by David Brown | Sep 16, 2025 | HumanFirst, Insight, Journal |
Every week, I send a message to my teams letting them know I’ll be offline for about two hours. During that time, I turn my phone off, lace up my skates, and play in a weekly hockey league. To some, it may sound silly. But for me, it’s sacred time. Time without the...
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 | 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....
by David Brown | Mar 25, 2025 | Business / Entrepreneurship, HumanFirst, Journal, Leadership, Productivity, Thoughts |
Every job seeker knows the frustration: you find an entry-level job posting that sounds perfect—until you see those dreaded words: “1–2 years of experience required.” We’ve all been there. Whether as a recent grad or someone new to an industry, you hit a wall that...
by David Brown | Mar 18, 2025 | HumanFirst, Journal, Thoughts |
Matshona Dhliwayo once said, “An archer must never blame the target for missing it.” It’s a simple but powerful idea. It reminds us to look at our actions and choices instead of blaming others when things don’t go as planned. Too often, we take good advice and put it...
by David Brown | Mar 11, 2025 | Blog, HumanFirst, Insight, Journal, Leadership |
We wear many hats throughout our lives. Some of these hats are roles we choose, while others are roles that choose us. I see myself as a husband and father—a guardian; a hiker and non-profit founder—a healer; a trooper—a protector; and a writer and musician—a creator....
