Leadership & Management

Motivating Those You Manage

“People are simple, complex, and multifaceted.”  Dr. Michael Beshears

This holds true to a great degree concerning motivating people in the workforce. Everyone is different and yet the same in many ways. Often authors of management textbooks make this clear in their discussion of the many theories related to motivation and what studies have shown that seems to be important to individuals in the workplace. However, often authors of managerial textbooks fail to apply the human touch to the application of these techniques and theories. READ MORE

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Strategic Planning For Re-engineering Quality in an Organization

Re-engineering to a quality manager is another way of saying optimal efficiency. Reengineering is a managerial quality process in itself that seeks to maximize resources (especially human resources) by integrating several
processes into one. Still, from a line-worker (stakeholder), prospective reengineering may be disfavored as it does lead to change, sometimes minor and at other times drastic. READ MORE

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Leadership: How to Formulate and Run an Ad Hoc Team

Dr. Michael L. Beshears

Often most make an assumption that everyone knows how to formulate and run a team. This is why I have chosen to take this opportunity to concentrate on what some may feel is basic, but my experience is that forming a team is something that is rarely done effectively. READ MORE

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Public Safety Leadership: Be Cautious of Extreme Narcissists

Dr. Michael L. Beshears

Narcissism is the part of an individual’s personality that seeks attention and approval. It is the aspect within people that causes them to brag and seek to be the center of attention from time to time. Everyone exhibits some degree of narcissism. However, extreme narcissists are the ones who seem to constantly brag and constantly need to be the center of attention. READ MORE

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Public Safety Leadership: What it Takes to be a Top-Notch Manager/Leader

Dr. Michael Beshears

Being an effective manager is critical in all professions, but it is especially important for those working in the various fields associated with public safety. Police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel require people who have the tools and skills to be top-notch managers and leaders. What does it take to be a leader in public safety? READ MORE

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Policing Organizations: Narcissism and Internal/External Officer Precipitated Conflict 

Dr. Michael L. Beshears & Dr. Mark Bond

While police officers commonly undergo a pre-employment psychological examination, these screenings do not currently measure tendencies for narcissism.  In addition, there is very little research concerning narcissism in police officers. What should concern leaders is that extreme narcissism prevents people from positive interactions with leaders, peers, and the public. However, narcissists will generally seek professions that allow them to interact with people from a position of authority or superiority, where they have an advantage over people.  Considering that policing affords people with narcissist tendencies such a position, leaders in policing organizations must be cognizant of and discourage this type of behavior in the best interest of their departments and the communities they serve.  Leaders, managers, and especially those working in public safety fields need to be empathetic and caring individuals; they need to show empathy towards the public they serve as well as to the subordinates they lead. These are important personality traits needed to build high-quality community relationships that narcissistic tendencies, if not addressed, will undermine and destroy. READ MORE