What is Your Leadership style?

I want to travel back in time to the year 1977 when Robert K. Greenleaf, an AT&T executive, published a book entitled, "Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness". The book's premise was that as leaders, we must focus primarily on our employees. We were to focus on their needs rather than ourselves or the organization. As leaders, we need to stop being so self-centered and be more employee-centered.  

I read this book and saw how my supervisors did not lead but were more managers. This approach was the best way to motivate employees to perform at their best. In performing as a servant leader, you develop employee's personal growth, and the department would also grow as their employees grow.

As I was promoted to Sergeant and then Lieutenant, I followed this style and found that it did work. Employees appreciate that someone focuses on them first and a supervisor second. It provided me the opportunity to develop officer leaders through training and giving them opportunities to handle assignments in a leadership position even though they weren't in charge of anyone. This helped build confidence and a desire to become the next generation of servant leaders.

Many books were published about military and political leaders and their leadership styles in the ensuing years. These leaders mostly held the rank of General or were Presidents and Prime Ministers. Some of whom I had the opportunity to meet and talk with. They provided a lot of lessons on how to be a better leader. But now, fast forward to 2015. That year, Jocko Willink, a 20-year veteran who retired as a lieutenant commander with the United States Navy SEALS, published a new book on leadership. Jocko pulled no punches. The general premise was that as leaders, we were to handle "the hell up" and take responsibility for everything. If you want to know about the problem, look in the mirror. He spoke of how important building relationships and working with others was. As a leader, whether I was a Sergeant or a Lieutenant, it didn't matter where in the chain of command I was; I was still a leader because I could get officers going in the right direction. I served my officers, I put them first and foremost in what I did (Servant Leader), and I took responsibility for my actions; I took a hands-off approach but was always there if needed (Extreme Ownership).

His books have become a part of many training programs for business, military, and first responder organizations. A few years ago, I was asked to speak at a Richmond Police Department promotional ceremony. I gave each new Lieutenant several books on leadership, including Jocko's book. It had served me well, and I wanted others to do the same.

We model behavior for better or worse, and we follow people who model behavior that we see as being in our best interest. As Oscar Wilde wrote, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery'.  So, let's move on to another aspect of being a leader. What characteristics do you espouse? Comfort, love, common sharing, being one in spirit, tenderness, compassion, being like-minded? Are you a leader who leads out of a selfish ambition or conceit?  Or are you a leader who shows humility and values others above yourself?  Do you avoid looking at your own interests but at the interests of others? Are you letting your "reasonableness" be known to others? When it came to being a leader, I didn't make a big deal about it. I did it daily without being asked, even if I never got noticed or thanked. Which happened often. 

How did I perform as a leader to be the one people wanted to imitate? Well, being humble was a big thing for me. If I messed up, I acknowledged my own shortcomings, strengths, and weaknesses/limitations. I was fine in recognizing the strength of others to support my mission. I also showed openness to learning from my fellow officers and supervisors.

What about your reputation as a leader? Do you show compassion and genuine concern for the welfare of others? Are you compassionate about the health of your organization? Do your words and actions see your leadership? Does your attitude show your character above all else? These are questions that you should be asking yourself each day. You should be the one people want to follow because you are the leader they want to follow.

As you prepare to be in a command position to take a more formal leadership position, you must look at what kind of leader you want to be. It's a simple question: what kind of leader do you want to be? What kind of leader will you be? Will you show compassion and concern for the welfare of your employees first, then the organization?

Because the organization rests on the employees. Will you develop your employees to be strong and provide a strong foundation for your organization? A strength that the organization can stand on and build on. Will you show a true interest in your employees? That you care for them, their welfare, their work environment, and their success. Do you have a proven character that serves the organization and others want to follow? Is your relationship with your employees as a family? Do you see them as family and not just parts of an organization? Do you have friends within the organization? Do you care for people that way, as friends and family?

How will you honor your employees? I will be there each day, with them in all situations, and support them through all the ups and downs they will face.

Are you called to be a leader or a manager? Will you serve each day with your employees? You know, working elbow to elbow, serving together, forming and fostering relationships. As a fellow soldier on the battlefield working together and serving together.

As a leader, remember you are also the Public Information Officer for the department. You are the primary messenger between your officers and the organization.

You don't need a title to serve within the organization. All employees are called to be leaders. Are you helping to develop them into leaders? If you do, you are failing not only your employees but yourself.

In closing, as a leader, how are you serving? Are you one who, as a leader, is always not to be served but to serve? As for me, I worked for my platoon; for my officers, I stood between them and the administration to protect them from stuff that always came down to do. I wanted to keep as much off them as I could. Why? Because they had enough to do and if I could help make their jobs easier than I did. I am not thinking of myself but of others, to be selfless in service and to look to others long before myself.

What about you? Are you truly a combination of Servant Leader and Extreme Ownership. Is this you? What if I came and watched you for a month? Would you show that you did what you espouse? Would walk the talk"? Ar?? you are the kind leader who puts the needs of others above your own. Where you show patience, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. Do you take on that extreme ownership?

I hope so because we need that type of strong leader now and going into the future.

About the Author

Robert C. Marland joined the Richmond (Virginia) Police Department in September of 1976 and retired on March 1, 2022, as a Detective Lieutenant after serving 45 ½ years. He started his career in 1972 as a cadet with the Franklin Co. Sherriff’s Department and then worked with the Grove City Ohio PD and the University of Dayton Campus Security.

Marland served as an Internal to the City Manager’s Office. And has been assigned to the Administrative Services, Special Projects Officer to the Chief of Police as the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Communication Projects Unit, where he implement the Department’s 800MHz Radio System and Coordinator of the Geographical Information System. His assignments included, the Training and Development Unit, Planning and Research Division, Professional Standards/Audits and Inspections Unit. Marland served most of his career as a Precinct/Sector Commander and Commander of the Traffic Enforcement Unit, Motorcycle Unit, Crash Team Reconstruction Unit, Mobile Command Center, Crowd Management Team, Aviation, Mounted, and K-9 Units. When not in these units, he was an Acting/Captain in the Watch Commander Office