How many rules and regulations does it take to run a modern fire department? Many of our firefighting agencies today have standard operating procedures or guidelines that take up volumes. At one level, the primary purpose for having to write all of this stuff down is to make sure that everybody does the right thing the right way. But why do we need so many rules and regulations when, for instance, Judeo-Christian religions suggest a mere 10 Commandments to guide human behavior?
One of the primary reasons that we write these extensive, complex and often redundant polices and procedures is that somebody has either not done it the way we want it to be done in the past, or we are so concerned about the consequences of improper reaction that we want to make sure that it is done right the first time in the future.
But, just take a look at your fire department from the standpoint of this simple question: Do say what you mean and mean what you say? The significance of this is found in the fact that much of the conflict that exists in organizations stems from rules and procedures not being followed and/or inappropriate behaviors being exhibited that cause conflict and no one will act upon them.
In modern practice it is has been suggested that to ensure that a fire department operates in a contemporary mode, it has to have a set of guiding statements. This idea is being taught in schools all across the land. Thousands of pages of textbooks have been devoted to the concept of having a mission statement, having a vision statement, operating on a basic set of principles, having written goals, setting objectives and last, but certainly not least, having an action plan to guide your behavior.
The real question is, is it all rhetoric or does it really mean something?
There is a relatively simple test that you might want to apply as to whether these concepts are real or whether they are just eye wash. For example, if you close your eyes, can you quote the mission statement of your organization? Can you, without looking at a plaque on the wall, state the vision of your organization? Can you, without referencing the annual budget document, clearly articulate the department's goals and/or its performance measurements?
If you can, then you might be walking your talk. But if you can't, then maybe you are on the verge of organizational hypocrisy.
When we use the term hypocrite, most likely it is in the context of human behavior, often with a religious connotation. But the definition of hypocrite is pretty straight forward. A hypocrite is a person who acts in contradiction to his stated beliefs or feelings. A hypocrite is a person who says one thing but does another. The degree to which this contrast is visible to other parties determines the intensity of the hypocrisy. It is probably no mistake that the word evolved from the Greek hyposkrites, which was used to describe an actor, because most hypocritical behavior connotes a false appearance.
There is only one way that you can overcome organizational hypocrisy. You have to take your personal behaviors and place them under a microscope to determine whether you are actually living and breathing what you have espoused during those master and strategic planning sessions.
The degree to which a person or an organization is hypocritical then is the difference between beliefs and actions. If your actions are consistent with your beliefs, hypocrisy is low, and visa versa. If you want to learn a bit more about this concept, type in the words "The psychology of hypocrisy" in a Web browser. You should find an entry by Lonnie Lee that provides a broader background of this phenomena.
Having gone through numerous exercises in assisting departments to develop master and strategic plans, I often have marveled at the fact that people will insert words in the exercise that are not being reflected in the room itself. In another column many years ago, I wrote that there are certain things one must yield in order to get the desired result. For example, I see the word "respect" in a lot in value statements. But respect is a two-way street. You cannot give it without getting it and you cannot get it without giving it. It works the same with the words "trust" and "confidence." It is very important that when people begin to articulate these concepts as part of strategic and master planning, that they do so from the inside and not from the standpoint of an external exercise.
If these concepts are alive and well in your organization they often go a long way toward reducing the amount of bureaucracy that has to exist to get the organization to function properly. It was once characterized that many of our written policies and procedures — especially certain rules and regulations — almost always had the name of the person attached to the problem who created the rule or regulation. In a self-correcting organization, you don't need to continually write rules to prohibit things. Instead, find ways of solving problems at the lowest possible level and the number of rules and regulations that are required will become relatively straight forward. Rules that empower have a different impact than those that restrain.
The one thing that will continue to grow in an organization when it becomes hypocritical is conflict. Another term for this is organizational dissonance. It is when the eye and the mind see two different phenomena that are mutually exclusive. Conflict has its consequences within an organization. For example, if you examine the mission statement, the goals for the organization and the value statements, it is not uncommon for them to sound quite altruistic if not almost self-righteous. But, when individual behaviors are exhibited or encountered that conflict with those value systems, they create dissonance among those who truly believe in them.
For example, disagreements in an organization can either turn into dissension or into dialogue. Those organizations that have focused on really living their value systems can often take some of the most difficult times and turn them into meaningful experiences. In organizations where there is organizational hypocrisy, even the smallest infraction often gets turned into a major contention.
I challenge you to ask yourself this tough question: Am I ever a hypocrite? If you are being truthful, you might find circumstances in which you have not lived up to your own organization's expectations in terms of your reactions or behaviors under a given set of circumstances. Then you might ask yourself whether there are other people in the organization who are being hypocritical? If you know and understand what makes most of your subordinates tick, you might be able to identify individuals who are practicing it on you. The real question that remains then is what are you going to do about it in either case?
From the perspective of being a hypocrite yourself, one of the best strategies is simply to hold up a mirror to yourself everyday and ask whether you are living your dream or making somebody else's life a nightmare. The only way to reduce hypocrisy internally is to face it. Ask yourself if you are doing what you think you should be doing in concert with what you have agreed to do as an organizational leader. It is much more difficult to talk about your own behavior than it is to criticize the behavior of your subordinates.
It is important to establish accountability throughout your organization. When your people do not behave in a manner consistent with the value system that you have established, then it is time to have a face-to-face discussion. In some organizations, that might find its way into performance evaluations. In others, it might find its way into mentoring or role-modeling relationships. In any case, you owe it to the people whose support you want to let them know whether their behavior is consistent with what you expect.
You and your subordinates collectively create a culture of competency in the organization. Those organizations that have a strong sense of acceptance of their guidance documents usually do not need strong guidance in the remainder of their activity.
It is sort of like the old Superman credo: truth, justice and the American way. How can anyone hear that statement and see the behavior of Superman and not believe that his performance was predictable.
So, the next time you walk down the hall and glance at your mission statement, close your eyes and recite it. The next time you look at the value statements in your organization, ask yourself whether you are acting as if you truly believe in them. Those organizations that do so have an inner strength that cannot be denied. Those organizations that say one thing and do another are weakened by each inconsistency that occurs. Where would you prefer to work?
With more than 40 years in the fire service, Ronny J. Coleman has served as fire chief in Fullerton and San Clemente, Calif., and was the fire marshal of the state of California from 1992 to 1999. He is a certified fire chief and a master instructor in the California Fire Service Training and Education System. A Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers, he has an associate's degree in fire science, a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in vocational education.
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