By Captain Ray Bailey Ramsey (N.J.) Police Department
and Chief Karen Sullivan (ret.)
Have you ever taken a leadership or supervision class only to forget the majority of lessons learned? Or listened intently in the back of the classroom, taken notes on a leadership process only to return to duty and find “work” getting in the way of implementing the new possibilities. According to Amazon.com there are 63,531 books with ‘leadership’ in the title, there’s a lot of information out there. What if you could get that reinforcement on a weekly basis to keep you fresh — someone that would hold you accountable for practicing that new leadership skill just learned?
Now take that next step and dream of the possible outcomes and the rewards you would reap from such a relationship, and could assist you in finding that confidence that you know you can have? What if this newly formed relationship was confidential? Sounds like a home run right. Well close there are a new group of professionals that are willing meet with officers weekly to make sure that officers learn, practice and fully utilize their knowledge, skills and abilities. This group of individuals is certified professional “coaches.”
There are many different types of coaches — executive, leadership, career, transition, and life just to name a few. Just as there are many types of coaches there are also many definitions describing coaching. The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as follows:
“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
Simply put, coaches are force multipliers, assisting people to achieve more together than the person could have done alone.
Who Can Benefit from Coaching?
Winston Churchill said, “Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.” Anyone wishing to unlock their fullest potential can benefit from using a certified coach. Officers in transition are ideal candidates for coaching — transition takes place more often that one would think. Transitions begin with entering the academy and keeps going through the end of the career and beyond — many retired officers are entering into coaching relationships.
These days, officers find themselves having to decide (even sooner than they’d planned) if retirement is the best option. That sudden change can cause some to feel the very normal stressors that any major life event can cause. Officers suddenly caught off guard in that transition can benefit greatly from a coach specializing in transition coaching. Another type of transition that officers find themselves is something known as the critical shift. The time when an officer goes from one rank to another.
For example, one day the officer is assigned to a squad as a patrol officer, the next day after the promotion ceremony the officer is the Sergeant in charge of the squad. It’s challenging when officers find that their old friends are now their direct reports. Just as important, new or enhanced skills will be needed in order to accomplish their new roles. This can be especially intense for new executive officers, the number two person in the agency. Unlike a Chief of Police, the Captain or Lieutenant has very limited support systems. Coaching is that confidential support system, from coaches who have “been there.” The second-in-command most likely doesn’t belong to the State or County Chiefs of Police Association. They lack the sounding boards that the Chiefs enjoy at the regular Chief’s meetings. The second-in-command no longer fits in the rank-and-file as he or she executes the Chief’s agenda. A coach with command level experience is the ideal person to act as that sounding board, allowing the second-in-command a safe place to express concerns and address blocks that may be keeping them from achieving their full personal potential. Finally, according to the Harvard Business Review the main focus on hiring a coach by organizations is to fully develop “high potentials.”
These are the people seen as being the future leadership of the organization.
The Coaching Process
The first step in the coaching process is to select a coach that fits with the officer. . Individuals are hiring coaches to optimize personal and professional functioning, as well as to identify the elements necessary to creating more satisfying lifestyles and careers for themselves. There must be a sense of synergy between the two or the relationship will not work. Once a fit has been established, a professional coaching relationship needs to be established.
As outlined in the ICF Code of Ethics, a professional coaching relationship exists when a business agreement or contract that defines the responsibilities of each party is established. That agreement must clearly establish time frames, method of meetings, fees, and contract extensions. The next step in the coaching process is the initial meeting. Often the coach will have the client complete a questionnaire or an assessment. A coach may utilize a 360 assessment to see the client’s strengths and weaknesses as seen from multiple levels in the organization. The initial meeting allows the coach and the client to establish goals, desired outcomes and a plan of action.
After the initial meeting, coaching is based on the plan of action agreed upon by all parties. Meetings can take place in person or over the phone, lasting from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the agenda. In the beginning of the coaching relationship meeting tend to be weekly, some coaches and clients meet less often as issues are addressed and resolved.
The Benefits of Coaching
Imagine back to the day you graduated the police academy. Remember that sense of pride, that sense of being sharp, and fully dedicated to your chosen profession — the best job on the planet — police work. Coaching can help bring you back to that place of excitement about the job. Coaches can help officers in transition by bringing out options that the officer didn’t know existed. Coaching can help officers realize their maximum potential by creating safe environments for officers to explore possibilities. Coaches can help identify any blocks in an officer’s behavior that may be keeping them back from their desired outcomes.
The benefits of coaching in the private sector are well documented. Here is a list of some of the most often cited benefits:
• Develop or improve leadership skills
• Improving individual or team performance
• Clarifying goals, vision development, and establishing action plans
• Unbiased, confidential support to make decisions in a safe environment.
• Being held accountable for achieving desired outcomes.
• Career transition, going from rank to rank
• Prepare for Promotional Process
• Become a better communicator
• Balancing home and work
• Time management
• Improving marriage and family life
• Stress management
• Health Enhancement
• Improving emotional intelligence
Coaching is standard practice in the private sector and increasingly being used in the field of education. The reason is simple — it works. Research has shown that there is a clear return on investment, it’s a good investment long term, it’s a great investment right now. People respond positively to coaching for many different reasons. One powerful reason people respond is that a coach will see the full potential of a person even if that person doesn’t see their full potential. The coach acts as a guide keeping the person on track, even when the person wants to wonder. The coach knows when to celebrate and when to stand firm for the client’s sake.
In all walks of life, people are considering coaching. They see the value on a cutting edge modality that offers new possibilities for success. They’re realizing that it makes the most sense to have the assistance of someone who is non judgmental, a good listener, masterful at thinking outside the box, to help them make their lives more enriched and enjoyable. A results oriented professional can get powerful, measurable, and what feels like miraculous results that last.
As your coaches, we will help and encourage you to build on existing strengths and to crystallize your career objectives and vision and outline the action steps. The coaching process emphasizes self-empowerment and healthy balance in one’s personal and professional life. Most people can recall a favorite sports coach from their past. Think about how that coach was firm, but fair, taught the skills, held you accountable and then let you compete at your highest levels. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a coach again?
Chief (Ret.) Karen Sullivan comes with just over 25 years of Police Experience. Karen retired from Interlaken Borough after serving in Chatham Borough as a Police Captain. Karen earned a Masters Degree in Human Resources Training and Development from Seton Hall University, Summa cum Laude. Karen’s is looking forward to bringing coaching to Law Enforcement officers as she completes her Master Life Coaching Certification and Energy Leadership Practitioner certification. Karen’s company Coaching For an Edge LLC is created to provide the most cutting edge, cut-to-the-chase professional coaching for her clients that gives them the tools they need to achieve their personal and professional goals. Karen’s goal is your goal: change what you want to change, live your life with purpose and passion in ways well beyond what you have ever imagined and enjoy yourself in a way you never believed possible. You’ll be inspired and motivated to do things you might normally not even believe you are capable of doing. Karen can be reached at KAS53246@gmail.com.
Ray Bailey has been in law enforcement since 1982, starting as a Security Specialist in the USAF. He is currently a Captain with the Ramsey Police Department. He is a Certified Professional Coach, a Certified Public Manager, and is a Certified Eligible Law Enforcement Executive by the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police. Ray earned his Master’s Degree in Education from Seton Hall University. In 2006, he attended the FBI National Academy (Session 226). He is the founder of the Bergen Leadership Group and is dedicated to assisting all members of law enforcement in achieving the fullest potential. He can be reached at bergenleadership@gmail.com.
About the Authors
