Work it from the inside out…

Why should anyone be led by you?

This is a question posed in a great book focusing on what it takes to be an authentic leader by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones. It is a tough question, but it is an important question to be able to answer if you want to get anywhere with your promotion aspirations.

The exercise of leadership is always contextual and as an individual you must firstly want to become a leader and strive for a higher calling. In aspiring to a formal leadership position (e.g. Sergeant or Inspector) you will need to discover what it is about you that you can mobilise in a leadership context. So what does it mean to work from the inside out?

Every single person and organisation on earth knows what they do. Some know how they do it but very few people or organisations know why they do what they do. This observation from Simon Sinek in the brilliant video below looks to one’s core purpose and beliefs, all important elements requiring careful thought and consideration for would-be leaders.

I would recommend you take 18 minutes of your life to learn a simple yet practical model to apply to your leadership and what you do. Here is an overview of the model in the context of police promotion and leadership…

Why seek promotion?

Why is it important to you?
It may be helpful to think about why you joined the service in the first place and what difference you were wanting to make

How successful can you be and how to go about it?

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity
How are you going to effectively prepare for your paper sift or promotion board to ensure you get that lucky break?
Do you think these people were just lucky? Learn from others experience
Save effort and headaches by getting it right first time

What can you do now?

What are you waiting for? Make that first step
Start preparing. Submit your application. Gather your evidence
Get assistance and advice from colleagues and leaders you admire
Get a kick start by attending a bespoke promotion success workshop

Here’s the video…

So go ahead and give yourself that competitive edge. Your fellow officers aspiring for promotion may well be as qualified as you, but working from the inside out, taking an innovative approach to preparation and planning ahead of opportunity – may just make the difference!

(Further reading: Why should anyone be led by you? Goffee & Jones Harvard Business School Press 2015)