Gordon Graham
Category: Public Safety

Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today’s tip is for everyone in public safety and it focuses on investing in your people.  

Can you imagine it if everyone at your agency invested in the success of others? 

We spend money on salaries and benefits, but this is not what I am talking about. Sure, money is one of the things that motivate them to keep coming to work. It supports their families and allows them to pay the mortgage. But the real investment I am talking about is not the money. 

You’ve got to talk about training, mentoring, coaching, developing, and supporting your people. It’s these kinds of things that really keep your people motivated to come to work. When they feel that someone is genuinely interested in their success, they are more willing to try their best to do well, to be an effective employee, and to contribute to the mission of your organization.  

When I say investing in your people, I mean spending time trying to understand them, their values, and their personal and professional goals. Then help them get there. Can you imagine it if everyone at your agency invested in the success of others? What would the profession as a whole look like if everyone had this attitude? 

I’m not just talking to supervisors and administrators. I’m also talking to line level people who welcome and train new employees. We all have a stake in our people. We want to make sure our coworkers are effective. Our lives may depend on them. You can be a leader from any position in your organization, even if you guide just one person at a time. 

Now, this is an investment we should all be making. 

That’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Gordon Graham, signing off.