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In contemporary fire departments, the significance of a healthy organizational culture cannot be overstated. This culture encompasses the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape how officers and firefighters interact, work, and make decisions. Understanding the importance of cultivating a positive organizational culture is vital for fire department officers who wish to enhance operational effectiveness…
In any fire department, the organizational culture plays a crucial role in determining its effectiveness, employee satisfaction, and overall mission success. Fire department officers looking to build and maintain a healthy culture can take several strategic steps to foster an environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and resilience, all while avoiding detrimental personnel issues. One of…
This is the final post in the series addressing Dr. Tim Elmore’s acronym ALEG: Asking, Listening, Empathizing, and Guiding. If you have not read the previous three posts, I encourage you to do so as they are based on a conversation I had with a fire department officer. The lieutenant told me that one of…
This post is number three of four based on a conversation I had with a fire department company officer when he shared with me that one of his younger firefighters asked, “Why do I have to clean the toilets?” His response was, “Because I’m the lieutenant and I told you to.” If you have read…
This blog is based on a conversation I had with a fire department company officer in late 2025 when he shared with me that one of his younger firefighters asked, “Why do I have to clean the toilets?” His response was, “Because I’m the lieutenant and I told you to.” If you read the January…
A few months ago, I had a conversation with a fire department company officer, and he told me that one of his younger firefighters asked, “Why do I have to clean the toilets?” The lieutenant’s response was, “Because I’m the lieutenant and I told you to.” The lieutenant exercised his legal authority to get the…
January 1st, New Years Day 2026. Are you reflecting on 2025 before flying into 2026? Why should you even bother to take the time to mull over the year? To grow we need to reflect on where we have been, what we have experienced, and what we have learned from those experiences. In John C.…
The photo above is from an exhibit of a World War I German solider cutting barbed wire at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania1. The display is a perfect illustration of how we become tangled up with the circumstances of life. As we approach Christmas and the end of the year,…
“You can’t run with skunks and smell like a rose.” Those were the wise and blunt words that I heard from a pastor during one of his messages. Words that have stuck with me for years because they are true. Who would you rather be imprinted by: a leader of character or a so-called leader…
Imprinting is not just about receiving affection from our pets; it is about modeling. On a visit to a rural Colorado event center, we found not only dogs greeting us but a goat who ran with them — convinced he was a dog. That goat’s behavior revealed a basic principle: consistent exposure produces consistent behavior.…
