Top 10 Realizations of a New Fire Chief

I started this blog site six years ago.  It began with the intention to expand mentoring within the fire service although it has transitioned into a place where I relieve my frustrations and let others know that they are not alone in their fire service related concerns.  

I thought that it would be neat to look at my career, department, and life the way I did when I started this blog.   My first post was meant to be inspirational… looking at the past year and pledging to be a better officer the next year.  I want to maintain that attitude and while my life is vastly different now than it was six years ago,  I am committed to continual development and improvement.  

With that lets get to my to ten realizations learned over the past year as a Fire Chief. 

Number 10:  Never give up staff positions until you fully understand the situation.

While many will have their opinion on my biggest mistake as a new chief,  I firmly believe the biggest (to date) was to give up a second deputy position.  To be fair,  it hadn’t been filled for a long time and when I came in,  it was difficult knowing who I could trust and who was out to trip me up.  I fully expected to be able to add it back when the justification existed.   I have since realized that it is very difficult to add new positions and I would have been better off freezing it until I had time to fully analyze the situation.

Number 9:  Your badge and position come with its own history and failures that are now yours whether you deserve them or not.

I knew starting in a new department was a doubled edged sword.   While the people did not know of my past failures or issues,  they also did not know my reputation or track record of being a solid firefighter and caring leader.   What I did not realize is that the badge of chief came with its own history that was now mine to own.   Every mistake of previous administrators was stacked against me.   I promised to give everyone a clean slate when I arrived but I started off with every mismanaged decision,  every untruth ever told,  and every failed project.  It doesn’t seem like a big deal but when some of my predecessors didn’t have a great reputation,  I suddenly found every honest mistake I made being met with hyper criticism.   I hadn’t built the trust or history with this department that I once had.   If I had made the same mistake in my previous department,  it would be less critical as people knew who I was and how I operated.

Number 8:  Every decision made will positively affect some but negatively affect others.

I have always strived to find win / win scenarios when dealing with issues.   While I know that it is impossible to always find a win,  it didn’t stop me from trying.   What I quickly realized is that for every good intention decision,  it would negatively affect someone.   I hate to think this is a numbers game but  when dealing with over a hundred people it literally became a decision based on what’s best for everyone that would have the least number of negative impacts.   I guess if I didn’t care about people the decisions would be easier but I remember working for these managers.   Every decision easily defended based on cost savings,  efficiency,  or to meet a standard.  I don’t want to be a great manager,  rather a great leader.   I know I have managerial restraints but I also know that a balance can be maintained.   Is it difficult?   Hell yes it is!   Is it worth it?   Again,  a resounding yes!

Number 7:  Take time for yourself and develop a healthy work / life balance.

I struggle with this realization.   I remember telling my wife that the first year was going to be difficult as I had to play catch up and get to know everyone in the department.   That was truly an understatement of the reality.   I could work 24/7 and never get to the end of my work.   I refer you to my article on the top 10 things that keep a chief awake at night.   With so many issues,  it is hard to take any time off for those of us who take this job seriously.   While it is difficult advice to follow,  the deputy mayor constantly reminds me that things weren’t broken over night so they can’t be fixed over night.   I have taken up fishing, which my kids and wife love to do but still haven’t mastered a good balance.   This lesson learned is easier to talk about than to accomplish.

Number 6:  Own up to mistakes and pass on credit.

Notice I didn’t say own up to “Your” mistakes.   That advice is easy and will help build a leader’s credibility.  Go back to the understanding that when you are chief,  everything good or bad in you department is your responsibility.  Pass on the congratulations when your team performs well and take the hit for less than adequate performance.   While you should take the hit,  don’t forget to follow through with the issue to correct it and help the individual or individuals learn and grow.  I find myself accepting the blame associated with lesson number 9 a lot. 

Number 5:  Stay away from politics but don’t be blind to their existence.

I have read articles on both sides of the fence concerning Fire Chiefs and politics.   What I quickly realized is that I have no business being involved with it.   I am not blind to the fact that my job has political impact and influence however,  without knowing how far the players reach,  I found myself in a dangerous place.  What I focus on is being the best fire chief that I can be.  While I haven’t successfully navigated a political change,  I have watched others who have.   These chiefs have embraced politics but stayed out of the mix.   I’ll let you know how this lesson goes in the future!

Number 4:  Remember the various levels of “team” you belong to and prioritize your loyalty correctly.

As you advance your career, it is easy to forget where your priorities lie.  For me I have learned to hold my family as my primary team.  I took this job only after soliciting family support.   You cannot be a good or great fire chief without support at home.  Missing family events is inevitable but you can’t sacrifice your family for your job all of the time.

