I have spent the last 30-plus years of my life in the fire service. Much of this time has been spent as a trainer, instructor, coach and mentor. In the late 1970s I was leading new fire recruits through repetitive skills-training. In the mid 1980s, I embraced the challenge of designing, developing and instructing specialized training specifically for company officers. Over the next decade or so, it was a natural progression for my involvement to evolve into the training of command officers and chief officers, while still maintaining my involvement at the recruit and company levels. The changing trends and the constant exposure to new generations have allowed me an opportunity to observe, learn and listen. From this, I have formulated a thought or two.

Much of my fire-service exposure has been in the "rust belt" of America's Midwest, where traditions run deep. Indeed, many fire officers either embrace — or at least accept — the statement, "300 years of tradition, unimpeded by progress," as a way of doing business. I hope it is obvious that this statement is not a credo, but rather an excuse for not conforming or doing the right thing.

In 2005, I was introduced to a new mindset. I became the training chief for Avondale (Ariz.) Fire-Rescue. Avondale is an active participant in the nation's largest and most successful automatic-aid system, the Phoenix Valley Automatic Aid System. Phoenix also has been recognized nationally as the Mecca for fire command and firefighter safety. Over the past few years, I have learned and experienced a great deal, while realizing the statement, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," has merit.

Company consistency

Leadership cultures vary between rural and urban agencies. They also vary by region, state or coast. The one consistency I have found is at the company level. The methods used and leadership style seem not too varied. The effectiveness of company officers, in the eyes of their crews, is measured by their strength and actions at a fire scene. Their command presence and the decisions they make, while operating at a fire incident, are the only considerations. The company officer's ability to manage a station, coordinate company activities and be an effective member of the leadership staff never enters the equation. When these qualities are mentioned, they immediately are dismissed as an attempt to change the company officer into something he or she is not. This is ironic, as a company officer is a member of every organization's leadership team.

The irony comes from the enormous effort every successful candidate makes to become a complete company officer. Their journey starts by excelling at the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to operate successfully at an incident scene. Then it progresses into years of study and coaching, as they successfully complete courses in leadership, supervision, management theory, human resources, budgeting and more. Throughout this process, many promotional candidates have achieved college degrees. The final step in preparation to become a company officer is to develop the poise to express their thoughts and ideas in a method and/or manner that is acceptable to their administrative staff. Throughout this journey, every candidate comes to the sudden realization that, once promoted, he or she can have a positive influence on the organization, on a shift and definitely on a crew.

Their training and preparation have paid off in a promotion to company officer. Over the next few months, many find that the energy they dedicated to making a difference is transformed into the exhaustion that follows limited success. All of their personal aspirations begin to crumple under the daily fatigue they experience when confronted with organizational apathy. A few company officers survive, but many find it easier to yield to peer pressure and revert to the time-honored position of "senior firefighter."

Many company officers are perceived by the command staff as nothing more than a senior firefighter who sits in the right seat. The best definition I ever heard of a company officer reverting back to a senior firefighter comes from a battalion chief in the New York City Fire Department: an officer who wants the authority without any of the responsibility. This is not a commentary on what they do at an incident, but rather on what they are unwilling to do in and around the station. This dysfunctional approach is perpetuated by fire administration apathy towards the continued development of company officers. So who's at fault? Who can fix it? No matter which side of this discussion one may be on, it takes everyone's commitment to fix it.

Coaching staff

Leadership coaching is one way to address this issue. A coach is used to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the tasks associated in achieving a common goal. The coach accomplishes this by clearly communicating well-defined responsibilities for each participant and by shaping the team into a unified, cohesive unit. The roles for a group of beginners will be different than for a seasoned team. Whenever a chief officer encounters seasoned company officers who seem to be misdirected, the officer (coach) has to present these officers with a fresh START.

Stop making excuses

The first step in the awakening process is to admit the need for help and to personalize the issue as "my issue" not just the organization's issue. This is the most difficult step. This step takes more than a willing participant. It requires a personal commitment to be successful. This type of personal commitment is commonly seen from newly promoted officers. Where their efforts fail is in three areas.

