Episode 30: The Standard Starts with You

Great performance in critical moments doesn’t happen by accident. It is built long before the moment arrives—through leadership, preparation, high expectations, and intentional training.

‍In Episode 30 of the Faces of Leadership Podcast, The Standard Starts with You, host Michael Warren welcomes Assistant Chief Tom Sloan of the Round Rock Police Department for a conversation presented by Command Presence Training.

A United States Marine Corps veteran, FBI National Academy graduate, and experienced law enforcement leader, Tom has built a career around service, continuous development, and preparing people to perform at their best. His journey has taken him from cattle ranches in Australia and West Texas to serving as an embedded combat correspondent in Iraq, joining the Round Rock Police Department, serving in numerous operational and leadership roles, and helping shape law enforcement initiatives across Texas. Together, Michael and Tom explore the experiences that shape leaders, the importance of self-mastery, and why effective leadership requires seeing not only who people are today—but who they are capable of becoming.

They also examine the responsibility agencies have to intentionally develop their people. From identifying informal leaders and preparing new supervisors to building internal leadership development programs and investing in realistic training, the conversation reinforces a fundamental principle: when the critical moment arrives, people will rely on what their organization prepared them to do. Whether you're an officer, trainer, supervisor, command-level leader, or someone preparing for your next leadership opportunity, this episode challenges you to examine how intentionally you are developing yourself—and the people entrusted to your leadership.

In this episode:

• Why effective leadership begins with self-mastery

• How high expectations can drive higher performance

• Recognizing and developing influential informal leaders

• Preparing supervisors for leadership beyond operational responsibilities

• How Round Rock PD developed its internal Leadership Development Academy

• Lessons from the FBI National Academy and the power of professional networks

• Why realistic, stress-based training prepares officers for critical incidents

• Why training should be viewed as an investment—not an expense

Throughout the conversation, Tom and Michael also explore the difference between being nice and being kind as a leader, the importance of lifelong learning, the influence leaders have even when they don't realize it, and the responsibility to prepare the next generation for what comes next. From developing people before they hold a title to preparing officers before they face a critical incident, Episode 30 is a reminder that leadership is built before the moment—and preparation is what allows people to perform when that moment arrives.

Learn More About Assistant Chief Tom Sloan and the Round Rock PD

Round Rock Office of the Chief:

https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-departments/police/divisions/office-of-the-chief/

IACP:

https://www.theiacp.org/tom-sloan-40-under-40

Join Round Rock PD:

https://joinroundrockpd.com/

Learn More About Command Presence Training

Website

Command Presence Training

Faces of Leadership Podcast

https://www.commandpresence.net/podcast