Some essential institutions in T&T are the police service, prison service, defence force, fire service, private security and those that are responsible for medical emergencies such as health centres and hospitals. It is paramount that they deliver efficient and effective services due to their very nature.Organisations generally constitute three levels of staff: (1) upper/senior management, (2) middle management/supervisory, and (3) junior. In this article, we highlight the importance of middle management to the success or failure of organisations, more so, those in the security and public safety industry.
While senior management sets the policies for the organisation as a whole, it is the middle management/supervisors who have significant responsibilities for ensuring that they are achieved. Middle management is then charged with the tasks of putting systems in place to facilitate the junior staff's delivery of the services.For example, in the police service, the executive level and senior police officers will set the policies, but it is the middle management like the inspectors, sergeants and even corporals who usually man the shifts, take charge of the constables on a daily basis to ensure that the policies are carried out. So too it is in private security companies. Security supervisors are required to ensure that security officers perform their job to the best of their client's satisfaction because if the clients are not satisfied their contract services "may no longer be required."
As a result, all middle-management personnel must be adequately trained with such required skills. They actually make or break an organisation. If they do not perform their middle management/supervisory tasks at the very best, an organisation can fail. Therefore, what are some of the skills that such people must have? First, they must be able to fully internalise the vision, mission and objectives of the organisation so that they will know first-hand why they are to implement the policies and in a particular way. Second, they must be able to transmit and sell these ideals to the junior staff so that they also understand and appreciate them and that it permeates their being. This calls for tactical training in communication skills. Third, they must be able to encourage and motivate their subordinates to carry out their tasks. This again requires training in psychology and communication.
Supervisors are also required to possess excellent skills in time management (fourth) and stress management (fifth). For instance, they will be responsible to manage their time as well as those under their watch.With regard to stress management, they will need to manage their stress levels as well as those of their officers when they either come to them or better yet, if they observe it in their staff. They will need to know what to do, what to say. This they can know if they are adequately trained. Not all organisations have Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) for staff to access so supervisors play a crucial role here.Sixth, a technical skill that middle management is required to possess is that of the conduct of fair performance appraisals. While some organisations have these instruments in place, supervisors are asked to implement them fairly and to even make recommendations as to how they can be improved to capture the full performance of officers under their care. Training in performance appraisals is thus encouraged for their greater effectiveness.
Seventh, a key but unpleasant function is that of disciplinary matters. This, again, is another area of training that middle management needs to possess in order that disciplinary procedures and sanctions are effective.Eight, supervisors are also required to do just what the word say, to supervise, that is, to ensure that the tasks performed are done so satisfactorily. And, there are training to assist them in this regard.In reality, it is very difficult for supervisors to find the time to undertake any lengthy training due to often heavy work commitments, family time, etc. Therefore, they should look for appropriate training that is available for short periods of time every so often.
The Caribbean Institute for Security and Public Safety offers short professional development training in many areas in security and public safety to individuals and public and private organisations.