Authority Dynamics beyond the badge.

The difference between what we had, and what we have demands a different approach.

I come from a very short lineage of police officers, I’m first generation in fact. My parents were both professional educators who lectured at varying universities which probably gives me the fascination and attraction towards the exploration and investigation of ideas.

Growing up, problems in the household were often discussions with me not realising at the time they featured a heavy input from a socratic methodology.?

When I turned to? law enforcement, perhaps it was my young natural desire to seek adventure (I’ve sailed since a young age and believe lifes about exploring) or perhaps it was the austere and remote outback environment I was raised around vs my nurturing home life.

Whatever it was that lead me towards the conflict full lifestyle of policing, either way, I felt intrinsically suited too it and when I finished my studies I volunteered for a posting to the most remote place I could get, Tennant “Fucking” Creek as it was affectionately known whilst I lived there.?

I loved my work and I loved the responsibility of leadership in dynamic emergency situations where people’s lives required successful outcomes. I constantly sought out new challenges, whether it was relieving at remote two man police stations in the middle of the desert or volunteering for less than desirable tasks like prisoner runs to the closest prison and driving over 1000km rond trip journey’s. It was this placement that no doubt lead my interest towards a tactical policing role in the Northern Territory Police Force, Police Tactical Group, the “Territory Repsonse Group” .

The flow on effect from there was to seek out further specialisation which at the time was almost unlimited as the section I worked in was tapped into the Australian National Counter Terrorisim Committee’s responsibilities for interoperability around the nation and included the roles of Bomb Techs, Search and Rescue, Surveillance, Counter Terrorism, Dignitary Protection and every Friday riding the DRZ dirt bikes around the back of Darwin in the bush doing wheelies (that last bit’s very important ??).

At a certain point in my time with the TRG I got tapped on the shoulder to (stop doing wheelies and grown up) go and do the ANZCTC Skills Enhancement Course in Melbourne, Victoria for Dignitary Protection which came the year after the G20 was hosted in Brisbane and was a fertile learning ground for the lessons gained out of reflection from the Queensland Police Dignitary Protection leaders who presented one of the most insightful sessions on major operations and multiple principle movements in a major operation I will likely ever have the privilege of learning from in my career.

Dignitary Protection has an key difference to Executive Protection, many might have different beliefs on what that is, but my buy in on this subject is that it is all to do with the authority dynamics around how you’re able to operate and effect your teams control over any situation you find yourself in.

TL:DR

Badge and Gun - you get shit done

No badge, No gun - the challenge is on.

As a member of a DigPro team you carry the implied authority of your position in Australia (insert any law enforcement agency/officer/role/position) as the sworn holder of the office of Constable, but when you leave your .gov email address behind and transition across to a first name only basis with a company and get the pay cheque associated with .com, you lose everything you were able to fall back on with the designation and yet are expected to provide the same level or perhaps even better of service you would for visiting guests of government, leaders of countries and royalty for your new found employers based on the solid pay that comes with the role.

Now in the USA it is a little different to Australia because if you leave your former employment in good standing with a good guy letter, you’ve still got some amazing access capabilities and the respect for former law enforcement officers in the USA is very different to what I’ve found in Australia - I’d love to hear contributions from others around Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia as to what their comparative experiences are in this space?

The only way to achieve the same level of authority, short of bribing everyone, is relationships, which you should inherently know from your time in law enforcement (without having to realise it) is that it isn’t actually legal nor a good idea because you just fatten everyone's purses and expectations so that when the money runs out so too does the good will. Sure you might once in a while slip a valet a lobster (Aussie for a $20 note) to keep your motorcade stacked on a porte-cochère or a ma?·tre d’ a pineapple ($50AUD) to let you bump your clients name up on the wait list, but for the most part, all of what you achieve is through the explicit ability you have to communicate (soft skill) harness charisma (soft skill) and imply an air of authority (while trying not to offend people - semi dickhead skill).

