Category Archives: On The Job Training

Regaining Long-Lost Employees

Posted by Jason Moore on

Office Space Lost EmployeeWhile working on the book I am writing, I approached the subject of the different types of employees we find in our departments.  With a high concentration of Type A personalities, as found in most fire departments, there is one employee in particular that merits some additional attention.  I imagine that we all know someone like the person I am about to describe and each one of them, while similar, will have a broad spectrum of reasons for being that way.  This type of person is known as a disenfranchised employee (DE).  Many business leadership books list the DE as someone who used to care, perhaps was a star employee, and is now hurting the agency.  In the business world this accounts for lack in productivity, poor work environments, and a slew of problems that eat at a company’s bottom line.  In the fire service these people represent a growing number of “burned-out” employees that can put people in danger.

The old school way of thinking would dismiss these people, toss them to the side, with remarks pertaining to their inability to “make it” as a firefighter.  While this seems like the easiest and fastest fix, it fails to understand the merits of the individual and account for the cost associated with their training and experience.  In many cases, the brightest burning stars are the quickest to burnout.  The first question that needs to be asked is “what caused them to change?”  Identifying the personal or professional issues that caused the change is the first step to re-engaging the individual.  Word of caution though, we are not mental health professionals and do not need to act like it.  You do not have to dive into the personal life of your employees the analyze what went wrong.  A simple understanding of their situation will suffice.  Some common personal causes are: divorce, money problems, unhappy home-life, sick or dying family members, or lack of support at home. There is very little that we can do about these types of issues beyond acknowledging the problem and offering an employee assistance program. The more common issues that we can handle revolve around professional causes. Some of these include: lack of acknowledgment, not being validated, failure to progress, constantly being limited or micromanaged, lack of personal accountability within an organization, and having a perception of being mistreated.  While many of these problems are employee specific, there is also something to be said for noticing trends.  When multiple personnel show signs of being DE, there is often a bigger problem within the organization.

The question remains, “How do you re-engage someone who has become a DE?”  On a personal level, they need to have a reason to be connected to the organization.  No one, especially firefighters deal well with feeling like they are not needed.  Employees much like fire need specific components to grow.  I like to think of it as a spark, fuel, and air.  Finding a role that utilizes their specific talents is the fastest way to create a spark.  On its own, the spark is not enough to breathe new life into the employee.  The next component is fuel.  Just like a fire you cannot add too much or too little fuel if you expect growth.  The fuel is a two part formula that includes continuing projects to provide opportunities for success and positive reinforcement with honest feedback.  The final component is one that takes an experienced leader to understand.  Air in its simplest form means that the leader needs to give the DE room to succeed without leaving them feeling abandoned again.    Best case scenario, this career CPR will bring a DE back however, if wide-scale problems are present, individual action will not be enough.

On an organizational level, several DE’s are a sign of poor leadership/management practices.  Drops in morale, lack of advancement opportunities, failure to hold people accountable, and micromanaging supervisors are generally the root of the problem.  The effects are further compounded when the DE is a supervisor.  Our attitude as a leader is highly infectious.  Poor attitudes seem to be even more contagious than positive attitudes making it more difficult for positive attitudes to survive.  The biggest question in this scenario is how do you as a company officer fix DE problems that may stem from higher levels of management?  This is one of those “easier to explain than to do” scenarios.

You have to be persistently positive.  Find ways to give DE’s spark, fuel, and air while pushing for management changes.  Help to reestablish the organizational image.  Throughout an organization’s progression, the failure to pass on core values and pride will lead to senior personnel becoming DE and prevent newer employees from ever truly engaging.  Give credit where credit is due, stop “blanket policy” fixes, and treat people with respect.  No one wants to be a number, they need to be accepted and validated as important members of the group.   Failure to re-engage these employees will further support the perception that employees are numbers as they either leave or are let go and are replaced by newer, less experienced personnel.  This scenario is one that can be more rewarding than a traditional conflict resolution since you are not only fixing a problem but bringing back someone who use to be a strong performer.

