Telling Your Story as a Leader: Lessons from Gettysburg and Modern Policing
How a Civil War general, community trust in Brookhaven, and modern platforms remind us of the power and responsibility of leadership storytelling.
For most of my career, I’ve never been one to speak out in a way that felt like bragging or patting myself on the back. I’ve always believed that service should speak for itself, and that leadership is about enabling others, not about spotlighting oneself.
But in 2023, during a Leadership Staff Ride at Gettysburg, I learned a lesson that has stayed with me. We studied the life of General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the Union officer who held Little Round Top. Chamberlain believed leaders had an obligation to tell their own stories — not for ego, but for history, accountability, and teaching. If they didn’t, others would tell their story for them, often without context or accuracy.
That idea resonated with me. Since then, I’ve been working on myself — not to become self-promotional, but to find a balance between humility and the responsibility of telling the story of the Brookhaven Police Department and the City we serve.
When I share our story, I am not taking credit. Instead, I am highlighting the incredible things being done by the people I am privileged to lead. My success only exists because I am surrounded by capable, empowered people doing meaningful work.
For example:
Earlier this year, we highlighted Brookhaven’s Drone as a First Responder program and our efforts to expand it. Instead of simply saying we are innovative, we shared the data, the transparency link to our drone page, and the tangible ways our program increases community safety.
Just this week, I presented to our Mayor and Council on how we measure community support using PowerEngage. Many say their community supports them, but we can show it with numbers — a 30% response rate to surveys (far exceeding national standards) and satisfaction scores consistently above 90%. This tells a story that’s not about me, but about the relationships our officers are building daily.
In August 2025, we were recognized by the ATF for our first NIBIN lead. Rather than simply celebrate the recognition, we shared what it meant for Brookhaven: that we can now process ballistic evidence quickly and follow up on actionable leads before they go cold.
Each of these examples tells a story about the City of Brookhaven, Georgia, the innovation of our police department, and the dedication of the men and women who serve here. My role is not to take the spotlight, but to make sure their efforts are seen, understood, and valued.
Why Leaders Must Tell Their Story
For police leaders especially, telling our story matters for several reasons:
1. Legacy and Accountability – If leaders don’t tell their own story, others will. By shaping the narrative, Chiefs of Police ensure that their decisions, values, and challenges are understood in the proper context rather than being left open to speculation, rumor, or misrepresentation.
2. Humanizing Leadership – In policing, the uniform often creates distance between officers, the public, and leadership. When a Chief of Police shares their personal journey, struggles, and reasons for serving, it humanizes the position. It builds trust both within the department and with the community.
3. Teaching and Mentorship – Stories are one of the most effective tools leaders have to teach lessons. Sharing how you navigated difficult decisions or overcame crises provides guidance and inspiration for the next generation of leaders.
4. Institutional Memory – A Chief’s story is also the story of the department during their tenure. Preserving that history through storytelling helps future leaders understand the why behind traditions, reforms, and policies.
5. Building Organizational Pride – When leaders tell their story, they are really telling the story of their team. By highlighting successes and progress, they reinforce a culture of pride and purpose within the organization.
6. Shaping Public Confidence – Community trust is not built on statistics alone — it’s built on the story those statistics tell. When leaders communicate openly about both successes and challenges, they build credibility that can withstand difficult times.
Where and How Leaders Can Tell Their Story
Leaders don’t have to write books to share their story. There are countless platforms where stories can be told effectively and authentically. A few to consider:
1. LinkedIn This is one of the most powerful tools for modern leaders. Unlike many platforms, LinkedIn provides access to a diverse, professional audience. Leaders can use posts, articles, and even video updates to share their story in real time. The key is to be consistent — sharing lessons learned, milestones, and reflections on leadership.
2. Industry Magazines & Publications Every field has publications dedicated to advancing professional thought. For police leaders, outlets like Police Chief Magazine (IACP), FBI-LEEDA Insighter, or regional law enforcement publications are great starting points. Leaders should familiarize themselves with editorial calendars, which show what topics will be featured throughout the year. Aligning your story with those themes can help get it published and reach the right audience.
3. Identifying Your Audience Before telling your story, ask: Who needs to hear this? For a Chief of Police, the audience may range from city leaders and residents to other law enforcement professionals across the country. The way you tell the story should match the audience — what you share on LinkedIn may differ from what you’d write for a community newsletter or a professional law enforcement publication.
4. Social Media & Digital Platforms
Twitter/X: Quick insights, soundbites, and real-time updates.
Facebook: More community-focused, ideal for celebrating achievements with residents.
Podcasts & Webinars: Growing platforms where leaders can share stories in conversational ways that humanize and connect.
Local News Outlets: Building relationships with journalists creates opportunities to frame your story in traditional media.
5. Inside Your Organization Not all storytelling needs to be public. Internal newsletters, command staff meetings, and even informal conversations are opportunities to tell the story of the department — reinforcing values, sharing successes, and mentoring future leaders.
Final Thoughts
Leaders must learn to tell their story. Not to elevate themselves, but to honor the work of others, to preserve lessons learned, and to ensure the truth is remembered.
That’s the balance I continue to strive for — respecting humility while embracing the responsibility of storytelling. My hope is that other leaders will see that telling your story is not self-serving; it is service itself — to your people, your community, and to those who will come after you.
This is a skill I work on with coaching clients often — finding the line between humility and visibility, and learning to tell the story of their team's work without either overselling or disappearing behind it. If you're stepping into a bigger leadership role and wrestling with how to find your voice, that's exactly the work we do together in executive coaching.