My next priority team is at City Hall with my boss and peers.   While some may say I should consider my department as the next priority, wait till the end to see how I cope with this.  This level of team is where I can do the most good for my department.   Every department I have ever worked at felt like we were the proverbial “red headed step children” of whatever organization we belonged to.   While the fire service is different,  we owe it to the larger organization to fit in as well as we can.   I tell people that we cannot expect to sit at the table and get more than scraps if we do not fit into the bigger picture. 

My third team is fire department managerial staff.   Who wants to work for someone who doesn’t have their back and let them make decisions?   I have to support,  recognize, and give priority to those I trust to run things.

My final team in this example is the department as a whole.   Now comes the explanation as to how I can still keep them in mind with all of the other levels of team above them.   In order for me to keep my priorities straight and still be able to look out for my department as a whole,  I have to align each subset with the goals and direction of the higher level.  This includes communicating goals or directions that lower levels want to have accomplished so they can be included in higher priority team planning.

With this example,  I must ensure my family is willing to support me with the decisions I make,  my boss and peers need to know that I am considerate of their needs and direction,  my supervisory staff have to have a clear picture of what is going on,  and it all translates into working to make the department better for the team.

It is easy to lose sight of your priorities but refocusing will provide the best results.   It is impossible to please everyone,  but if you maintain your priorities you will be more consistent and be a good team player on all levels.

Number 3:  Do not be afraid of setting high standards.

Especially when walking into a new organization,  you need to clearly set yourself up for success.  I found myself walking the line between setting a higher bar and not making major changes.  It is difficult to expect people to immediately accept the new vision but I firmly believe firefighters are built to overcome any challenge set in front of them.   If you set the bar too low there will never be any major momentum.   The higher you set the goal the more you have to be prepared to navigate the resistances you will face.   Again,  don’t be afraid but don’t expect it to fall in place without a ton of personal effort.

Number 2:  Find a mentor because you shouldn’t complain down the chain and it is lonely at the top.

Following a core leadership principle where complaints go up and praise goes down the chain,  it is hard to handle the stresses you will face.   When the proverbial buck stops with you,  it is easy to take on more than you are capable of handling.  You need to find a support network full of people at the same level.   It is difficult to even talk to peers within your organization because fire departments are so different.  

It also became clear to me when my wife left town on a trip with the kids that I do not have a huge pool of friends anymore.   I don’t think you have to distance yourself from subordinates but if you choose to use work as your primary source of social interaction,  it is full of problems.   Again,  there has to be life after work,  generally of your friends are all from work,  you will never get to put down the helmet and not be chief.  

Mentors are a huge part of my success.   Varying degrees of experience and access to their leadership styles help keep me balanced when I’m facing issues.  It also helps when they call with their issue so I know the grass is the same on all sides of the fence.   Ultimately,  others can help you grow and learn.   Find a mentor and be a mentor!

Number 1:  Know who you are and what you stand for prior to becoming a chief!

My wife, mother,  and pretty much anyone who has known me for any amount of time will acknowledge that I am a strong-willed individual.   I can’t imagine doing this job if I wasn’t confident in who I am and what I stand for.   Every decision made, no matter how good the intentions are, will end up upsetting someone.   While it is ok to admit failures and regroup,  you cannot be completely wishy – washy.   Know where to draw the hard lines and at the end of the day make sure you can still look yourself in the mirror.  

I’m sure there are a ton of life lessons I will gain from this new experience but one thing is for sure,  I am grateful for this position and have come to fully understand the weight of the bugles.   Be safe and make sure you are learning everyday!

Remembering where you come from

Just in time for Veteran’s Day… the past few weeks have given me a lot of reasons to think back to where I began my fire service career… in the United States Air Force.  Thanks to those who helped me especially in the beginning…. without excellent leaders to help shape me,  there is no way I could have achieved so much!

Now onto the reason I’m writing tonight!

Something that often is said as someone promotes is to never forget where they came from.  These words circle my head as I make decisions as the chief.  I use it as a reminder to  hopefully avoid the other times it is used by those under me.   These bad uses come in various forms and in some cases are founded….”He forgot where he came from”  words that can cut someone who has pride in their career.   It is used when leaders forget that their orders come with legitimate consequences for those who have to follow.  It is mentioned when leaders fail to consider how they would have liked the same order when they were in a lower position.   Finally it is used to describe someone who gives orders or direction based on self – service.  

At a recent department event, someone told me that all of the changes to increase training,  enhance safety,  and make the department better were just an attempt to build a resume.   They said I should remember where I came from and consider if I would like all of the changes.   It caused me to step back and question my conviction…. was I being too demanding?  Did I give anyone the perception that I was in this job to move on to the next bigger and better thing?   I have been deep in self reflection since this occurred.

