Want to Be a CCA Leader? Read Like One!
At CCA, there are many ways to groom oneself for leadership and a lasting career.
In-service training. Samberg Leadership Program. Foundations. ACA professional certification opportunities. A company that promotes from within.
But what else can CCA leaders-in-development do to become more informed about and better versed in the tools of the trade? How can they stay up to date on trends, step up their management skills and become more business-savvy?
According to CCA leaders, it could be as simple as opening a book.
Reading is fundamental
CCA vice presidents, wardens, chiefs of security and others agree that one of the best ways to get on the cutting edge of corrections and business is to stay in the know. And, for many, reading is a timeless tactic to get there.
“In our Foundations class, we teach about scanning the external and internal environment for threats and opportunities,” says Steve Conry, CCA vice president, Operations (Business Unit III). “One of the ways that successful leaders do this on an ongoing basis is to stay informed of local, regional, state and national issues.”
In today’s fast-paced society, where text messaging, soundbites and social networking have condensed everyday communications to Internet slang, chat speak and content scanning, taking time to open a book seems impractical to some. But many believe this timeless standby is just as current and useful as ever; in fact, they say reading, research and study will never go out of style for serious leaders, managers, administrators and career-focused employees.
“I consider myself an avid reader,” says Jason Ellis, warden at Citrus County Detention Facility. “I try to read at least two books a month.”
“In addition to listening to the radio and watching television, the most successful leaders read at least one national newspaper each day, such as the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal or USA Today,” adds Conry. “Luckily, in this day and age, this can be accomplished many different ways, including reading these papers online.”
The corrections canon
Reading correctional publications is part of the regular routine for some CCA decision-makers. From magazines to Web sites produced by leading researchers, organizations and contributors to the field, there is no shortage of sources on the industry.
“I read the Corrections Today magazine published by ACA and a few other journals or publications that are industry related,” says Warden Vance Laughlin of Adams County Correctional Center.
Published every two months, Corrections Today features articles about and by criminal justice and corrections practitioners. This year, the publication will focus on inmate rehabilitation, the corrections business, correctional careers, reentry and recovery.
Many correctional news sites online also feature stories, commentaries and investigative pieces relevant to the field. Just a click away, such sites are a great way for professionals to keep tabs on trends, outcomes and industry forecasts.
“I enjoy going to Corrections.com and catching up on the latest stories, legal challenges and industry products available,” Laughlin says. “I take advantage of training and articles on the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Web site as well.”
Warden Brigham Sloan of Bent County Correctional Facility considers The Correctional Law Reporter must-read material. The publication comes out six times a year and aims to “find and summarize the most important decisions and explain them in a practical, non-technical way.”
“Most facilities receive this periodical free of charge,” Sloan says. “Its articles often will answer why we follow certain practices and procedures with inmates.”
Reviewing company-produced materials is also a time-tested habit for some employees. From online news site InsideCCA.com and Correct Perspectives to CCA manuals and policies, knowing the company from the inside-out is essential for on-the-job know-how.
“Correct Perspectives is also a must read, especially articles written by our CEO,” Sloan explains. “If you want to know the focus of the company, issues, trends of concern, and areas of opportunity, there is no better place to get it than from the top.”
Jeff Francis, unit manager at La Palma Correctional Center, offers an interesting alternative.
“One of the best CCA publications or policies that staff get but rarely take full advantage of is Policy 3-3BB on the company’s code of ethics and business conduct,” he says. “This is for all line staff, supervisors and managers. Understanding our policies and how they apply to us is important.”
Reading between the lines
Some CCA leaders also derive valuable lessons from literary works that, they say, give new meaning and spawn deeper insights into all aspects of their lives. On the surface, the trials, turmoil and testimony of Cuban fisherman Santiago in The Old Man and The Sea may have no direct linkage to the protocol, procedures and practical matters of any given work day. But Laughlin makes connections to such classical texts all the time.
“My two favorite classical authors are Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck,” Laughlin says. “Steinbeck makes me appreciate what this world has given me, and Hemingway provides the goals for the future in general terms.”
