If your career is in fire or EMS you have one of the greatest jobs possible. Having spent 30 years in the fire service, maybe I am a little biased. All things considered, it’s a pretty good career path. But what if something happened that meant you would not be a firefighter any more. Maybe you are involved in an accident that leaves you disabled. Maybe you have a heart attack at a young age that leaves you unable to return to work. Maybe you’ve been “downsized” as a result to the current economy. Maybe you unexpectedly find yourself working for a psycho boss and you decide to quit instead of enduring the stress of working for the boss from hell. Perhaps you were lucky enough to get hired at 18 and now you’re 50 and you can retire and move on to a new chapter in your life. Whatever the reason, you’re now a civilian again. Now what are you going to do?
There are many ways you can find yourself unemployed. Some may be planned. Some may not be. Regardless of where you are in your career, it would be wise for you to pause and say to yourself: If I could not be a firefighter, what else am I prepared to do? How else could I earn my living? How could I support my family? How would I find satisfaction in life? It is not the first day you wake up unemployed that you want to give thought to these questions.
One of the best pieces of advice that was given to me early in my career was: Have a plan B. Develop another skill or acquire knowledge or training that will prepare you to do something else… just in case. This advice was given to me during a time when I was contemplating switching my major in college from business administration to fire science. I was already two years into the business program when the desire to be a firefighter-paramedic overwhelmed me. I was completely consumed by the desire to serve. I was getting some awesome experience working for several fire and EMS departments. It was a good time in my life. I was having lots of fun. There was nothing more I wanted than to be a firefighter-paramedic.
I talked with a trusted advisor about switching majors to fire science. Surely that would help me get hired full-time on a fire department and help launch my career. My advisor was a firefighter and an instructor so I just knew he would be on-board with my decision to change my major. But he wasn’t. In fact, he strongly discouraged me from switching my major to fire science. I wasn’t expecting to receive that advice.
But when he explained his logic, it made perfect sense. He explained that a degree in fire science was not an essential component to getting a fire job. But, having a college degree would likely give me a few extra points in the hiring process. He explained that a fire science degree would be useful so long as I worked for a fire department but it would not have much usefulness if I ever moved on to doing something else. A business degree, on the other hand, would have usefulness within the fire department and would also open other doors of opportunity if I ever could not be a firefighter.
I was young and full of enthusiasm to be a firefighter. The thought of doing anything else never crossed my mind. I didn’t want to imagine that such a scenario would ever happen to me. Nonetheless, I valued his advice. After all, he had a good career in the fire service and his degree was in secondary education. So how could I argue with his logic?
I stayed in the business program and graduated with degrees in finance and economics. Then while serving as a volunteer firefighter-paramedic and company officer I continued in school and earned my master’s degree in business administration. Then came my big break… I got hired into my first full-time fire department job… as the fire chief. Talk about starting at the top! If I didn’t have 10 years of solid, progressively responsible volunteer experience and a master’s degree in business administration I don’t think I would have been a contender for the job. So my career was underway. But all the while, in the back of my mind there was the constant reminder of the sage advice from my mentor: What would I do if the day came when I would no longer be a firefighter? What was my Plan B?
That voice would nag at me. I can vividly remember him saying: Be prepared. So I went back to school again, this time to earn a doctor of philosophy degree. I had lots of friends and professional associates ask me why I would do such a thing, especially this late in life and with four school-aged kids at home? I knew I needed to have a solid Plan B. I needed to have something else to do when that day came.
To be fair, it was not only the additional education that helped prepare me for that day. I also started teaching classes and writing for journals early in my career (before the creation of Internet magazines and blogs). The more I wrote the better writer I became. The more I taught the better teacher I became. This was coupled with my insatiable desire to learn and for continual self-improvement. I read everything I could get my hands on. I attended every class I could. I never passed up an opportunity to teach a class or to volunteer for an assignment.
My upbringing in a family of blue-collar hard-working, whatever-it-takes steelworkers was evident in my work ethic. I didn’t realize it at the time I was growing up, but being in an environment of hardworking parents was also preparing me for my Plan B career. Unlike some, I was fortunate that my Plan B was just that… a plan. When I went back to school for my PhD I knew that when I completed this degree it would be time to put my newly acquired education to use and that would not be possible in a capacity of my current job. Completing my terminal degree would signal a graduation celebration… a graduation from school… and a graduation from the fire service career I had enjoyed for 30 years. It was a good run… and it felt good to have a plan. It felt even better when my plan came together.
All of this because 28 years ago I had a mentor who convinced me I should have a strong Plan B. That advice put me squarely in the driver’s seat to set my own destiny. Now I am doing work that I absolutely love and I feel so accomplished. I have more time for my family. My stress level is significantly lower and I feel like my consulting, teaching, writing and podcast messages are making a difference toward improving firefighter safety and fire service leadership. My blessings are many… because I had a Plan B.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Leaders are readers
I recently had an opportunity to have dinner with another fire chief who has enjoyed much success in his career. He’s visionary, well-respected and gives much of himself back to our profession by traveling and teaching classes. I asked to define and describe a common trait that he sees in leaders as he travels the country. He told me the best leaders are avid readers of everything they can get their hands on: Books, journals, newspapers, even the magazines on the airplane.
I have to agree with this chief’s assessment completely. I have been an incessant reader throughout my entire adult life. I stash books like squirrels stash nuts. I have a couple on the nightstand in the bedroom, several on the end table in the living room, a few in my car and a couple in my computer bag. I typically read 4-5 books at a time. Maybe I’ve got ADD, ADHD or OCD. Whatever the reason, I can never remember reading just one book at a time. Maybe it harkens back to the habits formed in the formidable years when teachers would assign homework that required the reading from multiple books. Who knows?
My favorite types of books are those that inspire me to greater achievement. I enjoy books about leaders who have overcome adversity and those who have had successful careers. I like self-help books that give me ideas for making incremental improvements in my own performance. I may read an entire book and only extract one good thing I can use from it. But that one thing may be a golden nugget. Some of the best gifts I have received were books. Many I still have and re-read regularly. Some were so good, I had to give them away.
As much as I read books and journals, I don’t spend much time with the newspaper. I find reading the newspapers depressing. It’s always chocked completely full of bad news that I prefer not to read. I find my disposition being dragged down when I read about all the crime and troubles of our world. I’m not in denial that such things exist, I’d just rather not dwell on it. For the same reason I don’t watch much television either.
I am reminded about a discussion I overheard recently where the topic was the economy and the conversation was focused on two previous economic recessions, one in the early 1980s and one in the early 1990s. I didn’t remember there being recessions in the early 80s or 90s. I had to go look it up. In the 1980s recession unemployment was slightly over 10%. In the 1990s recession unemployment was just under 8%.
Hmmm. How could I not remember this? Surely it was big news at the time. Guess I was too busy living life and wasn’t too worried about all the bad news that was happening around me. I didn’t read the newspaper or watch much TV then either. I guess I didn’t know I was supposed to be depressed over the economy. I bought things when I wanted them and I didn’t worry much about the recession.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: This article was also posted on The Kitchen Table blog.]
I have to agree with this chief’s assessment completely. I have been an incessant reader throughout my entire adult life. I stash books like squirrels stash nuts. I have a couple on the nightstand in the bedroom, several on the end table in the living room, a few in my car and a couple in my computer bag. I typically read 4-5 books at a time. Maybe I’ve got ADD, ADHD or OCD. Whatever the reason, I can never remember reading just one book at a time. Maybe it harkens back to the habits formed in the formidable years when teachers would assign homework that required the reading from multiple books. Who knows?
My favorite types of books are those that inspire me to greater achievement. I enjoy books about leaders who have overcome adversity and those who have had successful careers. I like self-help books that give me ideas for making incremental improvements in my own performance. I may read an entire book and only extract one good thing I can use from it. But that one thing may be a golden nugget. Some of the best gifts I have received were books. Many I still have and re-read regularly. Some were so good, I had to give them away.
