Pseudo-Transformational Leadership In Public Safety

Pseudo-Transformational and Transforming Leadership in the Public Safety Environment Ernest J. Rieux, Jr. PSF8602 – Theories of Leadership

3100 Tulane Ave. 284
New Orleans, LA 70119
Dr. John Hawkins [e-mail] Today’s leaders are faced with many obstacles that either makes or breaks them in their roles as leaders. The questions and concerns about how leaders should act, how they should lead and even how much experience they may have as a leaders all seem to be the questions and concerns. The public safety environment as a whole is one of those organisms that is face with continued scrutiny concerning the performance of leaders. Often times, people look for their local government and law
enforcement agencies to be the leaders in deterring and stopping crime, when the tables have turned and majority of the crimes are committed by government and law enforcement officials. For example, in September, 2005, 7 New Orleans police officers, known as the “Danzinger 7” who were tasked with protecting and serving the people of New Orleans during this time major time of crisis, found themselves indicted for killing and wounding innocent citizens trying to seek safety (Hampton, 2007). This outrage, created such a disruption in the city, until the people did not trust the leaders who were suppose to protect them. This type of behavior is certainly the face of pseudo-transformational leadership.
Pseudo-transformational leadership (i.e., the unethical facet of transformational leadership) is manifested by a particular combination of transformational leadership behaviors (i.e., low idealized influence and high inspirational motivation), and is differentiated from both transformational leadership (i.e., high idealized influence and high inspirational motivation) and laissez-faire (non)-leadership (i.e., low idealized influence and low inspirational motivation), (Barling, J, Christie, A. & Turner, N., 2007). There could no better way to describe this type of behavior, especially when it is put before the eyes of the people. The issue of situation concerning the “Danzinger 7” was a tragedy, but to add insult to the injury was that 7 sworn officers, tried to cover up their wrongdoing and there were actual supervisors on scene that supported their wrongdoing. This is a clear recipe for disaster within a department that has seen its uproar of scandals and investigations. When an officer takes into his or her own hands the law and put aside what they are sworn to uphold to save themselves, he or she represents the clear meaning of what pseudo-transformational leadership is. However amid of the scandal that have this disgrace the New Orleans Police Department, the efforts to restructure, train and retrain, enforce and reinforce policies is the way of creating a safe, working and trusting
department. On the hand, to every negative for of leadership, there is a positive side.
Transforming leadership is to seen to more demanding, but its results are solid. Vinzant & Crothers (1998) points out that transformational leaders focuses effort and makes choices based on goals, values, and ideals that the leader determines the group or organization wants or ought to advance (Meese & Ortmeier, 2004, p 54). This leadership styles presents a clear picture of how any organization or group should be operating. The end results of any leader should be quality, quantity. When quality work is presented, the public as whole develops a level of respect for those who are serving them. The demand for transforming leadership is constantly changing and evolving as times change. People look for transparency within their their public safety organizations and expect those in leadership to understand what is going and to be able to offer a greater solution to their
problems. At the end of the day all anyone wants is fairness and justice. The people expect the leaders to be leaders and take care of them as they are entrusted to do and not become a suspect in the system.

Reference:

Hampton, M. (2007). Danziger 7" indicted for murder, attempted murder. Retrieved from http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/01/02/danziger-7-indicted-for-murder-attempted-murder/

Barling, J., Christie, A. & Turner, N., (2007). Pseudo-Transformational Leadership: Towards the Development and Test of a Model. Journal of Business Ethics Volume 81, Number 4, 851-861, DOI: 10.1007/s10551-007-9552-8 Retrieved from: http://www.springerlink.com/content/72177038k0360325/

Meese, III, E., & Ortmeier, P.J., (2004). Leadership, Ethics, and Policing: Challenges for the 21st Century. Pearson Education. New Jersey