The Leverage of Leadership

09/02/2015

BY WALT W. WHITE
Courtesy of Fire Engineering 

Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.

-Colin Powell

Leadership is the most important issue facing the fire service today. If organizations can focus on developing value-driven, principle-based leaders who take responsibility and make themselves accountable up, down, and across the chain of command, every other issue will take care of itself.1 Leadership has always been a vaguely indefinable quality with elusive characteristics. Developing leaders to their full potential remains one of the great challenges for organizations today.2

Firefighters can be extremely loyal and supportive of the mission. However, their leaders must possess leadership ability or they will lose their support. Strong leadership can be the backbone of an organization and produce a force-multiplying effect on employee performance. Although leadership itself may be complex and difficult to define, effective leaders exhibit certain simple, definable traits and key abilities. They lead by example, communicate and convey their message effectively, build trust and are trustworthy, maintain their accountability, and mentor and develop others.

Lead by Example

Modeling the desired behavior is perhaps the best way to lead by example. Nobody likes a hypocrite or wants to follow someone who does not practice what he preaches. Under trans-formational leadership, this is called "idealized influence." Leaders exhibiting idealized influence are loyal, humble, positive, honest, and competent (1, 21).

I feel very fortunate to have had positive role models throughout my career and my life. One of my early role models was legendary fitness guru Jack LaLanne, a true leader who, by his personal example, inspired millions of Americans to be health conscious and physically fit. I met Jack in person and was inspired by him. One thing that he said to me still resonates today, "There are plenty of days when I don't feel like working out, but I do it anyway, because I know when I stop working out, things are going to stop working."

That statement has motivated me through many workouts. I am proud to have competed in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge for 21 consecutive seasons, and I look forward to competing this year. You cannot just advocate something as significant as firefighter fitness and performance without demonstrating your personal commitment to it.

Communicate Effectively

The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.

-Ralph Nichols

Communicating effectively is essential in leadership and impacts nearly every aspect of your life, from your employment to your personal relationships. Ineffective communication was cited as the number one mistake leaders make. Too often, leaders don't communicate; over communicate; communicate inappropriately through outbursts, anger, or blaming; or don't communicate clearly. Leaders also may fail to communicate their vision in a meaningful way, assuming that those reporting directly to them intuitively understand (2, 2). Leaders must be aware of the messages they are sending-consciously or not-whether written, verbal, nonverbal, or para-verbal. This requires self-awareness and social awareness and an ability to perceive even subtle changes in personal interaction.

Furthermore, don't leave the "leader's intent" to chance-tell your people what you want and why you want it, and provide an example of what success looks like. Effective leaders are effective communicators who can communicate well up and down the chain of command and across typical organizational boundaries.

Additionally, I recommend exercising a concept known as the democratization of power. By providing an adequate flow of accurate and official information, you reduce firefighter dependency on the rumor mill or on information sources that may have their own editorial agenda. The democratization of power allows firefighters to form their own opinions with more complete information. Leaders who communicate well can create a vision for those who report directly to them and have the ability to tactfully communicate honestly to help support good decision making. Additionally, they can create cross-departmental connectivity through communication, fostering effective collaboration. Effective communicators are active listeners who understand and can relate to the people with whom they are communicating. Perhaps the biggest communication mistake is failure to listen. Not listening to feedback, ignoring alternative viewpoints, or failing to seek clarity through active listening can undermine leadership effectiveness and trust.

Build Trust

You cannot buy trust at any price. But slowly, over time, you can build it for free. 

-Jeffrey Gitomer

Building trust cannot happen overnight. Trust is built over time and requires integrity and consistency. We build trust by doing what we say we are going to do. Nothing erodes trust faster than over promising and under delivering. Leaders may promise their commitment to an effort but should avoid guaranteeing results that may be beyond their control. Trust involves big character traits like honesty, fairness, and competence and seemingly small behaviors such as routinely showing up on time, sharing credit, giving credit where credit is due, staying technically and tactically competent, and taking ownership of your mistakes. Leaders must be more focused on results than on personal credit for a team accomplishment. Failing to do these things may at times seem minor, but they are minor betrayals of trust. Trust can be difficult to build and easy to lose.

If you have violated a personal trust, meet with the injured party one-on-one and talk about what happened, why it happened, how you feel about it, and what you're going to do about it.3 Don't get caught up in or contribute to gossip. If someone comes to you and begins to talk about someone else in a negative way, stop the conversation and recommend that you bring the person being discussed into the conversation (3, 151). Failure to demonstrate this common level of respect to those not present will likely make those who are present question how you talk about them in their absence.

Trustworthiness requires a utilitarian perspective and that you demonstrate genuine respect and care for others. Colin Powell said, "The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership."4 I firmly believe that the same holds true for firefighters.

Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.
-Unknown

As a supervisor, you must communicate your basic expectations to those reporting directly to you and learn their expectations of you. In addition, you must take time to learn their personal and professional goals and find ways to assist or support their achievement. If you haven't done this yet, do it now, because it is difficult to build trust without demonstrating this interest in your members or maintain accountability to standards or expectations if you haven't communicated what those standards or expectations are.

Maintain Accountability

Lack of accountability, not holding yourself or others accountable for performance or behavior, can have a profound impact on morale. Yet for many, accountability and discipline are synonymous and have negative connotations. Humans are emotional creatures and may take discipline personally. However, "discipline" comes from the root word disciple, which means to train, to teach, to mold. If a football coach does not maintain discipline and hold his players accountable to a standard of performance, then he would not be preparing the team for success come game time. Fire service leaders, much like football coaches, must maintain accountability if they want to lead a highly reliable service organization. Leaders must remember that the goal of discipline is behavior modification and not merely to punish a non-performer or problem employee. Whether the issue is a matter of insubordination or a lack of education or training, it is best to take an educational and systematic approach and follow a five-step method of coaching or counseling.

• Let the employee know that the behavior is unacceptable and attempt to gain consensus with that person.
• Let the employee know what is specifically expected.
• Discuss how that person's current behavior affects the team and the organization.
• Lay out potential future consequences for failure to modify his behavior.
• Offer the employee encouragement, support, and resources to make the necessary change.