When I did finally leave the Police after a meritorious career of service (semi dickhead - see), I was “lucky” to be picked up by an Executive Protection firm that to this day I am still grateful to be a part of, @Panoptic Solutions (soft skill - compliment). As a company we are contracted to support a number of ultra high net worth individuals and families as well as having a number of other economic engines behind the business, it is the “EP” where I cut my teeth in private enterprise. Panoptic Solutions are one of the few providers of executive protection in Australia and the Asia Pacific region that have been continually and successfully operating as a company for over a decade (Now you’re seeing an attempt at Implied Authority). The company has offices across several nations and delivers services to the same standards I expected with my role in the Australian government. It stands out to me now because we pay attention to detail, follow the rules of law, document our procedures and processes correctly and our operations are supported heavily by in house legal approved policies, operating procedures and standards which ensure the continuation of our esteemed service is industry leading and top tier.?

*I choose luck as the word because I could have taken a number of roles, but I found in Panoptic an organisation that values the humans who work there and recognises their contributions. Something I was desperately looking for after some less than desirable interactions with police leadership failing to stop the rise of poor performers. Nothing destroys a high achieving team like the acceptance of poor performers.

There are plenty of bodyguards, contractors and former heroes out there, and yet there are very few anal retentive operators that are as keyed in on consistently executing the small details of operations over and over again and that is the difference between a long term quality product and passing white noise in the industry. - Whoops! I got a little distracted there.

Now I’m back on track, I’m happy to say from what I’ve witnessed and experienced that those making a transition from a legal-rational authority position across into the private sector charismatic authority positions (.gov vs .com) face a challenge even the most capable operators struggle with.?

Because it goes from complicated to complex in so far as problems and how to solve them.

Never a truer word was said than “You don't know what you don't know” and the effects of that statement are never more obvious than when you witness that freshly released operator who is still more “Tactical Tom” than “Conversational Chris” leave government service in a role where they had authority based on their position, rank, role, status, designation, appointment, confirmation or sworn office.

What I found out when I left the job, other than seeming to have my purpose evaporate, was that when I tried to flex my “influence” I was rapidly made aware by the punters whom I was flexing with and their complete disregard for me was that the implied influence I had was transactional and charismatic influence is relational, I had no influence unless it existed through developing a solid connection with the people I was dealing with or came by way of introduction or referral.

As those who know me could reflect if asked, yes, Ben Hosking can be a bit of a bullshitter sometimes, which is to say I’m able to sweet talk or bluff situations “No cuff to tuff” right? But the reality is, once you’re out of uniform, things change in the most confronting ways and it is a responsibility professionally for each of us to develop “soft skills” or an ability to influence people through communication rather than by bully them into doing what you need of them.

The influence you once had is pivotal in policing/defence/frontline and private security, yet the mechanisms through which you wield that authority vary significantly between the when you’re in and when you’re out. Whilst you’re in the job you might never even consider it, why would you, you’ve got it (and the bias that goes with it - careful that bias shit’s dangerous). Once you're out and it's taken away, it's taken away in such a rapid fashion it can be disparaging and confronting and I dare say is probably what drives some if not most operators back to the badge or into the arms of being client side or in another agency somewhere else.

Very few will successfully transition to the hustle and grind of vendor based operations. It’s not comfortable, it’s confronting, it takes grit and determination and often a self-effacing attitude to a degree to ensure the client is provided the service you’re intending on charging them for the highest level of concierge style service.

I came to realise there's only two types of influence.

1. Transactional - Influence through authority vis ‘a vie the Badge

2. Relational - Influence to achieve your desires through Communication.

Not to say that communication isn’t the first port of call for .gov operations. I infact learnt my communication skills directly through my work in the .gov work I did.?

Influence through Authority for Policing or (substitute frontline or any other .gov role here)

Policing, inherently vested with authority, operates within a framework of established laws and regulations. The position of a police officer gives the person holding it influence due to societal norms and expectations, rather than their explicit actions or statements. Policing's authority is underpinned by legal mandates and institutional structures, providing a clear framework for people to understand how an interaction is going to go.

