I was born in London and went law school before joining London’s Metropolitan Police. I walked the beat, did some undercover work (mainly related to drug dealers) and rose through the ranks to become Chief of Milton Keynes Police. The police beat was an incredible experience that informs my work to this day. I also was exposed to large-scale organizational change when the then Commissioner of London (Sir Peter Imbert in 1989) changed the Department from a ‘force’ to a ‘service’: as a young police inspector, I was one of 15 “change agents” to support radical reform of London’s Metropolitan Police. I learned how change precipitates profound resistance (even if the rationale for change maybe logical and clear) and how the practice of Organizational Development (OD) offers essential, practical ways of bringing people together to think, plan and implement change. As Chief, I was able to merge my passion around policing, public safety, OD, and effective leadership: my department pioneered ‘Interactive Policing’ – a form of community/problem solving policing with the 300,000 population – and Restorative Justice, a more meaningful way of handling crime than our expensive, adversarial (and too often overly punitive) Criminal Justice System.
Fast forward to 2010 and I now am consulting, coaching, and facilitating individuals, organizational teams and groups to figure out and become what they want to achieve. I believe I am a good listener, interviewer and connector of the proverbial dots to help clarify purpose, strategy and action. People ask me all the time, “how did you shift from being a cop to being an OD practitioner and coach?” – the answer is simple. Both careers put people at the center of attention and, while I respect technology and financial wizz kids, in my heart I know it’s people that matter.
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