Daily thought series: 9

“Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land amongst the stars.” – Les Brow

The officer that accepts mediocrity is actually setting themselves up to receive less than the standard.  Expect high levels of performance, and in the event that those under you are human and fall short of the expectations, they should still be doing better than what is required.  This goes for everything we do. On the other side of this, you can’t expect perfection without being able to accept that they will make mistakes because no one can maintain perfection.  Like most of the things we do, it requires balance.

Complacency Kills

In most cases, complacency will result in the death of a business due to a lack of innovation and progression in a competitive market however, in the business of the fire service complacency can result in actual death.  This complacency does not have to occur on the fire-ground itself, in fact most of the complacent acts begin long before the bell goes off.  Consider yourself to be in the same line of work as a soldier in a war-zone since both have the same deadly consequences.  Do you think the soldier’s first time checking out his rifle occurs during a firefight?  I bet not!  Do you think the first time a soldier trains on strategies and tactics is as he is entering a building full of insurgents?  I bet not!

The truth is, that we are given ample opportunities to prevent death by complacency prior to the emergency tones going off.  The basics of our job is what kills people.  Firefighter doesn’t check out airpack, air pack fails, firefighter dies.  That is the direct line of complacency killing someone.  The less noticeable line occurs through years of “checking boxes” in regards to inspections, training and other mundane tasks.  This type of complacency becomes a tradition that is passed down through the generations of firefighters.  It may not kill you or your crew but a generation or two down the line, it will.

As an officer, there should be a generous portion of energy expended to combat the complacency that occurs when people are required to do the same thing over and over.  Getting involved, incorporating different aspects of training, and requiring your crew to maintain proficiency are all ways to combat this epidemic.  Ultimately, whether on an emergency scene or sitting at the breakfast table with your crew, complacency has the potential of death!

Are we developing the next generation of Leadership?

Many Departments focus on succession planning training; offer classes and have programs designed to develop the next generations of Fire Ground commanders.  These programs are invaluable; however, with declining budgets and many fringe benefits being cut some agencies are seeing these go away.

What can we do in house or even at the company level to train and develop the next generation?  Two quotes that I have always held on to and tried to live are:

“Teach your job to the person below you and learn the job of the one above you.”

And:

“There is no success without a successor.”

Are we developing true leadership?  I am not referring to an individual who can command a fire scene or a company officer who is really good at being first due to the big one; I’m referring to Leadership qualities not associated with decision making on scene.  There are so many qualities of a good leader that I don’t have the time this morning or the space in this post to delve into it- But one of the most important qualities of a good leader is passing on those characteristics and qualities (good ones) to the next generation.  This is often overlooked, or leaders feel that setting a good example is enough.  Others feel knowledge is power and sharing will diminish their power.  ( I believe these individuals to not be true leaders at all, but that’s another subject) What about a proactive approach?  I challenge you to teach your leadership qualities to your subordinates and teach them why your leadership style has developed the way it has.  Do they know what leaderships truly is?  If you educate them on leadership I guarantee you that will challenge you to be even better.   Sit with them, share why you think some aspects are more important than others.  Share your strengths and your weaknesses.  Then they will begin to develop their own leadership style and hopefully will take your passion for leadership with them.  Sharing your weaknesses will not take away your clout; trust me, you don’t have them fooled.  They know your not perfect.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in “white board” training only, nor do I tend toward the “touchy feely” but I believe this process in leadership development is lacking.  Someday you will promote, and those below you will promote into a leadership role?  Have you done your job to prepare them?

Leadership Competencies

Some people look at leadership as something obtained through years of experience.  The truth is that just being around leaders or acting as a leader is not enough to make you a great leader.  One thing I see a huge problem with is most people don’t have a clear picture of the competencies that need to be fostered and built upon to become a good leader.  There are many models and lists however like many leadership subjects, the military has had centuries to perfect the type of leadership we use in the fire service.  With that in mind I compiled a list of leadership competencies that are required of military leaders in all of the branches of the military.

Exercising Sound Judgment

• Developing and applying broad knowledge and expertise in a disciplined manner, when addressing complex issues
• Identifying interrelationships among issues
• Taking all critical information into account when making decisions

 

Adapting

• Maintain composure in stressful situations
• Work constructively and resourcefully under pressure
• Demonstrate flexibility and resilience
• Seek and accept constructive criticism
• Balance change and continuity

Inspiring Trust

• Establishing open, candid, and trusting relationships
• Treat all individuals fairly and with respect
• Maintain high standards of integrity
• Place mission success over personal gain
• Demonstrate loyalty to the unit, the mission, and the chain-of-command

Leading Courageously

• Display both moral and physical courage
• Maintain and project confidence in all situations
• Project credibility and poise even when challenged
• Show a willingness to take risks and act independently
• Take personal responsibility and accountability for actions
• Maintain focus, intensity and persistence, even under adversity

Demonstrating Tenacity

• Take persistent, repeated action to overcome an obstacle
• Keep with a difficult task even after meeting rejection
• Be resilient

Leading by Example

• Manage and publicly demonstrate personal and professional priorities that are consistent with Core Values and Competencies
• Show subordinates that actions and words support one another
• Embrace and demonstrate qualities of excellent followership

Assessing Self

• Develop a personal leadership development plan that motivates me to pursue further improvement
• Base this development on an increased awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses, values, performance, preferences, and styles
• Understand how these impact my decisions and relationships with others
• Continually learn

These competencies are a place to start focusing on and may require many different skills and traits to be able to become proficient in them.  The key to becoming a good leader revolves around being willing and able to constantly improve yourself to be someone that others want to emulate.

