This article is part of an ongoing series on leadership development for new law enforcement leaders. Each article addresses a specific area of leadership competency offering learning points, strategies and tips. Click here to access the entire Leadership Development Series.
“Grit may matter more than talent.” — Angela Duckworth
Because you chose a career in law enforcement, you likely show grit every day without thinking about it. Grit is a necessary character trait for success for police officers, especially leaders. Grit leads to getting things done and inspiring teammates to do the same.
What is grit?
Gritty leaders clarify what needs to be done and why it needs to be done. With a sense of purpose, they stay focused and determined, particularly under stressful conditions. They expect challenges and adversity and view them as opportunities for learning and improvement. They are flexible and adjust to change. Gritty leaders also exemplify competence, which leads their teammates to trust them and want to follow them. [1] This facilitates leaders’ ability to build team and organizational cultures defined by grit.
Grit is pursuing goals — especially long-term goals — with purpose, passion and perseverance. [2] It is a never-give-up attitude. It is rising to the occasion, regardless of your ability. Everyone is born with grit, naturally curious and determined to explore new things; however, we are usually cautioned by parents and caregivers to curb that enthusiasm. As we mature, we are encouraged to explore activities like sports, music, dance and hobbies to develop our interests and proficiency in something to make us more well-rounded. These experiences usually reawaken our natural tendency to show grit.
Officers who have shown grit
Zach Anaya decided to apply to become a police officer at the age of 29. He had been a good athlete in high school and community college; he was a bit out of shape now and realized that becoming a police officer would mean meeting demanding physical requirements. Two months shy of his 30th birthday, Zach enrolled in a six-month police academy program. His performance in most of his training was good, but getting through the physical training proved challenging, especially considering that most of his classmates were younger and in better physical condition. He was frequently singled out by his instructors and teased by his academy classmates. Zach persevered, and it paid off. He improved consistently, met all the physical standards for the course, and gained the support and respect of his peers and instructors. Zach showed grit.
Officer David Johnson worked several years in a tough neighborhood where he believed local youth could benefit from leadership and activities designed to gain their trust for police officers and sharpen their focus on being good citizens. David did not live in the neighborhood, and he was not of the same ethnicity as most of its residents. He met with community leaders to gain their support for the program he wanted to implement; they were skeptical at first, but David persuaded them to give him a chance. He also received permission from his department to pilot the program for one year on an experimental basis, being reminded that he would need to provide monthly reports on what he was doing and how it was being received by the community. David worked diligently to provide appropriate activities for the children, meeting resistance from some participants, parents and outsiders who resented his being there. He even received threatening comments from people hanging around the center when he arrived to offer the program. After the first year, David had built a satisfactory level of trust and acceptance from community members. He earned the opportunity to continue his program for another year. David showed grit.
Officer Mark Pinelli saw a car parked along a freeway exit; he stopped to investigate, asking if the occupants needed help. The driver and passenger said they were okay and just taking a break before driving to their destination. While walking back toward his police car, Officer Pinelli suddenly felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. Stunned and bleeding excessively, Mark observed one of the occupants of the car he just left jump into Mark’s patrol car and drive off at high speed. Mark radioed that he had been injured and gave the direction the driver of his car was heading. That driver was captured shortly. After receiving mandatory medical and psychological attention and time off, Officer Pinelli enthusiastically returned to duty. He showed grit.
How you can show grit as a leader
You can take steps to show your grit by first clarifying your values to yourself and others, then by pursuing your role with clear purpose, obvious passion and relentless perseverance.
Clarify your values
Every leader has values that shape their decision-making and behavior. Values determine how you conduct yourself in your role in law enforcement and as a leader. By clarifying your values in your own mind, you can then share them with others through your actions and help them become successful. Police Chief Jack Halsey conducts courses for his department’s academy. One of his introductory practices is to clarify two of his values: marital fidelity and professional leadership. Immediately, cadets form their ideas about his character. You might do something similar by stating your expectations of your teammates; you might tell them you value open and honest communication, performing their jobs at the highest level and doing what’s best for the team and the department.
Define your purpose
Each time you take on a new assignment, you need to have a vision of the outcome of your efforts. You also need to know why you are pursuing that outcome. If you ask and are told “because I said so,” you need to dig deeper to find out how the purpose matches your values. For example, you may have just left a job where you saw your purpose as helping the company maximize profits. You may see the purpose of your job in law enforcement as protecting and saving the lives of others. This may give you a personal reason to pursue your assigned goal with grit. An ancillary purpose of every leader should be to lead by example and make your teammates the best version of who they can be. This will heighten your passion for your work.
Demonstrate your passion
To be inspirational to others, you need to show optimism, enthusiasm and positivity. You should be relentless in your pursuit of excellence. You should be committed to your success, your team’s success and your department’s success. For example, you may be one who strives for perfection, so you write incident reports with passion and a goal that they will not need to be rewritten. If you are a trainer in the academy, you might have a passion for creativity in your lessons and how you deliver them. You should work tirelessly with a can-do attitude. You should always be humble, demonstrate empathy and believe in your teammates. Your passion will be contagious.
Persevere through setbacks
Never give up. Once you begin a project, you must continue until you have resolved the situation. Having defined your purpose and approached your assignment with passion, you need to expect challenges. If you experience failure, see it as an opportunity to try something different. If you receive criticism, turn it into motivation. [3] Regard others’ perspectives as useful and food for thought. Dave Johnson stood up to the criticism and hesitation from community members when he proposed his training program for young people. Embrace change as inevitable and an opportunity to modify your perspective. [4] Stick with it.
References
1. Stull TJ. (2009). Trust in Police Officer-Sergeant Relationships. Professional Issues in Criminal Justice, 4 (2), 59-70.
2. Duckworth A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. New York: Scribner.
3. Polson S. (2020). The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
4. De Sena J, Pence L. (2021). 10 Rules for Resilience: Mental Toughness for Families. New York: Harper-Collins.
Training discussion points
- How do you demonstrate grit in situations where motivation fades?
- How does your team know what you value without you saying it?
- Which part of grit — purpose, passion or perseverance — is strongest for you, and which needs development?
- When was the last time your grit directly influenced an outcome on your shift, and what did your team learn from watching you push through?
Tactical takeaway
When something goes sideways today — a bad call, criticism or a mistake — pause, reset and try one different tactic instead of backing off. That micro-pivot is grit in practice.
