1. New Traditions in Public Safety Is change possible in our culture?

2. What’s this up to now?

3. A Different Perspective

4. Lets get started… Whose Symposium is this?

5. Traditions/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?

6. On Traditions… How do you recognize or find an “old” tradition? They are in the “That’s The Way We’ve Always Done It” Book

7. Assessing your Culture… In Public Safety, “we are brothers of different mothers” and “sisters of 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 jobs? Are we passionate about our jobs?

8. On Public Safety Passion… How do we show our passion?

9. Passion… Simple Organizational Test When discussing a perceived issue, is it about “provement” or “improvement”?

10. …on Public Safety Leadership

11. Our Public Safety Team Finding… Status and Ego “Us vs. Them” Low Standards Policy Driven Ambiguity Never at Fault Artificial Harmony Talk About Others Invulnerability “Never Wrong” The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Lencioni

12. Leadership Construct #1 Leadership/Management does not know what they want until YOU tell them…

13. Leadership Construct #2 “Staff gets the Leadership they ask for or deserve…”

14. Leadership Construct #3 “You get what you give… If you don’t like what you’re getting, you better change what you’re giving.”

15. WCEC Core Value Humor Me… Humor Me…

16. “Old” Traditions

17. Our Newest Tradition Passion Without Negativity

18. WCEC Way…Back to Basics Proactive / Positive (Shift away from Negativity) Proactive / Positive (Shift away from Negativity) Solution Focused Solution Focused –It isn’t about “provement” anymore… –We are the stewards of our attitude Mission Oriented Mission Oriented Education Based Interactions – Focused on Professional Development Education Based Interactions – Focused on Professional Development Leadership Team Meetings every 3 weeks – 25% what we do and 75% how we get it done Leadership Team Meetings every 3 weeks – 25% what we do and 75% how we get it done

19. On the Education Based Structure Knowledge is the only instrument that is not subject to diminishing returns. J.M. Clark The only things that evolve by themselves in an organization are disorder, friction, and malperformance. Peter Drucker

20. Are you making sense? A “Simplified” Description of a Missile Guidance System…

21. Policy Specific Discipline Policy Enforcement is Challenging Policy Enforcement is Challenging Consistency is a Concern Consistency is a Concern Correction Occurs in One Area…Problems Appear in Other Areas Correction 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”

22. Education Based Model 33.3% or One Third Test 33.3% or One Third Test –Pole Top 1/3 of Staff at Various Levels –Compare to Actions of Party in Question –Document the Findings Same Actions = Education Issue for Entire Team Same Actions = Education Issue for Entire Team Different Actions = Opportunity to Remediate the Individual Different Actions = Opportunity to Remediate the Individual

23. Education Based Model Discipline – What definition is applied? Discipline – What definition is applied? Education is best done as a positive vs. a negative (initially) Education is best done as a positive vs. a negative (initially) It is far easier to document education than it is to document discipline It is far easier to document education than it is to document discipline In many cases, we give the employee an eraser… In many cases, we give the employee an eraser…

24. EMB Core Value Concepts It is not the event / occurrence that matters, but how the party responds to education / redirection! (Think about Construct #3) Provide the Opportunities and Tools…

25. Headline Test a.k.a. the “…your Honor” test

26. “5 Cardinal Sins” of WCEC Dereliction of Duties Dereliction of Duties Dishonesty Dishonesty Destruction of Property / Injury to Others Destruction of Property / Injury to Others Wanton Irresponsibility (including Customer Service Issues) Wanton Irresponsibility (including Customer Service Issues) Failure to Remediate

27. Three Page Employee Manual 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”

28. Closing Thought #1 Change is Inevitable

29. “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” Closing Thought #2

30. Closing Thought #3 – O’Shaughnessy’s Corollary

31. New Traditions in Public Safety Questions?

32. Thank you for your attention! Scott Parker, Deputy Director Williamson County Emergency Communications sparker@wilco.org (512) 744-3260