I consider this a fair, friendly, yet firm approach for maintaining accountability. Deal with corrective actions and discipline promptly and privately. Praise in public but discipline in private. Although your urge may be to address issues quickly before they can compound, fact finding is necessary. Avoid jumping to conclusions with three-fifths of the facts and without taking the time to gather as much information as necessary to be accurate. After fact finding, define the issue much like you create a problem statement.

Furthermore, you must define the goal or desired outcome; next, determine what actions you plan to take and understand your reason for recommending those actions or strategies, focusing on the behavior rather than the individuals involved. Discipline managed well can build trust and maintain accountability. However, handled poorly or administered unfairly, it can undermine any trust that had been painstakingly built over time.

The most difficulty I had dealing with discipline was when I received a counseling memo from my supervisor for my failure to hold someone else accountable and ensure that all company inspections were completed prior to a newly imposed deadline. Initially, I did not agree with the discipline and resented the process. I felt that this was not an intentional error; it was merely an honest oversight and didn't warrant disciplinary action. I wanted to blame others or the system for my failure, but I eventually took ownership of the fact that my lack of verifying the completion of all inspections resulted in one being missed. Had I done what was required of me and verified the completion of these inspections in the fire district's database, I would have noticed the missing inspection before the deadline, corrected it, and spared my supervisor and my subordinate from this process. I recognized that I am human, I made a mistake, I learned from it, and I am better in my role because of it. I have gained an appreciation for everyone who took the time to discipline me during my formative years of development. I now recognize that discipline as part of my personal development.

Develop Others

Before you become a leader, your focus is on developing yourself; once you become a leader, that focus shifts toward developing others and aligning their values and priorities with the organization's. Developing others requires emotional intelligence and self-confidence. It is incumbent on you as a leader to provide opportunities and promote the success and accomplishments of others. Recognizing employees for their contributions improves performance and takes advantage of human capital. Bosses who recognize and reward their employees for their hard work inspire more of the same and generate loyalty.

Great leaders don't create more followers, they create more leaders.
-Tom Peters

In Flight of the Buffalo: Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let Employees Lead, authors James A. Belasco and Ralph C. Stayer make a correlation between buffalo and geese and highlight the need for leadership at all levels for an organization. In a herd of buffalo, there is only one head buffalo, and that buffalo is the only one permitted to lead. The rest of the herd will follow that head buffalo in good direction or bad. Buffalo hunters realized that if they took out the head buffalo they could decimate the herd, because none of the remaining buffalo know what to do in his absence. I imagine that we have all worked for a buffalo manager during our careers or have seen senior managers with a great deal of institutional knowledge leave without first sharing that knowledge and contributing to organizational succession.

Conversely, a flock of geese fly in that distinctive chevron pattern for a good reason. First, they have mastered the concept of teamwork and have realized that by using the lift of the one in front, the others can fly much farther together than they can alone. When they honk, they are encouraging the ones in front to keep going because they know that when they tire it will be their turn to take the lead, so not only are they allowed to take the lead from time to time, they are expected to. And the pattern in which they fly allows the whole flock to have a vision of where they are going.5

Successful organizations operate similarly to a relay team with a smooth transition of the proverbial baton from one leader to the next, which requires that leaders codify much of what they do and share what they have learned with others. Smart leaders with a genuine interest in organizational success will invest time and provide opportunity to develop leaders at all levels of an organization and recognize and reward performance. The challenge can be persuading those in leadership not to develop an inappropriate proprietary ownership of their role and thus be reluctant to relinquish control or share information. The success of an overarching leader in a lower rank whose influence exceeds his authority may be threatening to some managers.

"Do not let your ego get so wrapped around your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it."
-Colin Powell

True leaders recognize that no one has all the answers. Soliciting input and involvement in decision making and allowing others an opportunity to lead are necessary to stay successful and productive. Involving new members can bring energy and new perspective. Without energy you may be able to accomplish tactical goals, but it's not likely you will achieve strategic ones. Often, frontline personnel have a better handle on what is going on day to day-what's working and what's not-than those of us in the office.6 Only leaders who listen to others, recognize the value of their input, and commit to developing others are likely to be viewed as successful.

Effective Organizational Culture

Leaders are responsible for creating direction, establishing priorities, and shaping organizational culture. Regarding strategic planning and organizational renewal, many consider the three main levers to be structure, policies, and leadership. Structure is essentially your organizational chart, policies are your management practices, and leadership is a matter of personal conduct. The problem with policy-driven organizations is that often members don't connect with the policy or only comply with it out of fear of discipline; many policy statements are too lengthy and cumbersome to be practical or remembered. If a policy has a staple in it, it is too long for me. Organizations driven by values that leaders exhibit and members internalize are more likely to create purposeful commitment to those values. Organizational structure and management process changes can be rather heavy, blunt tools for attempting to change behavior. Conversely, changes in leadership can range from drastic to subtle-even subtle changes may produce dramatic results.

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. 

-Leo Tolstoy

4 ways fire chiefs can be better communicators

By Jo-Ann Lorber

Courtesy of Fire Chief Magazine

Effective communication helps us better understand a person or situation, resolve differences, build trust and respect, and create environments where creative ideas, problem solving, affection, and caring can flourish.

As simple as communication seems, many of us experience difficulties connecting successfully with others. Much of what we try to communicate - and others try to communicate to us - gets overlooked or misunderstood, which can cause conflict and frustration in both personal and professional relationships.

In the information age, we have to send, receive and process huge numbers of messages every day. But effective communication is about more than just exchanging information.

Effective communication requires us to also understand the emotion behind the information. It can improve relationships at home, work and in social situations by deepening your connections to others and improving teamwork, decision-making, caring and problem solving. It enables us to communicate even negative or difficult messages without creating conflict or destroying trust.

Effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, attentive listening, the ability to manage stress in the moment, and the capacity to recognize and understand your own emotions and those of the person you're communicating with.