By remembering where I came from it dawned on me that the way I was raised in the fire service, the issues I am dealing with would not have been tolerated by any level of officer in the department.

I came from a true military environment that wouldn’t accept disrespect, anything less than excellence,  or fire house gossip.   We had dinner together,  families visited the station for holidays, and we looked out for each other like true family.  I took pride in my apparatus,  station,  and the profession.   No one had to tell me to train, clean and maintain the equipment, or build a solid team…  I knew lives depended on me,  my training, the equipment,  and our ability to work together as a well disciplined team. 

The question remains…. what has changed over the span of my career where I am constantly dealing with issues related to people who don’t take this job seriously,  fail to appreciate what they have,  and are more interested in stirring the proverbial pot than being the best firefighter they can be?   I haven’t changed my attitude or ambition to leave my mark on the profession.  I am still motivated to make the world better than I found it.  I treat others the way I want to be treated and look at opposing views before making decisions.  It dawned on me as I was racking my brain on this that the only thing that has changed is my tolerance for this bad behavior.   Education and experience has taught me to establish reachable goals when dealing with others.   In some cases this has forced me to accept less than what I believe is true excellence.  

There are a ton of careers that accept mediocre…. most of which do not have life and death consequences associated with them.   

My favorite quote to quickly explain public perception of firefighters comes from John Eversole,  “Our department takes 1,120 calls every day. Do you know how many of the calls the public expects perfection on? 1,120. Nobody calls the fire department and says, ‘Send me two dumb-ass firemen in a pickup truck.’ In three minutes they want five brain-surgeon decathlon champions to come and solve all their problems.”

I don’t know how to fix every problem but I have to thank the person that tried to use the “remember where you came from” as an argument to devalue my efforts.   Self reflection often provides answers and in this case, has strengthened my resolve to make the department better,  stop accepting mediocrity,  and promote the values that I was raised with in the fire service!   Integrity First…. Service Before Self…. and Excellence in All We Do!

Longest week ever

If you have followed this blog for any amount of time,  it is easy to see that I use it as an outlet to express myself so my mind will wind down and hopefully let me sleep.   Tonight is no different…

This week has been longer than usual for me.   It wasn’t the endless onslaught of meetings,  working through ongoing maintenance issues,  or drafting what seems like hundreds of emails that made it so long… rather it was the emotional roller coaster that this week has been.

When I got home, having already missed pizza Friday with my family,  my extremely perceptive four year old asked me why I looked sad.  My wife and I have open communication with our kids and try to tell them in age appropriate terms what is going on.   It was in this moment that I realized I couldn’t put into words why I felt drained and “sad.”  I simply told him that I had a long week and today was especially long.  

After putting him to bed my mind started drifting through the events of the week.  I think the scars left by 9/11 on the fire service are self explanatory and even the visit with a firefighter in the hospital are easily understood as he is someone I have come to know.  

While any funeral is difficult to attend, the retiree who was being honored today is someone I barely knew…. why is it so prominent in my mind?  

It is true that the only direct memories I have are of the last few weeks of his life in the hospital and a handful of retiree events that gave us a reason to come together within the past year.  The reason I am sad over the loss of a man I barely knew is simple.  While I never had the privilege of working with the man being honored,  there are a lot of things I do know about him.   Over three decades of service with our department lets me know that this retiree loved his career and serving others.   This dedication to a cause greater than one’s self is honorable in every sense of the word.

Seeing several generations of current and former firefighters,  along with family and friends gathered at his service let me know he was loved,  respected,  and worthy of coming together to celebrate his life while mourning the loss of his presence.  The tears and hugs exchanged spoke volumes as to the man’s ability to bring people together in a positive way.

Listening to stories of his famous one liners and tales of his exploits on the fireground painted a picture of a man who took his job seriously but not too seriously.  The fact that every story being shared ended with the same short pause at the end, where the laughter faded,  and everyone including the story teller immediately realized that they would not create any new stories with this man tells me that the spirit of this firefighter will live on even through the sadness of his departure.  

My week has been long because no matter what got done,  what meetings I attended,  or what documents got drafted,  it ended with a radio transmission announcing the last call for Retired Captain David Oney and the ringing of a bell three times that signifies his tasks are completed, his duties were well done, he has served his last alarm,  and he is returning home.

At the end of this long day there is a quote that I think is appropriate and may provide some comfort….

“Firemen never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved.”

Susan Diane Murphree

Stay safe and take a moment to appreciate your fellow brothers, sisters,  retirees,  and those who have answered their last call!