So have a little think now, if you’re in the job, what of these things are unconsciously effecting the way you go about doing your role, because if you consider leaving those golden hand cuffs behind it will be these considerations you identify now that disappear fast in the future. You may find the term, nothing so “ex” as ex-police raise it’s head quickly.

Influence through Communication however is subtly different.....

It is in complete contrast to the aforementioned by authority, it’s turned on it’s head, private security and executive protection necessitate the cultivation of influence through relationships.?

While lacking the formal powers of law enforcement, private security professionals leverage communication and display an incredible balancing act to get what they want by using things such as contractual agreements, negotiations, deals and trade offs. If you’re dealing with venues or external staff to your organisation to achieve a client’s expectations and establish yourself as the situational leader or decision maker those aforementioned skills that you’re able to implement become a direct reflection of your value to your client and firm.?

Point of note here: all business is about talent recruitment and management. If you’re the talent, demand the appropriate compensation, it’ll cost roughly ? of your salary to recruit you again. Don’t be greedy, but don’t be a underpaid either. “Being rich is cool” - Mark Wright.

Your influence then is contingent on others trust in you and you’re ability to convey the message to them that in whatever sense you imply, you’ll improve their standing or position by having them help you achieve your goal and meet your clients’ needs.

Chris Jones (CJ), a new friend of mine shifted my entire paradigm on this when he was schooling me with some headmaster wisdom. “When everyone has money, money means nothing and relationships mean everything”.

Which was funny to me because so often when working with UHNW’s it is their profile, pre-existing reputation or influence and their extreme wealth that gets them exactly what they need because the people opening doors are doing it hopeful they’ll benefit in some form of cash/position/personal gain, but when you have a collection of UHNW's come together, it becomes an interesting display of who has the better developed genuine relationships - and I don’t mean between the UHNW’s. I mean between the EP Team and the Concierge, it’s now that a demonstration of power isn’t who can pay to position themselves in the right spot, it’s who through relationships achieves priority position. After all the one thing money can’t buy you is more time, so if you’re able through your charismatic influence to enhance or improve the use of time for a principal - you’re worth your weight in gold (remember that pay negotiation).

Either way, it’s clear that the following are important to consider if you’re looking at swapping over from Government to Private.

1. There are disparate differences in the sources of authority between .gov and .com roles.

2. Ethical considerations associated with wielding authority in both professions have costs. It ain't all about the bills (lobsters and pineapples) either. Sometimes it costs you the invaluable street cred to make things happen short notice. (A currency none of us enjoy want to waste)

3. Variations in accountability mechanisms between law enforcement and private security are absolutely in your face once you pay attention to them.

4. The impact on your principal and the public perception of their legitimacy can be effected by your skill or lack of skill in negotiating the difficulties of influence - with or without authority. Thus having an impact on your career trajectory.

5. There is some intersection and yet a massive divergence between police officers and the private security professionals providing DigPro and Executive Protection.

I want what comes from this to be a recognition for you of the need to balance transactional and relational requirements to do your job and an understanding of the need to recognise communication truly is king in your career.

Interested in developing your skills? Good, you should be. "Training is what you do, not what you did" - Ryan Tuckwood and if you want some guidance around this, reach out and perhaps I can offer you a shortcut with what you want to achieve with an introduction or training you might desire.

Want some free awesome content that one of the worlds finest instructors on this stuff has to offer? Subscribe to this newsletter and I’ll write to you more often.?

Prefer a different perspective - try this Wheels Up Podcast - Re-Realeased 2024 with @Justin Hanson from SpecVIP is releasing and talks about what he’s done in this space to improve peoples opportunities with online training.?

Interested in working with me directly through @Panoptic Solutions, get in touch via our website www.panpoticsolutions.com or reach out via email [email protected]

#OzEP #Executiveprotection #closeprotection #bodyguard #APAC #travelsafety #journeymanagement #security #medical #tourism #corporate

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References Territory Response Group

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_Response_Group

https://fscj.pressbooks.pub/sociology/chapter/reading-types-of-authority/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_classification_of_authority

https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/53667

https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/14-1-power-and-authority/