Law and Order

JUL 2013

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POLICE EQUIPMENT NEWS FLEET MANAGEMENT SENIOR MANAGEMENT ADVERTISER INDEX PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Hersey-Blanchard Leadership Model A situational leadership model applied to police officer field training. The Hollywood version of the grizzled veteran beat cop riding with a fresh-out-of-the wrapper rookie as his new trainee is well established. It may still even be true in some cases. But the vast majority of police departments are seeing a shift in their recruiting demographics that demands a more heuristic approach to feld training. Older applicants are likely to be more educated and more mature. These kinds of people applying to become police offcers, these "rookies," require a different approach by their training offcers during feld training to optimize their acquisition as ready offcers into the force. Whatever your department feld training program looks like, you can apply the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership II (SL II) Model to match experienced Field Training Offcers (FTOs) to trainees based upon their competence and willingness. According to an article by Purdue University professor Ron Goodnight, "You Are Responsible For Your Own Destiny," the situational leadership model initially developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard and later expanded as the Situational Leadership II model by Blanchard, is a valid educational model designed using their principles. A situational approach is used based upon the amount of control and direction (Directive Behavior) needed by the FTO compared to the amount of encouragement and support (Supportive Behavior) needed. The needs vary depending upon the specifc quadrant in which the majority of the trainees lay. This is determined by their course content knowledge and skills (competence) or task maturity. Their commitment or confdence level is also a factor in determining readiness for assuming responsibility in directing their own learning experiences. By Kevin Smith phase during the beginning of most training courses and is also common when new course content is introduced. Selling, Coaching, Advising: Quadrant S-2 requires more supportive behavior on behalf of the FTO. The trainees are now more self directive, but they still lack suffcient competency or task maturity to fully function independently. The instructor's role is more of selling, advising and coaching. Most decisions are still largely the responsibility of the instructor who thoroughly explains them and provides for ample clarifcation. This is primarily a dialogue stage, initiated by the FTO, to assure more competence and understanding by the students. This is where the trainee has their "Why?" questions answered. Supporting, Participating, Consulting: The third quadrant, S-3, is a much more involved situation. Here the trainees are more competent and mature so they assume the majority of the responsibility in conducting their own tasks, learning and decisions. The FTO functions as a resource, facilitates discussions, as needed, and shares ideas. Normally, the trainees are required to present their decisions and actions to the FTO and Quadrant Actions Telling, Directing, Instructing, Training: In quadrant S-l the trainees are generally insecure and lack competence even though they are usually highly committed. The FTO's role is that of teaching or training requisite knowledge and skills. This is the foundation-laying situation where the instructor educates the students, imparts specifc knowledge, and provides close supervision and direction in projects. It can be summed up as "read a step, do a step, eat a banana." This is the usual 61 LAW and ORDER I July 2013 A situational approach is based on the amount of control and direction needed by the FTO compared to the amount of encouragement and support needed.

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