Gary's Leadership Style

Gary certainly challenged the process when it was appropriate to do so. He never did so for personal benefit or gain, but always for the betterment of the department or his troopers. He was willing to take risks on new ideas. Unlike many commanding officers, Gary rarely believed that the way things had always been done was a valid reason for maintaining the status quo.
When I transferred to Tok I was to become a state pilot operating a single engine aircraft as my primary patrol vehicle. Traditionally a young trooper wishing to become a pilot would need to obtain a minimum of 200 hours flight time prior to receiving any instruction from the department. At the time of my transfer, I had a total of 45 hours of flight time. Due to a shortage
Gary was trusted by those who he inspired and this trust served to strengthen the bonds of collaboration. Gary has spent his life facilitating and fostering relationships in the communities he has lived and the offices he has worked in. Threaded into the examples above were several instances where Gary displayed the leadership practice of enabling others to act.
Gary has always shown a propensity to trust the people around him and empower them. When he assigns a task he does several things. First, he ensures that he is not setting you up for failure by assigning something unachievable. Second, Gary takes the time to provide you any resources ahead of time to ensure you are able to succeed. Finally and most important, he allows you freedom to complete the task and never micro manages you. Rarely in fact will Gary even come check on your progress. He gives you something extremely valuable in doing so; his trust. These virtues I feel are at the heart of the concept of “Enable Others to
At this time the Bristol Bay commercial fishing season was in full swing. This fishing season is the single most lucrative commercial salmon fishery in the world and it is the largest annual enforcement program undertaken by the Alaska Department of Public Safety. For 6 weeks I was in charge of 20% of the Wildlife Troopers in the entire state, two of our largest, 100’ plus length patrol vessels, and dozens of civilian employees. It would be easy for most men, having not only worked in that position but also being the director of the entire division, to take control of the program and try to manage it. Even the best leader could have easily “offered suggestions” with only the best of intentions. Gary did none of this. He sat in the office with me and never once questioned a decision I made or an order I issued. Just his presence in the office and knowing I was doing the same job he had once done empowered me to do the best I could. Knowing I had his support was a tremendous boost and enabled me to try and be the leader that he was for