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.”

 

Are you abusing your position?

 

This subject is one that I never thought would have to be discussed in the fire service however, I have heard more than one complaint in the past few months that would classify as abuse.  Once someone receives their gold badge, there is an inherent responsibility that must be assumed for your crew.  Although you are responsible for their personal safety and professional growth, they are not your slaves.  They are not placed in your care to do the things you no longer want to do, especially if it is of a personal nature.

When it comes to an employee questioning something an officer has told them there is a tendency for  officers use the “because I’m the officer” defense.  This defense is a cop-out and should be backed by policy, procedure, or guideline.  Expecting your firefighter to cook for you, clean up your messes (beyond daily station duties), arrange or checkout your PPE, babysit your kids, or wash your car is an obvious abuse of your position.  Other abuses are less obvious and often justified as “training opportunities” or “character building.”  Making your firefighter do your reports or finding meaningless tasks for them to accomplish is unacceptable.

The arrangement, checkout, or cleaning of PPE is a personal responsibility.  You cannot expect nor make it mandatory for someone else to take care of your Personal Protective Equipment.  Furthermore, if something is missing, broken, or dangerous to use; you cannot punish or get upset at them.  If they put your gear on the truck, it was a courtesy and you are still responsible for it.

When it came time for my crew to learn the report system, in preparation for advancement, the steps for teaching were clear.  Have them watch me do it, help them do it, watch them do it, and eventually let them do it (with spot checking).  If they are able to do it on their own, it is not their responsibility to do your work.  In my case, if someone wanted to do it for practice or because they were good at it, I would help do their work and still follow up with what they did.

Getting a gold badge does not give you a free pass to kick your feet up and relax.  The truth is that the badge is meant to represent that you are capable of doing more than those without the extra bugles.  I prefer to think of line officers as lead firefighters.  With that mindset, it is easier to keep things in perspective and prevents poor management practices.

The final types of abuse can directly or indirectly be the officer’s fault.  Mental, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse/harassment can destroy a department.  If an officer is allowing the abuse/harassment to occur or even worse, participating in the problem, there are serious consequences that can happen.  Beyond embarrassing the department, officer, crew, or employee; the stress can destroy someone’s life.  We are charged with sending everyone home in the same or better condition than they arrived to work in.  This covers all aspects.  Monitor your people and be the professional they need you to be.  Beyond having a happy and productive crew, you will also find that your job becomes easier.

If you are not apart of the solution, you are a part of the problem!

 

 

Reflections of a Chief

Today another good man and chief received the full honors of a Fire Department procession.  He was loved by all, which was evident by the support of the local departments.  For me, it was more personal than professional.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed many horrible things.  From my time in Afghanistan to just working on the streets of Charleston, several visions will continue to haunt me in my sleep.  While most of these were put off until I had the ability to deal with them, I realized after my first encounter with Chief Winn, that they were not something I had to handle alone.

After holding the hand of a dying 16 year old in the back of an ambulance, I returned to my station to find Chief Winn and his associates waiting for me and my crew.  Years of experience had led me to the conclusion that they were the Critical Incident Stress Management team sent to see how we were doing after a tough call.  What I did not know at the time was that they had heard about the call through informal channels and volunteered to show up.  The smallest gesture of giving me someone to talk to has helped more than imaginable.

Many of the tough calls I have been on, including a 76 person mass casualty event in Afghanistan, still bother me from time to time. Even after the mandatory Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, I was bothered by the images of dead people.  The one difference between the 16 year old and all of the other bad calls is that I don’t remember the specific details or the kids face anymore.  While many people can argue as to why, I like to think it was Chief Winn’s intervention that allowed me to process everything and let it go.  In a career that exposes you to many gruesome and sometimes despicable things, eliminating one of the “ghosts” is a huge deal.  Knowing Chief Winn has made me a better and stronger person.  Prior to him touching my life, I always blew off the debriefings and defusing sessions as a necessary thing to be checked off.  The traditional concept of being the “big tough firefighter” stood in the way of seeking the help I needed.  Being a company officer, it is sometimes hard to see the long lasting effects of the decisions we make.  Turning down help for you or your crew is never the smart thing to do.  We are charged with the responsibility of sending our people home the same way or perhaps better than they arrived to work.  This includes mind and body.

