I began writing for FIRE CHIEF 25 years ago this month. My first feature covered the transition of my dad’s volunteer department to a combination agency. His fire chief was progressive and innovative, and I assumed that’s how most career fire departments were run. But I wasn’t naïve enough to think just because you were fire chief, you were a great person.

Indeed, I have met in the ensuing years quite a few dinosaurs and even a few snakes — men whose egos or arrogance were an embarrassment to their departments. I also discovered that behind every ineffective chief was an assistant or deputy chief who helped the department survive, and members who were committed to the cause.

Now, thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to find out about chiefs in any and all sorts of trouble. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t quite find “good fire chiefs” as easily as it finds “bad fire chiefs.”

So, what makes a good fire chief? The U.S. Fire Administration, through its Executive Fire Officer Program, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs have taught many classes on what makes a good fire chief. But based on interviews with hundreds of chiefs, officers and firefighters over the years, I think the single most important skill for a good chief is the ability to listen — not just to hear what is being said, but to embrace it.

I also believe that being an ethical person is an important characteristic. Many fire chiefs have a sense of faith and optimism. They walk the walk and talk the talk. Without fail, most good leaders are avid readers. Many have a background in the military and there is a discipline about their work, but also an understanding of teamwork. Real leaders don’t demand respect — they earn it.

Good fire chiefs know their strengths and acknowledge their weaknesses. They build teams that complement their strengths and support their weaknesses. They continually are learning and they encourage learning in their departments.

And good fire chiefs give back, by mentoring future leaders or by volunteering in organizations and associations for the good of the order.

While we regularly report on fire chiefs who retire or who take on new positions, there are many outstanding fire chiefs who do not seek the spotlight; they just keep to their departments and their communities. They are the unsung heroes.

Perhaps the importance of listening, learning and developing a team hit the fire service hardest four years ago, when the Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department responded to a blaze in a Sofa Super Store; nine firefighters were killed. Charleston’s mayor commissioned the Post-Incident Assessment and Enhancement Review Task Force to review the fire response and make recommendations for improvements.

The task force’s report was a must-read for chiefs and officers across North America when it was released. The all-encompassing report listed error upon error on the part of the response team and the leadership of that department.

If you printed out a copy of the Task Force Report, I encourage you to resurrect that copy and re-read what happened that day in Charleston. We owe it to the legacy of the nine Charleston firefighters who died in that fire to not forget what went wrong and make sure the that lessons learned are just as clear as they were when the report was first printed.

It’s coincidental that June is the month we call for nominations for FIRE CHIEF’s annual Chief of the Year awards. We seek out those fire chiefs from across North America who are making a positive difference in their departments and in their communities. The award was created 15 years ago to raise the awareness of the role of a fire chief. If you know a fire chief who deserves to be recognized for his/her leadership skills, go to www.firechief.com/fcoy and complete the nomination form.