Tag Archives: leadership

The Essential Abolitionist: Supporting a Tool for Freedom

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(Portions of this post also appear in the Updates for my Kickstarter campaign, The Essential Abolitionist.)

A week ago today I launched the crowdfunding effort to publish my book The Essential Abolitionist: What You Need to Know About Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery. Frankly, it’s an emotional roller coaster every day, with lows accompanying little activity, and then the thrill of receiving alerts from Kickstarter that we have another backer! This was expected, of course, when you launch a project whose success is dependent upon so many others.

I’ve been very involved in the fight against human trafficking for almost a decade, since January 2006, and have been exceptionally fortunate to work with a wide variety of individuals and organizations as a speaker, trainer, consultant, task force manager, and professor. I’ve met some great people along the way!

In 2006 there were very few resources for learning about human trafficking, and most people had not even heard the phrase ‘human trafficking.’ Today, most people have at least heard the term, but there is still much confusion about the topic and, in particular, how best to respond. That’s the core concept behind The Essential Abolitionist; if you want to be knowledgeable you need to be introduced to both the macro view of trafficking (e.g., how is trafficking defined, who can be victimized, how do traffickers control others) while also understanding the micro aspects (e.g., what challenges do local law enforcement face, what are the unique needs of trafficking victims, is the Super Bowl is largest trafficking event in the country). Each of these topics relate to each other in ways unique to the fight against slavery. The Essential Abolitionist addresses about 100 of these macro and micro issues that are essential to a more comprehensive understanding of the response to human trafficking. No other book has previously taken this approach, and the book will be an asset to abolitionists for years to come. Here are some additional thoughts after the first week of the campaign to fund the publication.

First, I want to thank all of my backers during the first week of this campaign! Many of you I know and are long-time supporters in the fight for freedom. Others I don’t know, but I look forward to getting to know in the future.

As of this morning we are 28% funded, which is great news. On the other hand, Kickstarter (and all crowd funding) campaigns are well known for dropping into a lull between the excitement of the campaign start and the urgency near the end. So how to mitigate this expected lull?

I’m continuing to email every person in my Contacts list, and post frequently on both my personal and book Facebook pages, along with my Twitter site. I’m also working on other plans to engage potentials backers.

What can you do? First, please continue to share this project with friends and family and ask them to support the project. A personal “I think this is a valuable project, please support it” attached to your Facebook post or email carries a lot of weight with your friends!

Second, ask the civic, faith, or other groups you belong to for their support; many of these groups are looking for good causes to support and this is great project to back! Any person or organization backing at Level 6 or higher will be included in the Acknowledgements section of the book, receiving credit for bringing this project to life! Level 8 backers will have me travel to their location to talk about human trafficking and the fight for freedom – another way these organizations will gain recognition for their support.

Remind your friends that the reward structure allows additional donations. For example, if a backer only needs two books but wants to help this book become a success, they can support at Level 4 (two books) but also donate any additional amount. (This is also how an organization can support us at any amount they wish.)

Thank you all again for your generous pledges! (And those of you reading this who have not pledged, please do so now!) The work doesn’t end with your pledge, please keep sharing this until the final day.

John

Knowledge and the Response to Human Trafficking

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Human trafficking is complex. The response to trafficking is even more complex. That is the reason I’m writing, The Essential Abolitionist: What You Need to Know About Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery.

I’ve been involved in the fight against human trafficking for almost a decade; first managing the San Jose Police Department’s Human Trafficking Task Force, and since 2011 as a consultant working with both governmental and private organizations to better understand, and respond, to human trafficking. It has been quite an experience; I’ve learned a lot through my involvement and worked with many wonderful and committed people. But I’ve also seen many efforts – even when backed with plenty of passion and money – struggle and fail due to lack of knowledge about  of the issue, the challenges of collaboration, or the intricacies of the multidisciplinary response. While there are several good books and resources helpful in learning about trafficking, no book currently exists that is based upon experience in the actual response to slavery. The Essential Abolitionist will fill this void.

The concept behind the book is rather simple. I put together a list of questions that I am consistently asked by people who are interested in trafficking, along with a list of the topics that I usually include in training programs or presentations. I view this information as essential to a foundational knowledge on the subject, and necessary to be as effective as possible in our efforts to assist victims, prosecute traffickers, and raise public awareness.

