Happy New Decade!
This is not only a new year, it’s a new decade. This year marks a perfect time to refocus your professional workplace culture, with a 2020 vision inside your agency which includes improved best practices from top to bottom.
Turning a blind eye to misconduct, unprofessionalism, and a toxic workplace environment, is a recipe for disaster for all employees. Refocus your agency vision with a 2020 insight of ‘New Day‘ principles. ~ Linda Webb
Just ONE toxic employee, can be costly to a public service agency. Civil lawsuits, inter-department obstruction, bad press, and distrust to the community for which your agency serves, are seen in the news daily.
Pro-active police executives are always looking for better leadership skills that help their managers, lead by example. It all starts with a strong professional workplace culture which includes things like:
- Zero tolerance for misconduct
- Zero harassment and discrimination practices
- Reducing negativity, rumors and gossip
Complete list of Do’s and Don’ts for 2020 Workplace
If your agency has any of the following Don’ts, then look below on how to improve it.
- Harassment, Discrimination, and Leaders Taking a Blind-Eye to Misconduct
- The Constant Complainers that are never happy. Often bring others down called ‘the toxic employee’
- The employee Entitlement Complex – It’s all about me, me and ME!
- They tend to over-react (meetings, emails, texts) and live in the past. i.e. “I did not get promoted.”
- Problem officers canceled for back-up (they make situations worse) Escalating instead of de-escalating
- Employee walks around Angry, has known ‘Hot Buttons, Displays Bias’s, or is Quick to Judge’
- Use of profanity, condescending, and showing lack of empathy.
- Breaks the Rules and lacks integrity, improper social media posting
- Negative banter and spreads rumors and Gossip – The Workplace Bully
- They have the Crab Bucket Mentality– “If I can’t have it, no one can!”
“When an officer slows the call down, takes time to listen, and make a person feel valued, the entire agency and community will reap the benefits.” ~Linda Webb, RITE Academy
- Department-wide call-to-action to improve Professional Workplace Culture for all Ranks. ‘Building Value’
- Institute department-wide SOP (standard operating procedures) on professional workplace culture
- Conduct in-service training on professional workplace culture like RITE Academy
- Include mindfulness techniques with emotional intelligence tools, that uphold accountability for misconduct actions (i.e. continuous use of profanity when engaged with the public, and escalating police calls with un-necessary use-of-force).Special Note to Leaders: Issuing an officer with an ‘Emotional Intelligence TOOL’ is just as important as a taser or firearm, as you are stressing the importance them controlling their emotions.
- Implement a ‘Move forward’ attitude with ‘NEW DAY’ mentality
- Education on officer wellness, PTSD, and addiction problems
- Diffuse abuse of power, inside the department and out – due to bias-nature, or hot buttons
- Hold ALL department-wide Supervisors accountable to address unprofessional behavior
- Reinforce positive displays of professional workplace culture …’saying thank-you’
- Zero tolerance for misconduct within your agency – All Ranks
How to Change Anything with 2020 Vision
1. Become Aware – Awareness is the first step in changing anything, at work or at home. Help them SEE what’s working, and what needs to be changed. i.e. bad behavior (Some people don’t SEE themselves as Angry, even though everyone else does. Becoming Aware is step #1.
2. If You Care About It – The employee has to care about themselves, in order to care about others. If the employee chooses not to ‘care about anything’ then as a supervisor, take appropriate action to protect the agency.
3. When to Stop and Think – Set up an action plan on how the employee can improve their behavior. (i.e. giving the employee RITE Emotional Intelligence Tools, that help change bad habits when used for at least 21 days).
4. “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” …Practice, Practice, Practice – Get the employee to continually work on improving the behavior. As a supervisor, be sure to acknowledge when the employee’s behavior is improving.
About RITE Officer Training – RITE Academy provides Professional Workplace Culture Training that includes take away tools to help improve communication and address Implicit Issues. The RITE Ladder Tool teaches EI & SI that builds Career resiliency, improves Department morale, builds Professional workplace culture, and reduces police misconduct.
Take steps in the upcoming 2020 year to strengthen your professional workplace culture standards, accountability protocols with RITE Training.
Check our EVENTS page for current trainings. For private classes where we come to you… Contact us below.
