NCJ Number
74420
Date Published
1981
Length
384 pages
Annotation
Arguing that successful police managers must possess or eventually develop the 'three C's' of commitment, conviction, and courage, this text examines each of these concepts in relation to the pratical work of police manager and suggests some future directions.
Abstract
Starting with the concept of commitment, the text presents three major theories and two situational models of leadership and outlines some prescriptions for leadership effectiveness, including an emphasis on agency goals and an interest in making the staff's work easier. An additional section discusses the origin and meaning of value systems, presents seven value indicators, and includes some value clarificaton exercises. Other sections describe the influence of motives on behavior, types of motives (e.g., achievement, affiliation), and contemporary theories of motivation, such as Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene theory and Vroom's Expectancy theory. All these theories of motivation include three orientations: content (factors that arouse or start behavior), process (choice, direction, and goal), and reinforcement (factors that increase the likelihood that a desired behavior will be started or an undesired one stopped). Six steps for motivating others are then outlined. Organizational communication improvement is discussed, as are principles of transactional analysis (TA), which is suggested as a method for stimulating group communication. A detailed description of TA covers the ego states, ego interaction, self-appraisal, life scripts, strokes and games, and suggested activities. Next, career development, self-renewal, and time management are dealt with. The discussion covers job design, personnel practices, change, organizational climate, and more. The text underscores the concept of conviction in three sections that focus on management by objectives (MBO). MBO allows agencies to set and attain goals, evaluate an employee's performance during a particular time period, and organize police personnel in ways that will help them be function more effectively. The concept of courage is developed in sections on how to control the stress of management and how to control oneself and others. This last section outlines a method for dealing with complaints against police and setting up standards for internal control, investigation, and discipline. Finally, a section on future directions presents five strategies for coping with change, including the Delphi technique which has proven useful as a tool for both predicting and shaping the future. Figures, tabular data, and notes are provided for each chapter. Chapters begin with an outline and executive summary of their contents.