For me, saying good bye to Chief Winn was more than a professional gesture that was deserved by his years of service; it was saying thank you for supporting me when I didn’t even know I needed it.  My story is one out of many that attests to the life of a hero and like other heroes, the stories told of someone’s deeds will make them live on in the hearts and minds of others forever!

Thank you for your service and for helping me!

Facing adversity

Today is definitely in the top ten of worst days in my life, a day that no firefighter wants to face.  For a breed of person that often finds themselves fighting the odds and yet are unwilling or unable to give up; leaving the line seems unbearable.

I recently found out that I have a condition that makes it extremely painful to walk which makes wearing fire boots seem like some ancient torture device.  Throughout the entire ordeal I have wrestled with the idea of having to leave something I love. Beyond just having an outlet for how I am feeling, I wanted to share this experience to make a point and maybe reassure myself that things will be ok.

Many of my coworkers didn’t know how to react to the news any better than I do now. This problem like all problems faced by fire officers is not beyond being overcome through tenacity and maintaining hope. This particular problem seems like the end of the world today but I know in a few years may be the beginning of something better.

The point that I am trying to make is that whether it’s a medical problem, financial issues, or some other life altering event; the need to take a structured approach is appropriate. Like any other curve-ball thrown at us on an emergency scene, life’s emergencies need to be evaluated, mitigated, and restored back to the best condition possible. The biggest benefit to being in the fire service is that at the end of the day you never have to face your problems alone.

I often tell people when I teach the lesson concerning the wellness of first responders to know when to seek help. Often just sharing your problem with someone is enough to give you room to breathe and look at your options. Don’t put on the blinders and face any problem with tunnel vision. Anchor yourself to someone or something that can weather the coming storm and prepare to face adversity with open options. For many there is nothing stronger than the desire to succeed. Life wouldn’t be worth living if everything was handed to you on a silver platter. Embrace your adversity and above all, never give up!

I close this posting with a quote that has helped me when things looked the worst….

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
– Thomas Edison

Another life lesson

Today I was reminded that the most emotionally  complex sound is that of a bagpipe at a firefighter’s funeral.  Even the most hardened veteran will feel the swelling of tears.  In the midst of such an occasion it is preferable to focus on the positives.  The fun memories of that person, the good calls you went on, or the fact that so many different departments are there to pay tribute to the choices someone made for their life.  At the funeral today the preacher spoke of sacrifice.  This may not have been a directly related line of duty death but still the concept of sacrifice fit.  Getting up every duty day and putting on the uniform, spending time away from family in order to be there for strangers, giving up weekends and holidays so that others can be safe.  The list is endless when you consider the sacrifices anyone in our career field makes on any given day however, I never considered that service and sacrifice were identical.

By choosing service over self, that is the embodiment of sacrifice.  For any sacrifice to be beneficial, there should be something gained or something learned from it and this case was not lacking in either aspect.  Witnessing this man’s dedication, determination, and work ethic made it easy for anyone to appreciate the qualities that were demonstrated.  Seeing future generations of firefighters that have gained insight to their careers through his knowledge and are now able to project that knowledge to others made this sacrifice and service beneficial.

The portion of the service that rang home for me was how this man’s service had impacted so many around him.  His sons, those that he trained, and even those that he spent time with were all able to identify and pick up something positive from his life.  This made me wonder what people would say at my funeral.  Would I be a passing glimmer that was forgotten as soon as I left, or a bright shining star that made a positive impact on those around me that lasts forever?  With that thought in mind, I challenge everyone to step up and be that shining example.  It is easy to forget through our day-to-day struggles how short life can be and focus on the little things that make life miserable.  If people went to work with the brotherhood/sisterhood mentality that was present today, there would be more hugs and support rather than negativity and bickering that is normally present.  We don’t need the sound of bagpipes to make us better people willing to sacrifice ourselves in order to make the world a better place.

In memory of Chief Hill:  Thank You for your service and sacrifice!