I then shared my list with several anti-trafficking colleagues, all of whom supported the concept behind the book, and many of whom have offered to contribute to the book. The Essential Abolitionist will not only educate those who desire a better understanding of human trafficking, but will be an asset for abolitionists in the future.

I’ve decided to self-publish the book for several reasons, but here are two: First, I can update information in the print and eBook more easily if needed, and; Two, I wanted as many people as possible to be involved in the project  – and not only by supporting it financially. Backers of The Essential Abolitionist will get to vote on the book cover, read early drafts, and support anti-trafficking efforts in their communities by sharing the book. Hopefully backers will feel they are not just giving support, but are actively involved in the response against trafficking.

Please visit the Kickstarter Project Page!

Then, do three things.
1 – Back the project.
2- Share the project with your friends and colleagues via email and social media – and ask them to support it. (Depending upon your social media platforms you may want to post more than once since not all of your contacts may see only one post. The campaign lasts only 30 days.)
3- Share this project with civic or faith communities, universities, or companies that want to support efforts fighting slavery. Everyone is opposed to slavery, and this is a great opportunity to get involved.

This project involves three of my greatest passions: leadership, collaboration, and the response to human trafficking. Thank you for your support!

(Motivated? Here are two additional things you can do. Follow me on Twitter (or just click the button on my home page), and “Like” The Essential Abolitionist Facebook page. Thanks!)

Leadership, Collaboration, Response to Human Trafficking

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Leadership, Collaboration, Response to Human Trafficking. These are the topics I address on my blog, teach to others, and speak about in public. While they may appear to be three different subjects, they are closely intertwined. Together, they also create lessons that are applicable to the world around us; the response to human trafficking is also my laboratory for practicing leadership and collaboration.

Human trafficking (the exploitation of a person’s labor or services, or forced commercial sexual exploitation, through force, fraud or coercion) impacts an estimated 24 million victims worldwide. The International Labour Organization estimates global revenue from trafficking (really, modern slavery) is $150B every year. The dynamics that lead to, and foster, human trafficking are varied and complex. But the dynamics involved in the response to trafficking are even more complex! Whenever a discussion focuses on how individuals and institutions respond to trafficking, the conversation inevitably shifts to topics of leadership and collaboration.

The “4 P Paradigm” is a model of response to human trafficking created and promoted by the federal government; Prevention, Protection (of victims), Prosecution, Partnership. The first three legs fail without Partnership, or collaboration. Sectors involved in the response to trafficking include: victim services providers; local police or sheriffs; federal law enforcement, including FBI and ICE/HSI; local and federal prosecutors; private organizations; community groups; and others. If an effective response is to occur, these sectors have to be able to work together to maximize their own effectiveness. An axiom in the response to trafficking is that no single agency (or sector) can address the problem of human trafficking alone. At a minimum, each sector must recognize that others sectors exist, and that each sector has it’s own mission and goals. Collaboration includes assisting others in achieving their goals. Collaborating in this sense is a learned skill; it requires traits and skills that many of us do not learn naturally and most have not been taught in any formal setting.

Leadership comes into play when discussing how collaborative groups are formed, how decisions are made, and who “leads” the group. This can be especially challenging in a group comprised of different professional cultures, varying levels of knowledge and experience regarding human trafficking, and institutional goals. There have been a lot of failures in the response to trafficking, and when examined closely these failures can usually be traced to issues of leadership and collaboration, not the passion to fight modern slavery.

Lessons of leadership and collaboration experienced in one environment can often be translated into other environments. While I write about the interplay of leadership and collaboration with the response to human trafficking, I also examine leadership and collaboration as they apply to other settings. Being involved in the response to trafficking allows me not only to work in developing effective responses to trafficking, it offers me the environment to practice collaboration and leadership, just as various positions during my career with the San Jose Police Department offered me opportunities to enhance my supervision and leadership skills. Every leader need a laboratory, if you will, in which to practice and develop their leadership skills; true leaders never stop developing their leadership skills.

The topics of leadership, collaboration, and the response to human trafficking are closely connected. Success against modern slavery require leadership and collaboration. At the same time, the development of leadership and collaboration trait and skills can be enhanced in any environment and for any purpose.

As you can see, the words at the top of my homepage are very closely related. Please subscribe to my blog – and share it with others – if you have interest in any of these topics.

Getting Thrown Under the Bus, or Not.

