For corrections professionals, firm but fair is the universal expectation. However, ‘firm’ is not so easy to attain. Despite all of our training, confrontation is often difficult to deal with. Some of us simply steer clear of disagreements due to our inherent make up. Enter the specter of avoidance management.
Avoidance management is the practice of dodging problems within your area of control with the hopes that they will just go away. Unfortunately problems left untended can blossom into something that is difficult to settle. In other words, from the tiny acorn, the mighty oak will grow. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
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It was the most terrifying twenty minutes of his life. He was confronted by three people with incessant questions. They probed his mind, issued uncomfortable silences, and bore holes through him with unblinking eyes. They held the power and simply would not relent.
Flop sweat cascaded from his forehead, an aqueous tribute to his trepidation. Conversely, his throat was dry, leaving him inarticulate. He felt immobile, caught helpless like a deer in headlights.
It was his first job interview and he remembers it like it was only a meal ago. Read more… |
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Self Scrutiny
One little rumor is like an acorn. Before you know it, the rumor grows into a huge tree with tangled roots. And like Frankenstein’s Monster, conspiracy theories come to life and rampage.
Can rumors and tabloid talk bring danger to an institution? Do those who subscribe to less reputable entertainment reports make themselves potential targets for manipulation? The answers to these questions can be quite easy to discover. It is a simple matter of observing and listening to others at work in the wake of a celebrity scandal. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Inside Out, Self Scrutiny, Staff relations
Look at the world through the eyes of trust. What do you see? Is every action that you view a model of altruism? Or do you see that which forces you to avert your gaze? Trust is in the eye of the beholder. What does this mean to corrections staff?
Professionalism is important to most corrections staff. Most of us can resist the temptation and very human quality of letting our emotions dictate our actions. Those in our ranks who deviate from policy and procedure give us reason to ponder our integrity as a group. Issues of trust in corrections may not be a comfortable topic. But it is very necessary to discuss. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Staff relations
Imagine the stress of caring for a large number of people. You have to distribute resources equally, sustain interlocking systems, and maintain order. Does this sound like your institution?
This example comes to mind not from an 800 bed correctional facility, but through a documentary show about a family in Pennsylvania. This young married couple, through the course of two multiple-birth pregnancies, produced eight children. Each television episode explores the complexities of caring for such a large household.
On the face of it, the life of a large family may not seem like a significant point of consideration for corrections professionals. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Inside Out
Someone once asked me if the glass is half empty or half full. I replied, “I am not really concerned if the glass if half full or half empty. I tend to check if the glass is clean.”
This was not some sarcastic reaction to an inquiry about whether I was a more optimistic or pessimistic person. It was an assessment for the feel of the organization. And this was a special nod toward realism and context. Read more…
joebouchard Assessing the organization, Staff relations
