The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC officers were warned yesterday that rank and authority alone do not make effective leaders as the Ministry of National Security urged senior personnel across its agencies to embrace emotional intelligence, mentorship and influence while navigating rapid technological change.

The message came during the ministry’s Fourth Annual Leadership Symposium, held at the National Training Agency on Gladstone Road under the theme “Unleashing the Leader in You”.

The event brought together senior officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Department of Correctional Services, Customs, Immigration and other agencies.

Acting Permanent Secretary Cecilia Strachan said the demands placed on public-sector leaders had changed dramatically as technology reshaped government operations.

She pointed to online customs declarations, online immigration applications, CCTV systems, electronic monitoring of people on bail and ShotSpotter technology as examples of services and operations increasingly supported by technology.

Ms Strachan said leaders must be equipped to guide their departments through the challenges of the 21st century, including the growing influence of artificial intelligence. “The role of the leaders in the public service is now more important than ever,” she said.

“As present and emerging leaders of your departments, it is imperative that you are not only knowledgeable of your daily duties, but you are also fully prepared for the new and unique challenges of the 21st century.”

She urged supervisors to look beyond routine administration and focus on developing younger officers, inspiring commitment and encouraging continued education.

Addressing generational differences in the workplace, Ms Strachan offered her personal assessment that younger employees were often technically proficient but generally lacked the spiritual foundation, discipline and work ethic she associated with previous generations.

Desiree Tynes-Moss, of the ministry’s Training and Professional Development Unit, opened the symposium’s presentations by arguing that leadership should be measured by influence rather than position.

She said leadership required people to care for those under their responsibility instead of merely exercising authority.

Ms Tynes-Moss urged participants to shift their leadership approach from control to empowerment, individual thinking to teamwork and reacting to problems to leading proactively.

She said communication was particularly important during crises, investigations, operational briefings and periods of organisational change because officers closely watched how their leaders behaved under pressure. “Leadership communication is about creating confidence during crisis, investigations, operational briefings or organizational change.

“People observe leaders carefully. To ignite the leader within, communication is the gateway to greatness,” she said.

Ms Tynes-Moss warned against relying on rank or intimidation, saying effective leadership was built through consistency, communication and trust.

She also urged officers to develop emotional intelligence alongside technical competence, arguing that compassion and self-control strengthened leadership rather than diminished it.

“Technical competence may earn you a promotion. It will separate you as a leader versus being a manager,” she said.  “Sometimes you may want to say something, but you would have to withhold it. Sometimes you may want to scream, but you have to take a moment.”

Ms Tynes-Moss challenged each participant to identify at least one person to mentor as part of succession planning. “A leader always prepares a successor,” she said. “Write down the name of that one person or two persons that you are going to commit to training, mentoring to take your place.”

The symposium also featured presentations on breaking barriers, corporate identity, leadership legacy, building high-performance teams in a multi-generational workplace and stress management.