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One of the most exciting Super Bowl finishes in history deserves a short examination under the lens of leadership. There is a critical lesson we can all learn from the post-game responses from the Seattle Seahawks’ leadership.

Head Coach Pete Carroll has told the press the decision to call the play which led to the now-infamous interception was his responsibility. Carroll immediately stepped up and took responsibility as every leader should. But wait, Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson has also taken responsibility, stating he agreed with the play selection and believed – as the football left his hand – that a touchdown was imminent. Both Carroll and Wilson have taken responsibility for the decision-making and execution of the play.

As a leader, do you take responsibility for the strategic or tactical decisions you make when the execution of your plan is in the hands of others? As the leader on the field, do you take responsibility for the outcome of your execution of another person’s plan? I hope so, because that is what effective leaders do. In the public response by Carroll and Wilson, nobody is being thrown under the bus. Meanwhile, countless media pundits and fans will look for someone to blame, to chastise, to throw under the bus. (Maybe, simply, credit should be given to Patriots’ rookie Malcolm Butler for a brilliant interception.)

While the play-calling decision and execution in the final 30 seconds of the 2015 Super Bowl will be debated for years (and was made on the most visible stage imaginable), everyday the rest of us, as leaders, face situations and decisions that offer the opportunity to throw someone under the bus – or not. Self-protection by blaming, demeaning, or chastising others in public is the fastest way to lose your credibility as a leader. Don’t throw others under the bus. Taking responsibility for the failures of your team will enhance your leadership credibility; just be prepared to determine the cause of failure and work as a team to correct them for the future. Luckily, few of us have to make decisions and execute a plan, while being watched (and, ultimately, second-guessed) by millions of people. But the impact on our team members as a result of how we act as leaders is just as critical.

Your team will work hard knowing you will take responsibility in the tough times. They will work even harder when the decisions and execution lead to success, and you give them all of the credit.

 

 

Are You Involved in the Fight Against Trafficking? Then You Need This!

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If you (or your organization) is actively opposing human trafficking in your community this resource is for you! The Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide. The guide is newly updated and expanded, and is the only guide on task force operations available to the general public. While the guide uses the term “task force,” it is designed to assist any multidisciplinary-team approach to the prevention, investigation or prosecution of human trafficking, or to providing protection and services to victims of trafficking. Regardless of the term used for your organization (coalition, task force, collaborative, etc.), this e-guide will increase the efficiency and knowledge of your members, and your team as a whole.

The e-Guide offers guidelines to collaborative practices, along with more detailed information valuable to victim services providers, law enforcement investigators, and prosecutors. It also contains information on conducting public awareness campaigns, case studies, and a host of additional resources.

The complexities in responding to slavery can only be navigated with a multidisciplinary, victim-centered approach. Yet the work involved with engaging other professional sectors, creating a leadership system within the task force, and working together can be more difficult than the daily work of assisting victims, investigating incidents, or prosecuting traffickers. Much of my consulting work focuses on how individuals and agencies can improved their collaborative work. This e-guide fills a void, and should be studied by everyone involved in the response to trafficking.

Lastly, I was honored to be part of the consultant team on this project. It was a pleasure working with Amy, Jean, and Jack, along with the team at OVC/TTAC. Our hope is that this e-guide will help your organization in your efforts against human trafficking.

3 Reasons to Begin Your Personal Leadership Journey

My goal is helping others become more knowledgeable, engaging, effective leaders – especially those working in law enforcement or other public safety organizations. But the sad truth of the matter for most of us is that developing our personal leadership capabilities and practices require personal effort. Most of us will be given little, if any, leadership training beyond the minimum required as we rise through the ranks. If we really want to become more effective leaders (by “effective” I mean we inspire others to be better at their jobs, make those around us feel valued and believe they are contributing to the organization’s goals and, we offer a vision for improving the organization and those we serve) we must commit ourselves to a leadership journey that cannot be completed simply by reading a book or two, or by attending a leadership program. It takes effort. How we can become better leaders will be the recurrent theme of this blog, but for now let’s examine three reasons (though there are many more) why becoming a better leader needs to be a personal effort.

