PHILOSOPHY IN TEAM MANAGEMENT - A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN LONDON, ONTARIO TO IMPROVE MANAGEMENT

• NCJ Number: 57367
• Journal: Police Chief Volume: 44 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1977) Pages: 65-68
• Author(s): S C SOMERVILLE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE ACQUAINTS POLICE OFFICERS WITH THE PROCESS BEING DEVELOPED BY THE LONDON (CANADA) POLICE FORCE TO NURTURE A CONCEPTUAL TEAM MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY AND SYTLE THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY POLICING NEEDS.

Abstract

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE NEEDED TO DIRECT MANAGEMENT DECISIONS AND THE OBJECTIVES MUST BE MEASUREABLE. WHEN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE SET IN TEAMS CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT, EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT IS FACILITATED SINCE SUBORDINATE MANAGERS HAVE INPUT INTO HIGHER LEVEL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES; MANAGERS AT THE SAME LEVEL ARE BETTER ABLE TO COMMUMICATE THEIR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO OTHER MANAGERS AND INTEGRATE AND COORDINATE THEM WHEN NECESSARY; AND ALL MANAGERS AT ALL LEVELS CAN SET OBJECTIVES FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS TO INTEGRATE WITH THOSE OF OTHER LEVELS AND DEPARTMENTS. THE PHILOSOPHY OF MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE SENIOR OFFICER RANKS OF THE LONDON POLICE FORCE IS PROACTIVE IN NATURE, AND RESULT-ORIENTED, IT EMPHASIZES ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RESULTS AND ENCOURAGES WIDE PARTICIPATION IN MANAGEMENT AT EACH SENIOR OFFICER LEVEL SO THAT THE FORCE CAN RESPOND TO AND INFLUENCE ACTIVITIES IN THE FUTURE. FOUR ELEMENTS ARE IMPERATIVE TO THE PHILOSOPHY: (1) EXPLICIT COMMUMICATION AND AGREEMENT BETWEEN LEVELS ON GOALS AND OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES, (2) EQUITABLE AND MEANINGFUL DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OBJECTIVES, (3) SOLID COMMITMENT TO NURTURE A CONTINUOUS INHOUSE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND (4) CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO MOULD THE SENIOR OFFICERS' GROUP INTO A TEAM BY DEVELOPING A PLANNING AND PROBLEMSOLVING ENVIRONMENT. A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED OUTSIDE OF THE SENIOR OFFICERS' GROUP HAS THE PRIME RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT. THE GOAL AND OBJECTIVE SETTING PROCESS IN THE LONDON POLICE FORCE, AFTER A YEAR IN EXISTENCE, APPEARS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANTICIPATING NEEDS AND PLANNING EVENTS, GETTING ACCEPTANCE FROM SENIOR OFFICERS, AND GAINING LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT. (DAG)