Stripes and Bars AMAURY MURGADO
2 MANAGEMENT KEYS FOR SMALL UNIT LEADERSHIP Through surprise inspections and follow-up, supervisors can stay on top of things and accomplish their goals and objectives. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, everything we supervise or manage not scheduled an appointment with our vehicle maintehas a beginning, middle, and end. Especially a project, task, nance section. Failing a surprise inspection usually didn't or in following an order. We learn by experience that the happen twice unless the officer had a history of being lazy or beginning always sets the tone for everything else. Give the didn't worry about the possibility of being disciplined. Failing to follow up is a deadly sin. Of all the things that can wrong instructions for something and it will be done wrong. We also know how important the end is because it's the fi- be blamed on a supervisor or manager for failing to accomnal test for what we wanted to accomplish. It will either be plish an assigned task, failing to follow up makes it to the top five reasons. Anyone in a leadership position must give clear succcess or failure. Where we tend to drop the ball is with what happens dur- orders with a defined timeline and set of expectations. They ing the middle, or what I call the action phase. It's during the also must create follow-up points (benchmarks) along the action phase that everything good or bad happens. There way to make sure the task gets completed as instructed. A follow-up can be as easy as a phone call, an email, or are two techniques that you can use to make sure your action phase stays on track. Through surprise inspections and brief conversation to make sure benchmarks are being met. Or they can be more involved like onsite follow-up, supervisors and managers FAILING A SURPRISE inspections, accountability checks, or can stay on top of things and achieve INSPECTION USUALLY requiring detailed status reports. Whattheir success in the end. DIDN'T HAPPEN TWICE. ever method you use, you must keep There are two types of inspections: track of the progress, help make sure scheduled and unscheduled. It's the use the path is clear of any obstacles, and of unscheduled inspections that keeps your people on their toes. In my former agency, we had for- supply support when necessary. Say it's time to bid on new motorcycles for your motors mal, quarterly vehicle inspections. We filled out a form that included checking that the vehicle was clean, issued equip- unit. You are the lieutenant and you assign the task to your ment was serviceable, and nothing was expired, and we had sergeant. Things you must consider include giving your serour officers sign it as form of documentation. The scheduled geant a well-defined goal, all records/notes of the last purstuff was easy to pass; everyone was on their best behavior chase, and preparing to help sell your chain of command on and knew well in advance when they had to get things done any upgrades. You must touch base with your sergeant regularly. You by. The true test, however, is when it's an unscheduled inspection. Let's stay with inspecting assigned patrol cars for check on timelines, benchmarks, and identify any obstacles. If there is a problem, you handle it so your sergeant can the moment. As a supervisor, I would pull surprise vehicle inspec- continue with the other tasks. You should also require email tions. It was a surprise on two levels. One, they never knew confirmation for the various benchmarks you established. when, and two, they never knew what I'd focus on. I never Your follow-up must be hands on. It's one of the few ways inspected everything and I never asked for the same one or you can keep little issues from turning into big ones. Using surprise inspections and follow-up will keep you two things twice. In other words, if they didn't know when or what I was looking for, they'd better be ready all the time. and your subordinates on point. It works well for all leaderIt worked great. On rare occasions, officers lost the use of ship positons, regardless of rank. Outside of some circumtheir assigned patrol cars for a few days to make sure they stance beyond your control, making sure you conduct surgot the point that following policy was not an option. They prise inspections and do follow-up will help you accomplish learned quickly there would be no next time. I had officers your goals and objectives.. that left their shotguns at home, failed to replace expired fire extinguishers even after being ordered to do so, or were Amaury Murgado retired a senior lieutenant from the Osceola hundreds of miles over their required oil changes and had County (FL) Sheriff's Office with over 29 years of experience.
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POLICE NOVEMBER 2017