Life lesson on perspective

A very long time ago my mother insisted on teaching me a principle life lesson and twice in the past few days I had a clear parable to describe it within the fire service.   This core principle, in finding happiness in life, was to change what could be changed,  accept what could not,  and to understand the difference between the two.

All too many times we find ourselves stuck in a situation (or at least have the perception of being trapped) where we cannot see a clear path out.  The truth is we hold more power to affect change than we care to admit.   I have found myself in many situations where I kept running into walls and to be honest got pretty discouraged with my job, life,  or whatever I was attempting to do.

It wasn’t until a good friend of mine sent me a picture of a cat staring at a cage door with no top on the cage that I realized the biggest thing I could change was my perspective.   Every time I feel trapped or discouraged,  the best thing to do is to change my perspective.  Take a new approach,  look at issues from someone else’s perspective, or ask for an outside  opinion.  All of these are things that are well within my power to change.  If I focus on changing someone’s mind,  pursuing a grand plan without support,  or becoming a habitual antagonist; I am not changing something within my sphere of influence.   While certain positions have a greater reach,  the hard truth is that no matter how much you try, the are some things you physically,  mentally,  emotionally,  or spiritually do not have the ability to change.  In the end my mother had it right,  the only thing you have 100% control over is you and what’s in your head.

To describe this concept,  there are the two examples I have come across recently.   The first is a good friend of mine who is a company officer.   He like a lot of my friends, serve as a sounding board to me and in return I am a sounding board for them.  He has entered a situation where he does not see a bright future, where he is at, and is starting to build his education,  credentials, and resume.  While there is nothing wrong with seeking to better yourself,  I firmly believe it had to be done for the right reasons.

In any case,  he had begun to develop leadership vision which is the ability to see a path to a greater goal.  Many of us gain or lose this vision based upon our mental state.  Before you say I’m crazy,  let me elaborate on this concept.

When in a good place both personally and professionally,  many of us start to have this positive outlook.   Opportunity exists everywhere,  the world becomes our oyster, and it becomes frustrating when we start identifying missed opportunities.  On the other hand,  when life becomes unbalanced or flat out discouraging we become like that cat where all we can see are the barriers in front of us.

My friend is in a place where things are unbalanced.   He is starting to change his perspective and is losing the vision.   There are so many paths to reach a goal which is why I prefer to think about the end goal.  When you are able to do that,  the selfish “me” mentality dissolves, the antagonistic fight because I know I’m right becomes disarmed, and you are left with a clearer perspective on options to reach your end goal.

If this friend of mine could step back he would see that he isn’t trapped by his current situation,  rather he now has a new freedom to explore his options, make the changes necessary to reach new goals,  and not only shape his own future but the future of his artifical barrier.   Even if it turns out the barrier truly exists,  he will be in a better place to see options and make the world his own.

The second story comes from my new situation.   It is invigorating to be surrounded by so much motivation and willingness to move in any direction as long as its away from their current position.   While there are a lot of issues, that are common within the fire service here,  most of them fail to see the positives around them.   The focus on the day to day problems have become so intense, with some of them, that they fail to see how good they are, how much progress could be made,  and the root of their legitimate issues.  With a new perspective they could see that their issues are a part of a much larger systemic event, that there is still much to be proud of,  and that the typical approach to fixing things may not suffice.  What this boils down to is the only thing you can truly ever change is your perspective.   Once you do that you can be a leader.

I often find leadership inspiration from movies and there is one that fits this article well.   In the movie Braveheart, there is a scene where the king is discussing a plan to send the princess to negotiate with William Wallace (Mel Gibson).  The prince says to the king that she may be killed in which the king replies that would be quite a pity as it would give him a strong alliance with France.  While we are not royalty,  fire officers are the leaders of a combat force making the next line of the movie the most pertinent.   The king then looks at his son and says “as King you have to be able to see the good in any situation.”

Every negative has a positive as every positive has a negative.   If your department has high turnover then you also have an opportunity to quickly redevelop the organizational image.   The inability to change is often due to the human nature of being unwilling or unable to let go of the past.   The point is,  to be a great leader you cannot let setbacks dull your vision.   Staying balanced,  positive,  and making the best out of every situation allows you to navigate troubled waters while keeping your eye on the end goal.

In both stories,  people became handicapped by their perspective.   If you do not have the ability to put yourself in a new perspective, it is imperative to find someone that you trust, who is removed from your situation,  and can help you turn your attention from the cage door.   Every culture has their reference to this idea,  whether referring to the opening and closing doors or taking the path of least resistance, we are never truly trapped anywhere.

