My first exposure to correctional leadership happened while I was a correctional officer in a housing unit. I observed how an experienced supervisor handled his shift efficiently. He was responsible for supervising operations at the correctional facility during the shift, and he also performed other duties. He served as a disciplinary officer, self-defense and firearms instructor, emergency coordinator and supervisor of the transport unit and disturbance control team.
One time, I asked the supervisor how he kept the job from overwhelming him. His answer was simple: “Wear different hats for different responsibilities.”
At the time, I perceived this statement only as good advice. After many years, I realize that it reflects correctional leadership perfectly and accurately defines its meaning. The point is not that every supervisor needs to adopt a different personality for each problem. The most important lesson is that an effective correctional leader must be ready to adapt their behavior to the situation.
In other words, correctional leadership cannot be defined by a universal style. At one moment, a leader may be enforcing standards; later, that same leader may be calming a crisis or serving as a mentor. Strong leaders know when to change roles without changing expectations.
Maintaining standards and accountability
The primary responsibility of correctional managers is to serve as standard-bearers. Correctional operations require routine, control and continuity. Counts, key control, tool inventory, sanitation inspections, inmate movement, searches and paperwork are not little things. These are the everyday routines that allow a facility to operate safely.
This is where transactional leadership is clearly visible. Staff need clear expectations, proper follow-up and regular accountability. [1,2] A supervisor who checks reports, follows up on missed actions and holds staff accountable is not being arbitrary.
Minor failures in corrections do not stay minor. An incomplete log, a missed round, an inaccurate count or an undocumented decision can lead to bigger security problems. Thus, it is crucial for leaders to communicate the importance of routine work, which is often what prevents emergencies.
Adapting to changing situations
Corrections can shift in a heartbeat. A peaceful housing unit can turn chaotic in seconds. A late arrival might lead to accountability problems. A disagreement among staff might affect operations. An allegation of sexual abuse, a medical crisis, a disturbance or another event may call for a different leadership approach.
Situational leadership is important because different problems require different levels of direction. Good supervisors consider the urgency and risk of the issue, the people involved and the seriousness of the situation before deciding how to act. Leadership studies show that effective leaders modify their behavior according to the situation. [3]
In corrections, such flexibility should not equal inconsistency. Leaders may change their methods, but the goal remains the same. A crisis may call for direct orders. A conflict may require mediation. A disciplinary hearing should be fair. The measures may differ, but professionalism remains intact.
Developing staff before the crisis
Effective leaders in correctional institutions do more than correct errors. They facilitate workforce development. This is where transformational leadership is valuable. Transformational leaders enable employees to understand the meaning behind the work they perform rather than focusing only on performance. [4]
A capable supervisor explains the importance of documentation, why counts must never be assumed, how professional boundaries protect employees and how normal operations protect inmates and staff. These issues are particularly important for new officers, who learn correctional culture not only through formal instruction but also through the actions of their supervisors.
Staff development does not mean softening requirements. On the contrary, it means educating staff before they make mistakes that result in disciplinary action, coaching employees before they form bad habits and reinforcing the values of professionalism before stress exposes weaknesses.
Leading through crisis
Correctional leaders also must be ready to lead during an emergency. Crisis leadership entails providing clarity during difficult situations, keeping emotions under control and making quick decisions. During an altercation, fight, attack, fire, suicide attempt, medical crisis, escape attempt or evacuation, confusion can put people at risk.
The best crisis leaders may not be the loudest, but they tend to be the clearest. They provide clear directions, assign tasks, convey relevant information and keep their staff focused. Authority presented calmly can serve as a stabilizing force during intense situations.
During a crisis, the team looks to its leaders for instructions. If a leader is confused, the response will be confused as well. If the leader is calm and confident, the response is more likely to be effective.
Navigating policy, documentation and accountability
Correctional leaders work within a bureaucratic structure governed by policies, procedures, a chain of command and documentation requirements. An action can be operationally correct in a correctional facility but still present a risk if it has not been documented appropriately.
Correctional leaders must review incident reports, conduct audits, implement remedial measures, interpret policies, maintain disciplinary records and ensure that required notifications are made. Although correctional leaders face a bureaucratic structure, bureaucratic leadership is crucial in today’s professional environment, where their actions are subject to scrutiny by governmental and nongovernmental entities, including correctional authorities, law enforcement, courts, auditors and the public.
Effective leaders find the right balance between compliance with rules and procedures and the exercise of discretion. They do not use rules to evade difficult choices, but they also do not ignore them during busy periods.
Supporting people without lowering expectations
Correctional leadership requires supporting staff. Employees often work long hours in difficult settings. They are exposed to violence, deceit and stress. Leaders whom employees see only as rule enforcers will eventually lose credibility.
The theory of servant leadership applies to corrections because it shows leaders how support can help build their authority rather than diminish it. [5] Supporting employees may include listening before acting, mentoring new officers, following up with employees after difficult situations, making assignments impartially and acknowledging strong performance.
Support does not mean favoritism or overlooking poor performance. It creates a work environment in which employees know they will be treated fairly, held accountable and supported when they do their jobs well.
Avoiding leadership pitfalls
Not every leadership style is constructive. Destructive leadership harms institutions, lowers staff morale, destroys trust and causes long-term problems. It leads to practices such as favoritism, selective punishment, humiliation, poor communication, overreaction and abuse of power.
Destructive leadership can have a serious effect in a correctional environment because employees pay attention to what their supervisors consider acceptable. If leaders behave irresponsibly, staff may follow their negative example. Research on destructive leadership shows that negative behavior has effects that extend beyond the immediate situation. [6]
Leaders must refrain from becoming the problem they are trying to resolve. Authority without fairness creates fear. Support without accountability creates favoritism. Regulation without regard for circumstances creates rigidity.
Key takeaways
- Correctional leadership is not a single leadership style. Successful leaders adapt their style to the situation.
- Supervisors must maintain standards, hold people accountable and manage day-to-day operations effectively.
- Leaders must adapt quickly when routine operations become a crisis.
- Developing, coaching and mentoring staff contributes to a stronger institutional culture.
- Regulations and documentation help protect the institution, its staff and the public’s trust.
- Supportive leadership promotes trust without reducing expectations.
- Poor leadership damages institutional credibility, morale and safety.
Conclusion
The correctional supervisor who advised me to choose my hat according to the situation was not simply offering a catchy phrase. He made me curious about the nature of correctional leadership. The profession requires its practitioners to move from accountability to coaching, from following regulations to responding to emergencies, from documenting operations to supporting employees and from performing routine duties to issuing emergency commands.
Though the hat may change, the ethical requirements remain the same. Correctional leaders should be fair, consistent, calm and focused on their mission, regardless of the environment.
First-rate correctional leaders are not remembered simply for wearing their hats well. They are remembered for being able to change their hats while remaining the same leaders.
References
1. Burns JM. Leadership. Harper & Row; 1978.
2. Hess KM, Orthmann CH, LaDue SE. Management and supervision in law enforcement. 7th ed. Cengage Learning; 2016.
3. Nye JS Jr. The powers to lead. Oxford University Press; 2008.
4. Bass BM, Riggio RE. Transformational leadership. 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 2006.
5. Greenleaf RK. Servant leadership. Paulist Press; 1977.
6. Padilla A, Hogan R, Kaiser RB. The toxic triangle: Destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and conducive environments. Leadership Quarterly. 2007;18(3):176-194.