Positive outlooks and attitude will carry you far

“In every person who comes near you, look for what is good and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.”. – John Ruskins

Through adversity and turmoil we are forged into the people who look back at us in the mirror.  Learning life lessons and imitating the good things of those around us can only improve who we are.  Drawing inspiration and motivation from others allows for a limitless supply of options.

It is true that even the best people, who are a driving force behind movements, have a bad day.  Surrounding yourself with good people isn’t always possible which leaves two options:  follow everyone else’s ups and downs or change your perception to focus on the good.

Like all advice blogs, this is sometimes easier to point out for others to do rather than do it yourself.  In the end, you have to strive to be a better person and even if you fall short, don’t give up or surrender.

I have often talked to people about controlling the things they can and for most situations the only thing that you have 100 percent control over is how you perceive the world.  This key concept will allow you to become a more balanced leader.

Remembering Where you Came From

When I look back to the day I received my first badge, there was nothing better in the world at that moment.  I had just completed some of the most physically and mentally demanding training of my life and was able to call myself apart of the brotherhood.  What happens to that desire and love?  Like all things that are worth preserving, it takes work to maintain that feeling.  For some departments the rising through the ranks is a renewal of those passions as each new badge or collar brass are pinned on but for many, the ceremony and tradition of the metal insignia being pinned is a faded thing of the past.  Many high-profile fire service enthusiasts have written testaments and books pertaining to the need for pride and traditions however, at the end of the day many of those words go unheard.

With consideration that your happiness is not reliant on the management’s decision to implement a badge pinning ceremony, there are many things you can do to foster that “probationary firefighter feeling” again.  I’m not suggesting looking through your old scrapbook or Facebook pictures to find that day but rather reflect back on where you were, how far you’ve come, and how many people you’ve touched over the years.  Even the slowest department exists to help others.  Examining your progression through the ranks and seeing how much you have grown as a person and firefighter will often be enough to remind you of that first moment you were considered a firefighter.

In addition to remembering the “warm and fuzzy” moments, looking back on how you were brought up through the fire service can remind us of things we really liked about certain leaders or particular things we told ourselves “when I get to that position I’ll never do….”  I personally believe that there is something to learn from every single person.  I don’t want to spend my entire, short existence on this world trying every possible idea when others have tried them and already found out results.  The universal truth is that you do not have enough time or lives to be able to not learn from others.  In order to move forward and be progressive, sometimes it is necessary to look back at those benchmarks of our lives to gain a new perspective and reignite that fire we felt the first time we put on that badge!

Conflict Resolution and Your Role

One skill that cannot be taught through traditional means is conflict resolution.  With the amount of personalities (many high-strung and passionate) that are in the fire service, conflict is inevitable.  Many leaders seek to limit and avoid conflict however, the one constant about a conflict is that it takes being passionate or defensive about the position to have a conflict.  This reality leaves an opportunity for the leader that knows how to capitalize on the passion behind the conflict to reach a mutually beneficial solution.

Some of the benefits to a properly handled conflict include:

Increased understanding through mutual exploration of both sides of the problem

Increased group cohesion by maintaining lines of respect that reinforce the ability to work together

Improved self-assessment by making individuals use critical thinking to look at their own perceptions

Although there are positive outcomes to a properly handled resolution, the hazards of an improperly handled resolution make it intimidating for new supervisors to attempt.  The good news about failing at a conflict resolution is that there will always be another chance to try it again.  A word of caution though, every failed attempt makes it a bigger challenge to get both parties back to the middle in order to make it a positive experience.

In order to prevent the damaging results of a failed attempt, supervisors need to understand certain aspects of the conflict resolution theories.

Excerpt taken from MindTools.com:

In the 1970s Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann identified five main styles of dealing with conflict that vary in their degrees of cooperativeness and assertiveness. They argued that people typically have a preferred conflict resolution style. However they also noted that different styles were most useful in different situations. They developed the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) which helps you to identify which style you tend towards when conflict arises.

