This article is part of an ongoing series on leadership development for new law enforcement leaders. Each article addresses a specific area of leadership competency offering learning points, strategies and tips. Click here to access the entire Leadership Development Series.
By T. Jacob Stull, M.S., and James B. Stull, Ph.D.
“Shall I permit my fellow man to know me as I am, or shall I seek instead to remain an enigma, and be seen as someone I am not?” — Sidney Jourard
One attribute of a successful leader is the ability to engage in open communication with others, both in sending and receiving messages related to work and personal matters. Open communication means sharing information honestly. It also involves listening actively, showing empathy and accepting feedback. This usually results in the establishment of a supportive communication climate [1] where employees feel safe in sharing ideas without worrying about being humiliated or punished. Open communication leads to better decision-making and can strengthen teams, enhance trust [2], and increase work productivity and quality. It can also make employees feel more valued, leading to greater loyalty.
Demonstrating openness in receiving messages
In earlier research [3,4], supervisors and subordinates were presented with scenarios involving supervisor responses to subordinates’ open messages. The statistical results suggested that both groups valued reciprocal openness and acceptance by supervisors. Here are some examples of those types of interactions:
Example 1: A work-related open message from an employee
Sergeant: “Lieutenant, I have applied for several special assignments, and I know that I am qualified for them, but the people who are getting the jobs have been here less time than I have, and they don’t have the necessary experience. Do you have any suggestions on what I can be doing to improve my chances in the future?”
Lieutenant response #1: “I can’t help you with that. You need to talk to the people who made those decisions. I want you to focus on this job.”
This response shows no interest in helping the sergeant find how they can improve for job growth. The Lieutenant discourages them from looking for advancement.
Lieutenant response #2: “I’ve had similar experiences here, too. I went to a few influential people and asked for advice, and they did some digging and told me to take a seminar on interviewing. That helped. Maybe you could start by contacting a few people you trust.”
This response makes the Lieutenant seem authentic and willing to help because of their own challenges in getting promoted. They disclose a bit about themself that the sergeant probably didn’t know.
Lieutenant response #3: “You must be frustrated. You are competing for scarce resources. Let me suggest that you go to upcoming training on how to prepare for advancement. I would suggest those focusing on document preparation and interviewing.”
This response shows the Lieutenant’s empathy and understanding of the sergeant’s situation. They take it a step further in suggesting steps the sergeant might take.
Example 2: A personal open message from an employee
Sergeant: “Lieutenant, I just want to let you know that my wife and I are going through a divorce, and I might need to take a day off here and there.”
Lieutenant response #1: “Sergeant, if you need to take time off, you are going to have to use personal days or vacation time. I don’t need to hear about your personal problems. Don’t let your outside life interfere with your work life.”
This response sounds like a typical bureaucrat who has had no leadership training. It is not supportive, has a negative tone, shows no empathy, and does not demonstrate openness to receiving the sergeant’s message.
Lieutenant response #2: “Thanks for telling me; I’ve had a little experience with that myself. Our employee assistance program can provide some resources for you if you want any. Just let me know when you need to be gone.”
This response opens with a warm tone. It moves to supervisor openness and understanding about what the sergeant is going through, and it shows empathy and willingness to help with the situation.
Lieutenant response #3: “I’m glad to help where I can. You must be going through a lot. Here is a list of resources including PEER Support and psychological services that may help you through this process. We can work out time off for you. Give me a shout if you need to talk.
This response shows immediate acceptance of the situation, empathy and willingness to help the sergeant and continue with it.
Clearly, some topics are off limits for open discussion, whether they are personnel issues, classified information, or other personal or confidential matters. Leaders need to explain why they may not be able to be open in some situations. However, when it is appropriate, a good leader knows when to be open to others and how to be open to others’ messages.
Openness training
Leadership workshops typically focus on open communication. Part of the curriculum includes exercises designed to measure participants’ willingness to disclose information, solicit feedback about themselves and to give feedback to others. Other exercises allow participants to enhance their self-awareness through questionnaires and interactions with partners. Follow-up discussions invite participants to engage in open discussions with others.
If you are interested in participating in leadership workshops, or if your organization would like a step-by-step guide in hosting a workshop, read more here. [5]
In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley speaks with Chief Jack Cauley and recently retired Under Sheriff Chris Hsiung, two leaders with distinguished careers in law enforcement and a shared commitment to modernizing police culture.
Chief Cauley, who has led the Castle Rock (Colorado) Police Department since 2012, has been a pioneering figure with his “one by one” policing philosophy, which emphasizes individual care and psychological safety. Under Sheriff Hsiung brings his extensive experience in leadership development and community engagement, contributing to his role in shaping forward-thinking law enforcement practices. Listen to the full podcast here.
References
1. Gibb JR. (1961.) Defensive Communication, Journal of Communication, 11:141-149
2. Stull TJ. (2009.) Trust in police officer-sergeant relationships. Professional issues in criminal justice, 4:59-70
3. Stull JB. (1978.) Rewards for “Openness” Journal of Communication, 28:124-129
4. Stull JB. (1986.) Demonstrating empathy for foreign-born employees through openness and acceptance: a quasi-experimental field study, International Journal of Business Communication, 23:31-40
5. Stull TJ, Stull JB. (2024.) How to host a leadership workshop. Police1.com.
About the authors
Jake Stull has served as a police officer in the Aurora (CO) Police Department since 2003; he currently holds the rank of Lieutenant and the position of Deputy Commander. He taught criminal justice courses at Purdue University Global for over a decade. He completed the Leadership Trilogy through the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, the Public Safety Leadership Development Program at Daniels College of Business/University of Denver, and the Leadership in Police Organizations presented by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Prior to law enforcement, he worked with incarcerated juveniles at the Santa Clara County Probation Department in California and coached high school athletics.
Jim Stull is an Emeritus Professor of business at San Jose State University, where he spent over 30 of his 44 years in higher education. He earned his Ph.D. in organizational communication from Purdue University, specializing in openness and trust between leaders and team members; his teaching and research emphasized cross-cultural communication, diversity and inclusion in the workforce. He has served in various administrative roles, authored over 200 publications, and provided coaching, training, and presentation services for individuals and more than 80 business, government, educational, and community organizations.
