Bearing the Weight of Rank

Entry No.
Dear Faithful Companion,

I have returned—body weary, mind sharpened—from twelve deliberate days at the Senior Officer Training Course, held at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa. This course, though formally part of my professional advancement, proved something far more profound: it was a turning point in how I see not just leadership, but myself within the institution I serve.

It is hard to believe that over twenty-five years ago, I first donned this uniform. Back then, the idea of sitting in a room discussing strategic culture, institutional influence, and senior-level command would have felt distant—almost abstract. And yet, here I am. I have come far. The path has not always been linear, nor easy, but it has been resolute. This course was less a destination than a milestone on a longer journey of service, responsibility, and growth.

This chapter in my career pathway was less about orders and operations, and more about thinking beyond the wire—how to shape systems, lead through complexity, and prepare not only to make decisions, but to influence how decisions are made around me.

Much of our time was devoted to strategic preparedness: developing foresight, navigating institutional structures, and understanding the subtle art of shaping culture from within. It’s one thing to know policy—it’s another to build climate, earn trust, and guide direction from a senior vantage point. I walked in a tactical leader; I leave better equipped to serve as a steward of the organization’s broader future.

And yet, what made this course truly unforgettable was not the material—but the people. The group I had the privilege to journey alongside—our syndicate team—was a collection of sharp minds and sincere hearts. We fed off each other’s experiences, encouraged honesty, and built a space where vulnerability was not weakness, but a gateway to professional growth.

From spirited roundtable discussions to late-night hallway reflections, I found not only colleagues but a fraternity of purpose. There was candour without ego, listening without agenda, and a shared commitment to the craft of leadership that will stay with me far beyond Ottawa. I leave with more than insights—I leave with friendships that stretch across this country, forged through challenge, laughter, and mutual respect.

Verbum Ultimum

As I look now at our class photo, it feels less like an end and more like a beginning. I see not just uniforms, but the future architects of our institution—those who will carry the weight of decisions in the boardroom, the briefing room, and the quiet moments where leadership truly lives.

There is much I now carry back—not only in knowledge, but in intent. The lessons drawn from this experience are not mine to keep, but to pass forward. I return ready to create space for growth within my own team, to support their development, and to elevate our collective thinking to an institutional level. Senior leadership, after all, is not a solitary pursuit—it is a shared responsibility, one that must be lived, modelled, and generously extended.

As Field Marshal Montgomery once observed, leadership is both the capacity and the will to rally others to a common purpose—and the character which inspires confidence. In those words I find not just a summary of the course, but a quiet challenge for the years ahead.

Let this be not the conclusion of a course, but the quiet unfurling of a higher standard—one I now endeavour to meet with every decision, every conversation, and every stride henceforth.

 

Steady in bearing, clearer in purpose, and onward.
JCB

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