Thomas and Kilmann’s styles are:

Competitive: People who tend towards a competitive style take a firm stand, and know what they want. They usually operate from a position of power, drawn from things like position, rank, expertise, or persuasive ability. This style can be useful when there is an emergency and a decision needs to be make fast; when the decision is unpopular; or when defending against someone who is trying to exploit the situation selfishly. However it can leave people feeling bruised, unsatisfied and resentful when used in less urgent situations.

Collaborative: People tending towards a collaborative style try to meet the needs of all people involved. These people can be highly assertive but unlike the competitor, they cooperate effectively and acknowledge that everyone is important. This style is useful when a you need to bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution; when there have been previous conflicts in the group; or when the situation is too important for a simple trade-off.

Compromising: People who prefer a compromising style try to find a solution that will at least partially satisfy everyone. Everyone is expected to give up something, and the compromiser him- or herself also expects to relinquish something. Compromise is useful when the cost of conflict is higher than the cost of losing ground, when equal strength opponents are at a standstill and when there is a deadline looming.

Accommodating: This style indicates a willingness to meet the needs of others at the expense of the person’s own needs. The accommodator often knows when to give in to others, but can be persuaded to surrender a position even when it is not warranted. This person is not assertive but is highly cooperative. Accommodation is appropriate when the issues matter more to the other party, when peace is more valuable than winning, or when you want to be in a position to collect on this “favor” you gave. However people may not return favors, and overall this approach is unlikely to give the best outcomes.

Avoiding: People tending towards this style seek to evade the conflict entirely. This style is typified by delegating controversial decisions, accepting default decisions, and not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. It can be appropriate when victory is impossible, when the controversy is trivial, or when someone else is in a better position to solve the problem. However in many situations this is a weak and ineffective approach to take.

The second theory is commonly referred to as the “Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Approach”. This type of conflict resolution respects individual differences while helping people avoid becoming too entrenched in a fixed position.

In resolving conflict using this approach, you follow these rules:

• Make sure that good relationships are the first priority: As far as possible, make sure that you treat the other calmly and that you try to build mutual respect. Do your best to be courteous to one-another and remain constructive under pressure.
• Keep people and problems separate: Recognize that in many cases the other person is not just “being difficult” – real and valid differences can lie behind conflicting positions. By separating the problem from the person, real issues can be debated without damaging working relationships.
• Pay attention to the interests that are being presented: By listening carefully you’ll most-likely understand why the person is adopting his or her position.
• Listen first; talk second: To solve a problem effectively you have to understand where the other person is coming from before defending your own position.
• Set out the “Facts”: Agree and establish the objective, observable elements that will have an impact on the decision.
• Explore options together: Be open to the idea that a third position may exist, and that you can get to this idea jointly.

Although understanding the theories is an important aspect, the best thing a fire officer can do is be the mediator and action player to make things happen. Much like fighting fire, early detection and mitigation prevents minor conflicts from expanding beyond control and destroying everything in its path.  Ultimately, look for opportunities to capitalize on the passion behind the conflict and turn a negative situation into a positive force.

 

How Stable Are You?

As a leader, many look towards you for support.  The leader can often be viewed as the foundation of a team.  Much like a building’s foundation, if it is unstable, the building will fall; your stability is key to the success of a team.  Firefighting is a prominently male career field which makes my first question about stability a difficult one for many of us to assess.  The first area to look at is your emotional stability.  Many people have a hard time recognizing their feelings which further complicates our ability to see how our emotions play a role in the stability.  Do you come in to work with your feelings on your sleeve?  Do your emotions affect your decision-making process? I have included an Emotional Self Assessment (created by Don Hellriegel and John Slocum Jr.) to assist you with the analysis:

Using a scale of 1-4 with 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree and 4 = strongly agree answer the following questions honestly.

