Five things to prepare for advancement

Recently I received an inquiry from a fire officer who was looking for advice about what he could do to prepare for career advancement. After some reflection and notetaking, I spent the majority of my time figuring out how to get the list down to five. Here they are (listed randomly).


1. Accelerate your learning:

a. Read top rated leadership books (get them from the library for free). Some of the classics will be available on audio book).

b. Read a book on the fundamentals of supervision (not the latest and greatest fads book... a book on tried and true fundamentals.

c. Read Fire Engineering, Firehouse and Fire Chief magazines (on-line content is free).

2. Broaden your perspectives by exposing yourself to new ways of thinking:

a. Attend a business seminar that is not fire-related (Fred Pryor-type).

b. Visit websites where innovative thinkers are celebrated (www.TED.com).

3. Rehearse your performance:

a. Create scenarios (management and fireground) that you have to manage through. Script out your course of action, then critique your performance.

b. Record yourself (audio and/or video)... depends on the scenario and play it back and watch/listen to your performance. Rate it and make a plan to improve.

4. Learn from the mistakes of others:

a. Avidly read near miss and line-of-duty casualty reports. Vividly imagine yourself being there where things are going bad. Don't be a judge of what happened. Try to understand why it happened and how you could prevent that happening when you are in charge.

5. Develop a mentor relationship:

a. Find someone to serve as a mentor... someone who has accomplished what it is you want to accomplish. Learn from them. They've made mistakes. Learn from that. They've done things that work well. Learn from that.

b. Have someone you can turn to when you are faced with a challenging situation and you want a sounding board for how to work through it.

c. Consider hiring a coach to help improve your performance and help you prepare for advancement.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

The greatest gift

What is the best gift you’ve ever given or received? Was it clothing, jewelry, electronics? Recently while attending a class the speaker asked the attendees this question. I spent some time in quiet contemplation. As we went around the room some of the answers were pretty impressive – a new car for graduation, a vacation for an anniversary, the birth of a healthy child. No one could argue against the fact that all of those things were wonderful gifts.

When the facilitator got to me, my answer was different. The greatest gift every given to me has been the gift of someone’s time. It’s the most valuable thing they can give me for it is irreplaceable. If someone gives you a beautiful gold watch that costs them a thousand dollars, that would be an amazing gift. However, the person is likely to be able to replace the money they spent on the watch. The gift of time is irreplaceable.

When someone gives you the gift of their time, remember they could have given that gift it to someone else or kept it for themselves. But they didn’t. They gave it to you. When that happens, remember to thank them for choosing to give it to you.

The power of story telling

Have you ever attended a class where the presenter was so dry that you felt like you were being punished to be there? I attended one such session at a conference recently. The program material was interesting but the presenter was brutally boring. He was trying to impress the audience with his "expert" knowledge on the topic, citing one study after another instead of establishing himself as an expert.

I came away with the opinion this person had read a few articles, and maybe a book or two on the topic and was trying pull off being an expert. It didn't work.

I think what as missing in this program was this "expert's" ability to relate real-life experiences with the subject matter through richly told stories that let the audience know he'd not only stayed at a Holiday Inn Express but he had REAL experience on the topic.

Expert presenters can connect with an audience in amazing ways when they are master story tellers. They can reach the attendees on an emotional level which enhances learning and the storage of information into memory. One of the very best story teller's I've ever heard was Zig Zigler. His presentation style leaves the audience holding on to every word and wanting more.

The presenter in my example left me bored and disappointed. I felt cheated out of my time. Even if he had expert knowledge (which is debatable) his style of presenting surely was novice.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

Stop using the "Reply to all" button.

Have you ever had this happen? One of your associates is in need of some information so they show resourcefulness and send out a broadcast email to a group of 20-30 people seeking an answer to a question.

Some of the people on the list, for reasons that I can only fathom relate to ego or ignorance, hit the "Reply to all" button and send their pearls of wisdom to everyone on the original distribution list.

Do you REALLY have to clog up 30 people's email in boxes with your genius? You're making a big assumption if you think we had any interest in the original question in the first place. And you're making a monumental assumption if you think we want to know your answer. Here's a hint... WE DON'T!

Stop hitting the "Reply to All" button when someone sends out a broadcast email for information. Reply to the sender and if someone on the distribution list wants to know the replies, they can ask the original sender to forward the good replies on to them.

