CHAPTER 10: THE POLICE LEADER AS A COUNSELOR Flashcards
THE POLICE LEADER AS A COUNSELOR
Employee counseling is one way in which the supervisor works to
ease the extra ________ placed on his people by the strains of work demands or personal crises. By sharing the benefits of his life experi-ence, training, and fact-based opinions, the leader helps his employ-ees attempt their own solution to a vexing problem.
burdens
THE POLICE LEADER AS A COUNSELOR
In the borderline situation in which the employee is not sure if he really wants to bring his problem to anyone’s attention, the accessibility and reputation of the supervisor can make all the difference in whether or not the prob-lem is brought to light. An aloof, __________, and seemingly uncaring boss is not likely to be asked for help or guidance.
uninterested
THE POLICE LEADER AS A COUNSELOR
Before the supervisor can help his people through counseling, he
must first recognize the existence of a ______________. There are some recognizable signs, symptoms, and other factors that can help the supervisor do this.
developing problems
IDENTIFYING PERSONAL PROBLEMS
Peer pressure is extremely ________ in the world of the working cop, and the plainly unhappy officer may be troubled by whether or not his peers think he is tough enough, or brave enough, or smart enough in a given incident.
influential
IDENTIFYING PERSONAL PROBLEMS
__________ or ______ changes are perhaps even more important
than physical appearance as indicators of problems inside. The always jovial employee who is suddenly the quietest guy on the watch may have a big problem.
Personality or mood
IDENTIFYING PERSONAL PROBLEMS
Again, the supervisor’s early recognition of a problem and his _______ to it are critical.
reaction
IDENTIFYING PERSONAL PROBLEMS
Any gross change in an employee’s work ___________ or attitude should serve as an indication that all is not well.
performance
IDENTIFYING PERSONAL PROBLEMS:
How should one get involved in this problem solving? The well-meaning supervisor intent upon helping will need to _______ a few crisis intervention skills.
develop
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
_________ the existence of a problem is the first step towards resolving it.
Detecting
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
Determining the _______ of the problem should be the next logical step towards a solution.
nature
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
The supervisor’s most reliable ally in this effort is a direct and ________ approach to the troubled employee.
forthright
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
The supervisor must never portray himself as interested only in fixing the _________ caused by the employee’s difficulties.
disruption
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
While it is desirable that the employee concede that a problem does exist, and then assist in a mutual effort of further defining it, this is not mandatory in order for _______ to commence. Recognizing man’s defense mechanisms for the powerful forces that they are, the wise police supervisor will realize that he can-not always expect an employee to agree on the identity of a problem or even acknowledge its existence.
intervention
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
He cites the _________ establishing the existence of the problem, expresses a sincere desire to help, and then communicates a clear indication of the changes that he expects to see occur.
evidence
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
First of all, it is vital for the supervisor to remember that an overly ________ approach can create communication difficulties at the outset. Physical barriers seem to create equally real obstacles to communication.
formal
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
The ________ supervisor maintains eye contact with the speaker as
much as is comfortable for them both and avoids facial expressions or body language displaying disbelief, disapproval, or shock. The idea is to keep the employee talking until he or she feels more at ease. Even when the speaker appears done it is oftentimes a good idea to remain silent for a bit in case the employee is searching for thoughts or words and intends to resume speaking shortly. Listening cannot and must not be rushed.
attentive
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
This is no time for “garbage bagging”—the process of dredging up all __________ and alleged wrongs from day one. While it is extremely important to let the employee continue once he starts talk-ing, it is no less vital to bring him gently back to the subject if he wan-ders too far afield.
past grievances
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
It must be remembered that, to the owner of the current problem, no one else’s difficulty has ever been _______ or more important. The problem is very big to him, and he expects his listen-er to regard it accordingly.
greater
PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES
The supervisor/counselor recalls and utilizes what he learned as a
fair and effective _________: one does not criticize or attack an individual; one criticizes, in a constructive manner, that individual’s behavior or actions.
disciplinarian
SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE
First, the police supervisor must be able to recognize when his own
efforts require some professional backup. _________ is one such problem mandating skillful, outside help.