If you ever find yourself stuck,  take off the blinders and identify a new approach.  I like to think of it like forcible entry,  try before you pry and with the right tools,  training, and motivation there is no barrier that can stop a firefighter.

The Dangers of Closed Minds

“When you maintain a closed mind you are not keeping other people from getting in, rather you are preventing yourself from getting out.”  -Jason Moore

I have been indulging in John Maxwell’s library of leadership material.  During which, I have learned a lot about an organization’s leadership lid and the issues that affect a leaders growth potential.  One thing that bothered me about the whole thought of being limited by the leadership ability of my superiors was that I truly believe in 360 degree leadership.  Under 360 degree leadership you are essentially able to help guide and direct from any position in the organization.  What I came to understand, during a thought provoking conversation with some friends and coworkers, this morning at breakfast is that even with 360 degree leadership,  you cannot exceed the lid of those above you.   A great 360 leader can help elevate everyone around them, including superiors, but if the top stops progress then those under them will also eventually stop.

In the world of firefighting, especially within a leadership role,  if you are not constantly raising your leadership lid, then those under you are going to become stifled.

The most important aspect in this journey is to maintain an open mind.   If you close your mind then you fail to grow.   Train everyday to make you and your crew reach the maximum potential and don’t be the limiting factor within your organization.

Is Your Training Balanced?

It is getting to be that time of year. I don’t mean summertime; I am talking about conference time. Thousands converged on Indianapolis about a month ago, the South Carolina Firefighters Conference in Myrtle Beach is just around the corner, and there is also host of other conferences across the country that cover everything from extrication to ventilation. The training and networking at these conferences cannot be duplicated and it places a great deal of information at the fingertips of all the attendees.

While thumbing through trade journals and seeing other advertisements on the Internet I see ladder classes being taught by firefighters from the FDNY, fire ground size-up by seasoned veterans from Boston, and ventilation techniques being taught by some experienced “Truckies” from Philadelphia. There may also be a panel discussion conducted by highly revered fire chiefs from various departments across the country. This is all very important and critical training. I then thought about why is 95% of the training being dedicated to only 5% of what we actually do?

Now before fire comes spewing out of your ears and your head spins off your shoulders, let me explain. We should, as a profession attend and train at every opportunity with different instructors to increase the “tools” we can use to mitigate incidents and save our own lives. Emergency events are low frequency, high risk events, and training is the way to stay alive, but what are you doing to train for the 95% of the job you do as a fire officer, or mentoring fire officers? The other 95% is dealing with people. Properly managing the crew. Trying to balance the different personalities on your team to work as a group no matter what. Knowing who can do what and how well they can do it. Believe it or not, most people in groups get a great deal of satisfaction by feeling they are contributing to the goals of the group. Maslow has been stating it for years. They may not seems interested because “paperwork is for the chief”, but the reality is most people want to do well and get a level of satisfaction if given the opportunity.

Here are a few things I did (and was mentored to do) to help provide the need for responsibility and ownership of crews I have worked with in the past.

• Allow the crew to decide among themselves on items that impact them such as housework duties, fair rotation of riding positions, and in-house training subjects.

• Train personnel to complete daily staffing and training reports.

• Assign training subjects to personnel who have good knowledge of a subject. This is a “low stress, high success” route that helps build self-esteem.

• Use You Tube to search videos on personnel issues (use discretion and good judgment). Using your department policies, have an open discussion on how the situation could be handled.

• Use situations from other departments, such as the shooting gag conducted by a department in Georgia, discuss what the outcome was for that department and compare it to what your department polices are.

• Allow your crewmembers to fill out their own performance evaluation. You would not use the one they wrote but this allows them the opportunity to see and use the form before they become company officers themselves. It has been my experience that people will rate them selves lower than the supervisors does.

Every little bit helps. The more personnel are allowed to provide input, the more buy-in, the better the results. I am not saying let “the tail wag the dog”, just listen. Most importantly make sure they understand the parameters and they may not always like the final decision. They already know who is in charge; they just want to take part. The key is to balance the training now to have a balanced fire officer later.

Stay Safe and Trust!

Jimmy Ghi

How prepared are you?

I know it has been a while since my last post, but a newborn and final semester of a graduate program are fairly demanding.  I apologize and look forward to getting things back on track in the next month or so.  With that out of the way, I figured I would kick off with a subject that hits close to home for me.

Personal preparedness is something many people take for granted, especially fire officers.  This concept applies to more than your ability to perform at an emergency scene.  Whether preparing for the shift, promotion opportunity, or hardship we all lose focus and suffer from a lapse in preparedness.  The question then becomes… who is responsible for your preparedness?  This is a double edged sword in many cases, as one would hope your peers and supervisors would take it upon themselves to help you but it is ultimately your responsibility.  With that being said, we often need our peers and supervisors to help us prepare making the issue complicated.