As much as I read books and journals, I don’t spend much time with the newspaper. I find reading the newspapers depressing. It’s always chocked completely full of bad news that I prefer not to read. I find my disposition being dragged down when I read about all the crime and troubles of our world. I’m not in denial that such things exist, I’d just rather not dwell on it. For the same reason I don’t watch much television either.
I am reminded about a discussion I overheard recently where the topic was the economy and the conversation was focused on two previous economic recessions, one in the early 1980s and one in the early 1990s. I didn’t remember there being recessions in the early 80s or 90s. I had to go look it up. In the 1980s recession unemployment was slightly over 10%. In the 1990s recession unemployment was just under 8%.
Hmmm. How could I not remember this? Surely it was big news at the time. Guess I was too busy living life and wasn’t too worried about all the bad news that was happening around me. I didn’t read the newspaper or watch much TV then either. I guess I didn’t know I was supposed to be depressed over the economy. I bought things when I wanted them and I didn’t worry much about the recession.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: This article was also posted on The Kitchen Table blog.]
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Hee Haw Logic
When I was a kid there was a comedy-variety show on television called Hee Haw. It was a show that was essentially senseless humor and the kind of program you could watch if you didn’t need much mental stimulation but just wanted to enjoy a laugh. One recurring segment of the show was in a barber shop where the barber would have a person in the chair giving them a shave and would tell them a story about something that happened in the town. The barber would say something that was bad news and the customer would say “That’s bad.” Then the barber would say “No, that’s good” and proceed to explain why that which the customer perceived to be bad, was actually good. And then when the barber was done explaining the good news, the customer would say “That’s good.” Then the barber would say “No, that’s bad” and proceed to explain why hat which the customer perceived to be good was actually bad.
So it goes in life. Everything good that happens to us has some element of bad and everything bad that happens to us has an element of good. It’s all in the matter of your perspective. Some people can, so effortlessly, find the bad news in anything that’s good. Take, for example, the conversation I had with someone yesterday about the weather here in Minnesota. It’s mid-November and our typical temperatures would be somewhere between Brrrr and Oh-My-God cold. While I’m teaching a class we take a break and I walk outside. The weather is amazing! It’s brilliantly sunny and the temperatures are in the 50’s (very unusual for Minnesota in mid-November). I made a comment about how beautiful the day is and someone says “Ya, if it just wasn’t so windy.” This comment made me think about how some people can find fault as if they get a reward for it.
This day was, indeed, a blessing and someone was still able to find a way to complain about it. Was it a “perfect” day. No. But is it reasonable (or necessary) to expect perfection? Isn’t “good enough” sometimes good enough? This day should have exceeded everyone’s expectations for warmth and sunshine. Yet, for this one person… still not good enough.
People who go through life with a disposition like this person’s miss some of the greatest treasures that are laid at their feet because they’re too busy looking for the bad things in life. One thing’s for sure, if you go around looking for bad news and faults in people, you’re going to find them. Likewise, if you go around looking for good news and gifts in people, you’re going to find that as well. And YOU… are one of those people. Look for the bad qualities in yourself, and you will focus on them. Look for the good qualities and you will focus on those.
When something good happens to you and you say you were “just lucky” you are discounting all your good qualities and giving credit to happenstance. Acknowledge that the good things that happen are because of your preparation and hard work. When something bad happens to you, don’t dwell on it. Find the good in it (and there always is something good about everything bad that happens) and focus on how to use that good to your advantage.
In the spirit of Hee Haw, here’s an example of a recent day in my life that demonstrates the banter from Floyd the barber.
- I was driving to a meeting today and amazingly there was hardly any traffic on the road.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I got a flat tire and there was no one around to help me.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because the first car that came by stopped to help me.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because the guy was taking his kids to school and didn’t have time to stop and help me out.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because he offered to give me a ride to a service station at the next exit.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I had to sit next to one of his kids who spilled chocolate milk all over my new suit coat.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because I took off my suit coat and tie and when I went to my meeting later that morning the client (who I was trying to impress with my new suit) commented on how at ease he was with my casual attire and that helped me secure a very large client.
Life is ten percent of what happens to you… and ninety percent of how you react to what happens to you. In every good, there is bad. In every bad, there is good. Keep you mind occupied by the good and it will propel you in the direction of success.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
Gasaway Consuting Group
www.RichGasaway.com
[Note: This article was also published on the Kitchen Table blog.]
So it goes in life. Everything good that happens to us has some element of bad and everything bad that happens to us has an element of good. It’s all in the matter of your perspective. Some people can, so effortlessly, find the bad news in anything that’s good. Take, for example, the conversation I had with someone yesterday about the weather here in Minnesota. It’s mid-November and our typical temperatures would be somewhere between Brrrr and Oh-My-God cold. While I’m teaching a class we take a break and I walk outside. The weather is amazing! It’s brilliantly sunny and the temperatures are in the 50’s (very unusual for Minnesota in mid-November). I made a comment about how beautiful the day is and someone says “Ya, if it just wasn’t so windy.” This comment made me think about how some people can find fault as if they get a reward for it.
This day was, indeed, a blessing and someone was still able to find a way to complain about it. Was it a “perfect” day. No. But is it reasonable (or necessary) to expect perfection? Isn’t “good enough” sometimes good enough? This day should have exceeded everyone’s expectations for warmth and sunshine. Yet, for this one person… still not good enough.
People who go through life with a disposition like this person’s miss some of the greatest treasures that are laid at their feet because they’re too busy looking for the bad things in life. One thing’s for sure, if you go around looking for bad news and faults in people, you’re going to find them. Likewise, if you go around looking for good news and gifts in people, you’re going to find that as well. And YOU… are one of those people. Look for the bad qualities in yourself, and you will focus on them. Look for the good qualities and you will focus on those.
When something good happens to you and you say you were “just lucky” you are discounting all your good qualities and giving credit to happenstance. Acknowledge that the good things that happen are because of your preparation and hard work. When something bad happens to you, don’t dwell on it. Find the good in it (and there always is something good about everything bad that happens) and focus on how to use that good to your advantage.
In the spirit of Hee Haw, here’s an example of a recent day in my life that demonstrates the banter from Floyd the barber.
- I was driving to a meeting today and amazingly there was hardly any traffic on the road.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I got a flat tire and there was no one around to help me.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because the first car that came by stopped to help me.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because the guy was taking his kids to school and didn’t have time to stop and help me out.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because he offered to give me a ride to a service station at the next exit.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I had to sit next to one of his kids who spilled chocolate milk all over my new suit coat.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because I took off my suit coat and tie and when I went to my meeting later that morning the client (who I was trying to impress with my new suit) commented on how at ease he was with my casual attire and that helped me secure a very large client.
Life is ten percent of what happens to you… and ninety percent of how you react to what happens to you. In every good, there is bad. In every bad, there is good. Keep you mind occupied by the good and it will propel you in the direction of success.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
Gasaway Consuting Group
www.RichGasaway.com
[Note: This article was also published on the Kitchen Table blog.]
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Pilots Lost Situation Awareness
By now you have probably heard about Northwest flight 188. The flight’s destination was the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport. However, for reasons that have yet to be revealed, the pilots remained at 37,000 feet and flew right past the airport. It took over an hour for them to realize what they had done and correct the error. Air traffic controllers were trying desperately and unsuccessfully to reach them. Military jets were put on standby. The White House was alerted. How could this happen?Initial accounts say the pilots were engaged in a heated disagreement over airline policy. A subsequent report said the pilots may have been sleeping. The National Transportation Safety Board will sort all that out. What we do know is the pilots lost situation awareness and mistakes were made. How could this happen?
This incident may have left you surprised or angry. After all, you don’t want to think the very people you entrust your life to are not paying attention when they’re flying the plane. I look at it a little differently. For years I have immersed myself in the study of situation awareness in dynamic, high-risk, high consequence environments and corresponding research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Admittedly, it’s not the kind of reading that most of you would find enjoyable, but I do.
