Developing the next

generation of leaders:

the Australian New

Zealand Police

Leadership Strategy

Warwick Jones Twitter: @EDAIPM

“You have failed…”

What does stand

out, however, is

how fast the

context for police

leadership is

changing and how

challenging police

leaders are finding

it to adapt.

(Neyroud, 2011)

• The age of networks

• The age of empowerment

• The age of transparency

• The age of immediacy

• The age of accountability

• The age of fluidity

• The age of glocalisation

(t’Hart, 2014)

“Some of the old chief constables would

find it very difficult to settle back in their

seats if they were to reappear…It is much

more complex, a greater responsibility”

(Reiner, 1991)

Avoiding performance vulnerabilities

at the strategic level

• Keep the traditional “heroic leader” identity in perspective

and be conscious of over playing the directive function

• mentally ‘shift gears’ and think about leadership with a

different perspective

• acquire broader skills and a more sophisticated

understanding of professional and organisational

behaviour

• ‘think institutionally’ so as to balance pursuit of short term

objectives with the maintenance of long term objectives

(Jans, Mugford, et al, 2013)

“We think that

leadership can be

learned quickly and

easily and that one

form of leadership can

be taught,

simultaneously, to

different people in

different situations - a

stretch at best.”

The End

of

Leadershi

p (Kellerman, 2012)

This requires more than traditional

classroom learning, and requires

multiple well-coordinated activities to

develop employees and the system in

which they operate (Dalakoura, 2010)

Such a development strategy must be:

• located in the realities of day to day work, not away

from them

• have less focus on ‘experts’ telling leaders what they

should do

• avoid compressed timeframes for learning, and

• focus on community and organisational learning rather

than individual outcomes

(adapted from Dixon, 1993).

Standard Teaching

Discussions

Deep Interactions

(Hansen, 2013)

Codifiable

knowledge

Tacit

knowledge

Although this can still be challenging,

and the pull of the 10% as a

traditional way to improve

organisational leadership remains

strong. That police and public safety

organisations around the world

continue to lament an absence of

suitable promotional candidates

despite spending millions of dollars

on leader development hints heavily

that this is despite the fact that the

10% has not met organisational

needs

(Herrington, forthcoming; Shafer,

2009).

Building the strategy

Learning Development Series @ AIPM

Australia New Zealand - Police

Leadership Strategy

ANZPLS Implementation

Key Principles

Selection by

jurisdictions

Individual Development Plan

Key Principles

Consistent, fair, equitable, objective and

legally defensible

Will consider potential rather than simply

performance or developmental needs

Assess “emotional competence” and

alignment with organisational values

Supported by jurisdictional performance

appraisal

Align national and jurisdictional processes

70%

20%

10%

Leader Development Series

Individual Development Plan

Placements

Assignments

Programs

Courses

Coaching

Mentoring

70% 20% 10%

Talent or high

potential program?

But what’s in the

program?

“The program exceeded expectations. It is a

courageous project, and a courageous

curriculum, in that there’s no curriculum. The

participants have to self-initiate and self-drive

how and when development occurs. It epitomises

adult learning. People need to take ownership of

their own destiny to develop”.

(Stream one participant)

“what got you here,

won’t get you there…”

Importance of

interpretive frameworks

Who are the big name

speakers?

“There was an outstanding outcome in that some didn’t

resemble the people they went in as” (PLS Stakeholder)

“I see a change in [named participant]. S/he has grown in

confidence and interacts with others with more

confidence, and there are benefits from that for the

organisation. But I don’t want to get tied up with how we

measure that... I’m impressed with the quality and

progress in [named participant] and how s/he grew out of

the program. S/he has become a better leader because of

it.” (PLS Stakeholder)

“The changes which occurred are immeasurable. For

example they [the participants] are better people, but you

can’t measure that type of progress”. (PLS stakeholder)

It will never work…

Despite concerns from some participants that the openness and

personal and professional vulnerability required to share meaningful

leadership insights would be difficult, most saw real value in this and

were surprised as how quickly groups came to trust each other and

were willing to share experiences. (Herrington, 2014)

• Demanding facilitation

• Sustaining a focus on 70%

• Networking value is remarkable

• This is not a program for everyone

• Measuring effectiveness

The first iteration of the PLS was well

regarded and valued by participants and

stakeholders, who reported

improvements in leadership as a result of

the strategy, and an overarching benefit

to their organisation and Australian and

New Zealand policing.

(Herrington, 2014)

Thank you