Perhaps the only thing worse is when two people on the distribution list decide to carry on a conversation about the question and in the process hit the "Reply to all" with every one of their messages. You may think we are interested in your private (now made public) conversation. Here's a hint... WE'RE NOT!

I'm sure I speak for a lot of people when I say... STOP THAT!

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

The value of networking

I had a wonderful morning. I got the opportunity to meet and network with another professional speaker/consultant. It was refreshing to learn that our two worlds are very similar and that many of our challenges are the same. I enjoy learning how others have achieved success in their lives and about the turns and bumps they've had along the way.

This particular person is exceptionally upbeat and I enjoyed drawing energy from his demeanor and outlook on our profession and his passion to help others achieve success.

During the discussion I learned of some new opportunities for the delivery of programs to audiences from his circles and he learned of similar opportunities from audiences in my circles.

It was truly a win-win networking session. We never know what opportunities are just around the corner or who we may meet that can open doors and windows for us. I am thankful for having made this new connection, with a new association, and maybe even a new friendship. A couple hours in a coffee shop well spent.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

On Dependability

To be dependable means you can be relied on to perform your duties properly and timely. It also means you can be trusted by others to get the job done. To be dependable, one must support the rules of hte organization and follow the chain of command when addressing issues and concerns.

A dependable person gives every assignment their best effort toward the achievement of high standards of performance. To be dependable a leader must set the example of dependable performance.

I have had the pleasure to work with some very dependable firefighters and fire officers. And, sadly, I have also had the misfortune of working with people who talk a good game but deliver very little. They make hollow promises and try to fool others that they are an A-player. You can imagine which of the two were most enjoyable to work with. Be dependable.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

A Personnel Size-Up Helps Situation Awareness

The issue of under staffing is a hot topic these days. Staffing reductions are one of the impacts of our struggling economy. On a number of occasions I have discussed this topic – mostly from the perspective of budgets and politics.

Now, it’s time to look at the stark reality of how staffing can impact the situation awareness of commanders. In my book on Fireground Command Decision Making, I discuss one of the most surprising findings of my research – how significant the impact of staffing is on command situation awareness.

One of the essential tasks of a commander at any emergency scene is to conduct a size-up. Commanders are taught to look at things like building size/type, construction material/features, smoke/fire conditions, contents and life hazards. One of the things that is RARELY taught to developing commanders is the “Personnel Size-Up.”

The Personnel Size-Up is the commander’s assessment of what tasks can be safely accomplished based on the personnel on-scene. If you’re being realistic, you know that all crews are not created equal. Crew size, quality, training, age and fitness all impact a crew’s abilities. When the crews arrive it is important to size them up. Is the crew on Engine 1 the “A Team?” Is the crew on Ladder 3 from the “Island of Misfit Toys?”

If you work on a department with on-duty staffing, this size-up can start at the beginning of the shift when you see the roster of who is working on each piece of apparatus for the day. If you are a member of a department where the staffing responds from home, then you do not have the luxury of knowing the quality of your crew until they arrive. A Personnel Size-Up will help you make that determination and set realistic expectations.

One of the essential components of good situation awareness (and decision making) is being able to predict future events based on current conditions and actions of your personnel. In other words, getting out ahead of what is happening now and looking at where things should be five our ten minutes from now.

The quantity and quality of your staffing impacts your predictions of future events. The assignment you give your A-Team might take them 3-5 minutes to complete while the same assignment given to your Island Dwellers might take 10-15 minutes (and it will probably be done wrong).

As a commander, conducting a Personnel Size-Up will help you set realistic expectations of crew performance and the resulting future events. This, in turn, helps you maintain strong situation awareness.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

For more Information:

YouTube Video Clips from a Situation Awareness Presentation

Podcast on Situation Awareness



[Author's note: This blog post was also posted at www.Firehouse.com]

The measure of success

How does someone measure success? Some would say by the accumulation of stuff (houses, cars, boats, and other motorized toys). Others might say by size of the bank account (inclusive of stocks and bonds). I disagree with both.

I was told a very long time ago by a very wise person that I should measure my success by how much I help others succeed. In other words, the more I help other people achieve what they want in live, the more successful I will become. It took me a while to grasp on to the concept that helping other people be successful would some how make me feel successful.