One of the things I have learned is there are barriers to situation awareness – stated simply – things that impact your ability to pay attention. In research I conducted with fireground commanders, I was able to identify 116 potential barriers to a fireground commander’s situation awareness. With so many potential barriers, you might wonder how commanders maintain situation awareness at an emergency scene.
Many times when a near-miss or catastrophic event occurs, a loss of situation awareness is among the culprits. That’s because it’s not as easy to pay attention as you think. In addition to the things that happen around you that can draw you off task, there are a number of things happening in your brain that work against you. From my research, I have developed a training program to help public safety personnel understand what situation awareness is, how to develop it, maintain it, and how to regain it when it’s lost. I have been humbled by the number of requests I have received to present the findings of my research to firefighters throughout the United States, Canada, and England. If you want to taste of the program, I’ve posted some clips on my website. I’ve also produced a DVD series and wrote a book on the subject. I am passionate about improving fireground command decision making and situation awareness.
Pilots lose their situation awareness, overshoot the airport, and it results in an investigation to understand what happened so the lessons can be applied industry-wide to help prevent a future occurrence. A fireground commander loses situation awareness, makes a bad decision that results in a near-miss, and what happens? What’s done to correct the problem? Educate? Change behavior? Share industry-wide?
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
http://www.richgasaway.com/
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: This article is also posted on the Kitchen Table blog.]
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Houston's 10 Rules of Survival
I read where the Houston Fire Department implemented ’10 Rules of Survival’ in the aftermath of multiple line of duty death incidents. I think they are on the right track, so long as these rules become institutionalized and are reinforced in an effort to change their culture.
The one thing that was noticeably absent from the list was the need to conduct a risk-benefit assessment prior to committing firefighters to an interior attack. Part of the risk assessment means evaluating if the fire has began to consume the structural components of the building (e.g., rafters, joints, beams, studs, etc.). It is also essential to assess the speed at which the incident is moving. To accomplish this, the officer/commander must look at the fire’s progress in the context of the passage of time. Under stress, you can lose your perception of the passage of time (temporal distortion is the term for it). Paying attention to the passage of time (even if it is just seconds or a few minutes) and looking at how fast the fire is progressing and how quickly the smoke is building and moving helps you understand the speed of the fire and whether or not your resources (firefighters and water) can get ahead of it. There is a limit as to how fast your firefighters and your water can move and if the fire is moving faster, your firefighters will be overrun but it. It’s a pretty simple concept, but one that is so often overlooked in the size-up phase of the fire.
The second part of the risk-benefit assessment is determining the benefit of engaging firefighters in an interior structural attack. Now, before the comments start flying about wimps and sissies, I will go on the record that I am a proponent of aggressive attack. However, it cannot be blind aggression. It must be a calculated attack – assessing what is to be gained from it. Is there a savable life inside? For those who may not know, skin begins to melt at 160 degrees. Crawling through a super-heated, zero-visibility environment with the objective being “search and rescue” is a misnomer. In this environment, it would be “search and recovery.” Even if you were able to extract the body before death occurred, third degree burns over 80% of the body are not injuries compatible with life and the victim will succumb to their burns.
To engage firefighters in the highest risk environments should be predicated on what benefit comes from that risk – and be realistic.We are firefighters. We are in a risky business. However, we should not be taking excessive risks to save unsavable lives and unsavable property. Nor should we be engaging in firefights when our resources (firefighters and water) are outmatched by the volume and speed of the fire.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: This was also posted on the Kitchen Table blog.]
The one thing that was noticeably absent from the list was the need to conduct a risk-benefit assessment prior to committing firefighters to an interior attack. Part of the risk assessment means evaluating if the fire has began to consume the structural components of the building (e.g., rafters, joints, beams, studs, etc.). It is also essential to assess the speed at which the incident is moving. To accomplish this, the officer/commander must look at the fire’s progress in the context of the passage of time. Under stress, you can lose your perception of the passage of time (temporal distortion is the term for it). Paying attention to the passage of time (even if it is just seconds or a few minutes) and looking at how fast the fire is progressing and how quickly the smoke is building and moving helps you understand the speed of the fire and whether or not your resources (firefighters and water) can get ahead of it. There is a limit as to how fast your firefighters and your water can move and if the fire is moving faster, your firefighters will be overrun but it. It’s a pretty simple concept, but one that is so often overlooked in the size-up phase of the fire.
The second part of the risk-benefit assessment is determining the benefit of engaging firefighters in an interior structural attack. Now, before the comments start flying about wimps and sissies, I will go on the record that I am a proponent of aggressive attack. However, it cannot be blind aggression. It must be a calculated attack – assessing what is to be gained from it. Is there a savable life inside? For those who may not know, skin begins to melt at 160 degrees. Crawling through a super-heated, zero-visibility environment with the objective being “search and rescue” is a misnomer. In this environment, it would be “search and recovery.” Even if you were able to extract the body before death occurred, third degree burns over 80% of the body are not injuries compatible with life and the victim will succumb to their burns.
To engage firefighters in the highest risk environments should be predicated on what benefit comes from that risk – and be realistic.We are firefighters. We are in a risky business. However, we should not be taking excessive risks to save unsavable lives and unsavable property. Nor should we be engaging in firefights when our resources (firefighters and water) are outmatched by the volume and speed of the fire.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: This was also posted on the Kitchen Table blog.]
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Vest wearing sissies
I was recently reading a heated debate in a forum where tempers were flaring. I may not be able to do the topic justice but I’ll try to summarize. I would refer you to the site, but I do not condone the form of childish name calling that I observed. It’s embarrassing, not to mention completely unprofessional. We wonder why we suffer to obtain and maintain the support of our elected officials and general citizenry? Some contributors have lost sight of the fact that those forums can be read by anyone. Ok, on to the topic at hand.
The sparring parties in this debate were warring on the topic of aggressive fire attack strategies. On one side of the debate was those advocating for strong command and control of the incident where the incident management team is responsible for assignments and accountable for the actions on the incident scene. On the other side of the debate were those stumping for more independent action by firefighting crews, denouncing the need for “vest-wearing sissies.” The tone of the comment led me to believe the author was of the opinion that incident and sector commanders who don identifying vests in the process of managing their incidents are fearful of aggressive structural firefighting.
As I have been a student of human motivation for many, many years, I have come to understand that all motivation is spawned from two emotions – fear and desire. Everything we do (and say) comes from fear or desire. I have to wonder… those who behave this way in forums - ironically, almost always anonymously - what are they afraid of? Or, what is it they desire?
You think you know? Feel free to post your thoughts. I just ask that you keep your comments courteous and professional. Remember… everyone has access to the forums.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGsaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: Also posted in the Kitchen Table blog.]
The sparring parties in this debate were warring on the topic of aggressive fire attack strategies. On one side of the debate was those advocating for strong command and control of the incident where the incident management team is responsible for assignments and accountable for the actions on the incident scene. On the other side of the debate were those stumping for more independent action by firefighting crews, denouncing the need for “vest-wearing sissies.” The tone of the comment led me to believe the author was of the opinion that incident and sector commanders who don identifying vests in the process of managing their incidents are fearful of aggressive structural firefighting.
As I have been a student of human motivation for many, many years, I have come to understand that all motivation is spawned from two emotions – fear and desire. Everything we do (and say) comes from fear or desire. I have to wonder… those who behave this way in forums - ironically, almost always anonymously - what are they afraid of? Or, what is it they desire?
You think you know? Feel free to post your thoughts. I just ask that you keep your comments courteous and professional. Remember… everyone has access to the forums.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGsaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com
[Note: Also posted in the Kitchen Table blog.]
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Where has all the customer service gone?
Customer service is a dying art. Or is it a science? I get the two confused these days. Anyhow… the one thing I’m not confused about is what makes good customer service. Some of the simple phrases… like “please” and “thank you” and “how may I help you” and “please visit us again” are not phraseology commonly heard much these days.
Go to a moderately priced sit-down restaurant these days (like TGI Fridays, or Ruby Tuesdays, or Applebee’s… you know the kind) and place your order and the response you’ll get is “sounds good” or ask for an extra napkin and you’ll get a “no problem.”
