Description
In today’s high-pressure policing environment, leaders inevitably pick up “rust” — the wear and tear from years of service, complex decisions, and operational stress.
Beneath the Badge With Grit introduces a bold, human-centered leadership mindset: embracing the rust not as a flaw, but as a sign of perseverance, experience, and resilience. This session is about the space few people see — the space beneath the badge — where identity is shaped, purpose is refined, and performance is either sustained or quietly eroded.
Drawing from the MAGNUS ONE Science and the Elasticity of Identity Theory, which I developed, this presentation equips law enforcement leaders with strategies to:
- Stay resilient without becoming emotionally closed.
- Lead with grit without sacrificing connection.
- Sustain identity, purpose, and peak performance over the long term.
Rust is not something to fear or hide; it is something to manage, heal, and integrate. True leadership grit is not about impenetrable toughness — it’s about elasticity, humility, and the ability to recover and grow while staying open.
Participants will explore:
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How to recognize leadership drift and accumulated rust before it corrodes decision-making.
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How to build the internal capacity to sustain high performance while remaining emotionally accessible and connected to others.
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How to apply elasticity principles to protect personal identity and prevent burnout.
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How to use “de-rusting rituals” and Small Positive Incremental Changes Over Time (SPICOT) to maintain daily leadership agility.
This session will challenge attendees to reconsider traditional definitions of grit, toughness, and leadership armor, offering instead a sustainable leadership model that honors both strength and human connection.
The presentation directly supports your agency’s macro vision: Together in Service. It delivers actionable strategies to sustain leaders, build stronger teams, and foster cultures that honor the long game of leadership in policing.
Presentation Outline:
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Introduction to Beneath the Badge With Grit
○ Overview of Elasticity of Identity Theory
○ Review: Elasticity of Identity Research Results – A National Study
○ Embracing rust as part of the leadership journey -
Elasticity of Identity in Law Enforcement Leadership
○ Understanding leadership drift and identity fatigue
○ Personal agency and self-regulation in high-stakes environments -
The Three Dimensions of Leadership
○ COMPASS: Building social connection and relational leadership
○ ARMOR: Developing inner resilience without emotional isolation
○ MISSION: Sustaining purpose, fulfillment, and professional impact -
The Leadership Spiral and the Leadership Pulse
○ The phased progression of leadership growth
○ The continuous rhythm of renewal and elasticity -
De-Rusting Rituals and Habits
○ Small daily leadership practices to stay agile & elastic
○ Creating customized “de-rusting” routines for sustained resilience -
Key Takeaways and Leadership Commitments
○ Sustaining elasticity and grit in leadership
○ Embedding renewal practices into agency culture
Key Takeaways and Learning Objectives:
- Leaders will understand how to recognize and manage leadership rust before it undermines identity, purpose, and performance.
- Participants will develop a modern, sustainable definition of grit — one that blends strength with openness and resilience.
- Attendees will leave with immediately actionable leadership rituals, including SPICOT (Small Positive Incremental Changes Over Time), to maintain agility and daily renewal.
- Leaders will be better equipped to sustain themselves, their teams, and their agencies while navigating the evolving demands of modern policing.
