New TraditionsNew Traditionsin Public Safetyin Public Safety

Is change possible Is change possible in our culture?in our culture?

What’s this <Donkey> up to now?What’s this <Donkey> up to now?

A Different PerspectiveA Different Perspective

Lets get started…Lets get started…

Whose Symposium is Whose Symposium is this?this?

Traditions/CultureTraditions/Culture

Why do we do what we do?Why do we do what we do? What is your job about?What is your job about? What traditions exist in our job?What traditions exist in our job?

What is your culture?What is your culture?

On Traditions…On Traditions…

How do you recognize or find an “old” How do you recognize or find an “old” tradition?tradition?

They are in the “That’s The Way We’ve They are in the “That’s The Way We’ve Always Done It” BookAlways Done It” Book

Assessing your Assessing your Culture…Culture…

In Public Safety, “we are brothers of In Public Safety, “we are brothers of different mothers” and “sisters of different mothers” and “sisters of different misters…”different misters…”

What pronouns do we use?What pronouns do we use? Are we passionate about our work?Are we passionate about our work? Are we passionate about our Are we passionate about our

jobs?jobs?

On Public Safety On Public Safety Passion…Passion…

How do we show our passion?How do we show our passion?

Passion…Passion…

Simple Organizational TestSimple Organizational Test

When discussing a perceived When discussing a perceived issue, is it about “provement” issue, is it about “provement”

or “improvement”?or “improvement”?

……on Public Safety on Public Safety LeadershipLeadership

Our Public Safety Team Finding…Our Public Safety Team Finding…

Status and Ego“Us vs. Them”

Low Standards Policy Driven

AmbiguityNever at Fault

Artificial Harmony Talk About Others

Invulnerability “Never Wrong”

The

Five

D

ysfu

nction

s of

a

Team

- L

enci

oni

Leadership Construct Leadership Construct #1#1

Leadership/Management Leadership/Management does not know what they does not know what they want until YOU tell them…want until YOU tell them…

Leadership Leadership Construct #2Construct #2

““Staff gets the Staff gets the Leadership they Leadership they

ask for or ask for or deserve…”deserve…”

Leadership Leadership Construct #3Construct #3

““You get what you You get what you give…give…

If you don’t like what If you don’t like what you’re getting, you you’re getting, you better change what better change what

you’re giving.you’re giving.””

WCEC Core ValueWCEC Core Value

Humor Me…

““Old” TraditionsOld” Traditions

Our Newest TraditionOur Newest Tradition

Passion Without Passion Without NegativityNegativity

WCEC Way…Back to BasicsWCEC Way…Back to Basics

Proactive / Positive (Shift away from Proactive / Positive (Shift away from Negativity)Negativity)

Solution FocusedSolution Focused– It isn’t about “provement” anymore…It isn’t about “provement” anymore…– We are the stewards of our attitudeWe are the stewards of our attitude

Mission OrientedMission Oriented Education Based Interactions – Focused on Education Based Interactions – Focused on

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Leadership Team Meetings every 3 weeks – Leadership Team Meetings every 3 weeks –

25% what we do and 75% how we get it done25% what we do and 75% how we get it done

On the Education Based On the Education Based StructureStructure

Knowledge is the only instrument <of production> that is not subject to diminishing returns.Knowledge is the only instrument <of production> that is not subject to diminishing returns.

J.M. ClarkJ.M. Clark

The only things that evolve by themselves in an organization are disorder, friction, and malperformance. The only things that evolve by themselves in an organization are disorder, friction, and malperformance.

Peter DruckerPeter Drucker

Are you making sense? Are you making sense?

A “Simplified” Description of a Missile Guidance System…

Policy Specific DisciplinePolicy Specific Discipline

Policy Enforcement is ChallengingPolicy Enforcement is Challenging Consistency is a ConcernConsistency is a Concern Correction Occurs in One Area…Problems Appear in Other AreasCorrection Occurs in One Area…Problems Appear in Other Areas Comparatives to Other Employees’ Performance Always Create “Noise”Comparatives to Other Employees’ Performance Always Create “Noise”

Education Based ModelEducation Based Model

33.3% or One Third Test33.3% or One Third Test– Pole Top 1/3 of Staff at Various LevelsPole Top 1/3 of Staff at Various Levels– Compare to Actions of Party in QuestionCompare to Actions of Party in Question– Document the FindingsDocument the Findings

Same Actions = Education Issue for Same Actions = Education Issue for Entire TeamEntire Team

Different Actions = Opportunity to Different Actions = Opportunity to Remediate the IndividualRemediate the Individual

Education Based ModelEducation Based Model

Discipline – What definition is applied?Discipline – What definition is applied? Education is best done as a positive vs. Education is best done as a positive vs.

a negative (initially)a negative (initially) It is far easier to document education It is far easier to document education

than it is to document disciplinethan it is to document discipline In many cases, we give the employee In many cases, we give the employee

an eraser…an eraser…

EMB Core Value EMB Core Value ConceptsConcepts

It is not the event / occurrence that It is not the event / occurrence that matters, but how the party matters, but how the party

responds to education / responds to education / redirection!redirection!

(Think about Construct #3)(Think about Construct #3)

Provide the Opportunities and Provide the Opportunities and Tools…Tools…

Headline TestHeadline Testa.k.a. the “…your Honor” testa.k.a. the “…your Honor” test

““5 Cardinal Sins” of 5 Cardinal Sins” of WCECWCEC

Dereliction of DutiesDereliction of Duties DishonestyDishonesty Destruction of Property / Injury to Destruction of Property / Injury to

OthersOthers Wanton Irresponsibility (including Wanton Irresponsibility (including

Customer Service Issues)Customer Service Issues) Failure to Remediate

Three Page Employee Three Page Employee ManualManual

Page 1 – “Do Your Job”Page 1 – “Do Your Job”

Page 2 – “Be a Reasonable Adult”Page 2 – “Be a Reasonable Adult”

Page 3 – “When in Doubt, Refer to Pages 1 & 2”Page 3 – “When in Doubt, Refer to Pages 1 & 2”

Closing Thought #1Closing Thought #1Change is InevitableChange is Inevitable

““Facts are stubborn Facts are stubborn things;things;

and whatever may be our and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, the dictates of our passion,

they cannot alter the they cannot alter the

state of facts and evidence.”state of facts and evidence.”

Closing Thought #2Closing Thought #2

Closing Thought #3 – Closing Thought #3 – O’Shaughnessy’s CorollaryO’Shaughnessy’s Corollary

New Traditions in Public SafetyNew Traditions in Public Safety

Questions?Questions?

New Traditions in Public SafetyNew Traditions in Public Safety

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

Scott Parker, Deputy DirectorScott Parker, Deputy DirectorWilliamson County Emergency Williamson County Emergency

CommunicationsCommunicationssparker@wilco.org

(512) 744-3260(512) 744-3260