In this episode of Elevate Your Call to Service, we unpack how leadership isolation quietly takes hold in law enforcement—and how it starts to cost your team, your agency, and your family. Mike and Cathy distinguish healthy solitude from destructive isolation, explore why good leaders drift into it (time pressure, insecurity, ego, “I’ll just do it myself”), and share a candid story of listening, apologizing, and rebuilding trust with a hurting patrol team.

7 warning signs you’re leading in isolation:

1. Two‑way dialogue has slipped into one‑way updates—people hear after decisions are made.

2. Peer check‑ins are fading; the circle you used to consult has gone quiet.

3. Surprise decisions are blindsiding other units—or your family at home.

4. You’re more defensive toward questions or dissent; “my way or the highway” is creeping in.

5. You feel decision fatigue, cynicism, or spiritual/emotional dryness.

6. You’re skipping debriefs at home; irritability and stress are carrying over into the evening.

7. In the name of efficiency, you’re choosing “I’ll handle it” over collaboration—and it’s becoming the norm.

Listener takeaways:

A clear line between solitude (restorative) and isolation (distorting)

Why comparison, insecurity, and pace push leaders toward “decision‑making in a vacuum”

How to course‑correct: own impact, listen fully, make changes, and keep your promise over time

 

Be sure to view our show notes here: https://www.leleaders.com/44-leading-in-isolation-7-warning-signs-and-how-to-reconnect-fast