The Great Sergeant!

by Edward J. Werder, January 1996

Edward Werder is the chief of police of Cooper City, Florida. He began his career with the Broward County, Florida Sheriff's Department in 1964 and rose in the ranks to become chief of staff and the undersheriff of Broward County. In 1993 he became Undersheriff of St. Lucie County, Florida. Shortly thereafter he assumed his current position. He is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University, received his masters degree from Florida International University and is pursuing a doctorate in public administration at Nova University.

Most police officers vividly remember their first sergeant. They may remember the individual as their best supervisor or their worst, or perhaps, they remember him/her as someone who fell into chasm that lies between. Despite the personal experience of an officer, two things are certain: the first supervisor is always remembered, and this individual either contributed to, or limited, the officer's subsequent accomplishments.

It is extremely important for sergeants to understand the enormous impact they have on young officers. It is also critical for sergeants to realize the importance of the position they hold within a law enforcement agency. In simple terms, no law enforcement agency can function well without good sergeants. Clearly, the role of the sergeant, or first line supervisor, is the most important and influential position within a law enforcement organization.

Unfortunately, many sergeants never receive any formal training before or after assuming their position. Traditionally we have allowed the individuals selected as a sergeant to learn the job by observing others and by making mistakes. The selection of sergeants has been, and still is often based solely on seniority or, perhaps, their performance as a patrol officer. Little attention has been given to the demanding skills required of the job or the influence of the sergeant on the entire organization's performance. Today wise law enforcement administrators do not need to make these mistakes in the selection and training of newly appointed sergeants when one considers the wide range of selection and training methodologies available.

The seemingly paradoxical role of the sergeant -- responsive to both the management of the department and to the men/women under their immediate supervision -- is still not clearly understood by either the organization or the individuals who hold the position. Many sergeants do not think they are a part of the management team and, in some cases, police managers do not treat them as such. If this is the case, then the sergeant can only deduce that their primary loyalty belongs to the troops. If this is so, it is reasonable to predict that neither the individual nor the organization will function as effectively and efficiently as possible.

It is the sergeant who defines service delivery more accurately, consistently and personally than any other member of the department. It is the sergeant who transmits the values, standards and culture of the department to the men and women under their supervision. It is the sergeant who has the most immediate and personal contact with the public. Finally, it is the sergeant who, based on job knowledge and experience, directs the daily work of subordinates. Clearly the work of sergeants, much like that of a symphony conductor, can either enhance or weaken the community's perception of the department's professionalism. The sergeants' position demands strong leadership, self-confidence, competence, management skills, and above all, an understanding of their influence upon subordinates and the work of the department.

What is it about an individual's interpretation of the sergeant's role that either guarantees success or results in failure? Extraordinary individuals have attempted to fill the role and failed, while ordinary individuals have fulfilled the role beyond expectations. The balance of this article will touch upon what I think the personal qualities of a great sergeant are, and what organizational factors either help or hinder the performance of the sergeant.

Organizational Factors that Influence Greatness

Law enforcement agencies, through a combination of organizational values, policies, rules and regulations, and culture, define the role the sergeant will fill within the organization. Some departments have accurately defined this role and have written the job description in clear and accurate terms. In many other departments the role is not so explicitly defined and is, therefore, left to an individual's discretion to define the job. When the department does not delineate the sergeant's role, or the role has become out of date, the potential for personal and organizational mediocrity is a real danger. It is very difficult to achieve greatness in any organization that does not have a strong sense of identity, a clear mission and written expectations of job performance.

If the job of a sergeant is not clearly defined then the establishment of selection criteria for the position becomes virtually impossible. This often leads to selecting an individual who may not be able to perform the role in an acceptable manner. It is likely in organizations of this type that the newly appointed sergeants rely on their own sense of mission, their own vision and their own standards when supervising subordinates. Thus the organization is of little help to the new supervisor and will most likely hinder the individual's personal success. In organizations that have not established selection standards it is likely that the newly appointed sergeant will have to learn the job by observing others' successes and their own failures.