While effective communication is a learned skill, it is more effective when it's spontaneous rather than formulaic. An example would be, a speech that is read from notes rarely has the same impact as a speech that's delivered spontaneously.

Of course, it takes time and effort to develop these skills and become an effective communicator. Here are four simple skills that may assist you in becoming better communicators.

1. Listening

If your goal is to fully understand and connect with the other person, listening effectively will often come naturally. If it doesn't you can follow these four tips.

First, focus fully on the speaker. If you are daydreaming, checking text messages (something that we all seem to do these days) or doodling, you're almost certain to miss nonverbal cues in the conversation. If you find it hard to concentrate on some speakers, try to repeat their words in your head; it will reinforce their message and help keep you focused.

Second, avoid interrupting or trying to redirect the conversation to your concerns. Listening is not the same as waiting for your turn to talk. You can't concentrate on what they are saying if you're forming what you're going to say next. Most often, the speaker can read your facial expressions and knows that your mind is elsewhere.

Third, avoid seeming judgmental. In order to communicate effectively with someone, you don't have to like them or agree with their ideas, values or opinions. However, you do need to set aside your judgment and withhold blame and criticism in order to fully understand a person.

Fourth, show your interest in what's being said. Nod occasionally (not a head bob when you fall asleep), smile at the person and make sure your posture is open and inviting.

2. Nonverbal communication

When we communicate things that we care about, we do so mainly using nonverbal signals. Wordless communication includes facial expressions, body movement and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice, and even your muscle tension and breathing.

The way you look, listen, move, and react to another person tells them more about how you're feeling than words alone ever can. Here are some tips for improving nonverbal communication.

• People watch and notice how people react to one another.
• Be aware of individual differences (countries and cultures) they may use nonverbal skills differently.
• Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said. If you say one thing and your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel you are dishonest.
• Adjust your nonverbal signals according to context - the tone of your voice should be different when addressing a child then when addressing adults. Also take account the emotional state and cultural background of your audience.
• Use body language to convey positive feelings - an example is a job interview where you are nervous; stand tall with shoulders back, smile, maintain eye contact and deliver a firm handshake. It helps you feel more self-confident and helps put others at ease.

3. Managing stress

In small doses, stress helps us perform under pressure, which is the norm in the fire service. However, when stress becomes constant and overwhelming it can impede effective communication by disrupting your capacity to think clearly and creatively, and act appropriately.

When you're stressed, you're more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and say something that you will most likely regret. This has happened to me once or twice, and it was a challenge to reverse the outcome.

When stress strikes, you can't always temper it by taking time out to meditate or go for a run, especially if you're in a meeting. By learning to quickly reduce stress in the moment, you can safely face any strong emotions you're experiencing, regulate your feelings and behave appropriately.

Try these six tips to deal with stress during communication.

• Recognize when you are becoming stressed; listen to your body.
• Take a moment to calm down before deciding to continue a conversation, or postpone it.
• Bring your senses to the rescue and take a few deep breaths, clench and relax muscles, or recall a soothing sensory-rich image (waterfalls, ocean waves or whatever calms you).
• Look for humor in the situation. When used appropriately, humor is a great way to diffuse stress when communicating.
• Be willing to compromise. Bending a little to find a happy middle ground reduces stress levels for everyone concerned.
• Agree to disagree - take a quick break and move away from the situation. Physical movement or finding a quiet place to regain your balance can quickly reduce stress.

4. Emotional awareness

Emotions play an important role in the way we communicate at home and work. It's the way you feel, more than the way you think, that motivates you to communicate or to make decisions. The way you react to emotionally driven nonverbal cues affects both how you understand other people and how they understand you.

We all need to understand that emotions play a big role in communication. Think how many times you may have had an argument with your spouse before work and you snapped at everyone all day at work and then said or did something that gets you in trouble or vice-versa?

Emotional awareness helps understand and empathize with what is really troubling other people. It also helps you understand yourself, including what's really troubling you and what you really want.

Remember, effective communication skills can be learned. And like firefighting skills, communication skills must be practiced until they are done without forethought.

Training Tip of the Week --- Building a House in 30 Minutes

Almost every jurisdiction has some form of active building construction going on at any given time.  Whether it be a new housing development on the edge of town, some urban in-fill housing spattered throughout an older residential district, or just simply a random house going up on a long-empty lot in an established neighborhood, firefighters often don’t have to look far to find a construction site filled with training opportunities. 


While studying time-tested manuals and books in the fire service can provide a great deal of insight into building construction (if you don’t know of Frank Brannigan, it’s time to Google him…), kicking down that comfortable recliner and getting out into your district often provides for a much more lasting and impactful lesson.  And better yet, you’re seeing the construction features and layouts of YOUR actual structures; not theoretical buildings or examples in a book from another city.

One of the best ways to understand the many elements of modern residential construction is to visit a housing development under construction.  During the active construction phase, which depending upon the size of the housing tract can last for several years, a fire crew can see a house “built” from bare foundation, to rough frame, to interior finish, to completed, all in the span of about 30 minutes of walking around into various similar units in the area.  Crews can get a close-up look at concepts such as gusset plates that hold together lightweight truss roof members, finger-jointed wall studs, engineered wooden I-beams, and structural insulated panels (SIPs).  Younger members that are unfamiliar with the “guts” of a house can gain a frame of reference about void spaces, pipe chases, knee walls, soffits, utility meters, and many other features that will come in handy when that next fire comes along.  In addition to construction-related discussion, the company officer can guide a quick lesson on common house layouts, typical stairwell configurations, likely bedroom locations, patterns of inward vs. outward door swing for different types of rooms, and the accompanying victim search and tactical fire operation options that are possible for each house that the crew checks out.

Keep in mind, of course, professional courtesy with any on-site construction workers, and the privacy of any residents already living in the neighborhood.  Although workers and neighbors alike are usually open and agreeable to the local fire service responders checking out the new development, it’s typically best to speak to a site foreman and/or any inquisitive neighbors that are in the area.  Wear a helmet if entering an active construction site, and make sure not to track mud or mess into someone’s new home.  A residential neighborhood under construction is an extremely simple, zero-cost, impactful training opportunity for your crew.  Get out there and walk around in your buildings!

