Association of State Correctional Administrators New Director’s Training Program June 10, 2011 Charlotte, North Carolina Chris Epps, Commissioner Mississippi Department of Corrections “ Managing the Internal Environment ”

2 Agenda Purpose of this session. Assessing the internal environment and identification of aspects needing change. Dynamics of the Internal Environment Explore how your appointment has affected the agency. Know your agency’s history and culture. Building support for your agenda with key sectors of the workforce. Are your policies and procedures up to date? Staff development/safety and prisoner rehabilitation. How do you formally and informally communicate with staff?

3 “Managing the Internal Environment” Purpose: This section will stress the importance of quickly identifying the aspects of your agency that must be assessed if you are to be successful.

4 Assessing the Internal Environment and Identification of Aspects Needing Change. How do you do this? Through our employees – our #1 asset. Getting out and being seen by staff. Manage by walking around. Through our budget. Cost per inmate per day. Percentage of total state dollars that goes to your budget. Through your recidivism rate. EducationSubstance AbusePre-Release Re-entryMentors and Family Relationships “Managing the Internal Environment”

5 Dynamics of the Internal Environment Mission - the organization’s continuing purpose or reason for being. Each management level should operate with a clear understanding of the agency’s mission. In fact, each organizational unit should clearly understand objectives that coincide with that mission. Policies - A predetermined guide established to provide direction in decision making. Culture - The system of shared values, beliefs, and habits within an organization that interacts with the formal structure to produce behavioral norms. Management Style of Upper Managers - The way in which the attitudes and preferences of one’s superiors affect how a job is done. This situation deserves special emphasis because of the problems that can result if the managerial style of upper-level managers differs from that of lower-level managers. Employees - Employees differ in many ways including their capabilities, attitudes, personal goals, and personalities. As a result, behavior that a manager finds effective with one worker may not be effective with another. Informal Organization - the set of evolving relationships and patterns of human interaction within an organization that are not officially prescribed. Other Units of the Organization - Managers must be keenly aware of interrelationships that exist among divisions or departments and should use such relationships to their best advantage.

6 “Managing the Internal Environment” Explore How Your Appointment has Affected the Agency. Managing the change in agency leadership is a critical first task for the newly appointed director. Staff anxiety may have increased as a result of the change, and a strategic approach to the issue may be required. YOU are in charge. “YOU are it.” YOU are responsible for everything in your agency. Ultimately, the buck stops with YOU.

7 “Managing the Internal Environment” Know Your Agency’s History and Culture. Literature Human Resources Research Did you grow up in the agency?

8 “Managing the Internal Environment” Building Support for Your Agenda with Key Section of the Workforce Executive Staff Staff two ranks down from you (depending on your organization chart)

9 Are Your Policies and Procedures Up to Date? Blind leading the blind Poor accountability or no accountability May be violating laws, court orders, or decrees, etc. Practice vs. Policy American Correctional Association Accreditation “Managing the Internal Environment”

10 “Managing the Internal Environment” 15 Agencies Have Received the Eagle Award from ACA New York State Department of Correctional Services Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Massachusetts Department of Corrections Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections Florida Department of Corrections Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Tennessee Department of Corrections New Mexico Corrections Department Arkansas Department of Community Corrections Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Federal Bureau of Prisons Ohio Department of Youth Services Arkansas Department of Correction Mississippi Department of Corrections Colorado Department of Corrections

11 “Managing the Internal Environment” Staff Development/Safety and Prison Rehabilitation The only constant is change. We must train, train and continue to train our staff. Safety is paramount to success. Searches, gathering intelligence, drug testing of staff and inmates. Programs/Work Opportunities/Vocational Trade/Support Systems.

12 “Managing the Internal Environment” How Do You Formally and Informally Communicate With Staff? PoliciesProceduresDirectivesNewsletters Employee Recognition Ceremonies Electronic Mail Private line Staff Meetings Muster

13 “Managing the Internal Environment” QUESTIONS

14 "It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt