The biggest obstacle that I have faced within my generation is the ability to be myself and allow others to be themselves without the perception or scrutiny of how people should be. This lovely and fascinating world we live in together is much bigger than we think as we allow ourselves to be hypnotized by the news media or social media. As I use the term hypnotized loosely in this sense because it is bound to draw some feedback.

If we take a look as the generations that have come along in this world and especially those that are preparing to enter the workforce. We can find a massive amount of differences in them all as we should. The older generation is not used to the changes and openness that this newer generation brings with it. That does not mean everyone is not welcome, it just means you have to earn your spot at the table. Rapid turnover might indicate that employees do not feel welcomed (Connelly, 2005). Well that is not very friendly or even the attributes of a leader as we place so much emphasis on approval from others. I read an article published by The Journal of Property Management through the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) titled “Mining the Strength of Difference” in the company’s January/February 2020 edition written by Jasmyn Sylvester who is 2020 Chair of the IREM board. This article spoke volumes to the mere aspect of everyone being welcomed while highlighting how terminology such as diversity, equity, and inclusion are not interchangeable even though some people believe they are. Is that not the exact place our nation is in right now?

As this is where the divide comes in for me as there should be no such thing as earning a place at the table when whatever organization employees you decided to for a purpose, should invite you in willingly if the requirements and qualifications are met. Yes, I understand there are those who believe that things should be earned and not just given to people, but how many things have they been given to some, which they did not earn rightfully. A new job produces stress, uncertainty, and often inadequate communication (Petelle & Jorgensen, 1993). So is it a double-standard or just a pure lack of understanding from the point of view of leadership. When everyone is welcome the horizon seems much brighter as the room becomes filled with ideas big and small, personalities that will clash while potentially providing breakthroughs, thus allowing people to perform at their best while taking ownership of their work.

As the leader, you should welcome that mantra “Everyone Is Welcome” with open arms to your team meetings, briefings, or any function where someone within your circle can benefit other than yourself. Stop protecting your own throne or sacred path to success that will get you into the position you want and start helping others reach their full potential!

Reference:

Connelly, L. M. (2005). Welcoming new employees. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 37(2), 163-164. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2005.00029.x

Petelle, J.L., & Jorgensen, J.D. (1993). The health care supervisor and the early communication patterns of newcomers: The uncertainty of assimilation. Health Care Supervisor, 11(4), 15-29. https://europepmc.org/article/med/10125782

As you have hopefully read the About section of this blog and learned a little bit more about me. Allow me to further introduce myself. I am from Jasper, TX which is about two hours northeast of Houston, TX and four hours southeast of Dallas, TX. Growing up in the rural areas was not ideally a dream of mine but as life happens one must adapt and overcome. Originally, I was born in Dallas and attended Charles Rice as we lived in the Oakcliff which is in south Dallas. From there my single mother moved me to Jasper to begin life that was not as dangerous and hectic as it was in Dallas.

As a proud graduate of Jasper High School (Bulldogs) the bonds and connections that I have formed with lifelong friends has carried me through numerous adverse situations along with my optimism. Sports along with a good disciplinarian in my mother are what kept me on the right path and focused. From there the desire to become an engineer was strong although not a math wizard by any means the desire was still prevalent. As the adult life became more apparent so did the realization that engineering was going to be very difficult which would result in failure. That scared me and the thought alone forced me to remain in Jasper to focus on obtaining transferable college credits.

From that point I decided to work for the local hardware store Lowe’s along with Giglio Distribution Company which was a merchandiser of Miller Lite, Coors Lite, and various other alcoholic beverages. As one day while working I saw a Jasper Police Officer whom I knew and asked could I do a ride-along as my optimism took over me. He agreed and I met the Chief of Police at that time which was Todd Hunter. Beliefs and expectations can significantly shape life experiences and outcomes (Dardick & Tuckwiller, 2019). As my ride-along progressed over months I decided that law enforcement was the calling upon my life and it was to serve my community and show other kids growing up that local people can make a difference. One of the strongest opportunities we have to make a difference in the environment is through the way in which we think (Chadwick, 2019). I graduated the academy and tested for a Patrolman position at Jasper PD. I made the top three and luckily for me the second guy decided to select another department opening the door for me and rest is history.

I have been with Jasper Police Department my entire law enforcement career thankfully and have had the opportunity to work with great people and learn things beyond my wildest dreams. Obviously as time progressed so have my responsibilities and leadership and the dynamics it provides sparked my interest to pursue higher education to make myself competitive in the market of police leadership. The pursuit of higher levels of training via the FBI National Academy or the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration are objectives tied to the ultimate goal.

Which is to someday become a Chief of Police whether here at my current department or another department and build a new culture that goes well into the future and meshes well with the community. Everything I have done within the past 10 or so years has been a building block to something greater that I cannot even begin to explain. Dardick and Tuckwiller (2019) explained the need to improve our understanding of how individuals’ levels of optimism (dispositional, expectancy and explanatory elements) relate to our mindset. I am optimistic about the future and what it holds and therefore this blog will allow me to show that I am open to opportunities beyond my control.

References:

Chadwick, M. (2019). A Reflection on Harnessing Learned Optimism, Resilience and Team Growth Behaviour in Order to Support Student Groups. Student Success, 10(3), 104–111. https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.v10i3.1410

Dardick, W. R., & Tuckwiller, E. D. (2019). Optimism Shapes Mindset: Understanding the Association of Optimism and Pessimism. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 8(2), 21–56. https://doi.org/10.32674/jise.v0i0.1244