Criminal Justice -- Revised, 2Nd.

Criminal Justice -- REVISED, 2nd. Leadership Principles as Applied to Criminal Justice "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things; he is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things." -- Ronald Regan (cited in New Word City, 2010). Ronald Reagan was called "The Great Communicator" because of his ability to speak to people and engage them with plain talk, heart and, sometimes, humor. Reagan was ever the optimist, gentle and folksy at times and tough when he needed to be.

His leadership principles would serve one well when working in the criminal justice system. Develop and clearly enunciate a bold vision (New Word City, 2010). Criminal justice is policy-driven. The main goal is to ensure the safety and security of everyone from staff to prisoners. A strong leader will thoroughly understand policies and the tools they provide to support the goal. He will have a clear idea of what is necessary to achieve goals and leave no ambiguity in defining them for the people around him. 2.

Keep your sunny side up (New Word City, 2010). It can be difficult to remain optimistic when working in the criminal justice system. The work can be challenging and dangerous; sometimes people can feel discouraged that nothing ever seems to change. A strong leader will have an optimistic attitude and be able to focus on the positives in any situation. It does not mean that his expectations are foolishly unrealistic or that he ignores problems and hopes that somehow they will magically resolve themselves.

It does mean that he will not allow himself or his people to become mired in negativity. He should recognize the positives and help his people focus on them, not in a way that allows people to rest on achievements but as they motivate people to continue working toward the pursuit of goals. Success can beget further success. 3. Show a pleasing personality (New Word City, 2010). A career in criminal justice can be stressful.

A good leader will set an example for everyone by projecting a calm, positive demeanor that also projects strength. Humor, when appropriate, can help put people at ease. A leader can show strength without diminishing others. There is no reason to make people fearful of their leader and leave them wondering what to expect from one moment to the next. People can focus on the mission if they do not have to worry about their leader's moods and reactions. The work can be challenging and the atmosphere can be tense.

A leader with a pleasing personality can offset these negative aspects of the job. 4. Know your strengths and limitations (New Word City, 2010). A wise leader recognizes personal strengths and capitalizes on them. Even the best leader has flaws; he will explore ways to overcome them as they apply to the workplace. He will recognize that there are personal limits that play a role in what and how much can be accomplished.

He will try to achieve balance in his life so that the work does not become all-consuming and then ultimately lead to burn out and frustration. 5. Delegate but don't detach (New Word City, 2010). It is impossible to manage every aspect of a facility or a program. A leader must delegate, but in so doing, he must remain focused on the goals and the actions of each person who contributes to them. A good leader must avoid placing himself in the position of being unaware of what is happening around him.

He must delegate in a way that supports a culture of collaboration and mutual dedication towards achieving goals, without ever seeming as though he is "passing the buck." 6. Build a narrative (New Word City, 2010). Challenging staff to "be the best we can be" is meaningless. There is no clear direction. Building a narrative means creating picture with words and perhaps telling a story to which people can relate. A well-told story captures people's attention and help them understand, and retain, the meaning of the message. 7.

Never underestimate the power of language (New Word City, 2010). It is important to choose one's words carefully to convey exactly what is meant. Less is more. People lose the message when the speaker rambles or tells too many stories. A good leader is articulate, using language to express himself intelligently without ever talking down to people. 8. Learn from failure and mistakes -- and move on (New Word City, 2010). A wise leader reflects on failure and uses it to inform future decisions. Mistakes happen.

The task of a good leader is to determine why mistakes occurred in.