Francis believes the ‘good book’ contains lessons applicable to all aspects of life, particularly the daily challenges of corrections. To him, Biblical lessons are universal and instructive, whatever one’s beliefs.
“Even though I choose the Bible first, all religions have instruction for helping and dealing with each other,” he explains. “I did not learn how to treat my staff from any business publication; I got it from the Bible.”
For Damon Hininger, CCA president and CEO, a turn toward history offers compelling guidance that puts everyday life – on the home front or in the corner office – into perspective. Looking to the past, Hininger believes, helps him make better decisions today – and tomorrow.
“1776 and John Adams by David G. McCullough put my life into perspective,” Hininger says. “When I look at the many challenges our Founding Fathers faced – the high stakes they faced to fight for independence – it inspires me.”
Getting down to business
Many popular self-help books and lesser-known motivational gems on business, best practices and management have found a home on employees’ nightstands and office bookshelves – and for good reason. Some say they contain kernels of timeless wisdom and lessons learned for experience that make for well-rounded leadership.
“My favorites are The Complete Art of War by Sun-tzu and Monday Morning Leadership: 8 Mentoring Sessions You Can’t Afford to Miss by David Cottrell,” says Christopher Ivins, assistant warden at Crossroads Correctional Center. “These titles have helped me in my leadership skills. I highly recommend them.”
“I’m currently reading With Winning in Mind: The Mental Management System by Lanny Bassham,” says Ron Thompson, CCA vice president, Operations (Business Unit I). “It’s an easy read, and its focus is on the mental management aspect of competition – why winners win, goal setting, improving concentration, performance analysis and much more.”
Hininger recommends the bestseller Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . And Others Don’t by Jim Collins. The author and his team of researchers studied 1,435 companies and then settled on 11 that redefined how large organizations defined and reached success.
Cherry Lindamood, warden at South Central Correctional Center, recently wrapped up a book she find recommendation-worthy.
“In Think Big, Act Small by Jason Jennings, he and his team screened 100,000 companies and identified nine little-known firms that consistently delivered outstanding performance over a 10-year period,” Lindamood shares. “What they discovered was these companies combined the strengths of a big organization with the appetite of a start-up. They taught and expected their managers to ‘get their hands dirty.’”
Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People gets Warden Sloan’s vote for its practical application of leadership principles.
“I have found no better book for personal success,” he says. “You will find that it will serve as a guide for leadership. I find myself, when dealing with difficult issues, going back and rereading portions of it to provide fresh perspective.”
Chad Rogers, chief of security at Citrus County Detention Facility, finds works by leadership expert John C. Maxwell especially instructive. “His books have always hit a note with me, and I find his principles in line with The CCA Way.”
Others agree.
“I believe that Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership has something for every type of leader,” Ellis says. “Zig Ziglar, Barry Conchie and David Keirsey are great authors on leadership and personality, too.”
“On the rare occasions I have to read anymore, I like the books of John Maxwell, especially There's No Such Thing as Business Ethics,” says Steve Dotson, warden of Whiteville Correctional Facility.
By K. Danielle Edwards
Correct Perspectives, May 2010
Sound Out
Lieutenant Gary M. Smith at Dawson State Jail:
I agree with the need to read. I have just over 17 years of law enforcement and corrections experience and I constantly read the latest books on police work and corrections. Not a birthday or Christmas goes by where I don't put the latest corrections book on my wish list. While the fundamental duties of corrections officers have remained the same for centuries, the equipment, certain techniques and procedures constantly change and I prefer to keep up with the new stuff. I like to keep track of the latest trends, newest laws and court rulings affecting corrections as well as the newest techniques for officer survival and management. The job is hard enough without handicapping yourself.
Jason Grigsby - Lieutenant at Northeast Ohio Correctional Center:
Think Big, Act Small. I think if more administration and supervisory staff took on the idea of "getting your hands dirty and being out there with their staff, then you would see an overall increase in performance. I ahve found that staff at our institution are more willing to work harder, do more and perform better if I am out there helping them along, not just calling them out on a radio or sitting in an office and barking orders at the over the phone.