I was at a restaurant and there was a piece of machinery in my soup (honestly folks, I can’t make this stuff up). I set it out on a napkin and when I told the waiter about it, he shrugged his shoulders and said “I wonder how that happened” and then he walked away! No “I’m really sorry about that” or “Let me ask the manager to cover over and talk to you about this.” I didn’t even get an offer for a replacement bowl of soup.
Of course I didn’t eat it. And when my bill came, the soup was still on the bill. When I asked the waiter to remove the soup from the bill, he said I’d have to talk to the manager. My reply was “gladly, please ask the manager to pay me a visit.” The manager took the cost of the soup off the bill but wasn’t much better at offering an apology for the hardware discovery.
I shared this story with some friends over dinner recently in Baltimore. My story opened up a litany of stories from everyone around the table about similar experiences. We concluded that customer service has, for the most part, become an extinct art (or science). What hasn’t befell the same fate is the expectation of a 15 or 20% tip.
When you're on the street serving your customer... remember to say please and thank you... even if it is your 10th EMS call in the shift... it is your first time serving that customer.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
Go to a moderately priced sit-down restaurant these days (like TGI Fridays, or Ruby Tuesdays, or Applebee’s… you know the kind) and place your order and the response you’ll get is “sounds good” or ask for an extra napkin and you’ll get a “no problem.”
I was at a restaurant and there was a piece of machinery in my soup (honestly folks, I can’t make this stuff up). I set it out on a napkin and when I told the waiter about it, he shrugged his shoulders and said “I wonder how that happened” and then he walked away! No “I’m really sorry about that” or “Let me ask the manager to cover over and talk to you about this.” I didn’t even get an offer for a replacement bowl of soup.
Of course I didn’t eat it. And when my bill came, the soup was still on the bill. When I asked the waiter to remove the soup from the bill, he said I’d have to talk to the manager. My reply was “gladly, please ask the manager to pay me a visit.” The manager took the cost of the soup off the bill but wasn’t much better at offering an apology for the hardware discovery.
I shared this story with some friends over dinner recently in Baltimore. My story opened up a litany of stories from everyone around the table about similar experiences. We concluded that customer service has, for the most part, become an extinct art (or science). What hasn’t befell the same fate is the expectation of a 15 or 20% tip.
When you're on the street serving your customer... remember to say please and thank you... even if it is your 10th EMS call in the shift... it is your first time serving that customer.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
Friday, September 4, 2009
Ego eats the brain
Ego eats the brain. I had heard this saying some years ago from a wise sage in the fire service. He was talking about how some people become consumed with the power that comes with their formal authority. When this happens, they lost touch with reality and start to believe they are the smartest person in the organization and their way of doing this is THE way to do things. It’s sad to see because everyone around the egocentric leader can see what is happening. However, the ego-driven leader, by definition that world revolves around their perceived self-importance, cannot see it.
In the end, the egocentric leader is no longer a leader. Because, by definition, a leader must have followers and those followers must be willing to follow the vision of the leader. This essential quality is eroded with egocentric leaders… and every follower of the egocentric leader lives a miserable existence. They are often reduced to be “yes” people to the boss for fear of reprisal. This gives the boss yet another stroke to that mammoth ego: “I must be right because everyone agrees with me.”
If you were to slip a copy of this blog under the door of your egocentric boss, they'd surely believe it was intended for someone else... because their ego has eaten their brain.
In the end, the egocentric leader is no longer a leader. Because, by definition, a leader must have followers and those followers must be willing to follow the vision of the leader. This essential quality is eroded with egocentric leaders… and every follower of the egocentric leader lives a miserable existence. They are often reduced to be “yes” people to the boss for fear of reprisal. This gives the boss yet another stroke to that mammoth ego: “I must be right because everyone agrees with me.”
If you were to slip a copy of this blog under the door of your egocentric boss, they'd surely believe it was intended for someone else... because their ego has eaten their brain.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Overcoming obstacles to get training
While attending the Firehouse Expo in Baltimore, I had the occasion to speak to two firefighters who took personal time off from work and paid their own way to the Expo. I asked them why they did that and in both occasions they said their city administrations would not allow them to travel out of state for training so they took vacation time and came at their own expense.
How impressive is that? After I heard their stories I conducted an informal poll of firefighters who I met on the exhibit floor and in my classes. I asked them if their employer would not give them time off or pay for the registration and travel expenses, would they take vacation time and pay for the conference out of their own pockets? In the framing of the question, I assumed that most everyone (sans the two I had already mentioned) attended with their city's approval and on their city's expense.
I was really shocked to learn that many of the firefighters who attended the Expo had taken vacation time off work and paid their own ways because their city administrations would not support their attendance. I asked if this was because of the economy. No... many had paid their own way there for years.
It is shameful that cities will not invest in the future leadership of their departments. I applaud the firefighters who use their own time and spend their own money to become smarter and safer. You have my admiration.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com
How impressive is that? After I heard their stories I conducted an informal poll of firefighters who I met on the exhibit floor and in my classes. I asked them if their employer would not give them time off or pay for the registration and travel expenses, would they take vacation time and pay for the conference out of their own pockets? In the framing of the question, I assumed that most everyone (sans the two I had already mentioned) attended with their city's approval and on their city's expense.
I was really shocked to learn that many of the firefighters who attended the Expo had taken vacation time off work and paid their own ways because their city administrations would not support their attendance. I asked if this was because of the economy. No... many had paid their own way there for years.
It is shameful that cities will not invest in the future leadership of their departments. I applaud the firefighters who use their own time and spend their own money to become smarter and safer. You have my admiration.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
What's the chances?
I've been doing a little research for a class I am teaching at Firehouse Expo in Baltimore this month. The program is titled "Does someone have to die before things will change?" It is focused on the changes that have been made in the commercial airline industry as a result of catastrophic accidents. In preparing this material, I was curious about the odds of dying in a plane crash today. This led to a broader curiosity about the chances of dying other ways. Here's the 4-1-1.
Your chances of:
Dying from heart disease: 1 in 5
Dying in an automobile accident: 1 in 18,585
Dying from a bee sting: 1 in 56,789
Dying from a lightening strike: 1 in 83,930
Dying in a airplane crash: 1 in 8.47 million (flying in one of the 25 safest airlines)
Why are your chances of dying in an airplane crash so low? Because the airline industry has learned from their mistakes and invested a lot of money in design and training to improve airline safety.
Aviation accidents are front page news, even if no one dies. Vehicle accidents, even when someone dies (unless they are someone famous), hardly get a mention... maybe page three of the local section.
As expensive as it is for airlines to design and implement safety programs (and all of us who fly thank them for their investment), they also know the cost of accidents are far greater. The old saying... an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure... applies here.
If you are one of those white-knuckle flyers, take respite in knowing that statistically speaking, you should be far more concerned with your daily commute to work than in taking that plane ride to you vacation destination. There... feel better? Now you can be a white-knuckled driver instead of a white-knuckled flyer. Safe travels... whatever your means of transportation.
By the way... your chances of dying (in general) are 1 in 1 (100%). We're all going at some point... so enjoy your time here.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Your chances of:
Dying from heart disease: 1 in 5
Dying in an automobile accident: 1 in 18,585
Dying from a bee sting: 1 in 56,789
Dying from a lightening strike: 1 in 83,930
Dying in a airplane crash: 1 in 8.47 million (flying in one of the 25 safest airlines)
Why are your chances of dying in an airplane crash so low? Because the airline industry has learned from their mistakes and invested a lot of money in design and training to improve airline safety.
Aviation accidents are front page news, even if no one dies. Vehicle accidents, even when someone dies (unless they are someone famous), hardly get a mention... maybe page three of the local section.
As expensive as it is for airlines to design and implement safety programs (and all of us who fly thank them for their investment), they also know the cost of accidents are far greater. The old saying... an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure... applies here.
