Yesterday morning, I went out for my typical run before the blazing Arizona sun made it unbearable. After a year or so of consistent running, I have finally gotten to the point that I can actually think while I’m running hard. So, when I veered off my regular route to break routine, I ran by a church that I normally would never see and noticed a sign similar to the one pictured above. That sign definitely got me thinking throughout the rest of my run and even into the next morning which is why I am writing this.

The sign is placed directly in front of the main doors of the sanctuary. It is at the head of the closest parking stall in a rather large parking lot. This parking spot was even closer to the church entrance than 5 handicapped stalls. By the way, the pastor lives in the house directly behind the sanctuary…

Please do not think this blog is a bash on religion, any specific religious organization, or religious leaders. This could have been in front of any number of organizations, including a police department. The one I saw just happened to be in front of a church.

For the rest of my run, I could not help but to ponder all of the small words and/or actions that have big messages. We, as law enforcement leaders, must be cautious of even the smallest words and actions we say or do. In the moment, we may not recognize the perception and meaning granted to them by others.

• Do we take the newest car in the fleet or do we have the oldest?
• Do we hold doors open for people or expect them to open them for us?
• Do we go to others to interact or expect them to come to us?
• Do we train with our officers or do we have our own “special” training?
• Do we expect others to put their phones down when we speak, but don’t do the same for them?
• Do we park in the closest spot to the front doors or leave it open for others?

I challenge every leader that reads this blog to slow down their thinking and explore what small words or actions may be sending big messages to those around you. As easy as it is to assume these messages are all negative, understand that doing the opposite of the things listed above are small things that can have a significant positive impact on those around you.

The mission at Thin Blue Line of Leadership is to inspire law enforcement supervisors to be the best leaders they can be by providing positive leadership and culture development tactics. Positive leadership and creating a positive squad culture are on-going commitments that must be nurtured and developed over time.

Thin Blue Line of Leadership is here to help. Continue reading our Twitter feed and check out our other blogs for tactics on creating positive culture. Share your thoughts or comments on this blog below or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter at @tbl_leadership.

Continue saving the world one call at a time and as always, LEAD ON!