This weeks training tip is brought to you by Lieutentant Brad French with the Dayton (OH) Fire Department.

Remember The Basics To Be The Best Instructor

As instructors we have an incredible responsibility to our students, our industry and ourselves.  When preparing to deliver a program or course there are a few things that we must always do to ensure we are successful and provide a positive impact.  

Dress for success.
Always arrive early and stay late.
Always come prepared.
Be present.
Ask questions during your presentation and allow time for questions to be asked.
Always say "thank you" at the conclusion of your presentation.

Dress for success. Nothing says professional like a suit and tie.  You only have one chance at a first impression and unfortunately this is typically done before you are even introduced.  Your appearance projects the perception you have about yourself, your material, as well as your feelings about the audience.  Sometimes a suit and tie is not appropriate, an example is in house training or training at the academy.  If you are wearing your uniform make sure it is pressed, your shoes are shined and you are well groomed.  Your appearance gives you confidence that translates into confidence in your delivery that further translates into a successful delivery. You cannot overdress for success. 


Always arrive early and stay late.  As the presenter it is your responsibility to ensure your AV equipment works and is capable of handling your delivery needs.  Arrive at least 30 minutes early to venues that you are familiar with or have presented at before, an example is your training academy or own department.  If you are new to the location, arrive 45-60 minutes early. You must take ownership for all aspects of the course, allowing ample time prior to the start will provide a window to correct any AV needs or classroom requirements that may not be in place.  If everything is working properly, take the extra time to grab a cup of coffee and network with students as they enter the class.  You can never be too early but you definitely do not want to start class late due to “technical difficulties". 

Always come prepared; have your presentation ready and relevant to the topic you are presenting.  Take the time the night before to update statistics, for example, if you are talking about firefighter safety and have a statistic on LODD’s, update that data the morning of the presentation. Today’s students have a “need it now” mentality. Almost everyone has a smart phone or some type of electronic device.  Expect that your students will fact check your curriculum. This is good as it makes us, as instructors, stay on our A-game and not present irrelevant or dated material.  Make sure you know your material, there is nothing worse than sitting in a presentation only to feel like you know the topic as well or sometimes better than the presenter. 

Be present. This may sound simple, but being present is more than just being physically there in front of the audience.  As the instructor, you must be focused and engaged in your presentation.  Arrive ready to own your class and material. This ownership will translate into students who are engaged and a course that is both rewarding to present as well as rewarding to attend. 

Ask questions during your presentation and allow time for questions to be asked.  Asking questions of the audience is a method to keep them engaged, on tract and ensure that they are truly digesting the material.  Keep the questions simple and never try to stump anyone.  The questions should be like slow-pitch softballs or ducks in a barrel; easy questions that change the tone for the students as well as maintain focus.  Also allow questions to be asked. Never proceed so fast through the material that students are lost within the first thirty minutes or leave a question until the end of the day from a section that was covered during the first hour.  Remember, this is the students’ course, not yours. Always make it about them and not yourself. 

Always say thank you. Seems simple, but many times the course concludes and the final statement is “Any questions?”  Take the time at the start of the presentation, and the conclusion, to thank the audience, the host agency and any sponsors that may be included; as they are the reason you are standing up in the front of the room.  Also, share your contact information. Many times students want to reach out after class with a question or follow up, the simple sharing of e-mail allows for this contact and continued learning after the session is over. 

As instructors we have the responsibility to make sure we are doing it right. “Right” is making sure every time we have the opportunity to present we are fully respectful of it by presenting relevant material that will impact the students.  Always strive to be the instructor you would want to take a class from, never take lightly your role as an instructor, it is a great honor and privilege.

---
Brian Zaitz is a fifteen-year student of the fire service, currently assigned as the Captain-Training Officer with the Metro West Fire Protection District.  Brian is an instructor with Engine House Training, LLC, as well as an instructor at the St. Louis County Fire Academy.  Brian holds several degrees including an Associates in Paramedic Technology, a Bachelors in Fire Science Management and a Masters in Human Resource Development and is currently an Accredited Chief Training Officer and student of the NFA’s Executive Fire Officer Program.

Don’t Neglect The Culture

http://station-pride.com/2015/11/12/dont-neglect-the-culture/

Make Your Priorities ROCK!

