Has your supervisor thanked you lately?

[Silver Fox]

Has your Lt., Capt. major, chief or boss thanked you lately for doing a good job, or is it only when you've done a little something off center, or when it's time to get a performance rating that you hear from him/her?
It's sad that there are so many supervisors who seldom if ever praise an officer for doing a good job, but won't hesitate a moment in hauling that officer in on the carpet and chewing his a$$ out.

[Creeker]

My agency had a de facto policy of only promoting people after they'd been suspended for a Policy violation ... something pretty serious..., for a term no less than 5 days.

Likewise, if a person earned an award, it drew deliterious consequenses forthwith.

Does that count as praise?

[marinepilot]

Oh man, you just made my morning bringing this up... I've been wanting to start a thread similar, but more particular to my situation, but didn't want to do the typical rant.

My previous supervisor didn't EVER thank me unless I put the words in her mouth! And what the heck good is THAT? In fact, it got so bad that I had to go to the Chief on MULTIPLE occasions because she would pull me off of patrol to b!tch me out on the carpet. And she'd have me sign counseling sheets every time too, at least 2 times per week! I got so scared of being near her that I wouldn't even come into the station for ANYTHING unless I was called by dispatch or her. I hated life working every day looking back over my shoulder to see her staring down and nitpicking every single thing I did!

One time I exploded at her during a counseling session when she handed me a "verbal reprimand" sheet for not letting her know that I was taking a 1 hour a day class that the Chief told me to go to! Ended up not getting the reprimand, but got a letter from the Chief in my file for losing my temper and directing me to three sessions of mandatory counseling. Talk about a career killer...

That Sgt. was out sick one day, but not so sick she couldn't call the station and ask the dispatcher to "spy" on me and see how much time I spent in the station and report it back to her (not all the officers mind you, just me). That's when it got so bad the Chiefs secretary and my dispatcher arranged a meeting with Chief and informed Chief that I was going to quit and move into another line of work (which I had stated to them both). They didn't want to lose me from their department, or from LE in general, AND they saw the Sgt. was singling me out over all the other officers in her command.

Chief wrote a letter assigning me to the other Sgt. the next day.

Life has been SO much better since then! This Sgt. doesn't have a hidden agenda and actually thanks me for the hard work I do along with chewing a little A$$ when it's needed! :D

Okay, rant over. Thanks for letting me vent! :D

[seeking]

Has your Lt., Capt. major, chief or boss thanked you lately for doing a good job, or is it only when you've done a little something off center, or when it's time to get a performance rating that you hear from him/her?
It's sad that there are so many supervisors who seldom if ever praise an officer for doing a good job, but won't hesitate a moment in hauling that officer in on the carpet and chewing his a$$ out.

Sadly, I think this is true in any profession. I remember when I worked at Meijer, I had a couple people tell me they wanted to talk to my manager and would tell them that I was a great cashier, etc. and they just wanted to let the management know; then they'd tell me what they had said...had they not told me personally, I never would have heard about it. But if someone complained, that's when you're taken in the office and chewed out about customer service...Sad, actually. I'm a fan of the 'publicly praise privately criticize' management practice, but I've rarely seen it used.

[Johninaustin]

Heck, I don't even know who my supervisor IS. My regular one is out on long term medical. :confused:

[CelicaGuy]

My supervisor thanks me on a weekly basis, but I go above and beyond everyday at work, I have started and made many policies that we have to this day. Now its time for a promotion soon, so hopefully everything I have done will show up in that interview!!!

[Darin]

The first Sgt I worked for never told me that I did a good job. My LT, however, would. The LT would say he knows my Sgt wouldn't say anything but wanted me to know I was doing a good job.

The other Sgts I worked for would tell me on occasion. I've never been one to crave attention or needed to be told that I'm doing a good job. As long as I did my job and didn't get fired I was OK with that. But it does make you feel good to hear it.

[acreature]

I don't get a pat on the back unless I do something out of the normal. I pretty much agree with that. And I do the same. Your arm would start to hurt if you did it for every time one did their job.

We're adults, and shouldn't need constant praise. Leave us to ourselves unless we screw up or do something extraordinary.

