by David Brown | Aug 12, 2025 | HumanFirst, Insight, Leadership |
We’ve been getting accountability wrong. In too many workplaces, “holding someone accountable” is code for punishing them. That’s not accountability — that’s discipline. And they’re not the same thing. What Accountability Really Means Real accountability is proactive,...
by David Brown | Jul 29, 2025 | Leadership, Personal Growth, Productivity |
Leadership isn’t about being everywhere. It’s about knowing when to show up. There was a time when I thought being CC’d on everything was good leadership. I wanted visibility. I wanted to stay in the loop. I wanted to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. But...
by David Brown | Jun 17, 2025 | Insight, Journal, Leadership, Personal Growth |
Everyone talks about “command presence.” But what does it actually look like in the real world—outside of a classroom or crisis? You don’t need to ride a motorcycle to understand this. The road just happens to be where I learned one of my most valuable lessons in...
by David Brown | Jun 10, 2025 | Insight, Journal, Personal Growth, Thoughts |
We talk a lot about burnout. We don’t talk enough about what we still have. You’re in the middle of something meaningful. But I’ve seen enough people walk away from the job—some by choice, others not—and almost all of them wish they’d appreciated it sooner. Not the...
by David Brown | Jun 3, 2025 | HumanFirst, Leadership, Thoughts |
In law enforcement, we tend to treat “culture” like it’s something abstract. A concept we assign to HR, address in an annual training, or delegate down the chain of command. Throw in a few laminated value cards, a mission statement on the wall, and check the box....