Volunteer

Okay, volunteer for what? Fasten your seat belt.? This applies to all ranks.? Volunteer for undesirable assignments. The fact is you could be famous, or at least develop a reputation as the go to person.? Your subordinates, peers and supervisors see your willingness to take on the difficult, dirty, and challenging duties no one wants to perform.? Further, they could be fraught with risk or even danger, both physical and/or psychological. But, they have to be done by someone and someone is going to do it, so, make a name for yourself.? Step up. You may not have heard of Adam Brown.? He was a Navy Seal, well know for taking on the difficult and revered by his peers and supervisors, and made famous in the New York Times bestseller Fearless.? You are building a reputation as a can do officer/official.?? Others may avoid them like the plague but you are there and step up to the task at hand.? The duty is unpleasant, perhaps there is risk but the benefits far out weigh the limited discomfort.

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When I was a captain with the city there was a major demonstration in front of the White House.? There were thousands of demonstrators.? Most were compliant but several hundred were not.? They were going to have to be arrested and some resistance on their part was assured.? I was present with 125 officers and officials as were five other captains with equal numbers.? The six of us were called to meet the Chief of Police at the staging area.? He said those several hundred non-compliant demonstrators had to be arrested.? We all knew he was asking the six of us, who was going to have at it.? Following a few moments of dead silence I said I will handle it. The other five captains looked at me like I had lost my mind.? I know what they were thinking.? There is no up side to this.? The Chief of Police will be watching, media is everywhere, violence is going to happen, a civil suit will surely follow and it is in front of the White House.? Very risky business.? But, it had to be done.? Yes, it was risky but I had confidence in myself and the officers with me and I was competent.? Several hundred were arrested, some violence ensued, the media was all over us, but all went well, 212 arrests in two and one half hours.? OBTW – no civil suit, (SOP by participants in non-compliant mass arrest events) Those present never forgot who volunteered for that assignment.?

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Volunteering puts one in a positive spot light with subordinates, peers and superiors.? I can assure you that the chatter behind closed doors, especially by superiors, is that they wish they had more like that.? Your efforts will not go unnoticed. You become a “doer”, a go to person.? Subordinates see your actions, they see your sand, grit and steel. They like that, some admire it, they develop confidence in you.? In the future they will welcome you on a challenging event or situation no matter your rank but especially if you are there to take command. Recognition will come; in your performance evaluation, assignments, perhaps promotion and of course your reputation.? Reputation that is critical in your pursuit of excellence and future success.? Then there is the experiential learning you get and important to me, the intrinsic rewards of accomplishing an assignment that no one else wanted to perform, or did not know how to. Further, I am confident those under my charge felt proud that they participated and talked about it endlessly (cop story), while those that did not felt left out wondering why they were relegated to observers.

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One can sit on the bench most of the time or get out there and accomplish something.

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