Focus on Leadership...“Chief: Are You Unduly Influenced by Strong Personalities?”

Making decisions and determining courses of action is truly at the heart of leadership skills. Wise executives are those who clearly understand that they do not have all the answers, and who reach out and solicit thoughts and recommendations from others whose judgment and advice they and others respect. In the final analysis, the decision belongs to the boss and the boss alone, but the overall quality of his or her decisions is most likely to be, in large part, a reflection on the quality of the input received. Among the greatest challenges is determining which person, or persons is likely to provide the soundest, most objective, and least self-‐serving advice.

There are times when the strongest and the weakest assets of some of our people is the same thing, the strength of their personalities. Our profession yields some pretty strong people with some pretty strong personalities, and there are times when strong beliefs can translate into statements and behaviors that have the potential to overwhelm less vigorous input. We have all observed situations where the blowtorch recommendations of a strong-‐willed person, especially when dealing with a new or inexperienced boss, can result in decisions that are driven more by the strength of the input than by the merits of the issue.

Hopefully, the issues discussed in this article will be helpful to an executive who may experience this troublesome reality – something most of us at one time or another have also fallen prey to – and to the best interests of the agencies for whom we are privileged to be associated with.

The Key Issue

Chief, recognize the likelihood that you will, at least occasionally, be unduly influenced by the strength of another person’s personality, and potentially form opinions or take actions that are based more on how something was presented as opposed to the merits of the issue.

I am not suggesting that people who attempt to prevail with respect to their thoughts and recommendations are bad people. To the contrary, others persons, especially subordinate supervisors and managers have the responsibility to give the boss the benefit of their best judgment, and most often base their input on good and honorable intentions. The problem arises when the boss is unduly influenced by the strength of the presenter’s personality.

Creating an Inclusive Mindset

The wise executive is one who clearly understands that he or she does not have all the answers, who realizes that the quality of actions are likely to be positively influenced by the quality input of others, and the tremendous organizational value in creating an inclusive mindset where the thoughts and ideas of others in the organization are not only welcome, but actually solicited. While a truly inclusive mindset can make life a bit more complicated for the boss because of the volume of information that may come forward, that complication is far outweighed by the likelihood that their ultimate actions and decisions will be better actions and decisions because more thought and reflections were involved, and because those affected by the outcome were able to provide input.

Learning to evaluate input from all sources, sifting through that input, applying appropriate weight, determining the applicability of the information, recognizing self-‐serving considerations, and coming to appropriate decisions is among the most critical of leadership skills.

Truth be known, most of the wisdom possessed by tenured executives in this area is a reflection of some education and a considerable amount of scar tissue and practical experience.

Maintaining a Support Environment for Innovative and Creative Thoughts

Smart leaders usually have a few quotes that characterize their values and styles. A couple of pretty good quotes – assuming they are used sincerely – are worthy of mention: “The only bad idea is the one not offered,” and, “I truly want folks who have the courage to think outside the box.” This inclusive mindset typically creates a mindset that casts a wide net for input and ideas, and necessitates a boss who practices what he or she preaches in terms of being an active listener, but who also has to be able to diplomatically reject some of that input without putting a damper on the inclusive environment.

First Impressions Are Seldom Accurate

Simply stated, experience shows that first impressions are rarely accurate. Recognizing this reality is essential for executives, especially for a person who is stepping into a new organization with unfamiliar personalities. Every one of us would like the opportunity to mold a new boss in a way that is consistent with our ideas and vision for the organization, and that is exactly what occurs every time there is a change of command. However, it must be recognized that the face of an organization, based on the traits and skills of the personnel, almost always looks much different two or three months after arrival, as opposed to initial impressions when the new boss first comes onboard. Because of this reality, just about every thought and recommendation conveyed to the new boss must be graciously acknowledged with no commitments. A true organizational nightmare can exist, for which there is sometimes no recovery, when a new boss is unduly influenced by the wrong person, resulting in troublesome decisions and courses of action. The wise executive will recognize that it may take several months before truly understanding the organization and the personalities involved.

The Realities of Patronizing Behavior

Recognizing the difference between a subordinate who is appropriately trying to be responsive to the boss or who is more of a sycophant can be difficult, because the distinction can be a pretty fine line, and is often a combination of the two actions. Most of us can recognize when someone is “sucking up” to another person, but we don’t always recognize it when we are the targets of the troublesome behavior. This is a tough issue and something that necessitates degrees of wisdom and insight more commonly found in senior leaders. This issue is among the critical topics that should be on the agenda of those who coach and mentor new command personnel.

Avoiding Being Influenced By Self-Serving Interests

It is important to keep the perception antennas in the air for recommendations that “just happen” to personally benefit the person or persons who made the recommendation! This is not always or automatically a bad thing, such as a narcotics expert who recommends the creation of a narcotics unit, etc. However, it is unfortunately not uncommon for recommendations to be based more on how the implementation will benefit a certain person or persons more than the organization as a whole. Those of us who have been on promotional lists have always been in favor of organizational expansion! See what I mean?

People Who Want to “Get in the Last Word”

Don’t be the type of person who is sometimes unduly influenced by the person who got in the last word! Our organizations are full of people (and most of us have been suspects!) who will linger after a staff meeting to provide elaboration on our perspective. Remind you of anyone you know?

Seek Multiple Input and Opinions

Putting too much confidence in the opinion of one person, or a small group of like-‐minded individuals, can be a big mistake and should be avoided. Healthy dissent is your friend and is in the best interest of your organization. Limited input increases the likelihood of decisions and assessments that are based on limited or inaccurate information. Limited input, especially if it comes from a single strong-‐will individual, can be especially inappropriate in dealing with personnel issues, and can result in the demonization of an employee based on personal idiosyncrasies, personality conflicts, different preferred styles, or what might otherwise be seen as a legitimate difference of opinion. This can also be a big problem in community outreach when a single officer has a conflict with a citizen, and then demonizes that citizen to others in the chain of command.

Educating Your People

This is key. From the first day you arrive, and throughout your entire tenure, make it abundantly clear that you are someone who is influenced by the quality of the information you receive, and not by the strength or personality of the person making the recommendation. If you are “turned off” by certain behaviors, such as a subordinate who waves hands in the air and pounds on the table, make that clear. Educate your people on how best to influence you, and any actions that may detract from their credibility.

Consider Forming a “Kitchen Cabinet”

The synergy of a group of solid people, where the result of the effort exceeds the number of people in a group when solid conference leadership is exercised, is the best of all worlds. Four solid people, when the discussion is led in a professional way, can yield the brainpower of twice that many people, and significantly increase the likelihood of improved actions and decision-‐making. Conference leadership skills are essential for the leader to personally exercise, and to develop in subordinate supervisors and managers. Two heads are better than one, but only if done in a professional manner.

Conclusion

Chief, there you have it. The cards are on the table. There is no shortage of strong-‐willed personnel who will unduly influence you if given the opportunity. These are usually not bad people with evil intentions, but most often just the type of well-‐intended strong personalities that are part of our wonderful profession. It is you that must determine develop and exercise the skills to hopefully ensure that you are primarily influenced by the merits of an issue and not the personality or behavior of the people providing the input.

“Chief: Are You Unduly Influenced by Strong Personalities?” FBI-LEEDA INSIGHTER, January 2015

Focus on Leadership...“Chief: Are You Unduly Influenced by Strong Personalities?”﻿