Fire Service Leadership

Becoming a leader is like making a sound investment. What actions you take today will impact the results tomorrow. Leadership by definition is the position or function of a leader.

What matters the most in the development of a leader is what occurs day by day over a long period of time. Leadership develops daily, not in a day.

Leaders are not just born. It is true that some individuals are born with greater natural talents than others.

However, the ability to lead is a development and collection of skills. Most every one of these skills can be learned, sharpened and honed. Leadership is complicated.

The important thing to remember is that it requires due diligence daily and it will not occur overnight. There are many aspects to leadership including people skills, emotional composure and strength, discipline, vision, dedication, momentum, timing, respect and the list goes on.

Aspects of leadership

With so many of these aspects to develop that is why it takes development and a long period of time to become seasoned as some would say.

There is no magical age when you will begin to understand the many aspects of leadership, but one thing will be certain is when clarity of these aspects begins to occur you will know it. Your focus, demeanor and actions will clearly be different than previous.

According to John Maxwell there are four phases of leadership growth.

Phase 1: I don't know what I don't know

Most people never recognized the true value of leadership. The concept that leadership is for a select few is common, usually reserved for those of chief officer rank.

Unfortunately most people never recognize the opportunities that they are passing up, especially when individuals don't learn to lead. Leadership can occur in so many fashions and at every level.

The opportunity to lead someone or a group exists everyday in some way, shape or fashion. If we learn that leadership is influence and that in the course of each day most individuals usually try to influence at least four other people, their desire to may be sparked to learn more about this subject.

It is unfortunate that as long as an individual doesn't know what they don't know, there is failure to grow.

Phase 2: I know what I don't know

Usually this phase occurs when you suddenly find yourself in a leadership position only to come to the realization that no one is following. This is usually when individuals realize they need to learn how to lead. This is when it is possible to learn how to lead.

To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to becoming knowledgeable. Successful leaders are life learners, a result of self-discipline and perseverance.

Phase 3: I know I am growing because it is showing

When you recognize your lack of skill and begin the daily discipline of personal growth in leadership, exciting things start to occur. During this phase you begin coming into your own as a leader.

This phase is more of the true student phase. You are actively learning, experimenting and growing in both knowledge and wisdom.

Phase 4: I simply go because of what I know

When you are in Phase 3 you will be effective as a leader, but you have to think about your every move. During Phase 4, your talents and abilities to lead become almost automated.

During this phase is when you receive your reward for all of the discipline, dedication, determination and hard work. For many they never reach this phase as they never recognized the process and pay the price.

During this phase it also opens the door for mentoring. You have the opportunity to pay it forward as you lead other through this rigorous process.

Leadership is not something that is developed overnight or in one day; it is developed daily and is an ongoing process — that is reality. The important thing to recognize is that your leadership ability is not static.

Because no matter where you are or starting from you always have the opportunity and ability to get better no matter who you are — world famous to the person next door.

By Douglas Cline

Dec. 15, 2010

Updated June 13, 2014

Throughout my career, I have been exposed to the acronym LDRSHIP over and over.  This is the acronym for the seven core Army values.

These seven values were plastered on the walls of every Army firehouse I have ever served in, and I am forever grateful for that.  Seeing these value each shift helped me understand their application to being a good firefighter or fire officer.

If we analyze what the core values of the Army are, we will see that they apply to firefighters and fire officers extremely well.  If you take these values and put them to practice in your career and department, I can assure you that you are on the path to becoming a phenomenal fire service leader.

The Seven Values

Loyalty:  The Army defines this as bearing true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other soldiers.  Likewise, as firefighters, we bear true faith and allegiance to our country, our community, our department, and our fellow firefighters.  Loyalty is the foundation upon which a fire service leader is built.

Duty:  The Army makes this one really simple.  Fulfill your duties.  As firefighters, we have a sense of duty and a desire to complete any task assigned to us, no matter the scale.  We must always remember this desire and push ourselves to complete our duties to the best of our ability.  Anything less is unacceptable.

Respect:  Treat people as they should be treated. It sounds simple, right?  However, this one may be tough for firefighters or fire officers.  Every single person we interact with deserves our respect.  Everyone from the frequent flier who always calls for an ambulance at 2 a.m. to the new rookie in the house.

Never pass judgment and respect everyone.  I can assure you that you will be a stronger leader if you do, and your department will carry the respect of its customers.