Leading by Example

The phrase “lead by example” is over used whereas the concept behind the phrase is just the opposite.  Many officers demonstrate the skills and values needed to be an officer however once that goal is obtained, they plateau off and become complacent.  The focus on training those under us, should reinforce our own skills but often turns into a session of telling rather than doing.  One of the easiest ways to overcome this is to remove the rank title and evaluate what we truly are as officers.  We are Lead Firefighters.  This means we are just as responsible to upkeep our health and firefighting skills with the added responsibility of knowing what to do.

One thing I love to do with brand new or probationary firefighters is challenge them to a bunker drill.  The winner doesn’t have to do the daily details like sweeping, mopping, scrubbing toilets, etc.  This is not my responsibility normally so it basically gives them the chance to avoid doing something they should be doing anyway.  Many ask why I would be willing to challenge them without having the chance to gain anything by winning.  The truth is, by you winning you have obtained three things:  demonstrated you have maintained the basic skills, demonstrated the ability to do something they should do, and shown them that you weren’t afraid to do the work you ask of them.  In all of the times I have completed this challenge, I have never lost on the first round which is also another positive outcome.  Through friendly competition, I improved the performance of the firefighters under me which helps the entire team.  Beyond that simple exercise, putting on the gear anytime you ask your crew to, goes a long way towards building respect. The basic concept behind leadership by example isn’t for you to do everything with/for your crew but rather to be willing and able to do what you ask them to do.  If I am swamped with reports, I won’t be outside washing the truck or sweeping the floors however, if I am caught up with my work, I am willing to go out and help those under me.

The next portion of leadership by example comes from how you project yourself.  Do you follow the rules?  Do you wear your uniform properly?  The point is, are you the kind of employee you want your people to be?  As a figurehead, the people under you and around you are looking at how you behave, how you handle problems, and how you treat the leaders above you.  If you are setting the wrong example, those under you are faced with a difficult choice.  Do they follow you or do they put you in the category of a leader that has taught them what not to do?  That choice is up to you!

The Importance of Educating Officers

In a career that has long valued experience, the transitional shift has made it necessary for that experience to be backed by higher education.  Let’s face it, the days of only worrying about putting the wet stuff on the red stuff is over.  We are now expected to handle medical emergencies, hazardous materials, and technical rescues.  Plus we are needed to portray a level of professional confidence when putting information out to the public.  I fully support moving the experienced people into leadership positions however, the times demand more than a high school diploma or GED.

There are several complaints that are heard when the subject of needing a college degree arise in a department.  Most revolve around being unable to finance the expenses created by going to college while others refuse to accept that college education will benefit their career.  The one excuse that bugs the crap out of me is “I won’t be compensated if I do get a degree.”  Everything doesn’t have a price.  In a perfect world, the addition of a college degree would add a monetary bonus however; making yourself more marketable and adding self-worth outweighs any dollar amount.  No matter what the excuse, it is difficult to understand how a group of people who are able to adapt to any situation and overcome any obstacle just lay down and give up before even trying.  Look up scholarships, seek out federal grants, get a second job, etc….. the paths to obtain an education are endless.

As someone who waited ten years to return to school, I had many fears and battled the obstacles however, in the end the piece of paper I received was only a token for the journey.  The real reward was facing my fears and overcoming a difficult task.  The review of subjects I hadn’t looked at since ninth grade added to my understanding of certain principles I use at the firehouse everyday.  In addition, the reinforcement of my writing skills has allowed me to write better reports and performance reviews.  Most of the degree programs will give you tools to help make better decisions in life and on the fireground.  The truth about education is that it needs to be a daily addition to everyone’s life, not just leaders or officers.  We harp on exercising our bodies and maintaining a ready status, the same goes for exercising our minds.  Education is the key to the future of the fire service, as a leader you need to set the example and encourage others to better themselves.

Perfect Practice

I have often heard the expression that practice makes perfect.  A long time ago, I found out that is not always the case.  The truth behind this saying is that it is completely false.  If I practice every single day doing something wrong, when the time comes for the performance, I will perform poorly.  When it comes to practice, sometimes referred to as “training” in the fire service, there are several types needed.

Normal training should be used on a regular basis by the company officer to establish skill level and identify weaknesses.  This is the training that occurs on a one-on-one or company level.  By evaluating how the firefighter performs without someone spoon feeding them the next step is key to unlocking someone’s potential.  Once the deficiencies have been identified, repetitive training sometimes referred to as focused training is what will raise the performance level.  Once the person can consistently perform the task, the best way to establish a mastery level is to have that person teach someone else (under supervision to ensure it is done correctly).  This constant evaluation and rotation of strengths and weaknesses of a crew will supply a never ending list of things to be improved upon.  If you add the crew cohesion factor to this, a company officer will be surrounded by people they can trust and that fully know their limitations as a crew.

The concept of being perfect is one that by definition is unobtainable however if you shoot for the moon and fall short you will still be in the stars.  Don’t conduct the mandatory training in a manner that will check the box so you can say it was completed.  Treat every training session as an opportunity to motivate and cultivate your crew into a team that is as close to perfect as possible.  Make the sessions valuable to the crew, fair (company officers participate), and seek out new and innovative ways to prepare for the jobs that are expected to be performed.  Considering all of the processes that go into becoming a “perfect” team, I submit a revised phrase to use in the firehouse…. “perfect practice makes perfect.”