Imagine standing in front of a room full of FBI agents, tasked with training them on leadership.
That’s where I recently found myself, at a regional training day for the FBI. I was invited because of the work I’ve been doing with law enforcement.
It’s a privilege and a responsibility I’ve earned through years of working with various agencies, where leadership isn’t just a title — it’s a crucial element of success, particularly in the most challenging environments.
During that training day with the FBI, I built my talk around this question: why do we call it “leadership” and not “leader-captain?”
Stick with me.
See, I set out to challenge a fundamental perception about leadership. Often, we equate leadership with the individual holding the position — the captain of the ship, so to speak.
Think about it. I can be a friend, but I’m not Friendship. I can be a statesman. But I’m not Statesmanship. And so it goes: a leader is not Leadership.
True leadership transcends any single person. It’s not about being the embodiment of leadership; rather, it’s about understanding and stewarding the principles and culture that guide the organization forward, regardless of who occupies the captain’s seat.
Consider Walt Whitman’s famous poem “O Captain! My Captain!” In it, he metaphorically depicts Abraham Lincoln as the captain guiding the ship of the nation through the tumultuous waters of slavery and emancipation. Lincoln, as the leader, tragically perishes, yet the ship — the nation — still reaches its port.
Whitman’s metaphor underscores the critical distinction between the leader and the leadership. The ship continues its journey, passed on from one captain to the next, from generation to generation. It evolves with the times while staying true to its core mission. This is where most leaders and organizations fail to reach their fullest potential — and why organizations can experience leadership whiplash every time the leadership changes hands.
In law enforcement, as in any organization, the ship represents the collective mission, purpose, and values. Supervisors and dispatchers play critical roles, and they are part of a larger cultural ecosystem where attitudes and behaviors reflect the leadership at all levels.
As a coach, I emphasize that leadership isn’t solely about exerting control or enforcing authority. Rather, it’s about inspiring others to uphold shared values and achieve common goals, ensuring continuity and resilience even — and especially — amidst change.
When toxicity permeates an organization, it’s not just a problem with or for individual leaders — it’s a symptom of deeper cultural issues. “Attitude reflects leadership,” as the saying goes. Or put another way, culture isn’t just “what” happens, it’s what is allowed to happen.
Our individual actions directly impact organizational culture. Effective leadership fosters an environment where every member feels valued and empowered to contribute positively.
Instead of focusing solely on the leader (the individual) as an individual savior or guru, we need to nurture and preserve the essence of the leadership that transcends individuals.
It takes some work. And there are no shortcuts. It involves cultivating a culture of accountability, open communication, insatiable curiosity, and continuous improvement. When the focus shifts from the individual leader to the collective leadership ethos, the organization becomes more adaptable and resilient.
Captains may come and go, so to say, but the ship stays its course.
The core objective — whether it’s ensuring public safety, protecting national security, or achieving organizational excellence — remains steadfast. Each leader contributes to steering the ship towards these goals, knowing that their role is part of a larger legacy of service and commitment.
At the end of the day, those you lead should be able to say, “Captain, my captain, if something should ever happen to you, we still know who we are, how to be, and what to do. The ship still sails towards its destination because the principles of leadership endure beyond any single leader. And we understand our mission.”
By embracing this philosophy, we empower ourselves and our organizations to navigate the complexities of our missions with clarity, purpose, and unity.
In essence, leadership is not just about who is at the helm — it’s about nurturing a culture where the leadership thrives, ensuring that the ship continues its journey long after any individual captain has moved on.
Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash
