The Translator
On Tuesday, November 17, Charlie Beck is likely to be confirmed as the New Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Following an inspirational leader like Bill Bratton is no small task. Bratton has turned around the LAPD and created deep bonds with the community. Beck describes his role as the police officer’s police officer who can take the changes that Bratton made with the management staff deep into the rank and file.
In every successful organization there is someone, usually the top leader who sets the vision: “here is what we want to create in the world.” With a vision, they excel as Bratton’s LAPD did.
In many organizations ”what we want to create” is unstated. So, for subordinates, both leaders and those on the floor or on the street, this becomes “my interpretation is as good as the next guy’s.” For the most part, people do their best to make the company successful. How many different interpretations of the vision are there? How many people work for you? In the LAPD, Bratton drove his vision through the management lines. He called it “no broken windows”. Beck and many others got that vision and changed the way LA was policed.
Beck says he’s the guy to bring the vision from management practice to the front lines. Mayor Villaraigosa agreed and chose Beck over some very fine LAPD senior staff. Beck’ sees his role as the translator. In the selection process, Beck raised the fear that the changes Bratton brought are tenuous or not in the hearts of the LAPD. Marketing experts would say that Beck differentiated himself from the other candidates by articulating a pain that he could uniquely solve. Beck can be the translator that will demand the behavior that over time will become “the practice”.
Every organization needs both vision and translation. Sometimes, the leader can speak the language of everyone from the senior staff to the front line worker. Not always. Be aware of what you do well and recruit good people to do the rest. If you are the visionary, find the translators in your organization and work with them to align your organization around your vision. If you are the translator, bring the team together to articulate the vision, so there is buy in and a clear direction understood by everyone. Stories and real world examples of successful behaviors will guide your organization when the vision seems vague or “nice to have.”
Note: If you want to know more about structuring communication between levels in organizations, Elliot Jacques’ work on how our time horizon indicates how high we can rise within an organization is really thought provoking analysis.
THTh