If you are one of those white-knuckle flyers, take respite in knowing that statistically speaking, you should be far more concerned with your daily commute to work than in taking that plane ride to you vacation destination. There... feel better? Now you can be a white-knuckled driver instead of a white-knuckled flyer. Safe travels... whatever your means of transportation.
By the way... your chances of dying (in general) are 1 in 1 (100%). We're all going at some point... so enjoy your time here.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Monday, July 20, 2009
It's all about your attitude
I've heard it time and time again. Ten percent of your success is determined by what happens to you and 90% by how you react to what happens to you. True... so true. If you are dealt some bad cards, you can get angry... become depressed... throw up your arms in despair... or you can choose to get energized from the situation... seeing it as a challenge to be overcome.
In everyone's life there is stress. There is good stress and bad stress. The good stress is called eustress... sometimes called positive stress. A stress that can compel change. The bad stress is called distress. Distress is a damaging stress... a form of suffering. Doctors will tell you that stress can kill you. When they say that, they are referring to distress, not eustress.
You are completely in control of your attitude. You may not be in control of the some of the things that happen to you, but you are totally in control of how you react to what happens to you. I'm sure you've been around people who are all fraught with drama. Anytime anything happens... it's a crisis. They bring on their own distress and, in turn, cause distress in others. You have probably also observed others who seem to be unphased by the bad things that happen or, better yet, are compelled to action by the adversities of life.
Everyone is going to have bad things happen. It's how you react to the bad things that is a display of how well you are in control of your attitude. You can moan and complain... or you can see that in all adversity there is a call to action... a call to change. Your choice... complain or embrace change.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
In everyone's life there is stress. There is good stress and bad stress. The good stress is called eustress... sometimes called positive stress. A stress that can compel change. The bad stress is called distress. Distress is a damaging stress... a form of suffering. Doctors will tell you that stress can kill you. When they say that, they are referring to distress, not eustress.
You are completely in control of your attitude. You may not be in control of the some of the things that happen to you, but you are totally in control of how you react to what happens to you. I'm sure you've been around people who are all fraught with drama. Anytime anything happens... it's a crisis. They bring on their own distress and, in turn, cause distress in others. You have probably also observed others who seem to be unphased by the bad things that happen or, better yet, are compelled to action by the adversities of life.
Everyone is going to have bad things happen. It's how you react to the bad things that is a display of how well you are in control of your attitude. You can moan and complain... or you can see that in all adversity there is a call to action... a call to change. Your choice... complain or embrace change.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Fire Department, Inc.
I recently attended the IFSTA validation conference in Oklahoma City. Setting aside it was the absolutely hottest weather I can ever remember enduring (108 degrees), the conference was excellent. Chris Neal and Bob England do an outstanding job.
During a reception on Friday evening I was talking to an associate I have known for several years and someone who I would classify as being among the best and brightest in the fire service. We engaged in a discussion about the current state of the economy and the challenges his department is facing.
It was his opinion that most fire departments are being challenged today because the tight economy is forcing city and county governments to look at their operations using a business model-one that is based on profit and loss. He noted that many fire chiefs are not adequately educated to run a business and thus, they struggle.
Being someone who has worked in both the private sector as a banker (perhaps the epitome of profit and loss) and in the public sector as a fire chief, I can relate well to what he was saying. I can recall many occasions when I was conducting meetings with members of my department and someone would vocalize their frustration with my leadership style... "We're a fire department, not a business!" they would say with such disdain that I would feel as though trying to run the fire department like a business was somehow... dirty. Nonetheless, I tried to be patient and help them realize that we are, indeed, in the public safety business.
This mentality is not confined to fire department members. Several years ago I was reading in a newspaper about a battle raging at a city council meeting. The city was looking to hire a new fire chief. The debate was whether or not the fire chief needed to have a bachelor's degree or not. One of the council members was quoted in the paper as saying "I cannot, for the life of me, understand why our fire chief would have to have a college degree to run our fire department." The department in question had more than 400 career employees and a $20+ million budget. The fire chief in a department of this size isn't the "top firefighter." He's an administrator of a very large business with all the challenges and complexities of running a corporation: Budget, personnel, legal, marketing, quality control... it's all there.
Like it or not, the fire department is a business and the sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be. The fire department is not exempt from the fallout of a bad economy. It is going to take savvy business managers to survive these challenging times.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
RBG31oo@aol.com
During a reception on Friday evening I was talking to an associate I have known for several years and someone who I would classify as being among the best and brightest in the fire service. We engaged in a discussion about the current state of the economy and the challenges his department is facing.
It was his opinion that most fire departments are being challenged today because the tight economy is forcing city and county governments to look at their operations using a business model-one that is based on profit and loss. He noted that many fire chiefs are not adequately educated to run a business and thus, they struggle.
Being someone who has worked in both the private sector as a banker (perhaps the epitome of profit and loss) and in the public sector as a fire chief, I can relate well to what he was saying. I can recall many occasions when I was conducting meetings with members of my department and someone would vocalize their frustration with my leadership style... "We're a fire department, not a business!" they would say with such disdain that I would feel as though trying to run the fire department like a business was somehow... dirty. Nonetheless, I tried to be patient and help them realize that we are, indeed, in the public safety business.
This mentality is not confined to fire department members. Several years ago I was reading in a newspaper about a battle raging at a city council meeting. The city was looking to hire a new fire chief. The debate was whether or not the fire chief needed to have a bachelor's degree or not. One of the council members was quoted in the paper as saying "I cannot, for the life of me, understand why our fire chief would have to have a college degree to run our fire department." The department in question had more than 400 career employees and a $20+ million budget. The fire chief in a department of this size isn't the "top firefighter." He's an administrator of a very large business with all the challenges and complexities of running a corporation: Budget, personnel, legal, marketing, quality control... it's all there.
Like it or not, the fire department is a business and the sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be. The fire department is not exempt from the fallout of a bad economy. It is going to take savvy business managers to survive these challenging times.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
RBG31oo@aol.com
Monday, July 13, 2009
Another perspective on taking one for the team
I was recently engaged in a healthy dialog with a fellow fire service professional on the issue of fire chiefs who are losing their jobs for standing up for what is right... refusing to make cuts that will impact the safety of the citizens and the safety of the firefighters. My friend inquired: "Where are the firefighters who are willing to put their careers on the line? If the chief is willing to give up his career because he will not violate his oath, what about the firefighters? Are they as willing to walk away from their careers when they know in their hearts they can no longer provide the services they were sworn to provide?
Before you kill the messenger (me), open up your mind and contemplate for a moment what might happen if there was such solidarity among the rank and file. Would it make a difference or would the city simply hire replacement firefighters as they do when they terminate the chief? Impossible you say? Are you old enough to remember when Reagan fired more than 11,000 air traffic controllers and hired civilians? It can be done, but not without a cost, for sure.
When the rank and file are on the same page, there is strength. As Lincoln noted: A house divided against itself cannot stand. Of course, Lincoln was talking about slavery, not public safety. But the concept is still applicable.
Ladies and gentlemen, if there were ever, in the history of the fire service, a time to get together and stand united for the common good... that time has come. Set aside your differences... or your house may fall.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Before you kill the messenger (me), open up your mind and contemplate for a moment what might happen if there was such solidarity among the rank and file. Would it make a difference or would the city simply hire replacement firefighters as they do when they terminate the chief? Impossible you say? Are you old enough to remember when Reagan fired more than 11,000 air traffic controllers and hired civilians? It can be done, but not without a cost, for sure.
When the rank and file are on the same page, there is strength. As Lincoln noted: A house divided against itself cannot stand. Of course, Lincoln was talking about slavery, not public safety. But the concept is still applicable.
Ladies and gentlemen, if there were ever, in the history of the fire service, a time to get together and stand united for the common good... that time has come. Set aside your differences... or your house may fall.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Righteous fire chief throws self on sword
Fire Chief Donald Barnes of the Shaker Heights (Ohio) Fire Department took a stand against more cuts to the fire department and it cost him his career. He is not the first chief to stand up for what he believed in and it cost him his career. I personally know several who have and I hold them in hero status. Nonetheless, it is a shame that fire chiefs have to throw themselves on the sword for the sake of trying to protect the lives and property of their citizens.