“Things that matter least should never be at the mercy of things that matter most.” -Goethe There is a presentation I've seen a few times at seminars that illustrate the point of this article. The presenter has a jar, rocks, sand and water. The challenge is to get all of the rocks, sand and water into the jar. Some folks start with water and add the sand and rocks; however, this method only spills the water out of the jar. Others start with the sand but fail to fit all the rocks successfully in the jar. The successful method is to put the big rocks in first, then add sand to fill in around the rocks and finish by adding the water. In the hierarchy of the experiment, the rocks represent the most important components followed by sand and water being the least important. If we properly apply principled priorities to guide our day to day decisions we are productive beyond measure. I've been guilty of looking at my day and making things that matter the least, matter the most; which leads to a day that will fall short of productive. In our EMPOWER model series the “O” is for ORGANIZE PRIORITIES. If you notice, this component of the model is in the middle and holds the balance in the EMPOWER model. Mastering principled priorities is the secret to successful personal leadership. Priorities are different for everyone, so it's a good idea to spend some time mediating and reflecting to identify priorities unique to your life. There are a few universal priorities that affect us all, health, relationships and spiritual development to name a few. When these, along with a few other universal priorities are fed and developed, our wholeness doesn’t starve.  Feeding wholeness in personal leadership should be a life long habit. No one ever finishes the task of wholeness because we will all die falling short. Working and feeding our priorities is like being a gardener; a true gardeners work is never done because as soon as the garden is picture-perfect, pulling weeds is eminent. We prune for perfection; however, who we become in the process is where the prize can be found. The quality of our personal leadership is rooted in how well we organize and work priorities. Things that matter the least can insidiously take over your day to day habits. Our personal leadership habits have to resist the seduction of putting things that matter the least in the place of things that matter the most. When we strengthen ORGANIZING PRIORITIES we increase our value personally and for all we influence. We develop a roadmap that will reveal pitfalls not seen by those who fail to organize priorities. There have been opportunities that on the surface were very appealing and gave the appearance of something valuable; however, because of my crystal clear vision of my priorities I was able to pass on the opportunity because it did not fit with my priorities. I know for a fact that if I did not have my big rocks identified I would have surely picked the opportunity that would have led to abandoning my priorities. This habit done chronically will lead to low productivity in things that matter. The meditation and preparation to identify the big rocks is not always popular but quality investment will pay dividends beyond your expectations. When empty activity rules and quality productivity suffers we can waste a lot of time compensating instead of using the time wisely to build. Time is our most valuable resource and everyone gets the same 24 hours a day. Big rock decisions makes the difference between life fulfilled and life unfilled. EMPOWERED leaders understand that as they master this principle, personally they can be a witness to their team  and receive maximum productivity from the team. A question I’m usually asked about this priority is “If we spend so much time in productivity how will I be able to enjoy life?”.  To answer the question:  I have found when I properly organize priorities and execute, I free up time to be spontaneous without guilt and a pressing task to come back to. Prioritize your finances and fund spontaneity. Prioritize your health and enjoy saving a ton on prescription medicines, hospital visits and use of sick time. Prioritize your spiritual well being and reap the benefits of inner peace, sharper mind, better decision making and better connectivity to the public we serve. Prioritize your relationships and create lasting meaningful bonds that help keep each of you sharp. Prioritize identifying value in each relationship so your associations are unstoppable when it comes to working together. Identify the common big rocks that can lead to moving mountains. ORGANIZING PRIORITIES takes practice and is not a technique or a quick fix. This principle requires consistent attention. Most cannot recognize principled priorities at first, but after time and meditation they will reveal themselves. A mature practice of this principle will create abundance in all of your tangibles and intangible resources. The number one problem expressed by many is, its hard enjoying a consistent good quality of life because of time and money. ORGANIZING PRIORITIES gives us an abundance of both. This leads to peace of mind which leads to a better spirit which leads to wholeness. EMPOWERED whole firefighters who master personal priorities are better for their professional roles. If more production of things that matter is important to you then don’t quit until the big rocks theory is part of your DNA. Remember our experiment? All elements matter (rocks, sand and water) but you control the quality and direction of your priorities. You ROCK and your life will ROCK when you ORGANIZE PRIORITIES.   --- Larry Conley is the president and lead instructor of Leadership Development Concepts, LLC. He travels the country to present his popular and compelling program, ZERO TO HERO Personal Leadership (Powered by GLUE). The concept of GLUE (Growing Leaders Using Empowerment) was born in the fire service, where Larry successfully juggles many leadership roles.   Larry’s initiative and creativity are put to work in his roles as: Captain of the St. Louis Fire Department (Truck 13C); President of the Parkway Gardens Neighborhood Improvement Association; Chief Instructor for the Highlander Fire Academy St. Louis Community College at Forest Park; Director at Large for the ISFSI (International Association of Fire Service Instructors); President of the Supervisory Committee and Board Member St. Louis Firefighters Credit Union; and Co-Chair of the Fire Education Subcommittee Missouri Community College Association.

Looking Differently at RIT and Survival Training Programs

On March 8 2001, a local firefighter in my area fell through a hole in the floor of a residential structure fire while searching for a reported trapped victim.  He plummeted 10 feet into a well-involved basement and was unable to self-extricate. After numerous heroic Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) attempts, the firefighter was located and brought out of the basement door to awaiting paramedics who administered outstanding care to him on the scene before he was transported to the hospital.  The firefighter struggled for nearly two weeks before succumbing to his injuries. He was 38-years-old and left behind a wife and two young daughters. Thousands of his brother and sister firefighters were also grieving and vowed to not allow his death to have been in vain. 
 
I was a relatively young firefighter at the time and the incident left an indelible impression that I will take with me for the rest of my life.  As with any Line of Duty Death (LODD), we look for what we could do in the future to ensure that an incident like this never happens again.  What followed was a push in training to address what we struggled with on that fire, specifically the rescue efforts of a downed firefighter. We practiced techniques that were developed after other LODDs so we would be able to get our brothers and sisters out of similar situations with better results.  The Nance Drill and the Denver Drill were perfected so we could do them upside down or in our sleep. While hours were spent learning how to bail out of windows on rope wrapped around magazines, many organizations didn’t spend nearly enough time (or in some cases any) reviewing fire behavior, building construction and other topics that may have prevented having to use RIT techniques in the first place.
 
An unfortunate side effect of the training occasionally becomes the over confidence (and seeming reliance) of the self-rescue and RIT skills that were developed.  The training led many to an unfortunate reliance on our reserve chute. We had some firefighters trained to believe that they were going to be able to get out of any circumstance that they would encounter. While this seems like a good thing at first glance, it made for a sense of complacency in the basics.
 
 The reaction to this event is not unique in the fire service.  Often times, we look at what we think is the best approach to improving our training but we fail to see the forest through the trees.  For example, understanding more about the effect of flame impingement on unprotected, lightweight building materials is just as important as learning how to do a partial escape from your SCBA. Each one of them will have a profound impact of your fire ground mortality in their proper application.
 
This is no way a condemnation of the officers, firefighters, chiefs and instructors. In fact, I applaud them all for their selfless efforts to make sure that all of us have a fighting chance to go home at the end of the day.  Through that training, we learned to think very quickly, not give up and the importance of the small things. It made us more aware of how quickly things could go wrong and what we needed to do in a reaction to that. RIT training always will and should have a very important place in the fire service-training curriculum.  It is one of the most extreme examples of a high-risk, low frequency activity that we will ever be asked to perform. But that training needs to be tempered with other supportive and qualifying topics.
 
