff at Various Levels– Compare to Actions of Party in QuestionCompare to Actions of Party in Question– Document the FindingsDocument the Findings

Same Actions = Education for Entire Same Actions = Education for Entire TeamTeam

Different Actions = Opportunity to Different Actions = Opportunity to RemediateRemediate

Education Based ModelEducation Based Model

Education Based ModelEducation Based Model

Discipline – What definition is applied?Discipline – What definition is applied? Education is best done as a positive vs. Education is best done as a positive vs.

a negative (initially)a negative (initially) It is far easier to document education It is far easier to document education

than it is to document disciplinethan it is to document discipline In many cases, we give the employee In many cases, we give the employee

an eraser…an eraser…

Education Based ModelEducation Based Model

EBM Key ConceptEBM Key Concept

It is not the event / occurrence that It is not the event / occurrence that matters, but how the party matters, but how the party

responds to education / responds to education / redirection!redirection!

(Think about Construct #3)(Think about Construct #3)

Provide the Opportunities and Provide the Opportunities and Tools…Tools…

““5 Cardinal Sins”5 Cardinal Sins”

Dereliction of DutiesDereliction of Duties DishonestyDishonesty Destruction of Property / Injury to Destruction of Property / Injury to

OthersOthers Wanton Irresponsibility (including Wanton Irresponsibility (including

Customer Service Issues)Customer Service Issues) Failure to Remediate

Three Page Employee Three Page Employee ManualManual

Page 1 – “Do Your Job”Page 1 – “Do Your Job”

Page 2 – “Be a Reasonable Adult”Page 2 – “Be a Reasonable Adult”

Page 3 – “When in Doubt, Refer to Pages 1 & 2”Page 3 – “When in Doubt, Refer to Pages 1 & 2”

Success in the Success in the WorkplaceWorkplace

Closing Thought #1Closing Thought #1Change is InevitableChange is Inevitable

““Facts are stubborn Facts are stubborn things;things;

and whatever may be our and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, the dictates of our passion,

they cannot alter the they cannot alter the

state of facts and evidence.”state of facts and evidence.”

Closing Thought #2Closing Thought #2

Closing Thought #3 – Closing Thought #3 – O’Shaughnessy’s CorollaryO’Shaughnessy’s Corollary

Closing Thought #4 – Closing Thought #4 – Path of Least Resistance…Path of Least Resistance…

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New Traditions in Public SafetyNew Traditions in Public Safety

Questions?Questions?

New Traditions in Public SafetyNew Traditions in Public Safety

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

Scott Parker, Deputy DirectorScott Parker, Deputy DirectorWilliamson County Emergency Williamson County Emergency

CommunicationsCommunicationssparker@wilco.org

(512) 943-1389(512) 943-1389