I want to close with one of my favorite quotes….. “If you are not apart of the solution, you are apart of the problem.”

 

Thoughts on trade theory and the fire service.

Posted by Jason Moore on

trade theoryWhile studying for my International Business class, I began to look at globalization and trade theories which attempt to explain the best practice for making the most while lowering cost.  Throughout my studies, I try to look at ways in which the material I am learning for business can be applied to the fire service.  Although I am sure I am not the first to look at the subject of reducing costs without reducing services, I like to think this idea has merit.

Without confusing the politics and nature of the theories as they relate to globalization, the one theory that interested me the most in relation to the fire service is a free-trade theory known as absolute advantage.  Basically, this theory states that some countries can produce certain goods more efficiently and by focusing on what they are good at they can afford to import other products they are less efficient at producing.  Here is the point where everyone reading this is scratching their head and wondering how it applies to the fire service.

Translation:  If each department focuses on something (rescue, HAZMAT, ect.), while creating automatic aid agreements to share their specialty/receive specialties with neighboring departments; then the result is a more diverse, more efficient, and better quality of service to the entire area.  Many departments try to be a one-stop shop which can spread resources, manning, and money pretty thin.  If interdepartmental organizations are created so that the burden of expense can be spread out over the members, the benefits can outweigh the cost.  The current economy has every politician and decision maker looking for ways to cut costs.  If your department is trying to be a stand alone group of specialties, it is not only wasteful when looking at the bigger picture it can also lead to some severe safety concerns.

Consider the number of hours it takes to obtain, recertify, and stay proficient with each skill set firefighters are expected to perform.  At a certain point, it becomes impossible to maintain proficiency with every single thing.  If you are like me then your “I Love Me Folder” is full of pieces of paper that certify me as proficient in the class I took.  The number of hours required to maintain firefighting, emergency medical, specialized rescue, and command proficiency is outrageous.  Now imagine the benefits of focusing on the basics and one or two extras.  I can either maintain mastery on a few things or barely skate by with many.  At the point in time when someone’s life is in jeopardy, would you want someone who skates by and fumbles with a task or jumps right in with the refined skills

As the fire service continues to progress, the need to combine resources, share across borders, and downsize government will grow exponentially.  After centuries of expanding, the only hope for government agencies including the fire service is to find ways to cut costs without placing our people in danger or reducing the level of service.  Bridging departments and expanding brotherhood/sisterhood relationships is the key to survival and excellence.

 

Are you abusing your position?

Posted by Jason Moore on

 

fire officer

This subject is one that I never thought would have to be discussed in the fire service however, I have heard more than one complaint in the past few months that would classify as abuse.  Once someone receives their gold badge, there is an inherent responsibility that must be assumed for your crew.  Although you are responsible for their personal safety and professional growth, they are not your slaves.  They are not placed in your care to do the things you no longer want to do, especially if it is of a personal nature.

When it comes to an employee questioning something an officer has told them there is a tendency for  officers use the “because I’m the officer” defense.  This defense is a cop-out and should be backed by policy, procedure, or guideline.  Expecting your firefighter to cook for you, clean up your messes (beyond daily station duties), arrange or checkout your PPE, babysit your kids, or wash your car is an obvious abuse of your position.  Other abuses are less obvious and often justified as “training opportunities” or “character building.”  Making your firefighter do your reports or finding meaningless tasks for them to accomplish is unacceptable.

The arrangement, checkout, or cleaning of PPE is a personal responsibility.  You cannot expect nor make it mandatory for someone else to take care of your Personal Protective Equipment.  Furthermore, if something is missing, broken, or dangerous to use; you cannot punish or get upset at them.  If they put your gear on the truck, it was a courtesy and you are still responsible for it.