As fire instructors we need to be aware of the importance of recognizing all the factors that will aid in firefighter survival.  Much like fire prevention as it relates to structure fires, the best RIT (or Rapid Intervention Company (RIC) for the NIMS police) is one that never has to be activated. The easiest “mayday” to handle is the one that is never called. We need to take a more analytical approach in dealing with any type of survival and rescue training.  If you were to look at any NIOSH report following a LODD you will find a host of issues that are recommended for improvement. These aren’t just recommendations for the organization that was afflicted with the loss; its for the entire firefighting community.  As such, we can use these issues to serve as a road map to help us design more comprehensive programs for our firefighters. By taking a more broad approach to our training, we may be able to prevent a RIT operation before it ever happens.

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Scott Knoll is the Assistant Chief for Florence Fire/EMS in Northern Kentucky.  He is a 16-year veteran of the fire service where he has served as a Firefighter/ EMT, Apparatus Operator, Captain and Training Officer prior to his current position.

One Size Never Fits All - Positive Pressure Attack

One size fits all, an iconic statement that the American fire service tends to apply to a very dynamic event. Unfortunately, the environment that we respond to and are expected to provide a service in does not fit into a “one size fits all” category. We as a fire service have become a utilitarian service that is expected to utilize a variety of tasks, tactical and strategic operations to accomplish our mission. Like all tactics, we as fire fighters have an emotional connection to the effects of the tactic. That emotional connection can sometimes blind us of the true benefits or the appropriate use of a tactic. The American Fire Service continues to evolve through technology, and the complexity of the environment that we work in does not afford us the opportunity of emotional connections to the tactics, science and facts. Thus the title of this article, “One Size Never Fits All” is a more accurate definition. In the previous two issues we looked unemotionally at the pros and cons of the “Duck and Dive tactic” and “Transitional Attack”, this issue we will take a closer look at Positive Pressure Attack (PPA). If you go to almost any fire station in America you will find a gas powered positive pressure fan either on the engine or the truck. The evolution of the “Fan” over the last twenty years has grown past the use of just a ventilation tool. Vent for life was our motto, the use of the fan was one functional tool in the vent for life motto. The challenge with vent for life is COORDINATION. Since the beginning, the application of water in a coordinated attack was critical for the vent process; failure to do so causes rapid fire growth which jeopardizes the safety of the fire fighters and the victims still inside. We know for a fact that the failure to apply water along with ventilation creates a very dangerous environment. The first order of business is to identify and define Positive Pressure Attack (PPA) versus Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV). PPA is defined as the use of the mechanical positive pressure fan in a coordinated initial attack into a compartment fire with the fan being used as an aid in the suppression process. PPV has an accepted definition of the use of the mechanical fan for the sole purpose in assisting in ventilation post knock down or fire control. Positive Pressure Attack originated as a means to ventilate a structure after the fire was knocked down. Over the years the use of a positive pressure fan has evolved into using the fan to assist in the extinguishment process. Experts like Kris Garcia, Reinhard Kauffmann and Ray Schelble developed tactical operations which include the use of a coordinated attack with the use of the positive pressure fan. The fan was placed in the intake (airflow) of the structure to provide pressure into the compartment with an exhaust, allowing the super-heated gasses to vent out the exhaust as fire fighters, in a coordinated effort, stretch an attack line from the clean air side of the flow path advancing towards the seat of the fire. The concept was that properly used PPA allows firefighters great control over the interior environment of a fire building to provide increased ventilation (cool fresh air) for potential victims and better visibility for the firefighter to attack the fire. Positive Pressure Ventilation is the tactical use of a mechanical fan to assist in venting the structure post fire control. The need for a single intake, flow path and then an exhaust are used in conjunction with the fan to aid in the removal of the super-heated gasses. Over the last twenty years PPA became a valuable tool that many organizations used consistently for residential structure fires. Over the last ten years some organizations have developed larger truck mounted and elevated fans for the use in commercial and multi-story buildings. Currently, Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is in the final stages of conducting research and testing the benefits and disadvantages of the use of PPA. I am fortunate enough to sit on that committee along with PPA experts from around the world.  Kris Garcia, one of the most prominent PPA experts, is also on the committee. The Data from the UL test is still being digested. Director Steve  Kerber plans to have the data and full report out by spring 2016. For this article I will attempt to be unbiased based on the data of the UL PPA test for the simple reason that the data isn’t final.  What we will use is the other documented test through KTF and NIST. The Tactic: The use of a PPA fan positioned in the inlet of a structure, positioned to maximize the creation of a flow path from the unburned side of the structure to the fire compartment then vented out an exhaust. Crews are to identify the air intake; traditionally the front door, then an exhaust opening must be created. This is traditionally done by taking a window or opening a door closest to the fire. Once the exhaust is established, crews will then move back to the inlet and make their initial attack with the fan blowing at their backs. The Goal: The goal of the fan blowing at your back is to clear a path through the structure to the seat of the fire and out the exhaust. The concept is that the fan clears all the super-heated gasses out of the structure and out the exhaust providing for better visibility and patient survivability. In addition, the thought was that it would provide for less thermal insult on fire fighters as they advance through the structure. The Challenge: One of the critical challenges of PPA is creating the appropriate and effective sized exhaust outlet; the “book” says 2 ½ times the inlet size. With the modern fuels high energy release and expansion rate we are finding that we struggle to create a large enough exhaust to move the volume of super-heated gasses out of the structure fast enough must be accomplished with a larger exhaust. Inaccurately identifying where the fire is located causing fire extension into non fire compartments causing more damage.  The use of PPA is dependent on the following items: The fire occupancy can be identified and is compartmentalized. A large enough exhaust can be created. The fire is compartmentalized and located near an exterior wall. Exhaust vent and fire are located on the same floor. The occupant and fan position are not impacted by wind speed or direction. The use of PPA is another tool for our tool box. I know that is a cliché but we are a dynamic organization that must have multiple tactical options to safely provide the expected service to our community. Aggressive tactical operations that are performed by skilled firefighters under the direction of educated company officers that use tactical knowledge to best provide service is critical. In all cases, tactical operations should not delay the application of water. Water is provided for improved conditions for patient survivability and interior fire operations. The result from the UL PPA study will impact how and when PPA is applied; however, it will not be eliminated from our tool box. Bottom line is that it all depends as there are conditions and situations for each tactic. Next month we will take a look at Vertical Ventilation and the result from UL’s study.   --- Jason is the Fire Chief of Laramie County Fire District #2 in Cheyenne Wyoming and an Adjunct Professor for Laramie County Community College where he teaches a semester course “The principles of fire behavior”.  Prior to arriving in Cheyenne in 2011 he was the Fire Chief of Gore Hill Fire Rescue in Great Falls Montana.  In addition, he spent 10 years working for the Montana Fire Services Training School as a regional instructor and regional training manager for the state of Montana. His fire behavior journey began in 2001 when he was introduced to the English fire service through Jim Mastin and John Taylor (Author of Smoke Burns).  These introductions to the English fire service spurred a curiosity and eventually lead to chief Caughey traveling to Manchester England to participate in the English Fire training system. Chief Caughey has been an active member in the "Kill the Flashover" project lead by Joe Starnes.  He is also a current technical member of the Underwriters laboratory Positive Pressure test committee.