As fire chiefs, we take an oath to protect our citizens and that includes never doing anything that would jeopardize their safety. When a fire chief feels they are violating their oath, then they have to take a firm line.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of fire chiefs who would rather roll over and do whatever the administration wants done for the sake of saving their jobs. While that is shameful, it is also the stark reality that some leaders are more selfish than righteous.
I have always taken the stand that I would do what is right without regard to what the consequences are. It has cost me dearly on several occasions but at least I am able to wake up in the morning and look myself in the mirror and know that I did the right thing when I stood up to my boss.
There have been, along the way, a few times when I did acquiesce to the boss and did what I was told to do, even when I knew the outcome held great potential to harm public safety and firefighter safety. When that happened, I found myself wallowing in guilt and praying every one of many sleepless nights that no one would be harmed from the decisions I had been forced into making. It was a miserable existence.
I applaud Chief Barnes and I am confident he will land on his feet. As for the administration in Shaker Heights, I am hopeful that your residents will revolt against you for what you have caused to occur. You are one step closer to balancing your budget by saving $140,000 of pay and benefits from your fire chief. Congratulations. Your budget shortfall is nearly solved. Don’t worry at all about the consequences of public safety or fire department morale you have destroyed.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
As fire chiefs, we take an oath to protect our citizens and that includes never doing anything that would jeopardize their safety. When a fire chief feels they are violating their oath, then they have to take a firm line.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of fire chiefs who would rather roll over and do whatever the administration wants done for the sake of saving their jobs. While that is shameful, it is also the stark reality that some leaders are more selfish than righteous.
I have always taken the stand that I would do what is right without regard to what the consequences are. It has cost me dearly on several occasions but at least I am able to wake up in the morning and look myself in the mirror and know that I did the right thing when I stood up to my boss.
There have been, along the way, a few times when I did acquiesce to the boss and did what I was told to do, even when I knew the outcome held great potential to harm public safety and firefighter safety. When that happened, I found myself wallowing in guilt and praying every one of many sleepless nights that no one would be harmed from the decisions I had been forced into making. It was a miserable existence.
I applaud Chief Barnes and I am confident he will land on his feet. As for the administration in Shaker Heights, I am hopeful that your residents will revolt against you for what you have caused to occur. You are one step closer to balancing your budget by saving $140,000 of pay and benefits from your fire chief. Congratulations. Your budget shortfall is nearly solved. Don’t worry at all about the consequences of public safety or fire department morale you have destroyed.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Do more with less...
"Do more with less." We're hearing that cliche a lot these days, especially in emergency services as elected officials have found ways to justify cutting core services - like fire protection - and making the claim that such cuts will not have an impact on public safety.
Take, for example, the recent story on CNN about cuts in firefighters and the impact it had in Flint, Michigan and Alameda, California.
LINK:
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2009/07/06/meserve.budget.firefighters.cnn
Firefighting is dangerous and labor intensive work. Almost everything done on an emergency scene requires a team of four or five firefighters. Cutting down the size of the team has an impact. Elected officials can live in their denial if they wish, but it will show in the performance and in the consequences.
This is easy to see if you apply an example that is less emotional. In this case, a professional baseball team. The dialog goes something like this:
Owners: "Sorry guys, it's tough economic times. We're going to have to layoff some players and you're going to have to play the game with less players... 8 instead of 9."
Players: "Does the other team still get to have nine?"
Owners: "Yes, we're afraid so."
Players: "How are we supposed to win the game if we're outnumbered liked that?"
Owners: "You'll have to learn to do more with less."
This mentality assumes there are expendable positions on the team. Hmmm... who shall we cut.
The catcher? No... too important.
The pitcher? No... too important.
The first baseman? No... too important.
The center fielder? Yes! We'll cut the center fielder.
There won't be an impact. We'll just tell the left fielder and right fielder to run a little faster toward center field when the ball is hit there. We'll win as many games.
You know... and I know... this team is being set up for failure by myopic and dilusionary owners.
The problem is, baseball is just a game and no one is going to get hurt or killed if a team plays bad because they have less players. But firefighting isn't a game and there are real and lasting consequences when emergency services budgets are cut and firefighters are told to find a way to "Do more with less."
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Take, for example, the recent story on CNN about cuts in firefighters and the impact it had in Flint, Michigan and Alameda, California.
LINK:
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2009/07/06/meserve.budget.firefighters.cnn
Firefighting is dangerous and labor intensive work. Almost everything done on an emergency scene requires a team of four or five firefighters. Cutting down the size of the team has an impact. Elected officials can live in their denial if they wish, but it will show in the performance and in the consequences.
This is easy to see if you apply an example that is less emotional. In this case, a professional baseball team. The dialog goes something like this:
Owners: "Sorry guys, it's tough economic times. We're going to have to layoff some players and you're going to have to play the game with less players... 8 instead of 9."
Players: "Does the other team still get to have nine?"
Owners: "Yes, we're afraid so."
Players: "How are we supposed to win the game if we're outnumbered liked that?"
Owners: "You'll have to learn to do more with less."
This mentality assumes there are expendable positions on the team. Hmmm... who shall we cut.
The catcher? No... too important.
The pitcher? No... too important.
The first baseman? No... too important.
The center fielder? Yes! We'll cut the center fielder.
There won't be an impact. We'll just tell the left fielder and right fielder to run a little faster toward center field when the ball is hit there. We'll win as many games.
You know... and I know... this team is being set up for failure by myopic and dilusionary owners.
The problem is, baseball is just a game and no one is going to get hurt or killed if a team plays bad because they have less players. But firefighting isn't a game and there are real and lasting consequences when emergency services budgets are cut and firefighters are told to find a way to "Do more with less."
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 3, 2009
Who moved my cheese?
If there was one book that I think contains on-point advice for what the fire service is going through right now it would be Spencer Johnson's New York Times Bestseller "Who moved my cheese?"
Who Moved My Cheese? has four characters. Two of them are mice named Snuff and Scurry and two are little people named Hem and Haw. The characters live in a maze that is the proverbial rendition of our life's environment... twists... turns... corners... unexpected things... you get the idea.
The characters are looking for cheese, which in this book represents one's happiness and success. Paired up, the mice and the little people set off on a trek through the maze in search of happiness and success (cheese). The mice and the little people come upon a cheese-rich cache at Cheese Station C.
The little people are content living off the success and happiness they are extracting from Cheese Station C and they develop a life around living off that cheese.
As it would happen, one day Sniff and Scurry arrive at Cheese Station C and find all the cheese is gone. They had been observing the cheese supply dwindling for some time so they're not terribly surprised by this finding. They were mentally prepared to set off on a new journey to find more cheese.
Later that same day, Hem and Haw also arrive at Cheese Station C and found the same thing... all the cheese was gone. They were angry and frustrated by this finding. Hem demanded to know "Who moved my cheese?" They were not prepared for this to happen. They fully expected their cheese would always be there for them. They throw a tantrum and go home hungry.
The next day Hem and Haw return to find the same thing... no cheese. Haw realizes the gravity of the situation and recommends embarking on a search to find some new cheese. Hem, still feeling victimized by the whole situation, voices his opposition to Haw's suggestion. Meanwhile, the mice searched and found a new cheese supply (at Cheese Station N).
And back at the cheeseless station (Cheese Station C) the little people are blaming each other for the lack of cheese and the situation they have found themselves in. Again, Haw proposes embarking in a search for new cheese. However, Hem is so comforted in his old routines and also afraid of the unknown that he continues to rebuke Haw's idea of moving on.
After days of living in denial the little people were still cheeseless. Eventually, Haw realizes he is gripped with fear and begins to laugh at himself. At that point, Haw realizes he needs to move on. As he enters the maze he chisels a note on the wall of Cheese Station C for Hem:
If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct.
Haw is still fearful though of the new journey and he continues to write:
What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?
