Posts
In this series of articles, I have been writing about the fourteen leadership traits identified by the U.S. Marine Corps. This week’s topic is decisiveness which is the “Ability to make decisions promptly and to announce them in a clear, forceful manner.1” Indecisive People I loathe the drive through lane at fast food restaurants for…
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Courage is one of the fourteen leadership traits the Marine Corps has identified, and it is the physical and mental control of fear. Notice that courage is not the absence of fear, it is controlling fear. Physical and Mental Control of Fear On Sunday, August 17, 1975, there was a tragedy, multiple alarm fire at…
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Reading the blog title, you may be asking yourself, “I’m not out in the woods with a compass, so what are you talking about?” I’m writing about how you carry yourself and how you present yourself to those you lead. As I continue the series on the Marine Corps leadership traits, this week’s topic is…
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Knowledge is the “Understanding of a science or an art. The range of one’s information, including professional knowledge and understanding of your personnel1.” The No Knowledge Firefighter It does not matter what state or country we are in, there is always a firefighter that somehow made it through the academy, but still has no concept…
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How often have you heard someone proclaim, “Don’t judge me!” It is a phrase that is frequently used, especially when someone is feeling guilty about their behavior and decisions. This week’s topic from the Marine Corps leadership traits is judgement, “The ability to weigh facts and possible courses of action in order to make sound…
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As I continue writing about the Marine Corps leadership traits, this week’s topic is loyalty, which is “the quality of faithfulness” to your country, spouse, family, or organization.1 However, is loyalty a disappearing trait? Is loyalty taking the same route as an outdated computer mainframe? Faithfulness is a cherished quality. I entered the fire service…
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This week let’s take a look at the leadership trait of unselfishness which is, not “providing for one’s own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others.”1 A helping hand or stab in the back? We all know two types of people. There are those unselfish individuals who are always ready to lend a…
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Integrity is one of the fourteen Marine Corps leadership traits. What exactly is integrity? Noah Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language, defines integrity as: The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual…
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The afternoon of February 1, 2017, was sunny and pleasant, but by sundown the temperature began dropping, a light rain fell, and then quickly turned to snow. The wet road surfaces formed a sheet of black ice and there were multiple motor vehicle accidents over the next few hours, including the one in the photo…
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People often ask if my book, The Furnace of Leadership Development is for firefighters only and the answer is no. My book is written for those who want to develop their leadership skills and abilities regardless of profession, age, or status in life. Questions to ponder. Still not sure if the book is for you?…
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