However, if the selection process is the result of a formalized testing program along with the use of an assessment center, the likelihood that qualified individuals will be selected increases significantly. However, departments can only develop a sophisticated selection system for first line supervisors after they have established a clear understanding of the skills and knowledge required of the position. This is a time consuming task, but one that is worthwhile. The process of examining the role of the sergeant within an organization will lead to a better understanding of how important this position is within a para military organization. Better understanding of the various functions of the sergeant will in turn lead to the creation or selection of various training programs designed to develop and hone the natural skills of the first line supervisor.

A new sergeant needs 80-120 hours of instruction in basic management skills soon after being appointed. It might not be possible to afford this much training immediately, but it should be the department's objective to provide this quantity of training quickly. In the following years, each sergeant should be required to obtain at least 40 hours of training every three years. This recognizes that life-long training is a requirement for every position within a police department.

Law enforcement executives must make it clear the sergeant is part of the management team. It is not a position that should foster a "them versus us" scenario in the organization. New sergeants may have difficulty with this concept. Having just been promoted from the ranks, it is only natural to want to continue to be one of the troops. However, great teachers and leaders know that it is best to have a distance between the supervisor and those they supervise.

So with great reluctance, newly appointed sergeants must gradually and diplomatically create an appropriate distance between themselves and those they supervise. People on the department will say you have changed, become "uppity," or have forgotten from where you came. They likely may be kidding, but you will take it seriously and have second thoughts about your primary loyalties.

Forget it! You are different. You have changed. It is your responsibility to support management. You cannot have it both ways. This is not an easy or pleasant task, but the most effective leaders stand appropriately apart from those they supervise. This is not because they wish to dominate them, but because they wish to help them.

Having been supervised by sergeants, having been a sergeant, having supervised one or more sergeants and having participated in development programs to improve selection procedures and evaluative methods for determining the competence of sergeants, I have an opinion of the job. Despite the selection procedures used, or the degree of achievement reached by their agency, great sergeants can overcome either organizational or situational adversity. They can inspire individuals to excel and promote a sense of camaraderie that allows a difficult job to be completed with dignity, effectiveness and timeliness.

What follows are those attributes that exemplify a great sergeant and those attributes that can inspire subordinates to reach for the same levels of competence as they move through their law enforcement career:

Personal Qualities of Great Sergeants

The following are characteristics, virtues, attitudes and skills in the great sergeants I have observed during my career. The list is not all inclusive. It is set forth only to motivate individuals to reflect on the importance of the position and the characteristics of those who hold the position.

Knowledge

The primary personal quality of a great sergeant is knowledge! Knowledge of the technical and operational skills required for the job. Knowledge of the values, policies, rules and regulations of the organization and how it works on both a formal and informal basis. Finally, the job requires a keen insight and understanding of the human condition.

The knowledge required to be a good sergeant comes from a variety of sources, such as; experience on the job, observation of other supervisors, a study of the law enforcement organization and a study of law enforcement literature. The good leader knows that knowledge and skills are perishable and need to be constantly renewed, particularly in a profession that is as rapidly changing as ours. The great sergeant is one who is an advocate of training not only for himself or herself, but for others under his or her command.

Sergeants, of course, do not need to know everything. It is accurate to say, however, that to be a coach, a teacher, or a disciplinarian, an individual must be viewed by subordinates as someone who knows what he or she is talking about, or who has the ability to find the answers! Knowledge of the job does not come out of thin air. The acquisition of knowledge requires hard work and study. Belonging to professional groups, reading professional literature, taking additional college courses in areas of weakness, becoming familiar with departmental procedures and policies, and establishing a network of fellow sergeants are just some of the ways that this professional knowledge can be expanded.

Finally, it is important to realize that job knowledge on the part of any supervisor will give an individual self-confidence. This is a fundamental quality of a good leader. Self-confidence enables an individual to make quality decisions in difficult situations and to make difficult calls when necessary.

