June 2026
LEADERSHIP BOOKSHELF LESSONS FROM“ GREAT BY CHOICE: UNCERTAINTY, CHAOS, AND LUCK – WHY SOME THRIVE DESPITE THEM ALL” By Jim Collins and Morten Hansen
Modern policing does not lack for turbulence. Chiefs today face a landscape defined by public scrutiny, legislative volatility, staffing shortages, rapid technology shifts, unpredictable crises, and rising community expectations. Yet even in this environment— one filled with uncertainty and events outside a chief’ s control— some police organizations consistently perform at a higher level. They maintain legitimacy, build trust, respond effectively to crises, and strengthen their culture and professionalism year after year.
The question that Great by Choice asks is the same question facing law enforcement leaders and executives right now: Why do some organizations thrive in chaos while others— facing the same conditions— struggle or decline?
The answer, after one of the most exhaustive leadership studies ever conducted, is both humbling and empowering: Greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance. Greatness is a matter of conscious choice and discipline.
This message resonates deeply in policing, where leaders cannot control events but can absolutely control how their agencies prepare, behave, and respond.
The 10X Mindset Applied to Policing Collins and Hansen studied“ 10X organizations”— those that outperformed their industry tenfold despite instability. They found four leadership behaviors that allowed these organizations to excel:
1. Fanatical Discipline
2. Empirical Decision-Making(“ Bullets Before Cannonballs”)
3. Productive Paranoia
4. Level 5 Ambition expressed through a durable SMaC operating system
In law enforcement terms, these are the behaviors of agencies that maintain resilience, professionalism, trust, and operational excellence across decades— regardless of political cycles, staffing pressure, or social upheaval.
Why do some organizations thrive in chaos while others – facing the same conditions – struggle or decline?
1. Fanatical Discipline: The 20-Mile March for Police Agencies Amundsen’ s disciplined march to the South Pole— steady progress every single day— provides a powerful metaphor for policing. His rival Scott marched erratically, exhausted his people, and ultimately died. The lesson is not about weather; it is about leadership behavior.
In policing, a“ 20-Mile March” means:
• Setting clear performance standards for your agency
• Maintaining them year after year, even during pressure, crisis, or staffing shortages
• Avoiding the temptation to overextend during“ good years” or underperform during difficult ones
• Developing consistency in training, supervision, community engagement, and professional development
A disciplined agency does not swing wildly with public trends or political winds. Instead, it holds steady on its core mission: public safety, professionalism, service, and accountability. This type of disciplined consistency builds public trust— and internal confidence— over time. Chiefs who maintain a“ 20-Mile March” culture develop agencies that withstand turbulence without losing direction or momentum.
2. Empirical Creativity: Fire Bullets, Then Cannonballs Innovative ideas— technology platforms, community policing strategies, crisis response models, recruitment initiatives— often tempt agencies to implement sweeping changes at once. But Great by Choice warns against“ uncalibrated cannonballs”: big bets adopted without testing.
In policing, chiefs must balance innovation with accountability. The 10X method?
• Fire bullets first: pilot programs, limited deployments, trial shifts, small-scale community pilot zones, or test groups for new technology.
• Study the evidence: what worked, what didn’ t, what adjusted outcomes look like.
• Then fire a cannonball: scale up only once success is validated.
This approach mirrors how the best agencies implement body-worn cameras, co-responder mental health models, accreditation standards, new training methods, or datadriven deployment strategies. Instead of reacting to trends or political momentum, chiefs implement innovations empirically— based on evidence, results, and internal capacity.
Continued on page 39
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