Blue Grit Radio: the Police Performance Podcast: Mindset, Wellness, Leadership

In this episode, Eric delves into the concept of organizational wellness, drawing insights from Thomas Moore's book, "Soul Therapy." He emphasizes the importance of understanding the emotional dynamics within workplaces, particularly in high-stress environments like first responder organizations.  Eric highlights how hierarchies can create anxiety and affect individuals' sense...

In this episode of Blue Grit Radio, Eric and Dr. Carolyn Van Der Meulen discuss the critical relationship between community wellness and the wellness of first responders. Dr. Carolyn shares her background in occupational therapy and her focus on performance, emphasizing the importance of day-to-day actions in maintaining health.  They explore the significance of cultural competence in clinical pra...

"Be forever a student." In this milestone episode 300, Eric reflects on his journey and shares ten valuable insights gained throughout his career, emphasizing the importance of self-leadership, resilience, and aligning values with actions. He encourages listeners to embrace continuous learning, define their identity beyond their job, and recognize the beauty in impermanence while cherish...

Pt 2! This conversation delves into the critical role of first-line leadership in law enforcement, featuring a panel of experienced sergeants who share their insights on mentorship, professional development, and the importance of adaptability in leadership.   The discussion emphasizes the need for servant leadership, building trust, and fostering relationships within teams to enhance performance a...

This conversation delves into the critical role of first-line leadership in law enforcement, featuring a panel of experienced sergeants who share their insights on mentorship, professional development, and the importance of adaptability in leadership.   The discussion emphasizes the need for servant leadership, building trust, and fostering relationships within teams to enhance performance and mor...

**Part 2** In this episode, Eric and Brian Willard discuss the critical importance of mental health in law enforcement, sharing personal stories and insights into the challenges officers face.  They explore the cultural shifts needed to support mental wellness, the significance of peer support, and the impact of identity on mental health. Brian shares the tragic story of his brother, Andy, a forme...

In this episode, Eric and Brian Willard discuss the critical importance of mental health in law enforcement, sharing personal stories and insights into the challenges officers face.  They explore the cultural shifts needed to support mental wellness, the significance of peer support, and the impact of identity on mental health. Brian shares the tragic story of his brother, Andy, a former police of...

Every team has rockstars. The hard chargers. The high producers. The ones who get recognized. And then there’s the GLUE. I recently saw a headline highlighting this concept in by the WSJ.  The glue employee isn’t always the loudest or flashiest. They don’t chase credit. But when they’re gone, everything feels harder. When they're around, they elevate cohesion; they elevate the team. In this e...

Part 2!  In this engaging conversation, Eric and Lieutenant David Smith explore the themes of leadership, wellness, and personal growth through stages of a police career. They discuss the importance of self-reflection, the challenges faced by applicants and rookies, and the significance of understanding one's identity and purpose in the profession. The dialogue emphasizes the need for continu...

 In this engaging conversation, Eric and Lieutenant David Smith explore the themes of leadership, wellness, and personal growth through stages of a police career. They discuss the importance of self-reflection, the challenges faced by applicants and rookies, and the significance of understanding one's identity and purpose in the profession. The dialogue emphasizes the need for continuous lear...

Many of you may have heard of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  I heard about it for years, and finally dove into it.  Not only did I find it impactfully relevant for high-performance, but specific takeaways from how we may approach a first responder and police career - along with our live dynamics out uniform. I share and break down the 7 Habits as described by Covey, alo...

Effective leadership isn’t about one thing or the other; it’s about applying a multitude of skills, capacities, intentions and holding tension between them. In this episode I’m joined by two leaders who carry authenticity and astute operational insights.  Sgt. Siobhan McTighe and Police Services Manager Chela Cottrell help discuss leading with people in mind, sharing and curating meaningful vision...

The faster the world moves, the quicker we need to move with it… and that’s only feasible with emerging, effective technology.  Information is power… but only if we can actually compile, analyze, and apply it.   This is where information becomes actionable intelligence.  In this episode, I’m joined by Joel Ste. Marie and Paul Bailey with SoundThinking.  They help discuss how CrimeTracer helps agen...

