Managing generational differences in law enforcement organizations

MANAGING GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES 1 MANAGING GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES 5

Managing Generational Differences in Criminal Justice Student Name Institution

Introduction: Generational Differences Values, worldviews, social norms, and communication styles change with each generation. Generational differences are inevitable, and even welcome in the criminal justice organization because the more age-diverse the workforce, the better equipped it will be to respond to shifting public opinion and public expectations about the role and function of law enforcement. A multi-generational workforce is especially helpful in policing, which involves the maintenance of long-term relationships with the community. However, generational differences can prove challenging for some managers in law enforcement. To overcome these challenges, transformational leaders in law enforcement can create learning organizations that plan for and are responsive to change. Management, Organization, and Leadership Management Versus Leadership Most managers in law enforcement use supervisory styles that are appropriate to persons from their own generation, and may not be as receptive to the needs of either older or younger personnel. Misunderstandings, biases, and outright prejudices can lead to a breakdown in communication and diminish the capacity of law enforcement agencies to protect and serve their communities. For example, Elridge (2012) stereotypes millennials as being “high maintenance,” and interested in “training the trainer,” which bothers police managers from older generations (p. 1). Dispelling stereotypes and negative assumptions about different generations helps law enforcement managers create a more harmonious workplace environment that promotes the values and missions of the police department. The Baby Boomer generation and its predilection toward, and familiarity with, a hierarchical and top-down management style is no longer relevant for the majority of the police force that will be comprised of Generation X and Y (Neal, 2014, p. 2). Leaders in law enforcement understand the importance of adapting as new generations emerge in law enforcement. Unlike managers, leaders are not necessarily in official supervisory positions but do have informal powers that can help transform organizational culture. Leaders who educate themselves about generational differences and who respectfully understand the “different patterns of behavior, belief systems, and workplace expectations” of other generations can best promote the goals of law enforcement (Langham, n.d., p. 1). Strong leaders understand the importance of learning organizations, police departments that anticipate challenges and take proactive steps towards planned change. The Need for Learning Organizations Current police departments are in dire need of structural and cultural change. The current law enforcement organizational structure was “shaped upon the beliefs and values of the Baby Boomer generation,” which may no longer be relevant for the younger generations (Penko, 2010, p. 3). To become a learning organization, a police department needs actively engaged transformational leaders willing to maximize the potential of multi-generational diversity in law enforcement. Rather than demean the Millennials for lacking respect for authority, as Elridge (2012) does, effective law enforcement leaders recognize the strengths of each generation. For instance, Langham (n.d.) notes that Millennials are “team oriented, intelligent, cooperative, technology driven, and interdependent,” (p. 1). Neal (2014) likewise notes that Millennials are both “confident” and “independent.” All of these Millennial traits are ones that the effective law enforcement leader can leverage to promote the public safety goals of the organization. Rather than expect an entire generation of police officers to conform to outmoded structures and cultures, practical leaders respond to generational differences with planned, strategic organizational change. As McCafferty (2003) points out, “Law enforcement agencies must become a learning organization in which individuals become active participants in expanding their knowledge in an atmosphere in which people discuss and explore concepts,” (p. 87). Learning organizations plan for more proactive policing methods, and boast organizational cultures and structures that are responsible and responsive. Leading Multiple Generations Effectively Research has been increasingly revealing the need to develop inter-generational approaches to leadership that carefully uproot the practices and structures that no longer work in policing, and replacing those with new visions from Generations X and Y. Specifically, analysts are predicting “ the hierarchical management styles of the Boomers will go by the wayside and morph into a more collaborative decision-making model,” (Penko, 2010, p. 5). Leaders of learning organizations will plan strategically for changing the models of management in their police departments. Leadership styles need to reflect the mission, vision, and values of the law enforcement agency. The law enforcement organization of the future is going to be more responsive to the needs of both officers and members of the community. Officers from Generation X and Y expect different things from their workplace environment, their human resources policies, and especially from their supervisors. A collaborative decision-making style that empowers each person to contribute critical thought will help promote values of fairness and accountability. Likewise, human resources practices that facilitate healthy life-work balances will encourage more quality police officers to remain on the force. Law enforcement leadership can help uproot problems like corruption and the blue wall of silence by taking to heart what Generations X and Y envision as the ideal learning organization of the future.