Although some employees are perfectly happy just coming in, doing the bare minimum to meet expectations and going home at the end of the shift, most want to do a great job and continue to grow as an employee. This might mean moving up the ranks to a supervisory position or going into another division such as training. It might include studying and working out to head into the police academy or going back to school to earn a degree. It might also be to become the best, most attentive, most competent dispatcher or 9-1-1 operator on the floor. Whatever the dreams of your supervisees, an excellent leader motivates them to continue to pursue growth. A true leader does not see forward motion as competition or a threat. They talk to their supervisees and pay attention to the growth that is important to them and they encourage it. A good leader is a guide both professionally and personally. Going back to modeling, this includes continuing to grow as a person and a supervisor as well.

Being a line supervisor in a communications center can be tricky. You're caught between worlds. You have to think like floor staff, as well as management. You have to bring tough, unpopular decisions to the floor, as well as present the needs of the people to those in charge. Often it feels like a no-win situation with very little pay increase and little power. Regardless, many people love it and thrive. Most of these individuals have discovered what it means to be a good leader and incorporate monitoring, modeling and motivation into their supervision. They gain satisfaction from the success and respect of their supervisees.

More information has come out that makes the story of Rebecca Wells a little less strange; she was seen alive at a 5 p.m. meeting and was working late on a Friday and she worked in an isolated cubicle surrounded by vacant cubicles on a predominately vacant floor in the building. At least her story has encouraged supervisors, for example my friend, to re-look, literally, at how he supervises.