On a daily bases I hear the excuse, "I don't have time." Most new officers don't have the experience to plan beyond tomorrow. Often, newly promoted officers have an overflowing in-box awaiting them on their first day. They see this situation as a challenge and attack the pile. "Administration promoted me to get results, and by golly I'm going to give it to them." This is not unlike a new firefighter's tendency to follow the flames rather than stepping back to see the big picture. Failure to plan is not isolated to the company level — it has been the thorn in the side of many fire administrators nationwide. Officers at all levels need to plan for tomorrow and beyond. Successful organizations and officers have a shared vision, which requires comprehensive planning.

"I didn't know who to ask, so I just left it for the next guy," is a common excuse. Planning requires the enlistment of sound advice. It is easy for a training division to send out regularly scheduled topics, but without the advice of the practitioners in the field, this training will be ineffective and may be met with apathy and resentment. The same is true when making decisions that affect others. Agreed, there are times when a decision must be made immediately, but if we do a little sou-searching, we will find very few situations that demanded an immediate decision. The extra effort to seek good and sound council will be paid back in the form of effective communication, team building and respect.

"I've tried, but I got tired of waiting … it takes too much effort on my part," is the final excuse. The fire service hires aggressive people who expect quick results. The reality is that anything is possible when you are committed to seeing it through. It was my dream to build a training village that would bring police, fire and emergency management personnel to one site for a unified process. Despite having no funding or support, I shared this vision with my boss. Our shared vision grew. One man's vision that started in 1988, developed into a combined regional emergency service training, or CREST, center, in Auburn Hills, Mich. The construction started in 2001 and was completed in 2003. A quality product requires a shared vision, planning and commitment. As Malcolm Forbes, the longtime publisher of Forbes magazine once said, "One worthwhile task carried to successful conclusion is worth half-a-hundred half-finished tasks."

Take stock

Every successful officer seeks first to understand and then be understood. This starts by attaining the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to be recognized as a master of your craft by your peers. The hunger for knowledge should never be quenched, nor should the recognition of who you are and how others see you. Individuals need to realize and not rationalize their limitations. They must continually strive for self-improvement. This principle is true for both mental and physical well-being.

Successful organizations have a leadership group that, by its make-up, embodies a singular vision. This vision only is achieved through the maximization of personnel strength and the unified consolidation of efforts when necessary. The unification process enhances each individual's ability to perform. This translates into knowing your abilities and recognizing that others have as much to offer as you do.

Look toward the senior members of an organization for council and conversation. Much can be learned over a cup of coffee — when you are willing to listen. Much can be said for walking a mile in someone's shoes. Every member of the fire service has their favorite war story. And much can be learned from them.

War stories are nothing more than one person's perception of the events that surround a specific incident. The story enhances the drama or situation, while detailing what went wrong or right and what they will never do again. This is not unlike the life lessons parents attempt to pass on to their children. It is funny how children never realize how smart their parents were until they become parents themselves.

Stories change over the course of time, because our personal perceptions change with the constantly expanding knowledge and experience. With the enhancement of PPE and the reduction of rapidly changing incidents (fires), the fire service quickly is losing the knowledge it had gained through repeated exposure to dynamic incidents. The fire service has had to rely on computer simulations and tabletop exercises, based on real case studies, to assist in the transfer of knowledge that previously cost only a cup of coffee.

Act in faith

We need to have faith. The communities we have chosen to serve have faith in us. Faith has a centralized theme for which the fire service stands. Webster's defines faith as an allegiance to duty or a person; fidelity to one's promises; and sincerity of intentions. We who have dedicated our lives to serve have faith in the brotherhood of firefighters, but we are the first to discredit the city or district we are sworn to protect.

