Posts Tagged ‘leadership’
“You have sixty-seconds…”
Sometime last year I came across Captain Steeeve on Facebook. He is a former naval aviator and airline pilot, and I enjoy watching and listening to his analysis of aircraft incidents and accidents. Why? Because I teach leadership and decision-making under stressful conditions and he has quite a bit that apply to both. Captain Steeeve’s…
Read MoreHey Chiefs, Are Your Firefighters Present and Accounted For?
That is the question, are your firefighters present and accounted for? You may say, “Of course they are Rick! They show up when they are supposed to and their names are on the roster. Also, we ensure accountability at the scene of an emergency. So, what kind of a question is that?” Ok, so their…
Read MoreDiscipline is Not a Curse Word
Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the United States entry into World War II, the United States Army conducted large scale maneuvers in Louisiana in September of 1941. Major General Leslie McNair had an instrumental role in this exercise. In his book Crusade in Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote,…
Read MoreComplacency, a Psychological Obstacle
Prior to the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s involvement in World War II, there was a general feeling in our country that the war in Europe and Asia was not an American problem. This attitude was also prevalent with many members of the U.S. military. In Dwight D. Eisenhower’s book,…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 4
I have written this series based on my observations of fan behavior when the Colorado Rockies played a home game in Denver. What is the reason behind many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies? What is wrong with this picture? Why does the crowd in the home city of Denver sound…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 3
This series is based on my observations of the fan base, or lack thereof when the Colorado Rockies play a home game in Denver. I have noticed many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies. What is wrong with this picture? Why does the crowd in the home city of Denver sound…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 2
This series is based on my observations of the fan base, or lack thereof when the Colorado Rockies play a home game in Denver. I have noticed many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies. What is wrong with this picture? In his book, Organizational Culture and Leadership, Edgar H. Schein wrote,…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 1
Imagine that you play for a professional baseball team and you are in your home stadium. You made it to the big leagues and are excited to play for your team in front of thousands of fans at home. As you take to the field you notice something disturbing. There are more fans wearing hats,…
Read MoreStandards Matter More Than Excuses
Every organization has standards, but standards only matter when leaders are willing to consistently enforce them. When supervisors excuse poor performance or overlook bad behavior, they are taking the risk of lowering the standards for everyone. In the fire service, standards exist for a reason. We train to perform under pressure because lives depend on…
Read MoreLeadership Development Happens in Difficult Moments
Most newly promoted fire department officers spend years preparing for the technical aspects of the job such as studying strategy and tactics, building construction, incident command, etc. However, they may soon discover the greatest leadership challenge isn’t a tactical issue but relational one instead. Personnel problems test leadership in ways emergency scenes cannot. Handling conflict,…
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