He ponders the question... then he sets off on his journey. Along the way, Haw finds a few scraps of cheese here and there that provides enough nourishment to allow him to continue his search. Haw's denial slowly wanes and he realizes the cheese didn't disappear suddenly. Rather, the supply diminished from being eaten.
Haw came across another empty cheese station and be began to worry again about his unknown future. But he had a new mindset now and he set his fears aside, realizing:
When you move beyond your fear, you feel free.
Haw decided to go back and visit Hem with the few bits of new cheese he has managed to find.
Stubborn and set in his way, Hem refuses to eat the new cheese.
Haw is disappointed at his friend's behavior, and decides to head back into the maze - searching farther and farther for new cheese (and having only limited success along the way).
Along the way, Haw leaves a trail of messages in the wall of the maze, hoping Hem will eventually embark on a search for new cheese and come along and read these messages.
Eventually after an extensive search, Haw finds Cheese Station N which contains an abundant supply of cheese. After eating, Haw reflects on his experience and writes these incredibly valuable lessons on happiness and success:
Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Anticipate Change
Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
Monitor Change
Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old
Adapt To Change Quickly
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese
Change
Move With The Cheese
Enjoy Change!
Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!
Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again & Again
They Keep Moving The Cheese.
Now Haw inspects Cheese Station N every day and makes a habit of exploring different parts of the maze to prevent any complacency from setting in.
In this economy... the cheese is definitely being moved for a lot of people. Embrace these lessons from Spencer Johnson's great book. It may help you get through the turbulence that occurs when someone moves your cheese.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Who Moved My Cheese? has four characters. Two of them are mice named Snuff and Scurry and two are little people named Hem and Haw. The characters live in a maze that is the proverbial rendition of our life's environment... twists... turns... corners... unexpected things... you get the idea.
The characters are looking for cheese, which in this book represents one's happiness and success. Paired up, the mice and the little people set off on a trek through the maze in search of happiness and success (cheese). The mice and the little people come upon a cheese-rich cache at Cheese Station C.
The little people are content living off the success and happiness they are extracting from Cheese Station C and they develop a life around living off that cheese.
As it would happen, one day Sniff and Scurry arrive at Cheese Station C and find all the cheese is gone. They had been observing the cheese supply dwindling for some time so they're not terribly surprised by this finding. They were mentally prepared to set off on a new journey to find more cheese.
Later that same day, Hem and Haw also arrive at Cheese Station C and found the same thing... all the cheese was gone. They were angry and frustrated by this finding. Hem demanded to know "Who moved my cheese?" They were not prepared for this to happen. They fully expected their cheese would always be there for them. They throw a tantrum and go home hungry.
The next day Hem and Haw return to find the same thing... no cheese. Haw realizes the gravity of the situation and recommends embarking on a search to find some new cheese. Hem, still feeling victimized by the whole situation, voices his opposition to Haw's suggestion. Meanwhile, the mice searched and found a new cheese supply (at Cheese Station N).
And back at the cheeseless station (Cheese Station C) the little people are blaming each other for the lack of cheese and the situation they have found themselves in. Again, Haw proposes embarking in a search for new cheese. However, Hem is so comforted in his old routines and also afraid of the unknown that he continues to rebuke Haw's idea of moving on.
After days of living in denial the little people were still cheeseless. Eventually, Haw realizes he is gripped with fear and begins to laugh at himself. At that point, Haw realizes he needs to move on. As he enters the maze he chisels a note on the wall of Cheese Station C for Hem:
If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct.
Haw is still fearful though of the new journey and he continues to write:
What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?
He ponders the question... then he sets off on his journey. Along the way, Haw finds a few scraps of cheese here and there that provides enough nourishment to allow him to continue his search. Haw's denial slowly wanes and he realizes the cheese didn't disappear suddenly. Rather, the supply diminished from being eaten.
Haw came across another empty cheese station and be began to worry again about his unknown future. But he had a new mindset now and he set his fears aside, realizing:
When you move beyond your fear, you feel free.
Haw decided to go back and visit Hem with the few bits of new cheese he has managed to find.
Stubborn and set in his way, Hem refuses to eat the new cheese.
Haw is disappointed at his friend's behavior, and decides to head back into the maze - searching farther and farther for new cheese (and having only limited success along the way).
Along the way, Haw leaves a trail of messages in the wall of the maze, hoping Hem will eventually embark on a search for new cheese and come along and read these messages.
Eventually after an extensive search, Haw finds Cheese Station N which contains an abundant supply of cheese. After eating, Haw reflects on his experience and writes these incredibly valuable lessons on happiness and success:
Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Anticipate Change
Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
Monitor Change
Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old
Adapt To Change Quickly
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese
Change
Move With The Cheese
Enjoy Change!
Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!
Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again & Again
They Keep Moving The Cheese.
Now Haw inspects Cheese Station N every day and makes a habit of exploring different parts of the maze to prevent any complacency from setting in.
In this economy... the cheese is definitely being moved for a lot of people. Embrace these lessons from Spencer Johnson's great book. It may help you get through the turbulence that occurs when someone moves your cheese.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Get Involved... Make a Difference
For the past eight years I have had the honor of serving as a peer evaluator for candidates seeking accreditation (Chief Fire Officer) through the Commission on Public Safety Excellence. Among the requirements to be accredited is the candidates must make professional contributions. Most often, these contributions are in the form of serving in local, regional, state and national committees or candidates serving as instructors at regional, state and national conferences.
Once a person reaches the top level of their career ladder it would be easy to sit back, relax a little and relish your accomplishments. In fact, many, many chiefs do just that. They have lots of reasons for not getting involved and making a difference on the broader scale. If you try hard enough you can think up a good excuse to avoid doing anything you want. Equally, if you try hard enough you can find the time to give more than what your employer requires. Once you climb to the top of your career ladder, get involved... make a difference. It feels good and it's the right thing to do. My hat's off to the CFO candidates for giving back and making a difference.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Once a person reaches the top level of their career ladder it would be easy to sit back, relax a little and relish your accomplishments. In fact, many, many chiefs do just that. They have lots of reasons for not getting involved and making a difference on the broader scale. If you try hard enough you can think up a good excuse to avoid doing anything you want. Equally, if you try hard enough you can find the time to give more than what your employer requires. Once you climb to the top of your career ladder, get involved... make a difference. It feels good and it's the right thing to do. My hat's off to the CFO candidates for giving back and making a difference.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
You remember that famous line from the Wizard of Oz. The mere thought of the existence of these scary creatures was enough to mortify the characters of the movie. The problem is, the were so fearful of unknown that they worked themselves into a frenzy over it. This is what happens sometimes when leaders are asked to look at doing business in a new or different way... to go down a new road... a proverbial "yellow brick road." There's lots of danger and suspense. Bad things can be waiting around every corner. Indeed, that could be the case.
But great new opportunities could be waiting around the corner as well and if the leader is not willing to venture down the road, they'll never know what could await them. Go on... live life a little. Take some risk and try new things. Conservative leaders may survive, but they surely will not thrive!
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
But great new opportunities could be waiting around the corner as well and if the leader is not willing to venture down the road, they'll never know what could await them. Go on... live life a little. Take some risk and try new things. Conservative leaders may survive, but they surely will not thrive!
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Friday, June 12, 2009
A Few Good Men
I just got done watching A Few Good Men, one of my favorite movies. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is where Tom Cruise is prodding Jack Nicholson to admit he ordered a "Code Red." Cruise asks Nicholson for the truth and Nicholson responds with "You can't handle the truth!"
I can't tell you now many times throughout my 22 years as a fire chief I wanted to tell the elected officials and my bosses "You can't handle the truth" as they were contemplating budget cuts that would impact public safety. Most of the time, they didn't even ask the hard questions about impacts because... they couldn't handle the truth... and they knew it. Or, my boss would order me to make the council report devoid of the stark realities of the impacts... because the boss could not handle the truth.
As I read the headlines on fire service websites, I am saddened to see the fire service sustaining so many cuts, while other things move ahead full steam - like the one I recently read where they were cutting firefighter positions, but building a new baseball stadium. Good God!