1- We Need Good Law Enforcement Leaders!
During your career, how many individuals in leadership positions have you observed that you would consider effective leaders? Keep in mind that some supervisors and managers can accomplish their jobs of supervising and managing without exhibiting the traits described above In his book, Challenging the Law Enforcement Organization: Proactive Leadership Strategies, Jack Enter relates his asking law enforcement personnel what percentage of their past and current supervisors and managers displayed true leadership behaviors (p. 27). Most responded that only 5-10 percent displayed real leadership! Take a few minutes and make a list of the supervisors and managers you have worked with and, using the simple definition of effective leadership offered above, determine how many you would rate as effective. Now ask yourself, Do I want to be an effective leader, or among the (probable) majority who are something less?

I worked with several effective leaders during my career, but many were less than effective, and some were terrible. I tried to learn from the effective and tried not to emulate the ineffective or bad. (Though, to be honest, there were times I failed at both.) Good leaders are not easy to come by, so the first reason to develop your leadership knowledge and traits is simply because good leaders are needed and they are hard to find.

2- Organizations Don’t Foster Leadership Development
What has your organization done to develop your leadership knowledge and skills? Probably very little. If it makes you feel any better, most law enforcement agencies don’t provide much support. Typically, leadership development opportunities only become available upon promotion: you get promoted to sergeant, then you attend some form of supervisor’s training; you get promoted to lieutenant, then you attend administrator training. If you are lucky, these trainings include the discussion of leadership as being not only a part of supervision and management, but also as a set of practices which transcends these two job descriptions. As described in this article from the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, this traditional process of promoting and then training puts “the cart before the horse”, and is not the best method to prepare future leaders, or an agency for their leadership needs. In short, law enforcement typically promotes individuals into positions of authority and then expects them to perform. Leadership skills and practices should be developed in advance – even if you have to do it yourself.

3- Leadership is Not Only for the Workplace or Organization
Too many of us see leadership as something we do at work or as a result of our position within a group, such as being the president of club. But the study of leadership principles and practices includes benefits that enhance us personally and in just about every type of social engagement. For example, developing ourselves requires the ability to reflect upon how we currently practice leadership, along with our past successes and failures. To be an effective leader demands we take the time, and have the ability, to look at ourselves. This ability to analyze how we do things is equally important in how we view our parenting, our relationships, and how we engage with our community. The study of leadership can enhance our lives.

So here are three reasons to take responsibility for developing your leadership skills. What are some other reasons you can think of? Share them so we can all enjoy the food for thought.

Defining 21st Century Leadership

Defining 21st Century Leadership is not an easy thing to do. Just as our world is more complex than in the past, defining the leadership traits, skills, and practices most effective for our world today is also complex. Indeed, one element of the definition is understanding that complexity is everywhere in our lives, and that leaders need a variety of skills if they are to succeed. When examining leadership as practiced in the law enforcement community, one critical understanding is that the rank we wear on our uniform sleeves or collars alone will not guarantee success. And if practice our leadership solely based on our rank, we can guarantee failure.

Successful leadership requires a degree of insight into how we as individuals, and as organizations, view the problems we encounter. Are we successfully solving the problems we face today? Is our current level of skills and knowledge adequate for the problems we face? These questions are not as simple as they may seem. Just asking ourselves these questions can be difficult to do. (Although doing so is one sign of leadership.)

If we are not solving the difficult problems, then we must ask ourselves how can we change the way we act, think, and lead to be more successful. And this is where 21st Century Leadership (or, simply, 21C) practices come into play; 21C is a body of practices, skills, and theories which offers us many different tools to be successful leaders. It is a toolbox, or a quiver, in many respects, but requiring a much more thoughtful approach than the “I outrank you, so do as I say” approach of the past. (Regretfully, there is still far to much of this type of leadership in all professions today.)

A key 21C principle is accepting – and promoting – the understanding that all of us are involved in the practice of leadership; being a leader does not require formal rank or authority, and those whom we might simply describe as “followers” are just as critical as those with authority.

Defining 21C Leadership is not simple, but here are three key elements to understand:

  • Our world is more complex than in the past and as a result a broader range of leadership skills, practices, and knowledge are necessary.
  • As leaders we must ask, “Am I, and is my organization, solving the difficult problems we are facing today, and, if not, what am I doing to improve my leadership skills and practices?”
  • Leading from positional authority, and not understanding or respecting the roles played by others, is a recipe for leadership failure. Leadership is a process in which we are all involved.

From these key elements we can begin to grow into more effective leaders – which is really what 21st Century Leadership is really about.