In this cross-platform episode, Sgt. Nathan Romas (The Quiet Professional podcast) and I reconnect once again in this - on police leadership today.  We discuss some of the challenges and dynamics of learning a new leadership role, grappling with "I don't know" and how to manage that tension. Nathan asks about the state of things with Blue Grit, which brings us right to into ways to...

In this special edition episode we discuss trends, challenges, and dynamics that our first responder professions are facing. Jon Vargas, active firefighter and host of the Grab Lives podcast, and I compare and contrast the pressures we are seeing in real-time and how they have evolved in our careers. We discuss how the challenges and lessons learned shaped our resolve and approaches, not just to t...

We often talk about health and wellness and peak performance, but in those conversations, our brain health and optimization is often an afterthought. In this episode, Dr. Harp and I discuss this potential, I review some stand-out lessons from his book, and he details unique tips and strategies to prime and elevate our brain performance- thus our stress-reduction and a host of other benefits! -- Dr...

Cynicism is a slippery, tricky beast.  It sneaks in and suffocates our resolve, our purpose, our WHY.  When cops are complaining, we are playing the victim.  We feel like a meaningless cog, because the difference we can make isn't so easy to be seen. A key to effectiveness is ensuring we remember the real victims- those calling 911 for help and those who are too afraid to do so.  Joining me i...

Sometimes the hardest mission is when you have to adapt to a new role.  Identity is a tricky thing to grapple with when we take on this "job" which is more than that, more than a career, and even lifestyle.  My guest, Greg Furnia is a retired Special Operations supervisor with a background in the US Border Patrol.  He is now a personal and professional development coach who helps first r...

Part 2/2! If we want Police and Policing to be seen as a legitimate Profession, must we focus on Professionalism - and what that truly means?  When we think of the word, some think of being courteous, others diligent. For some it is higher standards, training, formal education.   Joining me in this high-level conversation surrounding how we can elevate and evolve our profession are two leaders: Je...

If we want Police and Policing to be seen as a legitimate Profession, must we focus on Professionalism - and what that truly means?  When we think of the word, some think of being courteous, others diligent. For some it is higher standards, training, formal education.   Joining me in this high-level conversation surrounding how we can elevate and evolve our profession are two leaders: Jeff Wennige...

I am joined by my colleague and friend in this first responder wellness/leadership/how to improve our culture space, Chris Littrell.  In this IN-PERSON conversation, we explore much of what our people and profession are struggling with : availability, vulnerability, stigmas, and what to do about it all. This episode is being also being aired on his show: Gravity, Two Feet on the Ground.  You can f...

New Year, unlocked and upleveled version of YOU! Whether you like to think of it as building and developing, or shaving away what's not serving you, the New Year is the perfect time to reflect and craft a strategy to live your life most optimally.  In this episode, I share some quick and effective tips that span different health aspects and pillars: from nutrition and movement to habit-buildi...

In this episode of Blue Grit Radio , we dive into what it really means to step up your mental game — beyond motivation and mindset buzzwords. Drawing on the psychological insights of Carl Jung and James Hollis , we explore how true growth requires looking inward, owning your story, and facing the shadows that hold you back. This episode connects ancient wisdom with modern policing, leadership, and...

One of the most critical responsibilities and efforts of police is trust.  Trust is built through connection, understanding - it is built through KNOWING. In this episode, my guest Scott Lowry discuss how knowing how our officers are doing on a call-to-call basis helps us fully.  We can identify what's going well, what we can work on, and it allows us to recognize and elevate our officers wit...

In this episode, I share key takeaways that don’t only apply to money - as the book title infers - but all aspects of health, career and life.  These concepts are tenets of human nature, and I run through how we may apply these lessons in a multi-faceted approach.   In The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel makes a compelling case that success with money has far less to do with intelligence or tec...