Alcoholism
SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE
When the supervisor/counselor recognizes that a problem is so
deeply seated, so long-standing, or so self-destructive as to demand immediate, highly skilled _________, he undertakes another of his truly difficult roles: the job of showing his employee the wisdom of seeking additional aid. This task may not be easy, particularly if the employee has trouble accepting the reality of there being a problem in the first place.
intervention
SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE
As in so many of his tasks, the police leader has responsibilities to
the public, the agency, and the employee when it comes to the topic of mental health in his subordinates. It has been said that everyone is somewhat mentally ill in one fashion or another, at one time or another. In the public safety field, however, the requirement for consistently logical and sound mental behavior is absolute. Society _______ permit illogical, irrational, or grossly unpredictable behavior on the part of its agents assigned to maintaining order, particularly when they have ultimate life-and-death authority over others.
cannot
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
In the final analysis, the problem remains the _______ of the employee.
property
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
The relationship between counselor and counseled should be one
of mutual honesty and _______. The problem-solving session is no place to put on fronts or false faces. Openness and truthfulness are the keys to any successful attempt at solving difficulties, whether person-al or professional in nature.
frankness
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
While the supervisor can never give advance promises of guaranteed confidentiality without knowing what the problem is, once he is satisfied that illegal or __________ is not the subject under discussion, he should give his promise of confidentiality without reserve.
improper conduct
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
The supervisor should remain mindful that his employees’ ________ and ______ are not automatically his own. It is quite possible for them to succeed without or even in spite of him. Likewise, their failures and difficulties are not his, and may, in fact, have absolutely nothing to do with him. It is even possible that an employee’s difficulties may have occurred because the supervisor’s advice was ignored or forgotten in the first place.
success and failures
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
Most are, however, legitimate complaints of women who have been _______ by their male coworkers and bosses.
exploited
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
If a lesson for the supervisor/counselor is to be learned from such
an experience, the lesson might be that the supervisor must be cautious as well as _______ in his dealings with an employee of the opposite sex. Particularly if employee problems of a personal nature are to be discussed at a counseling session, it is often a good idea to have another supervisor present during the meeting.
sensitive
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
Sexual harassment refers to any ________ sexual attention,
sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or im-plicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; or
- Submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or
- Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or
- Such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intim-idating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
unwelcome
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
That awareness may come from his own observations or the complaint of a victim. Just as he assures the aggrieved party that he will stop the misconduct and instigate an inquiry into it, the supervisor also must assure the complainant that he or she will not be _________, formally or informally, for bringing the issue to official attention.
punished
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
The key reason that the supervisor must not tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace is a humane one: it is simply wrong and unethical to permit another human being to be treated in such a manner. Beyond that, permitting sexual harassment eventually will damage the law enforcement organization and destroy the ________ its members enjoy in the community.
reputation
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
Mentoring requires a bit more than role-modeling, as vital as that function is. A mentor helps ________ a subordinate for a new role. In many cases, it may be the supervisor’s own job that the subordinate is being groomed to assume at some point in the future.
prepare
COUNSELOR-COUNSELED RELATIONSHIP
Attitudes are, of course, as important as __________ in the mentoring process.
technical skills
SUMMARY
The police supervisor’s role as a ________ and advisor is as deli-cate as it is vital to the employee, agency, and public.
counselor
POINTS TO REMEMBER
The supervisor’s job includes watching for _______ of significant personal problems among his subordinates
indicators
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Employees’ problems can range in origin from the _______ to personal life.
workplace
POINTS TO REMEMBER
______ difficulties trouble more than a few law enforcement employees.
Marital
POINTS TO REMEMBER
_______ presents a serious and frequently-encountered problem in today’s society.
Alcoholism
POINTS TO REMEMBER
The supervisor’s intervention efforts may result in very _________ moments for both him and his subordinate.
uncomfortable
POINTS TO REMEMBER
There are professional sources of help to which a supervisor may _____ a troubled employee.
refer
POINTS TO REMEMBER
An ______ reputation for trust established earlier will help the supervisor intervene with a troubled employee.
earned
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
Sexual harassment represents a real and serious form of workplace ________ that cannot be allowed to exist.
misconduct
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
Counseling employees of the __________ is a task that merits the supervisor’s utmost skills and professionalism as well as sensitivity
opposite genders
