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….
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.
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.