Training Police to Understand Today's Modern Fire Enviornment Friday, October 16th's 3rd educational session at the 2015 ISFSI Fall Instructor Conference, will be presented by Forest Reeder and Brian Kazmierzak.   How many times has your fire department arrived at a house fire only to find the police have beat you in and kicked in the front door.  As the UL/NIST studies have shown over the past several years, opening a door is ventilation.  But has anyone ever trained our police officers on what they should do when they arrive at a fire scene?  Has your department ever talked to your police department about fire behavior or what their expectations are once they arrive ahead of the fire department at a fire scene?  We as the fire service must take it upon ourselves to teach the police.  They are not being taught in the police academy about fire scene response, but they get sent to the regularly nationwide. So from arrival, to positioning, to size-up, and most of all to leaving the BOX intact prior to fire department arrival, we need to be able to stress and teach the correct operations for police officers on the fireground. Just remember we can’t get mad at them for doing something they have never been taught to do the right way in the first place. This program will provide you with a take away Police Roll Call Training Program and Quick Drill to help local fire departments educate their police departments on the hazards of the modern fireground and what are the best tasks to perform prior to the arrival of the fire department.  This program was developed out of necessity after several police close calls at around the same time as the NYPD fire double LODD in the Rockaways.

PROfessionals are PROactive

So far in our personal leadership EMPOWER series we have covered ENDVISION and MUTUAL VICTORY. Today's read talks about the power of being PROACTIVE in your personal leadership journey.

In my career I have observed individuals who seem to have the Midas touch; everything they touch seems to turn gold. They seemingly possess psychic powers that puts them ahead of the curve with their career on a fast track. Even in my own family, my grandmother (with an eighth grade education) was always prepared and not shaken by the twist and turns of life. In the search for their secret, I discovered that there really was no secret; all these individuals possessed the very same stuff I had in me. The common denominator was their proactive lifestyle. I, like many others thought that life was an adventure that just happens and you have to adjust accordingly and that we are all dealt a predetermined hand in life and have to live and react to what is thrown at us. This, for the most part, is not the case. Sure there are things we can’t change, but there is so much more we have control of that it leaves little room to accept mediocrity. Proactive in your personal life and professional life is all about attitude and planning. When these two principles are mastered, life is more predictable and we are prepared for the curve balls. As firefighters we do this as part of our job description. For example, if you pre-plan a target building in your area and a fire happens at that location, you minimize or eliminate catastrophic loss (proactive). However, no pre-plan and figuring things out during the incident can have more negative outcomes (reactive). Being proactive in attitude even with small things primes the pump for handling big things. Being proactive about our physical and behavioral health, finances, professional development and overall personal leadership will make us assets to all we affect.
 
Proactive about physical health keeps us ready to do our physically demanding job. We are industrial athletes, and just like a sports athlete we must make our physical health a top priority. The number one killer of firefighter deaths is cardiac related. This, for the most part can be controlled by diet and exercise. Being proactive helps us live longer and perform longer with less chance of injury or long term health issues.  

Proactive about finances helps reduce stress in all aspects of life and steers us to better decisions. You will never live rich on the average firefighters salary but I know firefighters personally who seem to have mastered making their money work for them instead of working for the money. Taking charge of your finances will not only help you and your family but retirement can be stress free as well. I personally haven’t mastered it as much as I would like but the few I know who mastered 10/10/80 possess a nice financial portfolio. (10=tithe/charity, 10=savings/investments and 80=normal lifestyle/living expenses.) This proactive mastery and discipline of finance not only helps immediately but it can create a cycle of good habits for your children.

Remember my grandmother? The reason I mentioned her eighth grade education is because she always had money and resources. This woman w as not a Wall Street professional and did not possess a college degree in finance. My grandmother applied simple savings and spending principles that kept her out of debt. She owned property and put my mother through private school single-handedly. Proactive principled finances needs application in more cases than education. Your choice, operate proactive financially or reactive financially. Hopefully you are a PRO.  

Proactive about professional development is critical in our job as professional firefighters. Professional development in today's world is more available than ever before. There are a ton of courses, webinars, degrees that are catered to the busy lifestyle we all have today. Proactive professional development not only prepares us for what the future holds but keeps us sharp for today and right now. The dynamics of our industry changes fast these days, with changes in building construction, equipment and technology. Proactive professionals are hungry for the knowledge that will keep them ahead of the curve. Our lives in many cases depend on how knowledgeable we are regarding those changes. Professional development also can help us find ways to be a better person for our professional family and personal family. Professional development is a lifelong commitment and if we approach with this attitude we will be learn the beauty of being content but never satisfied. Content = finding happiness where ever we are. Never satisfied = we know there is always a better me waiting to be discovered. Professional development is like a river moving and giving life; and lack of professional development is like a pond, stagnant and very little life. Choose LIFE.

