My offices at home and at the fire station are filled with books on leadership and management. Some of the titles are classics written by Tom Peters, Peter Drucker, Wess Roberts, James Kouzes and Barry Posner. More recent titles include work from authors such as David Freedman and Marine Corps Gen. Charles Krulak (Ret.), Alan Axlerod, Jim Collins and James Strock.

These texts cover the complexities of leadership and management in everything from the successful military campaigns of the Civil War to current institutional dynamics. Each author presents several hypotheses, both on core issues that help mold leaders and on the organizational cultures they leave as part of their legacy.

So why should fire and EMS officers care about these books? For those who want to get the very best from their departments or from individual crew members, these works shed some light on two of the most important words in the English language: Golden Rule.

If you remember the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you," then you will see my point. If you think the adage reads "He who has the gold, rules," then you'll need the tutorial at the end of this article.

One of the most powerful motivators in the world today is a simple "thank you." People long to hear it from family, friends and co-workers. So why then do we, as officers who are trying to motivate others, forget to use it?

When was the last time you, as a fire chief, thanked someone for a job well done? It is easy to do after a spectacular response. For example, when US Air 1549 crashed into the Hudson River in January, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and his flight crew did the impossible. They not only accomplished the most-successful and most-photographed water landing in aviation history, they also safely evacuated all 155 passengers and crew members. Nearby ferry boats, FDNY Marine Company units, police patrol craft, Coast Guard units and others quickly brought these individuals to shore.

That was only part of the story, however. I was equally amazed at the FDNY Marine Company's adept use of fireboats. They secured the aircraft and guided it to the Battery Park area, where the plane was lashed to prevent it from sinking until cranes and barges could lift it out of the water for the subsequent extensive investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

What chief, even in New York, could have imagined over his morning coffee that his department would need to respond to a potential water mass-casualty incident and prevent a million-pound aircraft filled with fuel and evidence from sinking into a river — in less than two hours? Add the pressure of knowing that every news outlet, television, computer or smartphone in the free world was tuned into this drama, and you can easily see why these responders all deserve credit for a job well done.

While most firefighters won't respond to such a high-profile event in their careers, there are many times each day when thanking them is still appropriate. Whether a department relies on volunteers, part-time, paid-on-call or career personnel, chiefs should be able to answer the next question: When was the last time you thanked those who showed up in the bitter cold at 2:30 in the morning for the alarm drop that turned out to be a burst sprinkler pipe? I am amazed how this simple phrase not only bolsters those who responded to the call, but also can prompt those who chose to sleep in to respond the next time. More importantly, the thanks may pay dividends when the next alarm drop turns out to be the working structure fire of the decade and you don't have to play catch-up from the initial response.

What about the firefighter who is diligent in his or her work, who keeps you updated with an e-mail on the status of a project or who turns in a report on time so you don't have to hunt for information to pass on to the city manager or fire commission? A sticky note or e-mail reply with a "thank you" and one sentence of appreciation will help keep that individual motivated to do more for the department.

Are thanks appropriate for a mopped floor, cleaned kitchen or washed trucks? Absolutely. This is especially true if you didn't have to tell the firefighter that the work was needed, or for those who give their time freely for little more than a pat on the back or kind word.

What happens when there is no encouragement? Here is one example.

In July 2008, the mayor of a nearby village told the volunteer fire and EMS department that if the current economic trends didn't improve, the village would be forced to close the department on Jan. 1 and outsource its fire and EMS coverage. After the announcement, the department's personnel numbers began to dwindle. The department struggled to provide coverage for the community and to respond to their automatic and mutual aid commitments. Without any encouragement or future information on the status of the department, the mayor's announcement became a self-fulfilled prophecy.

The department developed several cost-saving plans, including making runs without pay, but the village rejected each plan in favor of outsourcing these services. As the new year approached, the number of firefighters and EMTs further eroded. On Christmas morning, the department made one of its last runs into my city when it provided a third engine on a structure fire via our automatic-aid agreement. Sensing this was their last run with us, one of my captains grabbed a camera and had our 20 firefighters stand next to the four from the neighboring village to surround their engine in a group photo. It was our way of saying thanks for the years we'd served and fought fire together — a snapshot in time saved for the four members who took the time to make the run.

As the department's final days neared, several local media outlets interviewed the mayor or other officials on the department's closure. None of these officials took the time to thank the former and present members for more than 70 years of service to the community. I could wrap my mind around the financial need for the closure, but my heart took issue with the lack of public thanks.

I can't imagine the empty feeling these firefighters had once the department shut its doors. The closure not only left a void in their life, but also left lingering questions if all their time, training and participation had been for naught.

We all look for the magic bullet that will resolve recruitment and retention, personnel, and leadership problems. Perhaps the Golden Rule is the key to all four. When individuals take the time to call, visit or apply to your department, do you thank them for their interest? Do you follow up with a personal note, phone call or letter? Is the officer in charge of personnel treating applicants as individuals and matching their interests and skills to the needs of the department? Are they welcomed into the fold and given opportunities to stumble a few times before passing judgment, or are you still looking for a one-size-fits-all recruit?

Officers with similar mindsets can help with the retention problem. Is there a way to recognize a firefighter who does an exceptional job, even if it's just a letter or certificate of appreciation? If someone has a personal issue, maybe financial problems, do you have the time to talk to him and offer encouragement? If you see a firefighter going out of her way to help solve an apparatus problem, is there a way for you to acknowledge this help even if it's just a pat on the back and a brief conversation? The answer may be as close as a simple "thank you."

The fire service now has an opportunity to say thanks to several individuals who recently have represented us very well in the Department of Homeland Security. Thanks go out to former FEMA Director Dave Paulison, former U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade and former FEMA Region VI Administrator Bill Peterson. These individuals all came from distinguished fire-service backgrounds and have raised the status of the fire service within DHS by their collective leadership. Each will find a new outlet for their energy and I'm sure each will be active within the fire service for years to come. Don't hesitate to thank them when you have the opportunity.

Give the Golden Rule a try. And, by the way, thank you for taking the time to read this column.

Chief Robert R. Rielage, CFO, EFO, MIFireE, is the chief of Wyoming (Ohio) Fire-EMS, a 78-member combination fire department bordering Cincinnati. He previously served as the fire marshal of the state of Ohio. A graduate of the Kennedy School's Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University, Rielage holds a master's degree in public administration from Norwich University and is the immediate past-president of the Institution of Fire Engineers-USA Branch. He is a member of the FIRE CHIEF Editorial Advisory Board.