Training Your Supervisors:
Leadership Development and Succession Plannning
Bob Bramblet
Many correctional agencies have already experienced it, or are standing on the precipice of a significant organizational shift: the great exodus of the most experienced leaders. This “silver tsunami” represents a mass departure of command staff who are now entering retirement. Most agencies have a significant portion of their upper management slated to leave over the next few years. Baby Boomers, who currently make up the bulk of the command staff, are either retiring or planning to do so in the immediate future. Some are leaving on a planned timeline, while others depart abruptly due to health concerns or burnout.
This leaves a vacuum that must be filled. For many smaller agencies, where a single departure can represent a 20% loss in institutional knowledge, the effects can be devastating. The question echoing through the halls of jails and prisons is always the same: Who will lead next?
Defining Succession Planning in a High-Stakes Environment
Succession planning is a deliberate and systematic process for identifying and developing internal people with the potential to fill key leadership positions in the agency. It is not merely about finding a replacement for a departing captain or warden; it is about increasing the pool of experienced, capable employees, prepared to assume these roles the moment they become available.
This planning should always be in action to cultivate the next generation of leaders. In corrections, where the environment is inherently volatile, waiting until a vacancy occurs to begin the search for a replacement is a recipe for disaster. Strategic succession planning ensures that when the old guard exits, they leave behind a foundation reinforced by the competence of their successors, rather than a crumbling structure of uncertainty.
The Fallacy of the Good Test-Taker
A common hurdle in correctional leadership is the reliance on traditional promotional paths. Why train? After all, if they passed the test, they should know what they are doing, right? This is a dangerous assumption. Promotional exams and oral boards are valuable tools for measuring basic knowledge and policy comprehension, but they often fail to identify the real leaders, those who possess the soft skills and the emotional intelligence required to lead and take decisive actions under immense pressure.
Some individuals are exceptional at memorizing penal codes and standard operating procedures but may lack the interpersonal acumen to lead a diverse team of officers. Conversely, other employees may be natural leaders, respected by their peers and capable of calming a mounting crisis on a housing unit, yet they struggle with standardized testing. We cannot let these high-potential individuals fall through the cracks of a rigid, archaic promotional system. Leadership is a behavior, not just a score on a Scantron.
From The Line to the Office: Bridging the Gap
A pervasive myth in corrections is that longevity equals leadership. Many administrators believe that because an officer has been on the line for fifteen years, they should naturally know how to manage a shift. This is flawed thinking. Years of working the floor prepare an individual to manage inmates, but they do not necessarily prepare them for the intricacies of personnel management, budget oversight, or legal liability.
An officer can be a leader among their peers on a shift, but unless they are trained on the specific expectations of a supervisor, they are often destined to fail. The transition from being one of the gang to being the person who must issue discipline and hold peers accountable is one of the most difficult psychological shifts an employee will ever make. Nothing can beat job experience, but intentional training and education provide future leaders with the theoretical framework and the practical tools to succeed in this new reality.
Identifying the Right Candidates
What can we do to mitigate the coming leadership crisis? Identifying and training future supervisors should not be a difficult proposition. It does not even have to be a significant financial burden. There are tools and resources already available for such an endeavor.
The first step is identifying employees suitable for professional growth. These are your high-potentials, people who are reliable, possess a strong work ethic, and demonstrate a commitment to the profession. Use your agency’s mission statement and goals as a benchmark; notice those who most closely embody those values in their daily interactions.
Tools such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the DiSC Assessment can help administrators gain deeper insight into their employees’ unique personalities. Understanding how a potential leader processes information and handles conflict can help you tailor their development plan. For instance, a Type A personality might need more training in empathy and listening, while a more reserved employee might need coaching on assertive communication and command presence.
The Power of In-House Leadership Development
Agencies should design and implement their own in-house leadership development initiatives. Developing your own leaders has several distinct advantages. As they progress through a structured internal program, they benefit from learning your agency’s specific culture and expectations organically.
These programs give potential leaders a peek behind the curtain of facility administration, fostering transparency and communication. It demystifies the role of the supervisor and allows candidates to see the “why” behind administrative decisions. Furthermore, an in-house program allows the administration to vet an individual’s abilities over time, providing a much more accurate assessment of their potential than a one-hour promotional interview ever could.
