Chapters include:
Academy First
Always Look to Step Up Your Game
Recognition vs. Appreciation
Areas of Strength & Areas of Choice
As a Leader, Direct Your Attention and Focus
As You Move Up, Don’t Forget Your Roots
Ask. Tell. Make.
Avoid the Perspective of Staff Retaliation
Be Careful Who You Vent To
Be Creative and Flexible
Don’t Forget the Context
Choose Growth Over Being Comfortable
Be Wary, Practice is Not Always Policy
Confidence is Built Through Consistency at the Highest Level
Communication is Key in Corrections
Connect Yourself to the Right People
Courage takes Practice
Develop Trusting Professional Relationships with Work Peers
From Day One, Staff Must Believe in their Position of Authority
Being More Proficient Comes on the Back End of Doing What You Love
Believe in the Effort More Than the Outcome
Evolution is Inevitable
Don’t Be an Obstacle, Be a Resource
Working as One
First Impressions Can be Brutal
Discovering a Mentor
Workplace Gossip Destroys Morale
A Prison Should Never Run Based on Assumption
Don't be Someone You are Not
Don't Look to be Popular, Look to be Respected
Expectations vs. Rules
How you Feel About What You Do Matters
We Are a Family
Make the Intangibles, Tangible
Promote a Pro-Social Purpose
Your Behaviors Determine Your Identity
Volunteer Yourself
Keeping Your Word
Never Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Run Towards a Purpose
Seek Authenticity as You Strive for Perfection
Think with the Endgame in Mind
Take Time to Process Your Thoughts
Trust Allows for Conflict and Conflict Allows for Growth
Remember, Correctional Staff Work for the Agency, Not the Inmate
Inconsistency Among Staff Makes us Vulnerable
Know Policies & Procedures
Wearing the Uniform Doesn’t Automatically Give Staff Respect
Give Every Cell Search 100%
Be Wary of Inmate Porters/Workers
Bring Experience into the Classroom
Can Fear Motivate?
Commitment vs. Promise
Controlling the Interaction with an Inmate
Correctional Leadership is Not a Perk
Creating Positive Employee Morale
Custody and Medical Working Together
Dealing with a Disrespectful Inmate
Dealing with a False Rape Allegation
Dealing with an Inappropriate Request from an Inmate
Dealing with Inmate Flattery
Debriefing After a Major Incident
Deterrence for an Inmate is Subjective
Don’t be a Firestarter
Don’t Chase the Charge
Don’t be Desperate for Information
Don’t Let the Prison Environment Change You
Don’t Rely on the Supervisor to Run the Unit
The Lobby Officer
Don’t Cut Corners & Don’t Take Shortcuts
Don’t Let the Corrections Profession Get to You
Emotionally Dealing with an Inmate Suicide
External vs. Internal Justification
Stop the Unfair Generalizations
Going Back to Work after Being Assaulted
Guilt as Leverage Heightened Perspective Equals an Elevated Purpose
I Think I Know that Inmate
Identify the Prime Mover
Isolated Responsibility
Don’t Get Emotionally Involved with an Inmate
Don’t Micromanage Your Frontline
Evaluated Experiences
Formal Discipline Should Never be the First Option
Genuinely Care for the People in your Charge
Good Leaders Look to Empower, Not Control
Holding Inmates Accountable
I Told You So
If it Feels Wrong, Say Something
Inmate Manipulation is Adaptive
Inmates that Cry Wolf
Inmates Using Suicide to Manipulate
Lack of Resources Make for Innovative Inmates
Never Accept an Inmate’s Offer to Protect You
Never Let an Inmate Pull You Out of Your Prescribed Role
Never Allow an Inmate to Circumvent Authority
Never Underestimate the Process of Inmate Manipulation
Situations Can Make us Vulnerable
Staff Must Always Look Uniformed in Their Uniform
The Inmate Grievance System Can Help Prevent Inmate UnityJust Say No
The “US vs.Them” Mentality Truly Divides
Wait for Backup
That Inmate is Not Worth Losing My Job Over
Know Who You Are
Play the “What If” Game
Undue Familiarity Shifts Loyalties
Unnecessary Rules
The Wall of Silence
Report Writing
Why am I Taking Inmate Privileges Away?
Purpose Brings Unity
Loss vs. Gain
Liability Divides
Rebuilding Trust
Think Long Term Max or Min
Self-Reflection
Don’t be a Positional Leader
Training Officers Must Have a Love for the Job
Staff Need to be Wary of their Own Limitations During a Search
Trainers Need Credibility
Is Moving Up Worth It?
Leadership by Walking Around
Listen to Those in Your Charge
Making an Impact
Middle Management Must Speak Three Languages
Position Talent Accordingly
Move Them to Overnights
Never Partner a High Achiever with a Lazy Supervisor
Proactive (Strategic) vs. Reactionary Measures
Recognizing the Journey
Saying “No” to Power
See Potential Liability
Sink or Swim
Speaking Truth to Power
Staying Visible
“Thank You” Board
The Collective Punishment of Staff Kills Morale
The Importance of Labels
The Importance of Roll Call / Line Up/Shift Briefing
The Working Environment Allows It
There is no Such thing as Passive Success
Transform vs. Cultivate
Transformational Leadership in Corrections
Unknowingly Accepting Negativity
The Disgruntled Employee
What Does Universal Precaution Really Mean?
Never Assume You Are the Smartest Person in the Room
You Knew What You Were Getting Yourself Into
Working Together/Alignment/Commitment
Supervisory Discretion
What Causes Inmates to Unite?
The Corrections Profession is a Viable Career, not Just a “Stepping-Stone” to Becoming a Police Officer
Understanding the “Why”
Corrections is not a “Stepping-Stone”
A Leader is not Defined by Position
Yes, Correctional Officers are Law
Enforcement
Index
Corrections Journal
Endorsements