Self-Discipline

Good sergeants understand that to control others they must control themselves emotionally, physically and intellectually. Wise sergeants understand the influence they have on subordinates. Your subordinates watch and emulate you to a high degree. They give great weight to your thoughts on subjects as diverse as sexism and politics. Impressionable younger officers may consider your personal habits -- good or not so good -- the norm. Your character traits in the areas of honesty, hard work, loyalty, duty and fair play become the standard by which your subordinates judge their own actions. It is reasonable to conclude that the sergeant must set a very high example in the conduct of his/her personal affairs since it is, most likely, demanded that the rank and file do the same. It is also reasonable to expect the sergeant, as well as other managers, to have the same standards off the job they must display on the job!

Communication

Of great importance in defining what makes great sergeants is their ability to communicate orally and non-orally. The skill with which a sergeant communicates with superiors and subordinates is, perhaps, one of the most significant keys in defining the success of the sergeant, the organization and its people. Naturally, a good communicator is also a good listener. The ability to be an effective communicator can be learned. A good sergeant is sensitive to the fact that each individual responds differently to the communication process. Some individuals respond best if they are talked to bluntly, honestly and with little ambiguity. Other individuals require communication that is more sensitive, personal, and oblique. The wise sergeant is one who recognizes the need for communicating differently with the different people and can effectively do so.

Delegation

As Pat Riley wrote in The Winner Within, a leader creates an empowering relationship with subordinates. To create this type of relationship with the troops the sergeant must have a great deal of self-confidence, and confidence in the men and women under supervision. In an empowering environment created by a great sergeant, one will find a sense of both interdependence and independence. This can replace total reliance upon subordination and allow both job enrichment and enlargement. Decision-making becomes the responsibility of everyone, not just the sergeant. The standards are not upheld by one but rather upheld by all. The development of a team approach to problem-solving and to decision-making creates a system of checks and balances. This allows calculated, yet effective, risk-taking with the accomplishment of the agency's agenda as the primary focus.

It is a risk for a highly experienced, knowledgeable and competent sergeant to relinquish some power to subordinates. It is a risk worth taking, however, because it allows subordinates to experience the weight of responsibility. By delegating responsibility the sergeant is performing a major responsibility of command -- the professional development of subordinates. Often one of the greatest job satisfactions is seeing the success of young officers and knowing that you played a major role in their development.

Adaptability

The outstanding sergeant will also possess and value adaptability. This quality encourages breaking of molds and the expansion of ideas and skills. Flexibility becomes part of the makeup of every member of the sergeant's "team," with inflexibility tolerated only during the learning process. A great sergeant will understand that his or her primary responsibility is to train, therefore, time for training is treated as a valued commodity and not wasted. Training is not only performed by the sergeant but also reinforced by other officers who have already attained the desired level of skill. As stated previously, delegation is one method of on-the-job training particularly suited to reinforcing the need to try different methods in problem-solving.

Duty

Great sergeants are also able to create a sense of duty. Striving for and attaining ethical and effective performance is an uncompromising goal that everyone recognizes and is compelled to attain. Individuals assigned to the team recognize this responsibility or they are encouraged to leave the squad and, perhaps, even the organization. The great sergeant will never compromise the virtue of duty. There are some virtues that you can never compromise. Duty is one of them!

Fun

The great sergeant makes coming to work a fun, enjoyable, challenging and learning experience. The enjoyment of one's work, even under circumstances that are uncertain and dangerous, can be enhanced by a skillful sergeant who knows how to balance priorities with needs. Creating a workforce -- often ranging from six to 15 individuals -- is like conducting a small orchestra. It is not only a matter of whether the instruments can be played, but also how well they are played and the harmony they produce. The great sergeant can get orchestrations that others cannot. Although the notes on the sheets of music may be the same, the instruments will be different and the number of notes played by each different. The melody that results will function as one song and, if played well, with the listener not the musician in mind. The great sergeant understands the need for the community to hear the sound of excellent orchestration played by artisans who are skilled, balanced and dedicated to playing the right notes at the right time. Working to create special music is considered by all who have experienced it a great definition of fun.