When it comes to relying on others to prepare you, there are several ways to look at the situation.  First, in a perfect world, everyone would want their peers and subordinates to reach their potential, thus freely offering their assistance in preparing you.  That is probably not always the case making option two more likely.  In option two, you are highly motivated to improve yourself and need to find a mentor or teacher to help you reach the next level. They serve as a sounding board for ideas, allow neutral party “vent” sessions, and point you in the right direction when reaching a career crossroad.  In this scenario you can settle for what you have or network to find someone that will invest in you.  Many of my mentors and teachers have never been in my chain of command.  I started this website as an attempt to open channels for those without local opportunities to find someone who would help prepare them to step up and be the fire officer our career field desperately needs.  Other great places to find these solid foundations include: fire conferences, other departments, other agencies, higher education providers, and community service organizations.

It is easy to blame others for your lack of preparedness, and in some cases those people do share some of the blame however, no one will look out for you like you!  I have never relied on someone to take me to the next level or set me up for success.  Success is accomplished through hard work, foresight, and tenacity.  When opportunities present themselves, grab them and run with it.  Accept failure, learn from it, and grow as a person, leader, and officer.  The next time you are sitting around flipping through the TV channels, think of the lost opportunity in preparing for your future.  Whether taking college classes, reviewing strategies and tactics, or planning your career progression; you must invest in yourself if you want others to invest in you!  It is easy to fall into a rut and get comfortable where you are…. it takes courage to pursue something better.  The next time an opportunity comes up, don’t let your personal failure to prepare cause it to pass you by!

 

What’s your approach to supervision?

As we are all aware we are always learning.  Some times the learning experience happens quickly, such as realizing your should have used an oven mitt when taking the shish kabobs off the grill with your fingers, or is formal and well planned such as taking a college course.  My education in the fire service has never stopped, whether is was rapid, informal learning, or planned out.  One of the hardest things I had to learn was making the transition from a firefighter to a company officer.

You may be questioning why I am writing about supervision when this site is titled Fire Officer Mentor.  Mentoring cannot occur without supervision, and good supervision leads to good mentoring.  We have all learned about the many types of supervision, styles, theories, etc.  And we all have learned that not one style and theory fits all situations, but whether we like it or not we all operate from a base level.  Those base levels can be autocratic, democratic, or laissez-faire.  We have all worked under the company officer that wants hospital corners on your bunk, or the officer who does not have a daily structure, and then there are the ones in-between.

Based on my experiences I would like to share a couple of supervisory approaches.  I am not transposing these from any book or reference material.  I am putting my own labels on them.

The Fish Net Approach – With the fish net approach the supervisor snags the first person they see when an idea crosses their mind or they have a project that is close to the deadline and they have not started it yet.  The supervisor casts the net out, catching you then pulling you in. There you are, trapped and helpless, just as fish are in the fishing net. And just as in the fish net there are a variety of items, random things pulled up by the net.  The supervisor is looking for results.  They expect you to sift through the items and then make it work.  No real direction or instructions are provided, and the supervisor may not really even know what the catch is supposed to be.  The results may be a completed task, but it may not be the way the supervisor wants it and it may result in having to do the task again.

The Shot Gun Approach – The Shot Gun approach is similar to the Fish Net.  The difference is the supervisor knows what the results need to be they are just not sure who to pick for the task.  Maybe during a casual conversation with a small group the supervisor “blasts” out the idea or plan.  Some one in the group takes the “hit” (they volunteer to take on the task for recognition, peer pressure, etc.). The task may get completed properly or not.  That is the second part of the Shot Gun Approach.  Just as shooting a shotgun, you may or may not hit the target appropriately.  Again, the task may get completed but was the right person doing the task?  This may work out OK, unless the task had an emphasis on safety.

The Pile-On Approach – just like a bunch of NFL football players diving in and piling on to recover a fumble, the supervisor keeps piling on the tasks.  This may be good and bad. The supervisor may be piling on because they know they will get good results.  The bad part is other tasks suffer and priorities keep changing as more tasks get piled on.

Last One Picked for Gym Class Approach – I can remember when I was in school gym class it was well known I couldn’t even catch a cold, so I was always the one picked just so the teams would be even.  A supervisor may pick someone for a task because there is no one else to pick.  The results could end up being dismal.  Loss of productivity and a need to re-do the task by someone else.  The results for the employee are also dismal.  Their confidence has been shattered, making it even more difficult to properly develop the employee.