"The transition from being one of the gang to being the person who must issue discipline and hold peers accountable is one of the most difficult psychological shifts an employee will ever make."
Mentorship: The Transfer of Institutional Memory
Creating formal mentorship programs is another highly effective strategy. The mentor, typically a seasoned supervisor, can provide invaluable insight into the nuances of the role and gauge the readiness of the employee.
In a mentorship dynamic, the mentee learns real leadership strategies in real-life situations. This includes problem-solving and watching how a veteran handles a staffing shortage or a budget constraint. Crisis management, observing the calm demeanor required during a facility-wide emergency. Intervention techniques, learning how to pull a struggling officer aside and provide corrective coaching before a situation escalates into a disciplinary matter.
This transfer of knowledge is the only way to preserve institutional memory, the unwritten rules and historical context that are often lost when veterans retire.
Expanding the Training Curriculum
Agencies must encourage diverse in-house leadership training. Classes like Line Supervision and Middle Management teach the conceptual foundations of leadership, while a dedicated Sergeant’s Academy can introduce new supervisors to the specific resources and contacts they need to succeed. These programs can be developed and staffed by your agencies own training unit, utilizing the expertise of current staff to train their future replacements.
Beyond internal resources, there are exceptional outside opportunities. The National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA) is a premier week-long inclusive program that provides rigorous training for succession preparation. It focuses on the specific skill sets needed to transition from a tactical mind-set to a strategic leadership role. Many states also offer regional programs based on the NJLCA framework, which are consistently highly rated by graduates for their relevance and practical application.
Professionalism Through Certification
Advocating for professional certifications helps professionalize the workforce and prepare professionals for higher levels of responsibility. Organizations such as the American Jail Association (AJA) and the American Correctional Association (ACA) offer online learning and prestigious certifications, including the Certified Jail Manager (CJM) and Certified Corrections Supervisor (CCS) accreditations.
These certifications require a combination of experience, education, and passing a rigorous examination. Encouraging staff to pursue these credentials ensures that your future leaders are well-rounded and remain current on national standards and best practices. It also instills a sense of pride and professional identity that can increase staff retention.
The High Cost of Failure
Training your supervisors is not a luxury; it is a priority for maintaining consistent, high-quality leadership. The consequences of failing to plan and train are severe and far-reaching. Without a pipeline of trained leaders, agencies often see a tolerance of misconduct, inconsistent discipline, neglect of staff wellness, and resistance to change.
Untrained supervisors may look the other way when staff violates policy, either out of a desire to be liked or a simple lack of understanding of their oversight responsibilities. This leads to perceptions of favoritism, which destroys staff morale and can result in costly union grievances or lawsuits. A leader who isn’t trained to recognize the signs of secondary trauma and burnout in their subordinates will oversee a workforce that is stressed, sick, and prone to making mistakes. Leaders who do not buy into the agency’s future tend to cling to the status quo, creating a stagnant environment where innovation dies. Ultimately, these failures lead to increased safety risks, operational breakdowns, and ethical lapses that can tarnish an agency’s reputation for decades.
A Call to Action
The transition of power in correctional facilities is inevitable, but the chaos that often accompanies it is not. Succession planning is the bridge between the successes of the past and the stability of the future. By identifying talent early, fostering mentorship, and investing in both internal and external training, agencies can ensure that when the next leader steps up; they are not just filling a seat, they are ready to lead.
The time to stop reacting to vacancies and start proactively building your leadership team is not next year or next month. The time to start training your supervisors is now!
Bob Bramblet
Lieutenant Bob Bramblet is a dual-certified law enforcement and corrections professional with over 25 years of service at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Currently serving as Watch Commander, he has an extensive leadership career, including roles as Intake Supervisor, FTO Manager, and PREA Compliance Manager. A past CJM and graduate of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy, Lieutenant Bramblet is also an accomplished author and widely published expert specializing in corrections morale, supervisor training, and institutional wellness. For more information, he can be contacted at RBramblet@sheriffleefl.org