If asked "What tool is the most important in your toolbox?" a general contractor would have difficulty selecting just one tool that is essential to building the structure. The general contractor often times chooses the best tool depending on the job, the environment, and the situation. It has been said that effective leaders, and general contractors or leaders at a construction site, adapt their style according to the circumstances. (Gunter, 2000) In law enforcement there is not a single leadership imperative that will produce a culture of high achievement; however, there are many that when used appropriately depending on the job, the environment and the situation will lead to higher achievement. Hammonds (2002) describes "The best way for any company -and its people- to respond to unpredictable challenges is by building an effective organization that expertly spots the unexpected when it crops up and then quickly adapts to meet the changed environment." Similar to the tools in a general contractor's toolbox a law enforcement leader must use leadership imperatives to craft and build a culture of higher achievement.
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When general contractors wish to shape the structure that they are building, they use shaping tools such as: chisels, files, routers, and sanders. Similarly, when law enforcement leaders wish to shape their organization they must use leadership imperatives that will produce the desired outcomes that general contractors use to shape their building. Examples of such "shaping tools" used by law enforcement leaders include: motivation, modeling, coaching, communication, and servant leadership.
To desire achievement for the sake of excellence and not rewards is a characteristic attributed to the Achievement Motivation Theory. (Hoy and Miskel, 2000) When thought about, this is essential to producing a culture of higher achievement. Law enforcement leaders must make decisions based on the desire to better the organization or the officers based on the goal of improving for improvements sake and not because of a reward that is offered one day and not the next.