Selfless Service:  The Army says selfless service is putting the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.  In the fire service, we have this one down.  Simply signing up to be a firefighter is a selfless act.

However, as you progress into being a fire service leader, you must always place your men and women ahead of yourself.  It is our responsibility as leaders to foster their growth and protect them.  We should never forget this.

Honor:  The Army and the fire service view honor very similarly.  Both consider honor is living up to our values.  We must always live up to the values of the profession.  When we do this, we not only demonstrate an honorable character, but we also honor those who have paved the way for us.  Having honor allows us to remember those who came before us and builds a solid organization for those who will come after us.

Integrity:  Do what’s right, legally and morally. Just like soldiers, firefighters are expected to do the right thing even when no one is looking. Without integrity, our peers, our leaders, and our community will not trust us. Firefighters are held to a higher standard, and we must maintain our integrity at all times.

Don’t be that one firefighter who is acting foolish off duty while wearing a fire department t-shirt. People will remember your lack of integrity.

Personal Courage:  The Army says you must face fear, danger, or adversity (physical or moral).  Firefighters must demonstrate this quality on a daily basis. We go into burning buildings for a living.  However, we rarely think about the moral adversity we may face as firefighters or leaders.

To excel we must have the courage to continue on a path that may not be the popular one.  Have the courage to make things better in your department, even if it isn’t the popular thing to do. 

In part 2 we discussed the three pillars for building the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to become a leader. Today we will look at four areas of importance when taking on a leadership role.

Once the aspiring leader has addressed these areas, the next step is actually moving into the leadership position.  You have become the leader, and you must establish yourself as such.  This is perhaps the most difficult point in the continuum.

Often, you will be asked to lead people who were your peers before you were promoted.  The new leader must handle this transition with confidence and professionalism.

There are four areas you must address when moving into a new leadership position.  By assuring that you have covered each one of these bases, you will set yourself and your team up for success.

#1 – Courage

Stepping into a leadership role, especially one where you are now leading former peers, can be a nerve-racking experience.  Often, we rely on our courage to go into dangerous situations.  After all, we run into burning buildings for a living.

When moving into a leadership position, you have to have the courage to actually lead.  This means that you have to know when to stand up and have conviction, even if it is not the popular stance.  Doing so will inspire courage among your teammates and assure them that you will stand up for the right thing.

#2 – Vision

Where do you see yourself, your team, and your department in the future?

Having a vision is what gives you something to aim for and a direction to take your team in.  When moving into a leadership position, it is of paramount importance that you have a vision for the future.

This is not some magical thing that only certain people have.  Simply look within and ask yourself what you have a passion for.  I would wager that a majority of us would say that helping others is our passion, and is the reason we do this job.

Well, there you have it.  Use this passion to establish your vision for the team and have the initiative to see the vision through.

#3 – Commitment

Leadership is nothing without commitment. Being committed to your cause shows those you lead that you have conviction and believe that the team will succeed. Having this kind of commitment will encourage others to remain committed to the organization and those we serve.

When I first became a company officer, I used my leadership philosophy to develop something I called “Robert’s Code of Conduct.” This code established what I expected of my crew and what they could expect of me. I provided a copy to each person on my team, and made clear that through this code, I was committed to them, the department, and our customers. Make sure your team knows you are committed to them and the fire service, then back it up with action.

#4 – Communication

Communication is the foundation upon which your ability to lead your team is built. Gil Amelio, a former Apple CEO, once stated, “Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter.”

This is, perhaps, the best description of what communication means to a leader. Remember, communication is a two-way street. Effective communication is not just sending a message, it is sending a message and receiving feedback on that message. Without effective communication, your team will never be able to understand your vision or expectations, nor will you be able to understand theirs.

Moving into the position is a challenging point in the continuum, but with courage, vision, commitment, and communication you can navigate these waters with ease.

Establish yourself as a leader your team can rely on and remember that the team is what makes or breaks the leader. Take care of your people and they will take care of you.

Photos courtesy of and copyrighted by Robert Simmons.

Find the complete series here!

Part 1: Introducing the Fire Service Leadership Continuum

Part 2: Becoming A Leader (The Pillars)

Part 3: Moving Into The Position

Part 4: Being The Leader

Part 5: Growing Future Leaders

Part 6: 360 Feedback (Putting It All Together)