Vision Statement
In both my personal and professional life, I have experienced a wide range of highs and lows. Given these changes, I am more open to altering my long-term aims. As my career has progressed, I have come to appreciate the value of mental health services and police forces that foster communities where people of all backgrounds are treated with respect and compassion. My ultimate career goal is either (a) to rise through the ranks at my current employer and make everyone there feel appreciated or (b) to teach at a police academy and impress upon future police officers the importance of mental wellness.
Being a good husband and father to my family, a loving son to my parents, and a caring brother to my siblings are the utmost priorities in my life too. The lyrical line “make a plan and you will hear God laughing,” from Thomas Rhett’s 2017 country song Life Changes and the verse, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans” from Bible in Second Hesitations 13:6, sums up how little sway I have throughout my life. In Jeremiah 29:11 in English Standard Version Bible (2011), God declares, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Mission Statement
I never thought I would be where I am now, eighteen years after joining the police force. My original plan was to join a K-9 unit and then advance to detective. After serving as a detective and a K9 officer, I fancied myself a natural progression to the position of police chief. Nothing has lived up to my high hopes so far. After sixteen years, my department no longer appreciated me, and work stress began to impact my personal life negatively. To overcome this, I chose to leave the department I worked for (the FBI) and join a smaller police department. My long-term professional and personal goals became increasingly apparent as I settled into my new position. As recorded in Colossians 1:16, our main goal in life is to praise and worship God. “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (English Standard Version Bible, 2011).
As Kathy (2019) puts it, the desire to help others is God-given, but I have never been sure how to put it into practice. I had been having second thoughts about my career path for a while because it did not seem like I was getting anywhere, but recently I was reminded that even though my plans and goals had not been realized, God’s had. One afternoon, I was watching a high school football game at Green Park Academy when a lady came up to me and asked if I remembered her. Since I have a bad memory, I had to tell her I did not recall her. We circled back around to the topic of her daughter’s future ambitions. The mom said I did a great job communicating with her daughter. Following her arrest and her mother’s opportunity to speak with her, the daughter essentially went back to the church, did better in school, and fully obeyed her parents. Whatever words came out of my mouth, I know they served a higher purpose in God’s plan. To honor and glorify God in all that I do is my overarching purpose, even though I don’t know what that purpose is, and it may change as time goes on and as I learn more about myself.
What a huge impact my seemingly meaningless action had on my family and friends! Sometimes the biggest changes come from the smallest ones. A simple “hello,” offering to hold the door open for someone, or praising their efforts can go a long way toward making someone’s day. In every area of their lives, people yearn for appreciation and praise. When acting as a parent, partner, friend, or leader, it is crucial to remember these details.
The concept of servant leadership should be considered. Any servant leader puts their team’s success ahead of their own and does this through measures such as building rapport, delegating tasks, providing constructive feedback, and promoting from within (Aboramadan et al., 2023). According to Sutrisno (2022), it is important to recognize that what workers yarn for is finding sense in their jobs. The strength of a leader’s relationships with their subordinates determines how effectively they can motivate their team and win their buy-in to the organization’s missions and values. It is difficult to lead, but the Bible has some great advice. Christ’s example has radically reworked the traditional understanding of leadership as a servant leader. The Bible clearly shows that God did not send Jesus Christ into the world to judge the world but rather to save the world (English Standard Version Bible, 2011, John 3:17). To restate: God did not send his Son to “rule” over us but to become human and teach us how to live and how to treat one another. This is why I want to rise through the ranks and become a leader who values team success and encourages personal growth in every staff member. The people I serve and protect, and the entire police force, will benefit from my efforts. People need to feel like their contributions matter and are appreciated. This is a goal of mine in both my personal and professional life.
I believe mentoring can leave a long-lasting impression (legacy). According to Lorenzetti et al. (2019), a mentor is “one who acts as a guide, counselor, or coach to another.” I was placed under the supervision of a field training officer when I first entered the police force. Following in his footsteps, I made an effort to be more methodical in my police work. During my first few months on the job, my Field Training Officer served as a mentor and a great resource person. One of the highest compliments is to be someone’s role model, whether in a leadership role, as a spouse, parent, or coworker. I have been motivated by both men and women in law enforcement throughout my career, and I would like to do the same for the next generation. Mentoring encourages leaders of the future to continue learning throughout their lives (Voss et al., 2022).
Value Statement
- Integrity– My ultimate goal is to be honest, and transparent in my work as a law enforcer.
- Faith– Being a devoted Christian, I always make sure to involve God in all my activities. I work under the principles and norms of Christianity.
- Compassion – the work of a law enforcer goes beyond the act of apprehending law perpetrators. A law enforcer deals with people who have different problems. Some of these people need comfort. For example, people who have lost their livelihood and personal belongings through arson may need such compassionate treat from law enforcers.
- Humble and Kind – It is clear that many people put in the effort to achieve the desired results. If you want to boost morale and make your employees feel valued, give them the credit they deserve.
- Excellence- I believe in perfection. In my job as a law enforcer, I always strive hard to challenge myself to do better.
Conclusion
Our personal development and abilities to lead others are enhanced by the challenges we face (Aboramadan et al., 2023). People just starting in the working world tend to have big dreams and aspirations. Our objectives and strategies have not materialized. As Christians, we must never forget that we exist because that is God’s plan for the universe. “And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans” (English Standard Version, 2011, Romans 8:28). Even though we do not know what God’s plan is, we have to put our faith in Him. As a leader, it is crucial to remember that your employees care most about feeling useful. Because of you, the people around you will work harder and become better employees, and they will be more likely to pass those values on to their own children. Great leader understands themselves, has a clear vision for the kind of leader they want to be, and can motivate their followers to take action.
References
Aboramadan, M., Hamid, Z., Kundi, Y. M., & El Hamalawi, E. (2022). The effect of servant leadership on employees’ extra‐role behaviors in NPOs: The role of work engagement. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 33(1), 109-129.
ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles. (2011). Jeff Falwell Library. https://liberty.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/openurl?institution=01LIBU_INST&rfr_id=info:sid%2Fsummon&rft_dat=ie%3D2188920080004916,language%3DEN&svc_dat=CTO&u.ignore_date_coverage=true&vid=01LIBU_INST:Services&Force_direct=false
Kathy N, R. (2019). God Given Privilege: Vols. Vol.15(4),. (Original work published 1998)
Lorenzetti, D. L., Shipton, L., Nowell, L., Jacobsen, M., Lorenzetti, L., Clancy, T., & Paolucci, E. O. (2019). A systematic review of graduate student peer mentorship in academia. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 27(5), 549-576.
Sutrisno, S. (2022). Determinants of Employee Performance: Overview of Aspects of Communication, Work Stress, and Compensation. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal (BIRCI-Journal), 5(3), 19259–19270.
Voss, J. G., Alfes, C. M., Clark, A., Lilly, K. D., & Moore, S. (2022). Why mentoring matters for new graduates transitioning to practice: Implications for nurse leaders. Nurse Leader, 20(4), 399-403.
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