1.  I know when to speak about my personal problems with others.

2.  When I’m faced with obstacles, I remember times I faced similar obstacles and overcame them.

3.  I expect that I will do well on most things.

4.  Others find it easy to confide in me.

5.  I find it easy to understand non-verbal messages of other individuals.

6.  Some of the major events in my life have led me to reevaluate what is important and not important.

7.  When my mood changes I see new possibilities.

8.  Emotions are one of the things that make life worth living.

9.  I am aware of my emotions as I experience them.

10.  I expect good things to happen.

11.  I like to share my emotions with other people.

12.  When I experience a positive emotion, I know how to make it last.

13.  I arrange events others enjoy.

14.  I seek out activities that make me happy.

15.  I am aware of non-verbal messages I send others.

16.  I present myself in a way that makes a good impression on others.

17.  When I am in a positive mood, problems are easy for me to solve.

18.  By looking at facial expressions, I can recognize the emotions others are expressing.

19.  I know why my emotions change.

20.  When I am in a positive mood, I am able to come up with new ideas.

21.  I have control over my emotions.

22.  I easily recognize my emotions as I experience them.

23.  I motivate myself by imagining a good outcome for the tasks I do.

24.  I compliment others when they have done something well.

25.  I am aware of the non-verbal messages other individuals send.

26.  When another person tells me about an important event in their life, I almost feel as I experienced this event myself.

27.  When I feel a change in emotions, I tend to come up with new ideas.

28.  When I am faced with a challenge, I usually rise to the occasion.

29.  I know what others are feeling by just looking at them.

30.  I help others feel better when they are down.

31.  I use good moods to help myself keep trying in the face of obstacles.

32.  I can tell how others are feeling by listening to the sound of their voice.

Add your responses for questions: 1, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, and 27.  This is your self-awareness score.  A score over 36 shows that you recognize how your feelings, beliefs, and behavior affect others.  These people can accurately assess their strengths and limitations and have a strong sense of self-worth and capabilities.

Add your responses for questions: 4, 15, 18, 25, 29, and 32.  This is your social empathy score.  A score over 18 shows that you are thoughtful and consider others’ feelings when making decisions.  These people are good at understanding others, taking an active interest in their crew, can empathize with others and recognize the needs of those around them.

Add your responses for questions: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 21, 28, and 31.  This is your self-motivation score.  A score over 24 shows that you can keep disruptive emotions and impulses under control, maintain standards of integrity and honesty, can adapt to various situations, and have internal standards of excellence that guide your behavior.  These people are passionate about their work, seek feedback from others and always strive to improve.

Add your responses for questions:  5, 11, 13, 24, 26, 30.  This is your social skills score.  A score over 18 shows that you sense others’ developmental needs, inspire and lead groups, send clear concise messages, build effective interpersonal relationships and work well in a team environment.  These people build effective bonds and relationships with people.

I know this post is longer than usual however, the information is something to consider.  The worst thing an officer can do is lose the respect of the crew and being emotionally unstable makes it difficult to obtain the trust needed to build respect.  The hardest person to evaluate is yourself.  Once you master self-evaluation and improvement it will be easier to evaluate your crew and make improvements.

Building Crew Cohesion

For many businesses there is a level of cohesion that is incomprehensible to achieve.  Every Friday the employees go home to their lives and don’t typically think twice about work. Most firefighters spend between a third to a half of their lives living with the people riding on their truck.  This prolonged exposure to each other is enough to force some cohesion but to be a fully bonded group it requires effort.  Beyond normal day-to-day activities, the company officer needs to spend some time helping this process.

The days of the Captain coming in and passing down orders through the Engineer are over.  Newer generations require hands on interaction and constant feedback.  There are several ways to accomplish this but the first thing that needs to happen is the crew needs to develop an identity.  This is easily accomplished since most departments are broken down into shifts, companies or units.  That is a predefined group image.  Establishing roles within the group is another vital step.  Typically I find this part easily accomplished by establishing everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.  If someone is great at medical calls, they can take the lead; the same goes for those that love to cook or workout.  There are so many diverse aspects of our career, that everyone should be able to find a place to fit.

The easiest way to build cohesion is by doing activities together.  Responding to calls and training together is great but remembering to instill the family atmosphere can easy the tension.  Having holiday meals together, remembering birthdays and other non-job related activities go a long way to establishing a bond.  If you treat this job as any other 9-5 job you are failing your crew and robbing them of one of the greatest assets this career has to offer…. Brotherhood (Sisterhood).

Ultimately, living together, working together and enjoying the camaraderie will make your crew come together in a fashion that can only improve their performance both in the station and on the emergency scene.