The Helicopter Pilot – This supervisor assigns a task then hops in their helicopter, hovering over your every move.  They are not micro managing because they are not spelling out how to get the task done.  They just hover, and hover, and hover, never really saying anything. It would be a blessing if they did micro manage. At least you would be getting some feedback.  They just land their helicopter when the task is done, tell you what went wrong then get back in their helicopter to hover over you again.  This approach causes anxiety in newer employees, and just flat out pisses off experienced employees.

Well, I have to be honest; I have been on both sides of these.  It took me a while to figure out just because someone is willing, does not mean they are able.  There are several keys to avoid being caught up in one of the above approaches:

• How critical is the project? What level of authority or perceived authority is needed?  Pick the person that can carry the ball, who understands the critical nature of the task and has the backbone and knowledge to exert the appropriate authority.
• Think about the results you want.  If the task is not completed properly, what is the impact on the shift and employee assigned?
• Don’t always pick the same person to do the same thing. If you can, spell out the results but the details provided should depend on the task and experience level of the person assigned. Give them “Point B” and step back.  They may surprise you with how well they do. Tell the employee to get back to you 1) If they have questions or need resources 2) run into obstacles 3) The task is completed.  Check back occasionally to show support.
• Use tasks to help develop the team early. Assign a team leader in the group and provide them the necessary management tools to see a task through.  Allow the team leader to suggest others that could help the project but be sure it is not the same few all of the time.
• Don’t be afraid to take a chance on someone.  Just make sure they have the support to accomplish the task.  I’ll stand in front of a fire chief all day explaining what happened if it means I could help develop a future mentor.

Take your time when assigning tasks.  Use them to develop not just task related skills, but supervisory and management skills.  Show faith and confidence in those you work with helps set the tone for good mentoring.

Stay Safe!

 

Value of Self-Reflection

When evaluating the gambit of skills needed to be a successful officer, there is one that is perhaps the most valuable and yet hardest to develop.  I am referring to self-reflection, which in itself seems easy to do however, skewed perceptions often leave our true self image twisted and distorted like a fun-house mirror.  In addition, many of us fail to realize that self reflection is not merely what we think of ourselves rather it is the ability to see ourselves in relation to the external world that exists outside our mind.  Without this ability we fail to understand the impact of our actions and truly understand who we are or how we fit within the group.  While self-esteem should remain internally driven, self-reflection needs to look at the bigger picture.

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, in comparison to your environment, is key to identifying your role.  Not every leader is equipped to handle every situation.  Knowing where you fit and realizing what is within your comfort zone is beneficial to everyone involved.  False confidence by over or under estimating yourself leads to becoming vague rather than definite and decisive.  The vagueness is a defense mechanism so that when challenged the person can skew the decision/answer they gave to fit the new information, thus attempting to appear right.  You will gather more respect and build a better team if you take an honest look at yourself and admit when you have short-comings.  Also, in maintaining integrity, if you cannot be honest with yourself, how can anyone expect you to be honest with them?  I am my worst critic, and over the years have learned to accept outside opinion, relating to aspects of my performance to help balance out my true self-image.  This works both ways.  Whether others see you better or worse, than you see yourself, maintaining balance is key to improving as a leader.

So, now that we have explored the reasons for self-reflection, the question is how to accurately complete a self-survey to see the reflection.  First step is to put yourself in the right state of mind.  Although not a formal process, it is one that requires attention to detail and a look at the bigger picture.  You need to accept that you may not like the answers you come to while maintaining the ultimate goal, of being better, as your focus.  Next, look at your internal perspective.  What are your values?  What are your perceptions?  How comfortable are you with the situation?  What do you excel and struggle with?  What is your level of commitment?  When you have the answers to those questions, it is important to gather external perspectives.  These can come from formal evaluations, personal discussions, or by focusing on the non-verbal ques given off by those around you.  In this stage of the process I like to have a trusted mentor/friend/co-worker who isn’t afraid to tell it to me straight.  I often find myself asking these people questions like…. did I handle _____ appropriately?  What do you think about _____?  The final piece to this puzzle is something we practice our entire lives starting in early child-hood.  This is evaluating cause and effect.  Successful officers are able to see beyond the initial effect.  An example of this concept is spilling a glass of water.  Simple cause and effect would dictate that the glass is empty and there is a mess.  Extended cause and effect would evaluate the placement of the glass, the amount of fluid inside, the conditions that led to the spill, the spill itself, hazards and subsequent actions that might occur from the water, the result of not having water in a glass(thirst, etc.), the added effort and resources needed to clean up the spill, the actions and effort needed to refill the glass, and even ways to prevent the spill from reoccurring.  Self-reflection will help you realize that every action has extended effects.  In the complicated interactions between people the ripple, created by your actions, can effect those who may have no direct contact with you.