However, having embraced that philosophy for nearly 30 years, I can honestly say it does work and I feel incredibly successful for having helped so many other people achieve their goals. In just the past several months I have provided coaching to three persons who want a career in the fire service. As their coach, it’s not my job to tell them what they want to hear. It’s my job to give them the unvarnished truth about their chances of success and how to improve those chances.

I also had a conversation with an associate of mine whom I helped with some advice more than 15 years ago. I told him that when he became successful, he would have an obligation to help someone else the way I helped him. The purpose of his call was to tell me that he had done for someone else exactly what I had done for him so many years ago. And so, the cycle repeats itself. Helping others makes me feel successful. Give it a try. You may be amazed at how good it feels to help someone else get what THEY want.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
RBG3100@aol.com

Strategic Planning is like Vacation Planning

Think about what it takes to plan a vacation. You have to consider who’s going with you; what you’re going to do; when you’re going to go; where you’re going to go; why you’re going in the first place; and, how you’re going to get there. In other words, the five W’s and an H (who, what, when, where, why, and how). The same is true when you think about strategic planning in your organization.

As the leader of the organization, you’re the driver or pilot, or engineer (depending on the mode of transportation you select) and the members of the organization are on board (hopefully) and going along for the ride. To get them on-board (i.e., buy-in) requires commitment and preparation on their part. They may have to be convinced, especially if they don’t know where the organization is going and why.

Think about if you wanted someone to go on vacation with you but you did not share the details of the five W’s and the H. Can you see how they’d be concerned and perhaps lack commitment to blindly follow you? To follow blindly in any direction is scary. You can run into trouble, you can get hurt, you can fail and look foolish.

If you want to have the best success with the strategic direction of your organization, get the members involved in the process of setting the direction and then communicate all the details of where you’re going, how you’re getting there, why it’s important to go there… you know… the five W’s and an H.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PHD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com

[Note: This posting can also be found on "The Bleeding Edge of Change" at www.Firehouse.com]

When will the jobs come back?

If there is one thing about the recession that has caused my heart to ache it’s the reduction in firefighter staffing in many communities. Some economists have argued that economic downturns can force businesses and governments to examine their operations and find more efficient ways to operate. On the surface that sounds good. We want our governments to operate efficiently and we want to be good stewards of the public dollar.

However, the budgets of many fire departments have been chiseled away over the past ten years and all the while these departments were taking steps to reduce expenses and improve their efficiencies. Stated another way, they have become mean and lean, finding creative ways to provide the most essential services with minimal staffing. There was no more proverbial blood in the turnip. So, when cities looked for the next round of cuts there was nothing left to cut except personnel.

Now we’re being told by the economists and the federal government that the recession is over. So what is to come of fire departments in a post-recession (recovery) period? Will the jobs come back? My prediction is they will not (at least not in the short term). I am not a pessimist and I so much want to see the jobs of my brothers and sisters restored.

In my travels I have kept tuned in to what local leaders have been saying, both publicly and privately. This is what I hear them saying… Fire departments have been over staffed and over funded for years and the recession gave elected and appointed leaders the opportunity (a good excuse) to cut out the “excess” with a good reason to propose reductions (the economy). Some of these elected and appointed officials give me the appearance they are actually smug and gloating in their successful attempts to reduce the size of the fire department.

Some fire department leaders have vocally opposed the reductions. Some leaders have resigned their positions or retired out of protest. Union leaders have stood their ground, but only with marginal success.

So when will the jobs come back? My prediction is the jobs will return very slowly, if at all. I also predict that it will take a crisis to reinstate firefighter (and for that matter police officer jobs). We all know this type of reaction is commonplace. There has to be an incident that results in serious injuries or fatalities. Then, and only then, do the elected and appointed officials begin to take grief from their constituents and the calls for action are heeded.

My concern is this: Firefighters are sworn protectors of humankind. Firefighters are wired for action. And unlike some elected and appointed leaders, firefighters will not play politics with the lives of residents. All of this spells the potential for the crisis previously mentioned to involve the lives of firefighters.

I am hopeful that firefighters and their command officers are having meaningful discussions about how the strategies and tactics should be adjusted based on cuts in staffing. I fear that firefighters will continue to fight fires the same way they always have and that is the recipe for a disastrous outcome.

To all my brothers and sisters I ask you that in these challenging times, if your department’s line staffing has been reduced, work smarter and discuss among your colleagues how to adjust your standard operating procedures. Remember that you mean the world to someone… act accordingly and take steps to ensure you safety.

Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com