I cleared out my garage recently and re-discovered ‘Strengths Based Leadership’ by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie.
I last read it whilst still serving as a DI. I recognised I didn’t have all the answers on police promotion. Building up a collection books to provide insight and inspiration, I enjoyed learning and this was one of them. It’s a habit I’ve continued through my coaching.
Although I was supposed to be clearing space in the garage, I picked up the book and opened the cover. Even over a decade later, that’s all it took to inspire me to record a podcast about it.
I hope you enjoy Season 6 Episode 24 of the NUMBER 1 police promotion and leadership podcast. This book might just change the entire direction of your CPD…
Every Leader is a Reader…
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” – Harry S. Truman
I have far too many books, if such a thing is possible! Since starting Rank Success, I’ve always encouraged reading as a key part of CPD for police promotion candidates. It’s why I originally set up my ‘All Leaders Read’ series on YouTube a while back.
This particular one is all about leading with your strengths, through the strengths of others, and understanding the specific needs of followers. All of this is what I’ve encouraged aspiring promotion candidates to include in effective preparation ahead of promotion opportunities.
“…enabled me to take a step back from the CVF and appreciate my own strengths. Especially how I clearly provided the support and motivation to those officers who worked within my teams.” – James, passed Sergeant board
Since I originally purchased the book, strengths assessments have featured among the postcode lottery of police promotion selection processes used by forces. This included fast-paced boards focused around understanding your strengths.
That’s why in the podcast, I also wanted to include some aspects of strengths based interviews (SBIs) and strengths based questions. Imagine the first question on your promotion board being:
“How will achieving this rank play to your strengths?”
Strengths Based Leadership
Much advice on leadership still rests on a persistent myth that the best leaders are well-rounded people who steadily close every gap in their skillset. In particular, the focus is on spending most effort reducing weaknesses.
In Strengths Based Leadership, the authors convincingly argue the opposite.
Alluding to bespoke Gallup research including 20,000+ interviews with leaders, studies of a million+ work teams and a focused survey of 10,000+ followers, they conclude exceptional leaders don’t try to be excellent at everything. They know their own strengths, invest in them and deliberately build teams that supply what they lack.
The findings are organised around three key patterns which repeatedly occurred, when Gallup examined leaders people actually chose to follow.
They also identified four domains of leadership strength. Whilst no single leader needs to dominate all four, they found that what matters is the team, taken together, covers them. Gallup’s data also suggested, when a manager focuses on a person’s strengths, the odds of that individual being engaged rise sharply. When strengths are ignored, engagement collapses.
With that in mind:
- “What are your strengths?”
- “How would you maximise your team’s strengths?”
- “As a newly promoted leader, what do you believe your team need from you?”
Listen for more in this podcast as I map these findings with the latest Competency and Values Framework (CVF) and overlay a strengths perspective, to support your thinking and approach ahead of any promotion opportunity.
Applied to Sergeant, Inspector, and Chief Inspector…
At the Sergeant level, the test is whether you can lead a team, not whether you are the best practitioner on it. You can use the book to show you know your strengths and have stopped trying to do every role yourself.
“Steve, three weeks ago… I was up against the clock, in a very specialised role with limited time to prepare for my board. To be honest I’d left it very late to prepare… I purchased the interview success guide. I honestly believe it made the difference… after sitting my board 5 days ago I was told I was successful. Thank you for putting such a detailed and informative package together. It enabled me to identify my strengths and weaknesses, act upon them and showed me how to make my evidence fit to prepare detailed top scoring answers. Thank you for providing this and helping me pass my Sgts board.” – Alex
For the Inspector rank, you are assessed on more than one team. The book’s keys are insightful here because expectations include you looking at the mix of strengths across Sergeants, teams or units.
Your aim is recognising gaps and doing something about it. Whether that’s pairing, coaching, or changing who leads a piece of work links for example. This will “support and inspire” (development of others, removing barriers) and be “innovative and open-minded” (changing the plan to get a better result).
“…allowed me to really dig in to the nuts and bolts of the role of the Inspector. It helped me elevate my thinking to the level of the next rank… took the strategic stress out of the process and allowed me to concentrate on me and my values.” – Steve, Passed Inspector Board (first time!)
Expectations at Chief Inspector include managing and shaping how several teams work, not just your own. The book’s research on well-rounded teams and why people follow offers insight and perspective that begins to look toward culture.
Showing you use data and feedback, you maintain standards, and recognise trust and compassion are performance issues, link supportively with CVF criteria. For example, analyse critically, support and inspire, emotionally aware, and public service.
“Hi Steve, just found out I passed my Chief Inspector board, so very pleased to say the least. 10 passed from 34 at board stage. I’ve now passed Sgt, Insp and Chief Inspector first time, but I could not have done any of it without your help… It didn’t just help for promotion it has helped me improve overall. Thanks again.” – Paul
While not policing specific, the book offers a practical lens for considering evidence that promotion boards are already looking for and want to hear. Listen in to this latest premium podcast for more food for thought and reflection.
For complete, structured support on your promotion process, whatever it entails, my rank-specific toolkits give you the best preparation in the shortest possible time. Podcast subscribers get an exclusive discount. And if you have any questions or concerns, simply give me a call for 30 mins completely free coaching and support.
Kind Regards, Steve
Want a massive boost to your police promotion ambitions? Want to focus on what works and what matters? My structured PC to Sergeant and my two-ranks-in-one Sergeant to Inspector / Chief Inspectoroffer the best value and focus your prep on what truly matters, suitable for UK promotion processes. Any questions? Get in touch for a free 30 minute discovery call for to your specific force process. Tune in to my extensive podcast for regular powerful leadership CPD and promotion insights.