Proactive Professionals don’t possess the magic Midas touch powers. The power is in all of us and we have to wake up the giant within. Less stress, quality lifestyle and more production lay ahead for the PROactive PROfessional.  Live and fight fires like a PRO; our public deserves it, our profession deserves it, our families deserve it and most important YOU deserve it….
 

 

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Larry Conley is the president and lead instructor of Leadership Development Concepts, LLC. He travels the country to present his popular and compelling program, ZERO TO HERO Personal Leadership (Powered by GLUE). The concept of GLUE (Growing Leaders Using Empowerment) was born in the fire service, where Larry successfully juggles many leadership roles. 

Larry’s initiative and creativity are put to work in his roles as: Captain of the St. Louis Fire Department (Truck 13C); President of the Parkway Gardens Neighborhood Improvement Association; Chief Instructor for the Highlander Fire Academy St. Louis Community College at Forest Park; Director at Large for the ISFSI (International Association of Fire Service Instructors); President of the Supervisory Committee and Board Member St. Louis Firefighters Credit Union; and Co-Chair of the Fire Education Subcommittee Missouri Community College Association.

 

How To Lose Good Firefighters In 10 Simple Steps

http://hookandirons.com/blogs/hook-and-irons/43887169-how-to-lose-a-good-firefighter-in-10-simple-steps

Human Relations Model and Motivation

Being a leader in the fire service is a difficult job.  A person who can read another person and recognize their needs and wants is an amazing trait to have in this position.  “People want to feel useful and important and they have the desire to belong and to be recognized as individuals.”  This is the generalized platform for the Human Relations model.  The manager's basic task is to make each worker feel useful and important.  This is sometimes a hard accomplishment but to have a successful organization this is one of the most important things. 

A long time ago, early in my career, I asked a well-respected chief what major I should take if I want to advance in my career.  His advice was, “Go and get your psychology degree, more importantly child psychology.”  He was joking about the child part, (at least I thought) but he had an amazing point.  To excel in our field you have to understand people and more importantly what motivates them. 

“People want to have a sense of belonging and significance while being treated with value and respect. Treat an employee with respect and value, and their individual productivity and quality increases to support the organizational team.”  This is true in almost anything we do.  A happy employee, with knowledge of the overall goal of the organization, is the best asset any organization can ask for.  To end, something I say every day to the people that work for and with me is “Did you smile today”.  I say this for a couple of different reasons, I want them to know I am approachable about anything and I am always there for them.  Second, I just want to remind them that we work in the best career field in the world and they should never have any reason to think otherwise. 

Written by: Robin Nicoson II

Douglas, Ashtyn. "Human Relations Management Theory Basics." Business.com. Gail L. Perry, 27 Sept. 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2015. <http://www.business.com/management-theory/human-relations-management-theory-basics/>.

Soft Skills Matter: END-VISION

In our previous article we summarized the 7 principles that make up the EMPOWER model: END-VISION MUTUAL VICTORY PROACTIVE ORGANIZE PRIORITIES WORKING TOGETHER EMPATHETIC LISTENING RECHARGE This personal leadership model strengthens your soft skills and proves to be a game changer in your fire service career. In this first of 7 articles, we will concentrate on the importance of END-VISION. "Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action is merely day dreaming, but vision with action can change the world." - Nelson Mandela   All successful accomplishments begin with having the end in mind. Builders know how the structure will look at the end before they even dig the foundation. Travelers know the destination before the journey. The artist knows how the picture will look before the canvas is touched. It's not wise to expect a successful outcome without end-vision. Personal leadership needs a strong direction and a clear vision. I've found the best way to not lose sight, is to develop a personal mission statement to support your end-vision. Once your end-vision is clear, then your personal mission statement will reveal itself, and developing a detailed road map will be needed to keep you on track.    “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable”. -Lucius Annaeus Seneca   Life has many detours and distractions (its designed that way) but with a healthy end-vision no matter how much you get off course, a strong true north compass will always get things back on the path. This is why it’s critical to not only develop a strong mission statement, but study and follow it constantly. Leaders who master this principle enjoy success at higher levels than those who don’t see the importance. Life also changes as time passes, this is also a reason to study your personal mission statement regularly. Adjustments have to be made to change with the times. It’s important to develop a statement that’s flexible enough to adjust but doesn’t compromise your principles and foundation. For instance, you may be single when you first write your mission statement, but you will need to allow room for adjustments if you get married, have children, etc. You may be a rookie on the job when you write the mission statement, but as you are promoted through the ranks your priorities may need adjustment, though your guiding principles (compass) should not change. Your mastered end-vision will be the best example for those who you influence; your team members, subordinates, family, community, etc. Teams need leaders with a clear vision of where they are going and a detailed plan on how to arrive. The best outcome would be for all on the team to have clear end-visions of their own. Clear direction for all members will not only create an unstoppable team, but will prepare them for advancement in career choice and quality of life. If you are the catalyst, developing life-long leaders not life-long followers is the best goal. The absolute beauty of personal leadership is not defined by promotions or how many people you’re in charge of. Successful personal leadership is defined about how successful you lead yourself. Some of the best leaders and pillars of organizations are not the people in charge; but the people who are clear about their direction, foundation, beliefs and their end-vision.  Promotions, popularity and recognition as a leader are all icing on the cake, but remember, the icing is only as good as the cake.  SOFT SKILLS MATTER! --- Larry Conley is the president and lead instructor of Leadership Development Concepts, LLC. He travels the country to present his popular and compelling program, ZERO TO HERO Personal Leadership (Powered by GLUE). The concept of GLUE (Growing Leaders Using Empowerment) was born in the fire service, where Larry successfully juggles many leadership roles.     Larry’s initiative and creativity are put to work in his roles as: Captain of the St. Louis Fire Department (Truck 13C); President of the Parkway Gardens Neighborhood Improvement Association; Chief Instructor for the Highlander Fire Academy St. Louis Community College at Forest Park; Director at Large for the ISFSI (International Association of Fire Service Instructors); President of the Supervisory Committee and Board Member St. Louis Firefighters Credit Union; and Co-Chair of the Fire Education Subcommittee Missouri Community College Association.