The 3 Cs of Ethical Leadership
Unfortunately, all supervisors or managers are
not leaders. A good cop is genuinely a leader
to the community they serve. But everyone in a
position of authority is not really a leader. A
well rounded leader possesses the 3 Cs:
character, charisma, and compassion. These are
the core foundation of ethical leadership.
Character
Character starts with setting an example of
good morals and values. Leaders with good
character ascribe to the principles with their
oath of office, support their department’s
mission statement, and communicate their vision
frequently. There is no substitute for
character. With that in mind, nobody is
perfect. Only time and a pattern of excellence
will build evidence of one’s true character and
integrity. Your character is your personality’s
fingerprint. Just as you can burn your fingers
and permanently alter your fingerprint, you can
do the same for your character. You are either
ethical or your not. There is no middle ground.
“Day by Day, what you chose, what you think,
and what you do is who you become. Your
integrity is your destiny…”
-Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher
To be a good leader, you must be ethical all
the time. Ethics is the foundation of our
profession and leaders must display their
integrity like a badge of honor. Dichotomy
exists between leaders and appointed authority
who guide under a ‘do as I say, not as I
do’ philosophy. That style of
management is not leadership but is
hypocritical and will be seen as a character
flaw by colleagues and line officers.
Charisma
Charisma has also been referred to and defined
as Referent Power. That power is based
upon the attractiveness or the appeal of one
person to another. This appealing power is
usually admired because of the leader’s
charismatic ability to inspire. Referent
Power is most recognized among the
successful supervisors of police departments
and the military. Most officers and soldiers
prefer the leader who possesses charisma.
General Eisenhower, Billy Bratton, and Michael
Jordan are examples of influential leaders with
charismatic attributes.
“I care more about being a leader than being
liked, especially when I see someone with
ability who isn't trying his hardest."
-Michael Jordan
“I never saw a pessimistic general win a
battle.”
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Compassion
Compassion is a part of every law
enforcement officer’s job. I am referring to
the type of genuine compassion patrol officers
display while they handle crime victims, or the
way they independently respond to medical calls
just to try and help. Supervisors, by virtue of
their administrative duties, tend to lose sight
of compassion for their officers. They are the
backbone of every department. A good leader
balances discipline and concern. Getting to
know your officers, finding out why they may be
having difficulty, and offering assistance
reassures officers and builds their confidence
in you. You were an officer first, then a
supervisor. It is important not to lose sight
of what difficulties you experienced and
guiding officers compassionately, when
appropriate, instead of directing them
constantly. Lend your ear, open your heart, and
the presence of your altruistic leadership will
surround your staff.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sergeant David Ferrante has been a police
officer for 18 years. He is now a supervisor
and holds the rank of sergeant with the Parma
Police Department (Ohio). David Ferrante wears
multiple hats. He is the Field Training
Sergeant responsible for overseeing the
training and evaluating of rookie officers. He
is also the Lead Advisor for a youth group of
police explorers. David Ferrante attended the
University of Akron originally as an English
major but graduated from there with a Criminal
Justice degree. After he was promoted to
sergeant, he graduated from Malone University,
a Christian college in Canton, Ohio, with a
Bachelor of Arts degree. There he honed his
passion, expressive writing. David is an
optimist and tries to live every day by the
Golden Rule.
David Ferrante is a writer and editor for the
PPD PRESS, a police newsletter. His freelance
writing has been published on PoliceOne, Galls,
and the Akron Beacon Journal. David Ferrante is
the author of Police Ethics is Not an
Oxymoron. His second book, To
Protect and Abuse, is nearly completed
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