Some closing remarks……Always consider that no-one can see your intentions, therefore your actions are what define you to others.  Using self-reflection as a 360 degree understanding, you will become a better leader since it will allow you to see how you influence others.  Everything you do or say is analyzed and translated through the perceptions of others making it necessary to see things from other points-of-view.  Never assume you are the best or worst when compared to others, there is always someone who will prove you wrong.  Maintaining a balanced self-reflection is the key to unlocking your potential as a person and leader.

Regaining Long-Lost Employees

While working on the book I am writing, I approached the subject of the different types of employees we find in our departments.  With a high concentration of Type A personalities, as found in most fire departments, there is one employee in particular that merits some additional attention.  I imagine that we all know someone like the person I am about to describe and each one of them, while similar, will have a broad spectrum of reasons for being that way.  This type of person is known as a disenfranchised employee (DE).  Many business leadership books list the DE as someone who used to care, perhaps was a star employee, and is now hurting the agency.  In the business world this accounts for lack in productivity, poor work environments, and a slew of problems that eat at a company’s bottom line.  In the fire service these people represent a growing number of “burned-out” employees that can put people in danger.

The old school way of thinking would dismiss these people, toss them to the side, with remarks pertaining to their inability to “make it” as a firefighter.  While this seems like the easiest and fastest fix, it fails to understand the merits of the individual and account for the cost associated with their training and experience.  In many cases, the brightest burning stars are the quickest to burnout.  The first question that needs to be asked is “what caused them to change?”  Identifying the personal or professional issues that caused the change is the first step to re-engaging the individual.  Word of caution though, we are not mental health professionals and do not need to act like it.  You do not have to dive into the personal life of your employees the analyze what went wrong.  A simple understanding of their situation will suffice.  Some common personal causes are: divorce, money problems, unhappy home-life, sick or dying family members, or lack of support at home. There is very little that we can do about these types of issues beyond acknowledging the problem and offering an employee assistance program. The more common issues that we can handle revolve around professional causes. Some of these include: lack of acknowledgment, not being validated, failure to progress, constantly being limited or micromanaged, lack of personal accountability within an organization, and having a perception of being mistreated.  While many of these problems are employee specific, there is also something to be said for noticing trends.  When multiple personnel show signs of being DE, there is often a bigger problem within the organization.

The question remains, “How do you re-engage someone who has become a DE?”  On a personal level, they need to have a reason to be connected to the organization.  No one, especially firefighters deal well with feeling like they are not needed.  Employees much like fire need specific components to grow.  I like to think of it as a spark, fuel, and air.  Finding a role that utilizes their specific talents is the fastest way to create a spark.  On its own, the spark is not enough to breathe new life into the employee.  The next component is fuel.  Just like a fire you cannot add too much or too little fuel if you expect growth.  The fuel is a two part formula that includes continuing projects to provide opportunities for success and positive reinforcement with honest feedback.  The final component is one that takes an experienced leader to understand.  Air in its simplest form means that the leader needs to give the DE room to succeed without leaving them feeling abandoned again.    Best case scenario, this career CPR will bring a DE back however, if wide-scale problems are present, individual action will not be enough.

On an organizational level, several DE’s are a sign of poor leadership/management practices.  Drops in morale, lack of advancement opportunities, failure to hold people accountable, and micromanaging supervisors are generally the root of the problem.  The effects are further compounded when the DE is a supervisor.  Our attitude as a leader is highly infectious.  Poor attitudes seem to be even more contagious than positive attitudes making it more difficult for positive attitudes to survive.  The biggest question in this scenario is how do you as a company officer fix DE problems that may stem from higher levels of management?  This is one of those “easier to explain than to do” scenarios.

You have to be persistently positive.  Find ways to give DE’s spark, fuel, and air while pushing for management changes.  Help to reestablish the organizational image.  Throughout an organization’s progression, the failure to pass on core values and pride will lead to senior personnel becoming DE and prevent newer employees from ever truly engaging.  Give credit where credit is due, stop “blanket policy” fixes, and treat people with respect.  No one wants to be a number, they need to be accepted and validated as important members of the group.   Failure to re-engage these employees will further support the perception that employees are numbers as they either leave or are let go and are replaced by newer, less experienced personnel.  This scenario is one that can be more rewarding than a traditional conflict resolution since you are not only fixing a problem but bringing back someone who use to be a strong performer.

I want to close with one of my favorite quotes….. “If you are not apart of the solution, you are apart of the problem.”