[coucousis]

I'll speak for myself ... and for myself only.

I'm well paid and WILL do the job I'm paid for. Some weeks I'm lucky and pull out "good shots" from my daily interventions. Other weeks I can't find a thing. I will always say "good job" to others when they get the jack pot, but not to the point of raising them to such a level where they think they are "the best".

When I make a good shot... I take it as part of my daily job but it doesn't make me any better then anybody else that I work with. Some of the guys I work with are always showing off whenever they do a good shot! They think they are "soooooo good". I can't stand that! I'm not competing with anyone!

We'd be surprise to see how many of their cases are thrown out and refuse by the Crown Attorney.

Personnally I don't expect any "pat on the back". I can live without it. I do however expect my supervisor to trust my judgement and let me work my way out. If I do need him.. I'll call him in! I just can't stand being "oversupervised".

That is my way of working... does'nt mean it is the best one but it is mine. I'm more of a loner then a "group therapy" guy!:D

[ChesCopPodz]

The captain will, but I believe his sencerity like I believe there will be a bikini contest in Iran tomorrow.

My LT was my FTO back when I started, and got promoted to sgt right as I finished FTO, got assigned to my shift, and turned out to be my sgt. I've known him my whole career. When he says good job, I know he means it. He's pretty good about giving the shift praise. He's not too far out of touch that he doesn't BS with us on a first name basis.

My sgts are a great bunch of guys. We have one that will usually end up being the first one on scene to jump in a fight with you. The others have been friends of mine since before they got stripes as well. Very loose shift on midnights as long as the capt isn't poking around. They're very quick to praise for a job well done, or "unofficially" reprimand us by calling us a knucklehead when we do something wrong.

[realpolice]

As a year and a half as a Sergeant now, I make a point to always tell officers "good job" after an arrest, or even when I'm a call with them. I still remember :D But I will say it is a little weird, at least at first, because a lot of these guys are people I worked with side by side in the past. But I do try to say it regardless.

[Super Six 5]

My agency only doles out negative feedback. Even positive actions are met with negative comments. For instance, when an infant was having an allergic reaction and the parents were on the phone with 911, one of our officers stumbled upon them. He took the phone and the dispatcher walked him through administering an epi-pen, saving the baby's life before the FD Rescue could arrive.

Our Chief yelled at the Lt. for letting the patrolman get involved instead of waiting for the ambulance. :rolleyes:

[realpolice]

My agency only doles out negative feedback. Even positive actions are met with negative comments. For instance, when an infant was having an allergic reaction and the parents were on the phone with 911, one of our officers stumbled upon them. He took the phone and the dispatcher walked him through administering an epi-pen, saving the baby's life before the FD Rescue could arrive.

Our Chief yelled at the Lt. for letting the patrolman get involved instead of waiting for the ambulance. :rolleyes:

Ours is the same way. An officer was written up one time for jumping in the river and saving a drowning woman that was near immanent death. He saved her, and was written up for not waiting for the fire department. :confused:

[acreature]

As a year and a half as a Sergeant now, I make a point to always tell officers "good job" after an arrest, or even when I'm a call with them........ But I do try to say it regardless.

While I understand the reasoning, I do not agree, respectfully.

When I attended First Line Supervision years back, they say to do this also... Give "Thanks" and "Good Job" comments regularly. They say its geared more toward the newer, younger Officers, as they are in need of praise, as the Generation "Y" crowd.

Personally, I say give "Thanks" and "Good Job" comments when the duty completed is not of the normal day to day mundane type, or the Officer does something not of his normal routine.

I personally think it opens people up to more ego, as if there isn't enough ego involved in this Type A mentality line of work as is :D

[Darin]

I personally think it opens people up to more ego, as if there isn't enough ego involved in this Type A mentality line of work as is :D

I disagree. I don't see how saying "good job" opens you up to more ego. Now if you keep saying that and "you're the best cop ever!" everytime someone opens a car door then I can see your point.

Now that being said, we are adults and as such we shouldn't need our fur stroked. But we are in a thankless job and hearing "good job" from time to time maybe will pick you up when you need it.


Just my $.02 amd since we are in a recession :rolleyes: it's worth zip. :D