MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
The glass cliff. We use this phrase when a woman is promoted into leadership during a time of crisis when the chance of failure is the highest. Whilst tempting to draw this parallel with the former head of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, I don’t believe this is the case here. Still, I can’t help but wonder what expectations the public or police had of her. Was Cmdr Dick ever going to succeed in this role?
What we expect from leadership, what we need from leadership and what we get from leadership are rarely the same thing. You may get two out of three, but even then, someone will always be unhappy with the outcome. Even with a clear set of outcomes and the respect of those being led, the measure of success for such a role will always be subjective. Considering high profile leadership roles, such as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, where public opinion comes into play, subjectiveness becomes even more entrenched.
The Met Police have been under the lens of inquiry for as long as I can remember. Of course, many will have no qualms in picking up a phone to dial the emergency number if they witness a crime. But by the same token, there are those whose experiences of the police would mean that this is not something they would remotely consider. Even in extreme circumstances. Police forces the world over hold a balance of admiration - as crime fighters and the keepers of the law, and distrust; due to allegations and first-hand experiences of corruption and brutality.
Solving the leadership challenges of the police are what my colleagues would refer to as a wicked problem , a problem with so many interdependent factors that it seems impossible to provide a solution. For comparison, think of the global issues we share, public education, healthcare, climate change. We get very animated about these issues, but we remain hard-pressed to find a united solution.
That said, I do believe there are small wins for the leadership of the police that can engender trust and reliability to the public. Communication campaigns and reporting on how they wish to be involved in communities, work in partnership with health groups around violent crime, representation in their recruitment and retention drives, and other partnerships with other civic groups.
It will take generational shifts for people to build and keep faith in a service that is there to uphold law and order. I want to give Cmdr Dick the benefit of the doubt that she wanted to lead a modern police force according to the Met's vision and values. But intent is never the measure we use to evaluate leaders, especially if they are not in line with our expectations.
Whoever succeeds in this role has their work cut out for them. My solution-focused mind wants to believe there is hope that change can be made, but the pragmatist in me realises trying to meet so many expectations is a wicked problem that is far from being solved in the immediate future.
