How do we make ourselves better?
 

By Mark Neapolitan
Director of Loss Prevention
Sterling Jewelers, Inc.
 

You know that if you look into history you will see that in every situation in which an entity came into power, they wanted to control the media, education, what could be read, what could be known. What’s the purpose you say? To keep the populous in the dark, uneducated and misinformed. To control what they would know, by whom they would know it, and when they should be allowed to know it.

Being in this industry for over 31 years and law enforcement prior to for 9 years I’ve noticed that both public and private sectors are sometimes involved in the same practice.

To enhance the qualities and the abilities of your in-house personnel, to create a productive team, to coerce ideas there is only one answer. “Develop your team”. Give them the expertise to perform, excel and think! Often times we ignore that factor for fear! I’m going to educate them and they will leave; I will have to pay them more; why should I know one did that for me;. This becomes the adage of “cutting your nose off to spite your face”.

It has happened to us all. Some of us have worked within organizations that couldn’t care nor develop the teams that they had. Mendicancy, compliancy and even ignorance played a role. End result dissatisfaction, stagnation and abandonment or the most dreaded, the legal ramifications of an uneducated employee.

In our venue it is not time to be unaware of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, The Fair Credit reporting Act the numerous changes implied by the EEOC, the further legal changes in criminal law for interrogation, interview, arrest and detainment, and the use of criminal histories.

How do we accomplish this? You must be committed to the improvement of your team “at all levels” from the store detective to the Vice President. As a martial artist for over 43 years, my Korean instructor said something my first class that stayed with me forever. “Pass on your knowledge because it is your legacy.”

We need to teach, take the time out of our schedules to facilitate our teams. We need to use what has become at our disposal. Periodicals, Industry magazines, W-Z, Reid, Loss Prevention Foundation, Loss Prevention Research Council, ASIS, McAfee Institute and the numerous on-line webinars. Several colleges now offer degrees in Loss Prevention. Certifications such as CFI, LPC, LPQ, CPP, IAFCI

We live in a climate where knowledge is truly power. The more that we know the better trained we are. We as administrators have a responsibility to develop our teams to their fullest potential. Individually, this demonstrates a belief in the abilities of those that are on the front lines. And what happens if these team players decide to move on? We’ve accomplished in making not only an individual better but an industry more advanced!

I think however that an organization that fosters learning and development that engages it’s members has a far higher retention rate than those that do not. What is it that Anthony Robbins espoused, “Dare To Be Great”. Motivate your team to be involved and encourage growth. This becomes a “Win Win situation”.