1. Compose your own definition of leadership. 2. Using the acronym PACFIN, identify the skill you need to work on most (Facilitating is the skill I need to work on the most) and provide an action plan on what you will do to improve this skill. P: problem solving, A: advising, C: collaboration, F: facilitating, I: interacting, N: networking Problem Solving Problem solving is a critical duty for anyone in a leadership role. Leaders are not afraid to make decisions. They look forward to solving problems and making the difficult decisions that most others will not, or cannot, make. In solving problems, they know when to get input from others and when to tackle the problem on their own. Advising Communication is one of the most powerful tools and important responsibilities of a leader. No supervisor wants to find out from their boss or read in the newspaper something that they should have heard first from one of their employees. They also want all the details given to them in an informative and objective manner so that they have a factual picture of the situation, not one formed by the biases of the person reporting to them. Additionally, employees want to be kept informed on things that impact them and the organization. Collaboration Community policing best illustrates this concept. This philosophy of policing is a partnership between members of the community and the police. Collectively, they identify and tackle problems within their neighborhoods that impact the quality of life for those residing and visiting the area. Collaboration allows for the most productive use of the ever decreasing resources of government. Facilitating By definition, facilitate means to make convenient or easier. Leaders make things easier for those that choose to follow them. They bring stakeholders together and facilitate their problem solving. They provide similar leadership in meetings and discussions. They let others solve their problems and resolve their issues by finding common ground to work with and by minimizing conflict. Interacting In a time of increased technology, it is easy to replace face-to-face contact with e-mails and voicemail. There is a time and place for technology, but understanding the nuances of when it is appropriate is critical to effective communication and relationships. Networking From the first day people start their training academy, they begin to build their network of relationships. From that day forward, every time they serve on a committee, attend training, or represent their agency at a function, they have an opportunity to add to their contacts. Yet the most important network for all leaders that hope to be successful is the network that they have within their own organization, which includes people at all levels in the agency and represents both civilian and law enforcement personnel. This network will supplement the formal network created by the organization’s structure and chain of command. It gives leaders one more way to see what is going on in the agency, and it gives them a way of gaining feedback on their own performance.