The development process of any organization, both commercial and public, depends on management and the correct allocation of resources. However, contrary to popular belief, such breakthroughs do not happen overnight. Although from the outside, such changes may look like a revolution, from the inside, this process is carried out step-by-step, which corresponds to the so-called flywheel principle (Collins, 2011). Such a false concept in society leads to attempts to rectify the situation through a revolution, leading to the Doom Loop. Similar trends are observed in both the private and public sectors.
The David Couper-run Madison, Wisconsin Police Department will be considered an organization that has successfully implemented the Flywheel principle. His example of a proactive police chief, who slowly reformed the police station entrusted to him, is practically a model example of implementing the Flywheel principle (Wexler et al., 2007). On the other hand, prison management in Jammu and Kashmir, which is experiencing stagnation, can be viewed as a negative example (Shan, 2021). The measures taken directly conflict with the course of action that the prison should follow as a government organization, as the police department has long appointed the prison administrators.
The main difference between these two structures lies in management principles and the people who hold the post of head of the organization. David Couper served as police chief for twenty years, gradually increasing his staff and slowly pushing forward the reforms he needed (Wexler et al., 2007). Couper did not take revolutionary action, creating commissions aimed at long-term work of gradual fixes. The Madison Chief of Police is the perfect example of someone who builds up long-term momentum in small steps. The situation with Indian prisons is precisely the opposite. According to employee reports, no one has been elected to the head of the prison since 2016 (Shan, 2021). Instead, appointments were made by importing officers from police stations. The people in the office have a completely different view of how the prison should function from the old workers. While experienced managers believe that this organization should serve the purpose of re-educating punished individuals, police officers treat prisoners as people whose lives already ended (Shan, 2021). Thus, there are attempts to steer the course of the organization in opposite directions.
Such a striking contrast is an excellent example of how people who are not united by a common goal cannot achieve significant breakthroughs. While the officers in Indian prisons were constantly changing, and management tactics changed with them, the chief of police at Madison made slow changes, not expelling even those who initially disagreed, trying to change the structure gradually. As practice shows, the person’s figure at the head of the organization, the so-called Level 5 leader, is of great importance in this context (Collins, 2011). Such a person gradually unites others around them, finds the leaders of a lower level he needs. A minimal number of organizations are willing to make long-term plans, both because of the risks and the need to change in case of emergencies quickly. However, as practice shows, such an attitude does not increase momentum, and the necessary changes do not occur.
This contrast and these examples are significant for public safety organizations. Although the principles under consideration were initially developed and applied in the private sphere, they can be successfully transferred to government agencies. However, if, in the context of the market, the failure and bankruptcy of an organization due to an incorrectly chosen policy is a tragedy only for the employees of this company, then the improperly organized work of public safety organizations creates a direct danger to the country’s society. If the state structure is more focused on stabilizing internal conflicts than on solving external problems, this creates many opportunities for chaos and crime. Therefore, it is imperative to research positive and practical examples from other areas, such as the Flywheel concept, and implement them in public safety organizations to ensure their most stable operation.
References
Collins, J. (2011). Good to great. HarperCollins.
Shan, S. A. (2021). Prison Deptt officials face stagnation as police officers head most jails. Greater Kashmir.
Wexler, C., Wycoff, M. A., & Fischer, C. (2007). “Good to great” policing: Application of business management principles in the public sector. Police Executive Research Forum.