A common belief is that the city administration "doesn't understand what we do." I have found the opposite to be true. City administrators know the fire service all too well. It is the fire fighter who no longer seems to understand the business known as the fire service. The days of limited oversight have long passed. The enactment of the Fair Labor Standards Act and NFPA 1500, 1710 and 1720 have forced city administrators into our world. Their arrival has brought modern business practices. The fire service is a business, which must adhere to all the regulations and professional standards that accompanies this designation. Those fire administrations that follow these practices often are alienated by the firefighters they supervise: "He has forgotten what it was like to work a shift."

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Firefighters act in faith on a daily basis at incident scenes. They have faith that their crews will be there for them and that command will not place them in a situation from which they can't escape. They have faith in their skills, knowledge, and abilities to accomplish whatever they are assigned in a manner that is effective and allows them all to go home safely.

Where does their faith go when a supervisor asks a crew to look at new ways to do things? An example of this lack of faith is the seatbelt mandate. Firefighters' faith seems to dry up when they are first asked — and later ordered — to wear seatbelts, even though such use has been proved to save lives and failure to do so is a violation of law.

Faith should not be blind. Individuals need to question whenever their faith is tested. Questions are healthily and productive. Leaders should not steer clear from questions. It is the responsibility of an officer to provide accurate information to those they supervise. If one doesn't know, one should find out. If something is not working, explain why and provide a solution. I am not unfamiliar with the coffee-table discussion. I followed two simple rules. If I knew the facts, I would correct erroneous statements. If the crew was venting, I would not join in. Company officers have the largest influence on a crew's impression of the effectiveness of fire administration. Have faith in the leadership that directs your organization. Don't be a distracter, but rather a leader of your administration's policies and procedures.

Refocus your mind

All the areas discussed have one common denominator: you. No one can do it for you. I am not asking you to thrust aside the past, but to embrace it. Take all those lessons learned and analyze them, allow them to breathe within your mind. Take the time to see what your role was been within the organization. How your influence, or lack of it, has affected the organization. Replay some of the organizational success stories and see what they have in common. Do the same when examining your career's personal success and failures. What role did your professional associations play in those stories? No longer conform to the patterns of the past, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Only when you are willing and able to test and approve your faith will you be truly successful. Once you have achieved this epiphany, the final step can be reached.

Trust

Trust those around you to help you succeed. Subordinates, peers, and supervisors all play a major role in personal and organizational success. The fire service has had a team focus since its inception. Everyone has heard the phase, "There is no ‘I' in team." Teammates must trust in one another to execute an undertaking at the most effective and efficient level. Personal prejudice never should be a factor.

Trust your organization and its leadership team. Fire officers must unify around a singular organizational vision. This vision should resonate throughout the organization. When one is unclear on what the organizational vision is, that is the time to ask. Clarity is important to an organizational vision. Every member needs to have a clear understanding of the direction of the organization and the relationship their role plays in achieving the vision. Not unlike an standard operating guideline, organizational vision changes over time and regularly needs to be reviewed and analyzed.

Leadership fails when fire officers freelance with their personal image of what the organization should be. Frustration and resentment — toward the leadership team and each other — are symptoms of an organization having no clear vision, or the failure of the senior leadership to communicate a clear vision throughout the organization.

Finally, trust yourself to do what is right for the organization, and in return you will prosper. If you have achieved a leadership position within an organization, you know the difference between personal gain and organizational prosperity. Organizational prosperity, by design, provides the simplest path toward personal success. Doing what's right is not always easy — but it's still the right thing to do.

While the focus of this article was at the company officer level, the message has application at all levels. The same simple five steps can transform any experienced firefighter into a coach and mentor.

Ron Deadman is the division chief in charge of professional development for Avondale (Ariz.) Fire-Rescue. He began his career with the Farmington Hills (Mich.) Fire Department in 1976 and served in the Birmingham (Mich.) Fire Department from 1979 until he moved to Avondale in 2005. He holds a master's degree in administration and is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program. He served as the assistant director of the Fire Training Institute at Oakland (Mich.) Community College for 17 years.

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