Re: 911:: Promotion Process

[Guest guest]

Just My thoughts on the promotion....

1: : " Backstabbinng " will not be an issue, if you are selected and do the job

properly they will take a few quick cheap shots if they are really bad but the

majority will rally fairly quickly.

2:To prepare, study any and all manuals or regulation books available, past

that there is no true study guide available for leadership. You either will or

won't be what the panel looks for, the main rule is be yourself or they will

see right through you and that is a negative.

3:Caution being good at what you do will not make you a good supervisor and

can more than likely make you a bad one. By that I mean not everyone may

posess your skill level and that is ok as long as they have an acceptable level

of

performance ( Perfectionists don't condone what they view as less than perfect

people). It is then your job as the supervisor to provide them the tools and

training for them to improve, don't go in expecting it to happen though,

chances are they don't want it from some of your description. So you have to

raise

the bar evenly and slowly to get them to excel, with time and patience it can

happen through you.

4:As for the process who knows what to expect, my experience dept's vary

extensively. For example we offer up a promotion school where we give up to 5

bonus points to an applicant based on test scores. They get 3 longevity points

and 100 points from a written test that is based out of a study guide we have

built. This is not all but a part of the score, panels are difficult and next

to impossible to prepare for. I have sat on and chaired them for years now and

know of no better advise than listed above.

Again, just some of my thoughts

P46

OK DPS COMM

[Guest guest]

My department posts the position and receives letters of interest. Then

interviews are conducted and a scoring process is utilized to determine the

" best "

candidate. The panel makes a recommendation to the sheriff who has ultimate

discretionary over-ride, but rarely excercises it. That part of your question

was easy to answer!

What makes a good supervisor? Patience, consistency, respect, desire,

experience, maturity, and honesty to name a few qualities.

Many questions spring to mind with your particular situation, but one is

critical. Will you be a figurehead supervisor who is only a person to whom the

brass can look to for a scapegoat, or will you be a fully functional supervisor

with the ability to evaluate and discipline your staff? From the sounds of it

your center has a few liabilities in the form of immature employees who will

likely stop at nothing to make your job impossible if you do not have the

clout and the backing of upper management in dealing with them. The two that

you

mentioned who will not speak to each other in the course of their duties for

whatever reason should be advised they have exactly 60 seconds to come to a

decision... do they want to continue to work there or should they continue

their bickering at the Taco Bell?

Your situation is a complicated one and there are many unanswered questions

on this side. However, if you have the earnest desire to make your center a

better and safer place for everyone.. GO FOR IT!

Boomer

Oakland County Sheriff's Office Central Dispatch, Michigan

Afternoon Shift Supervisor/CTO Coordinator

" First do no harm "

[Guest guest]

There are many ways to prepare for the Interview. In preparing for this

Interview I would recommend you be sure the job is going to suit or be a

good fit for you. One comment I saw I agree with totally:

>What makes a good supervisor? Patience, consistency, respect, desire,

>experience, maturity, and honesty to name a few qualities.

As a Supervisor you will have to put aside any differences you might

have with those you supervise. You have to be able to rise above those

and concentrate on the job. When I refer to differences I mean personal

differences that are not based on job performance. One of the hardest

transitions you will make, if selected, is this transition. You will

more than likely be supervising people you had built friendships with.

In a professional environment this is not uncommon but it can lead to

difficulties as well, especially when disciplinary actions come about.

Additional thoughts on Leadership and Good Supervisors:

Don't be a Micro-Manager. - Micro-Managers

are afraid to delegate. This prevents them from developing subordinates

for future leadership roles.

Understand how to Properly Delegate - Delegating the responsibility

for doing something must by it's very nature include delegating the

individual the authority to do

what is necessary to complete the task. In most cases this will be

dealing with surveys or information gathering or even

filling in on during your vacation. (Second most common mistake of

Supervisors, delegating responsibility without delegating

the authority to act)

Know Yourself and Your Limitations - Know your own

capabilities and Weaknesses. If you don't know yourself then you can

never know and understand your

subordinates and their limitations and capabilities. You have to be

able to identify what your weaknesses are, report writing,

grammar usage, etc.., in order to know how to supplement those

weaknesses. Sometimes that will require you to draw or

use the abilities of others around you. Don't be afraid of that, use

it.

Know your people -

Knowing your peoples strengths and weaknesses will help you in properly

delegating task to them and helping them improve

themselves.

Don't be afraid of Mistakes - Your

going to make them, so are your people. Don't be afraid to let yourself

make a mistake or the people you supervise.

Make sure you don't repeat the mistake by learning from it and use the

mistakes your people make to teach them what not

to do, not 'brow beat' them about it. Your only human and so are your

subordinates. If your afraid of mistakes your tendency

will be to become a micro-manager.

Don't be afraid of change - Just

because something has been done one way for decades doesn't meant there

isn't a better way of doing it. Be aware

that change often leads to resistance to change. Don't be afraid of

this or the resistance to it, Learn to Manage it. Evaluate

how best to make the change. In most cases, making small changes that

lead up to the change you want is better than

making a massive change all at once.

These are just a few more areas you will have to deal with as a

Leader/Supervisor. I could go on for sometime but I think you'll get

the point.

Good Luck,

<<These are My Personal Opinions and in No way indicate the thoughts or

beliefs of my Department and should not be considered as such.>>

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