In last week’s blog, I encouraged people to start a leadership journal for 2024. I also referred to a leadership development plan.
In my book The Furnace of Leadership Development, How to Mold Integrity and Character in Today’s World, I wrote, “In order to develop as leaders, we must map the route and not rely on someone else to drive us to the destination. You must put forth the time and effort to design a realistic plan.”
The photo illustrates several tools firefighters use for planning and decision making on wildland fires. There is a map, an incident action plan, an incident organizer, and the Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG).
As an incident commander during the initial attack phase, I not only used the IRPG, I also completed the incident organizer. Why? Because both tools helped in developing the incident organization and building the incident action plan. Without either the incident commander aimlessly stares off into space shooting spitballs and hoping that all will go well. Hope is a good quality but it is not a course of action.
Likewise, as leaders if we do not have a plan to develop ourselves, then we resemble the steel ball inside a pinball machine. Bouncing off the bumpers and making a lot of noise, but showing little progress for the effort. How do you create a leadership development plan? That process will be described in next week’s blog.
In the meantime, click the link and learn more about Tailboard Talks and how you can be part of a group of like-minded firefighters and fire officers to assist in your personal growth and development, Individual Officer Development Options – Fire Officer Leadership Academy.
