June 24, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 12 8 Steps to Preserving Institutional Knowledge Public Safety Insight: The loss of institutional knowledge can be a major threat to public safety. Leaders can mitigate this vulnerability by developing and implementing a process to capture and share that knowledge effectively.   The elements of a perfect storm that [Continue Reading…]

June 10, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 11 What are You Building?: Why Context is Critical for Public Safety Public Safety Insight: Providing a compelling context that people understand and appreciate is a game-changer for public safety. A story of unknown origin tells about a man who visited a construction site during the Middle Ages. He [Continue Reading…]

  May 27, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 The Key to Forging Successful Partnerships Public Safety Insight: Forging successful partnerships requires that you understand and honor a major difference between partnerships and teams. A recent conversation with two colleagues led to a discussion about the difference between partnerships and teams. Whereas a key characteristic of [Continue Reading…]

May 6, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 Political Acumen Isn’t Just for Leaders Public Safety Insight: The safety, health, and economic viability of your community depend in part on the proficiency of your employees and stakeholders in navigating the political environment in which your agency operates. During the six years I worked with the Los [Continue Reading…]

April 22, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 8 4 Ways the Red Cross Can Make Your Job Easier Public Safety Insight: The Red Cross can help you demonstrate your agency’s value to the community, educate your customers, and provide services to your crews during major incidents. Are you aware of the variety of ways that the [Continue Reading…]

April 10, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 When a Traditional Problem-solving Approach Becomes the Problem Public Safety Insight: An appreciative approach to problem-solving can avoid the unintended dysfunctional workplace behaviors and outcomes sometimes caused by a traditional approach. Years ago when I was in graduate school, I rented a duplex near the university that was [Continue Reading…]

March 25, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6 Opening Pandora’s Box: Notes from the 2015 Excellence Conference Public Safety Insight: Only those who are courageous enough to face all the facts about their agencies – the good, the bad, the ugly – are able to aspire to excellence. Last week I had the pleasure of speaking [Continue Reading…]

February 25, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4 How to Provide a Reality Check for Your Community Public Safety Insight: It’s time for a reality check when available resources prevent you from providing the level of safety your community expects and deserves. Last week the fire chief of a combination department shared his dilemma with me. [Continue Reading…]

February 11, 2015 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3   Public Safety Insight: To win support from your community, you consistently must demonstrate your value in ways they can appreciate.  In a world characterized by complexity and continuous change, one of the most critical challenges facing public safety professionals is how to educate your stakeholders about what [Continue Reading…]