It's easy for electeds to feel all warm and fuzzy when talking about building a new baseball stadium and it's damn uncomfortable to talk frankly about the stark reality that if you cut staffing, service levels suffer and the duties performed by the firefighters becomes more dangerous. There's not way to avoid it. That's the truth. But, as we sadly know, they can't handle the truth.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
I can't tell you now many times throughout my 22 years as a fire chief I wanted to tell the elected officials and my bosses "You can't handle the truth" as they were contemplating budget cuts that would impact public safety. Most of the time, they didn't even ask the hard questions about impacts because... they couldn't handle the truth... and they knew it. Or, my boss would order me to make the council report devoid of the stark realities of the impacts... because the boss could not handle the truth.
As I read the headlines on fire service websites, I am saddened to see the fire service sustaining so many cuts, while other things move ahead full steam - like the one I recently read where they were cutting firefighter positions, but building a new baseball stadium. Good God!
It's easy for electeds to feel all warm and fuzzy when talking about building a new baseball stadium and it's damn uncomfortable to talk frankly about the stark reality that if you cut staffing, service levels suffer and the duties performed by the firefighters becomes more dangerous. There's not way to avoid it. That's the truth. But, as we sadly know, they can't handle the truth.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Hyper Vigilent... it can save your life.
2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week is June 14-20. The purpose of this week long event is to get fire and EMS personnel thinking... and talking... about safety. Don't take your safety for granted. More than 100 firefighters die in the line of duty each year. I bet not one of them thought it would happen to them, but it did. Today's buzz phrase... is hyper vigilent. To be hyper vigilent is to be extra perceptive of your surroundings and pay attention to the things that you might otherwise take for granted and overlook. When you go a long time without having an accident or a near-miss event you can became overly confident and complacent. Don't let that happen... become hyper vigilent.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
website: http://www.richgasaway.com/
Another Blog: http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
E-mail: RBG3100@aol.com
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The importance of scientific research
At the National Fire Protection Association Conference, I attended a presentation about a study that is being funded by the FIRE Act grant program and is focused on firefighter staffing levels. The preliminary findings were presented and, for the fire service people in the room, the results were a blinding flash of the obvious. A firefighting crew of three can accomplish more than a crew of two; a crew of four can accomplish more than a crew of three; and, you guessed it - a crew of five can accomplish more than a crew of four. Now why (you might be thinking) would we use FIRE Act grant money to fund research that tells us what we already know?
Studies like these are absolutely essential research. They're not designed to convince firefighters and fire chiefs that staffing levels impact quality of service. These studies are designed to prove to elected officials, who for the most part, do not understand or appreciate how important it is to get tasks accomplished quickly and safely at emergency scenes. Studies like these provide the evidence to back up the statements made by fire service leaders... so it's FACT and not OPINION.
Hat's off to the researchers and the sponsoring agencies, which includes the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Firefighters, National Institute of Standards & Technology, National Fire Protection Association, the United States Fire Administration and more.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
Studies like these are absolutely essential research. They're not designed to convince firefighters and fire chiefs that staffing levels impact quality of service. These studies are designed to prove to elected officials, who for the most part, do not understand or appreciate how important it is to get tasks accomplished quickly and safely at emergency scenes. Studies like these provide the evidence to back up the statements made by fire service leaders... so it's FACT and not OPINION.
Hat's off to the researchers and the sponsoring agencies, which includes the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Firefighters, National Institute of Standards & Technology, National Fire Protection Association, the United States Fire Administration and more.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Five Ways to Climb the Ladder of Success
I am often asked by aspiring leaders how to ascend the ladder of success. I'm not sure that I have all the answers when it comes to this topic, but I can tell you some things I have done, and observed others doing, that helps.
1. Formal education: Oftentimes education is not a requirement for advancement, but it sure helps open doors of opportunity.
2. Life-long learning: Once you take your basic training or get a degree, don't stop there. Learning should be something you do for life.
3. Help others achieve their goals: One of the quickest and surest ways to achieve success is to help others succeed. You learn in the process and helping others feels good.
4. Networking: There's no doubt about it... success is partially based on what you know, and partially based on who you know. You never know how someone you meet today may help you achieve success years down the line. Don't discount building and maintaining relationship.
5. Share your expertise: Become a teacher and mentor to others. As you teach, you learn. As you mentor, you learn. As you learn, you have more success. It's synergistic.
Best of success in your climb up the ladder. Let me know how I can help you.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasway.com
1. Formal education: Oftentimes education is not a requirement for advancement, but it sure helps open doors of opportunity.
2. Life-long learning: Once you take your basic training or get a degree, don't stop there. Learning should be something you do for life.
3. Help others achieve their goals: One of the quickest and surest ways to achieve success is to help others succeed. You learn in the process and helping others feels good.
4. Networking: There's no doubt about it... success is partially based on what you know, and partially based on who you know. You never know how someone you meet today may help you achieve success years down the line. Don't discount building and maintaining relationship.
5. Share your expertise: Become a teacher and mentor to others. As you teach, you learn. As you mentor, you learn. As you learn, you have more success. It's synergistic.
Best of success in your climb up the ladder. Let me know how I can help you.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasway.com
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Pay it forward
Have you spent the last 20+ years climbing the career ladder and now find yourself at the top? Excellent, congratulations! It takes a lot of hard work and determination to rise to the top of an organization... a position only held by one person... you. You've spend years and years acquiring knowledge expertise. Now what?
I say... give it all away. You owe it to the next generation to give away your knowledge and to share your expertise. Think about how much easier your climb would have been if you had mentors and coaches helping you along the way. People who gave away their knowledge to help you learn the lessons that would have otherwise presented you with challenges. Maybe you had people like that in your life along the way. If you did, you've been very fortunate. Now might be a good time to reach out to them and say "thank you."
The lessons you've learned along the way make you unique. You've got scars from your mistakes and if given the chance to script it all over again, chances are good you'd change a chapter or two. So give it away. Start teaching... start writing... start coaching... start sharing. It feels good and it's the right thing to do. You owe it to our profession and to the young people will represent our future.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
I say... give it all away. You owe it to the next generation to give away your knowledge and to share your expertise. Think about how much easier your climb would have been if you had mentors and coaches helping you along the way. People who gave away their knowledge to help you learn the lessons that would have otherwise presented you with challenges. Maybe you had people like that in your life along the way. If you did, you've been very fortunate. Now might be a good time to reach out to them and say "thank you."
The lessons you've learned along the way make you unique. You've got scars from your mistakes and if given the chance to script it all over again, chances are good you'd change a chapter or two. So give it away. Start teaching... start writing... start coaching... start sharing. It feels good and it's the right thing to do. You owe it to our profession and to the young people will represent our future.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Get outside the firehouse mindset
When it comes to doing things in new and innovative ways, no one is more creative than firefighters. However, there is a lot we can learn from other industries as well. Take for example the airline industry. They have found a way to achieve incredible safety performance... or Motorola, who has achieved phenomenal accuracy in the production of their electronic components.
Their success did not come by accident. Quite the opposite is true. To achieve excellence requires a commitment to be excellent at every level of the organization. If you want to achieve exceptional results, look to those who have accomplished it. There are plenty of articles and books that tell the story about how great companies excel.
Do yourself a favor and pick up a good book that tells the story of a successful corporate leader(or as a friend of mine does... go to Barnes and Noble and read it in the store while you sip a latte). Either way, I encourage you to get outside the firehouse mindset and learn from others outside our profession.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
Their success did not come by accident. Quite the opposite is true. To achieve excellence requires a commitment to be excellent at every level of the organization. If you want to achieve exceptional results, look to those who have accomplished it. There are plenty of articles and books that tell the story about how great companies excel.
Do yourself a favor and pick up a good book that tells the story of a successful corporate leader(or as a friend of mine does... go to Barnes and Noble and read it in the store while you sip a latte). Either way, I encourage you to get outside the firehouse mindset and learn from others outside our profession.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
www.RichGasaway.com
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