Headless Horseman Leadership
Marines die in combat. Sadly, that is not an unusual result of protecting “the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Law enforcement professionals die in the line of duty “protecting and serving” the citizens of their various communities.
Wars end; Marines go home. Protecting and serving the citizenry never ends. Law enforcement professionals continue to die in the line of duty.
The issue in the turbulent times of today facing Law enforcement professionals is the belief that policing is not done in a fair and equitable fashion. The people charged with their protection are killing citizens. I am clearly mastering the obvious.
To keep this short, the need for leaders to step up and lead is past due. Law enforcement leadership and the leadership of the organized movements, I use the word “organized” in a very loose fashion, are leading like headless horsemen. Someone is in the saddle, can’t tell who. The horse is at full gallop! Heading for no one knows where.
Set the example, judgment, a sense of responsibility, sound and timely decisions, working as a team, seeking responsibility and being accountable for your actions, keeping everyone informed, I could go on, but why?
The above are leadership principles. None of it is hard. It simply has to be done by those who call themselves leaders. That means everyone! If are the self-appointed leader. Maybe you were elected the leader, or just drew the short straw as the leader, regardless of what side of an issue you are on, law enforcement or organized movement, the principles apply to you.
Since the concept of the leadership principles is not molecular science, not many will want to live by them. There is nothing like the thrill of riding a horse at full speed with no idea where you’re going.