What happened? Now what?

Think about the changes in our communities just in the past six months - were any of us ready and prepared for the seismic shift that has occurred? So what do we do about it?

As leaders in public safety our communities look for us to address the problems we are facing today and provide some guidance and direction for the future. That is the role of leadership.

I ran across this article today on the strategy+business website and thought it may have a message for leaders in public safety today:

https://www.strategy-business.com/article/The-urgent-need-for-sophisticated-leadership?gko=57cc5&utm_source=itw&utm_medium=itw20200804&utm_campaign=resp

Look at the six paradoxes of leadership - how effective are we at dealing with the apparent contradictions in our work?

Do we advocate for a clear strategy, but are we willing to "course correct" when new information arises or the environment changes?

Do we see the big picture but also the day-to-day functions are getting done?

Do we honor tradition but embrace innovation?

Do we recognize what needs to be achieved and make the best use of technology to get it done?

Do we think globally (appreciate the "bigger picture" issues) but act locally?

Can we move a diverse constituency toward consensus while maintaining integrity?

The article poses a number of questions, but also some steps leaders can take to bring some order to the chaos and move their organizations forward. The role of leadership? It is critical if we are to move from surviving to thriving.