It is easy to say and do the wrong things as a leader, and as a new chief “coming in from the outside,” it is particularly easy to make mistakes from which recovery can be difficult. The following recommendations are guaranteed to keep the new chief in the new agency longer than would otherwise have occurred had these issues not been considered.

Do not talk too much

No truer words were ever spoken than the quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt!” Also, be reminded of the reality that silence conveys the impression of thoughtful contemplation. Be an active listener and learn as much and gain as many perspectives as possible. Excessive verbalization is tough for some people and should be consciously avoided.

Do not fail to be conspicuous

Everybody will have a perspective on the new boss, whether true, false or misunderstood. Be immediately conspicuous throughout the organization in a friendly and professional manner. To the predictable requests and suggestions for everything from the budget to promotions and reorganizations, listen carefully, be grateful for the input and commit to nothing. Your conspicuousness will start the process of your folks making their own judgments about your personal and professional qualities.

Do not fail to develop an effective staff

You must have the ability to maintain an essential flow of accurate required information. While recognizing that changes may be made to your immediate staff, you need to do whatever necessary to address critical issues. Using a proficient typist to whom you can dictate can be a force multiplier.

Do not fail to communicate department-wide

In the absence of a conscious and deliberate effort, department-wide intended information will be distorted, whether accidentally or intentionally. There are only three ways to ensure the accurate provision of information: in writing, via video or face to face with the intended recipient. Typically, written communications are the most practical. Keep two things in mind: verbal information is always distorted as it goes from person to person, and if it is not in writing, it did not occur.

Do not seek measures to “improve morale”

Do not look for some token measure that might be perceived as a morale booster; in time, the short-lived appreciation will be forgotten, and the action will be seen as a superficial gesture. The only “magic bullet” for good morale is solid leadership.

Do not seek or develop close relationships with employees

You may be absolutely assured that the workplace and some of the employees will be seen in a different manner after you have been in place for several months. Resist the temptation to develop close relationships that may unduly influence decisions, assignments and promotions. Everybody has an opinion about everyone else, and it is easy to fall into the trap of quickly developing confidence in one or two individuals who in turn may influence you in making decisions that reflect their perspectives. Listen to everyone, reflect on all that you perceive, let a reasonable amount of time pass, then make decisions that reflect your genuine best judgments.

Do not seek or develop close relationships with public officials

Developing a close relationship with someone such as a mayor, city manager or councilperson can be (and usually is!) today’s solution and tomorrow’s nightmare. It is a reality that public officials frequently disagree with one another, often leave office and find themselves under attack for any number of reasons. Being overly cozy with one public official is often at the expense of another, plus they will eventually move on. When you do something that is unpopular, it may be seen as a personal affront. Two political realities are worthy of constant awareness: popularity is related to political agreement, and closeness with one person often comes with the reality of dislike by their political enemies.

Do not believe all that you are told

Every employee has an opinion about any number of things and will be happy to share those perspectives with the new boss. Listen, learn (maybe!) and reflect on all that you hear and are told before ultimately forming your own perspectives. While it is probably a bit harsh, a wise person may be well advised to believe nothing that is spoken or written, and only half of what is observed!

Do not immediately start changing things

Ultimate change is almost always inevitable, but it must be the consequence of circumstances and thoughtful reflection. For the most part, things are done a certain way for appropriate reasons. A new boss needs to resist the temptation to make changes until there is an understanding of the issues and reasons why things are being done in the present manner. Otherwise, you may be fixing things that are not broken and ultimately revert to the initial approach. Additionally, a new boss who immediately starts changing things comes across as impulsive and amateurish.

Do not prematurely embrace community leaders

Every public safety executive has as a key goal finding the true leaders and centers of gravity of our communities and being able to develop and maintain a mutually advantageous relationship to promote public safety. This is often a very difficult task! It is not unusual for a person to falsely assert a position of community leadership and claim to be the key person in representing the residents or businesses. This is seldom completely accurate, as very few communities are truly that organized, and it is not unusual for a well-intended person to represent only a small number of residents in a neighborhood. There are also many (too many) instances where a person who claims to be a community leader does so for selfish or illegal reasons. Listen, learn and be polite to everyone until you identify those with good intentions and reasonable followership.

Do not immediately make promotions or critical assignments

The new boss may be able to fill a promotional or assignment vacancy, and it is likely that several people will subtly try to influence the selection, either for themselves or another person. Resist the temptation and the often strong influences to make permanent personnel decisions until a solid understanding and assessment of all eligible candidates is understood.

Do not ignore the community

Get to know the community by going directly to the businesses, churches, schools and organizations. This creates the opportunity for mutual understandings of respective concerns and is unfiltered by persons claiming positions of leadership. You also may awaken some great people who will move into community leadership positions.

Do not unnecessarily mention previous agencies

There is always concern within an agency that an outside chief will try to convert the new agency into the mold of the former organization. Do not give credence to such an impression by unnecessarily referring to where you came from. In discussing past strategies, etc., use expressions such as “among my previous experiences was…” or similar verbiage.

Do not prematurely discuss detailed intentions and concerns

While taking seriously and certainly not disregarding things that you have been told about your new agency, do not accept as gospel anything you have been told until you have personally validated the situation. There are few faster pathways to disaster than going into an agency, fixing things that are not broken and dealing harshly with decent people who were doing well.

Do not fail to establish an immediate understanding with potential problem subordinates

Leopards do not change their spots, and people who undermine others do not change either. Do not think that your smiles, handshakes and wonderful personality are going to change someone who is likely to undermine you. Early on, go behind closed doors and make it abundantly clear what you see as an unacceptable likelihood and exactly what you expect in terms of support and spirit, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Document your concerns with a copy for each employee and inform the city manager of your actions. 

In summary, I cannot predict how long you will remain in your new position, but I promise that it will be longer than it would otherwise have been had you not taken these 15 suggestions seriously.