Motivation

Establishing an optimistic and enthusiastic environment is in the same league as establishing a sense of fun and enjoyment. A great sergeant cannot always motivate others. The sergeant can, however, establish an environment where motivation is allowed to flourish, where individuals are not hamstrung by the shackles of bureaucracy and self-restraint. Creating this environment is an important responsibility that the sergeant must establish early in the relationship, not only as the lightning rod but also as the insulation for the political realities of the organization.

Fairness

A great sergeant establishes a sense of equity. This does not mean people are always treated equally, just always fairly. Individuals come to the job with varying skills and the abilities to apply them. The great sergeant is able to maximize the contribution of each employee, while recognizing contributions may differ. Nonetheless the balancing of those contributions remains vital to the success of the sergeant's team. The great sergeant can reinforce the weak as well as improve overall performance by weeding out those who do not subscribe to the organizational and team ethic. While an unpleasant task it is essential in nurturing and improving performance while drawing the line as to the minimum level of effort that will be tolerated.

Self-Improvement

The great sergeant will bring into focus the axiom: "attitude is everything." The great sergeant is, in short, trying to be a better person in addition to being a better police officer and first line supervisor. Imperfections exist as they do in all human beings, but the sergeant who shows signs of greatness is neither ashamed of his/her weaknesses nor willing to accept them. Thus the great sergeant is involved in self-improvement simultaneously with team improvement. Sergeants should also insist that others under their command continually improve. In the short term, subordinates may grumble over their inability to satisfy the sergeant's demands for excellence. In the end, however, they will be grateful.

Leadership

There are far too many definitions of leadership, and far too many articles on how the chief executive, general, or politician was an effective leader. Unfortunately none of them have examined or defined leadership where it really exists -- at the level of the police sergeant. The great sergeant is truly the best example for an examination of a great leader's qualities. In the trenches, when things become very sticky, it is the sergeant calling upon his/her knowledge, experience, judgment, duty, loyalty and self-discipline who leads the squad to a successful outcome. Forget the books and the unending list of the qualities of a great leaders, just look into the eyes of a competent sergeant and there you will see the determination and the confidence necessary to bring the squad out of the situation. It is a quality one cannot define, but you know it when you see it, and you will follow those eyes wherever they lead!

Loyalty

The primary loyalty of the sergeant lies with the organization. The sergeant is the most important individual within an organization with the responsibility to enforce rules, regulations, policies and procedures. Although sergeants may not agree with management on each and every pronouncement, they have no alternative but to set aside their personal thoughts and to follow orders. This is the only way effective organizations can exist. It may not be the right way each and every time, but it is not in the role of the sergeant to question management decisions after they are made.

The secondary loyalty of a sergeant is to those under their command. At times a sergeant must lead, defend, discipline, teach, direct and praise subordinates. These functions are done for the good of the organization or to stimulate a subordinate's personal growth. The functions are not performed because the sergeant is loyal to the troops, or wishes to be loved, respected and a member of the group. Great sergeants understand the necessity for this distinction between loyalty to the organization and loyalty to the men and women who serve under their supervision.

Conclusion

Much has been said about the ideal qualities of the great sergeant. Obviously there is room for discussion and debate regarding these and perhaps other qualities that were not identified in this article. I would like to make two other short observations regarding sergeants.

First, the most important yardstick by which to judge sergeants may not be how well they helped the organization reach its objectives, but how well they helped their subordinates develop into great police officers. Second, as great sergeants are identified within a law enforcement organization we must have a system of recognition and compensation that will allow the organization keep this most valuable and critical resource in place!

The National Executive Institute Associates Leadership Bulletin editor is Edward J. Tully. He served with the FBI as a Special Agent from 1962 to 1993. He is presently the Executive Director of the National Executive Institute Associates and the Major City Chiefs. You can reach him via e-mail at tullye@aol.com or by writing to 308 Altoona Drive, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401