CLPEX Chat Board

I wish to divert from fingerprints slightly and suggest a book that I believe has merit in any occupation.

"The Fred Factor" by Mark Sanborn.

I think if we learn to be "Freds" we may have more of a positive impact on our organizations and the people were serve.

Just a thought.

Bill

Hi Bill

How about a brief book review? What makes this book a good read? Is it geared toward management? Creativity? Work ethic? Family life? All of the above?

Thanks,
Thomas

Thomas,

The short answer to your question is Yes, to all of the above.

I should have been more informative as to the virtues of this book. It’s been a while since I’ve written anything like this. So here are my comments:

“The Fred Factor” by Mark Sanborn ISBN 0-385-51351-8; $14.95 US; 2004 Currency/Doubleda.

The premise of “The Fred Factor” by motivational, leadership speaker and author Mark Sanborn is to be extraordinary in doing the ordinary things of our daily routine occupation. Fred, a mailman, introduced himself by knocking on Sanborn’s door an introducing himself as Sanborn’s regular mail carrier. He offered himself above and beyond the call of duty. Knowing that Sanborn traveled extensively, he held his mail, protected it from the elements, and did numerous other mundane things that were not expected of him or a regular part of his duties. He was passionate about his work. One could day Fred probably looked upon his work as a “calling.” Sanborn give numerous examples of "Freds" in his short book. These "Freds" are from all different professions. It's not a "How to," but simply gives examples.

Sanborn reveals four basic principles in book. I would expound on them, but I am not sure how many words are allowed on this forum. (Judging by the vituperous rhetoric on the situation in Scotland, I think there should be plenty of room for some positive prose.)

1. Everyone Makes a Difference.

2. Everything is built on relationships.

3. You must continually create value for others, and it doesn’t have to cost you a penny.

4. You can reinvent yourself regularly.

“Are you a Fred?” Are you an ordinary person doing extraordinary things? Are you a difference maker? Do you add value to your organization? Many books of this type deal primarily with the corporate world of leading, managing, building faithful returning customers and increasing sales. What is nice about this book is the fact that the model for this book, Fred, was a mailman, a civil servant—like most of us.

It doesn’t matter whether one is a corporate executive, forensic lab director, a widget-maker in a factory, handing out smiley faces and shopping carts at Wal-Mart, or a bench level latent print examiner. One can add value to his or her organization.

How many of us have coworkers who are not team players? How many of us have had bosses who are autocrats and are only concerned with clearing cases or have no concern about what you actually contribute to solving cases? There are those among us that will say, “That’s not my job,” or, “I don’t get paid to do that.” How many of us who have police managers who see no value in sending their examiners to the IAI conference? Should that discourage us from excelling in our work, educating ourselves, building positive relationships in the organization, or going above and beyond the call of duty?

One rather respected latent examiner told me about the time his lab director sent out a one sentence memo that said, “This is not a research facility.” Did that discourage the examiner from conducting research on his own time and dime? Did it discourage him from continuing to contribute articles of value to the JFI? Did it discourage him from taking time out to mentor less experienced examiners? No. Why? Because he was a Fred.

Have you ever been told that it’s not your job to take major case prints from suspects or victims? You did it anyway and identified prints you would not have identified without putting in the extra time and effort. If so, you are a Fred.

Do egos get in the way of better judgement in your lab or unit? Are you able to rise above it? Do you view humility as a virtue? Consider yourself a Fred.

For a while, there was a “management corner” in “The Weekly Detail.” Perhaps something like that could be resurrected from time to time and allow our minds to relax a bit from the other pressing issues and concentrate briefly on the human side of our profession.

The book is woth the $14.95. It is a quick read consisting of only about 112 pages. It is recommended by numerous other leadership speakers and gurus like Dr. John Maxwell.

Bill

Just a thought. If 'Fred' had been a postal delivery person in the UK he would probabaly have been dismsissed for his actions. Funny old world!

Just fyi in case some of you have not read this book yet, it is totally worth the two whole hours it takes. It's a short book but very clever and inspiring. I'm going to buy a few copies to give out free around here. Loved it and many thanks for the recommendation!

Sandra Wiese