Evidence Leadership Group

I sat down with Captain Deneisha Seaman this week—Baltimore County PD’s first African American female captain—and she said something that should make every supervisor uncomfortable.

“Humility has always been that clue.”

Not confidence. Not decisiveness. Not tactical expertise.

Humility.

Here’s the thing: most of us think humility means being soft. Captain Seaman spent 16 years proving that’s garbage. Humility is what lets you take criticism from a lieutenant who won’t let you quit. It’s what allows you to admit you don’t have all the answers even when you’re wearing captain’s bars. It’s what keeps you coachable when everyone around you is telling you that you’ve “made it.”

She told me about her time in Internal Affairs—easily one of the hardest assignments in law enforcement. Her supervisor pushed her constantly. Made her rewrite reports. Challenged her conclusions. Forced her to sit in uncomfortable conversations when she just wanted to disappear into the background.

She hated it in the moment.

Looking back? That’s when she grew the most.

Here’s what that means for you:

If you’re supervising with your ego leading the way, you’re already losing. Your team sees it. Your peers see it. And eventually, your superiors will too.

The best leaders I know—the ones people actually want to work for—are the ones still reading books, still asking questions, still admitting when they’re wrong. They understand that the rank on your collar or sleeve doesn’t mean you stop being a student.

Captain Seaman said it best: “You can’t lead as a lieutenant with the mentality of a sergeant.”

Growth requires discomfort. And discomfort requires humility.

So here’s my question for you: Are you still coachable?