When it came time for my crew to learn the report system, in preparation for advancement, the steps for teaching were clear.  Have them watch me do it, help them do it, watch them do it, and eventually let them do it (with spot checking).  If they are able to do it on their own, it is not their responsibility to do your work.  In my case, if someone wanted to do it for practice or because they were good at it, I would help do their work and still follow up with what they did.

Getting a gold badge does not give you a free pass to kick your feet up and relax.  The truth is that the badge is meant to represent that you are capable of doing more than those without the extra bugles.  I prefer to think of line officers as lead firefighters.  With that mindset, it is easier to keep things in perspective and prevents poor management practices.

The final types of abuse can directly or indirectly be the officer’s fault.  Mental, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse/harassment can destroy a department.  If an officer is allowing the abuse/harassment to occur or even worse, participating in the problem, there are serious consequences that can happen.  Beyond embarrassing the department, officer, crew, or employee; the stress can destroy someone’s life.  We are charged with sending everyone home in the same or better condition than they arrived to work in.  This covers all aspects.  Monitor your people and be the professional they need you to be.  Beyond having a happy and productive crew, you will also find that your job becomes easier.

If you are not apart of the solution, you are a part of the problem!

 

 

Making Mistakes Work for You

Posted by Jason Moore on

 

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.”
- Elbert Hubbard

Throughout my career, I have consistently heard the phrase that we are in a business that doesn’t accept mistakes. For the most part, I agree however, that attitude has a time and place. With that logic, the next question is… When are mistakes ok?

I tend to have a different perspective on mistakes. For the longest time I did everything in my power to avoid them and in some cases, this fear of failure limited my potential. The unjustified fear of failing kept me from returning to school sooner than I did, altered career choices to stick within my comfort zone, and led to avoiding risks both personally and professionally.  The lesson learned from this is being less than perfect and making mistakes comes with life.

In previous posts I have discussed accountability and owning your mistakes.  As an officer you have to be willing to take this concept one step further.  Give your people room to grow and (if not life threatening) make their own mistakes.  I can be told something a thousand times but occasionally it takes me seeing the consequences to fully understand the choice I made.  Don’t rob them of that experience.  The sooner we realize that mistakes are going to happen and turn them into a positive learning experience, the better things will be in the long run.

One of the big issues within departments is the transition between the old school and new school firefighters.  Many old school firefighters were brought up in a department that did not tolerate mistakes, pushing the boundaries, or trying new things.  Today, firefighters demonstrate the desire to explore new techniques, practices, and equipment.  For me, the fire scene is not the time to test theories, practices, or equipment so I expect crews to follow established procedures however; the training environment, with safety protocols in place, and a reduced sense of urgency is another story.  Do not hamper someone’s desire to find a better way.  Even the most experienced officer can learn something new on the training grounds (even if it is what doesn’t work).  Again, with caution to unsafe practices, letting someone find out for themselves why things are done a certain way as opposed to their “new idea” is one of the best experiences for everyone involved.  Who knows, maybe you have a genius riding in the back seat that will revolutionize the world of firefighting.  Odds are stacked against them however,  allowing mistakes to be made is a powerful training tool.

 

Building Loyalty and Respect

Posted by Jason Moore on

I recently had a request to write an article on building crew loyalty and respect.  From the standpoint of an established officer with a proven history, this concept isn’t very difficult however; being a new or acting officer can leave you at a major disadvantage in this crucial area.  The question remains: how do you establish and build these key components needed for proper team development?  Although there are many books and articles you could read, I have found the solution to be much simpler.

The golden rule I was taught as a child is often the fix to many of a company officer’s problems.  “Treat others the way you want to be treated!”  When I look at building respect the first step is to give respect.  To build loyalty the first step is to give loyalty.  Depending on your competence level and confidence, the time needed to see a return of that investment will vary however, if you don’t initiate the process don’t expect your peers or subordinates to do the work.

The second part to this which if you are already having problems may be a little late to consider is setting up the right attitude before you become a leader.  The way you follow your superiors will often be the way your people will follow you.  If you are a good follower and become a leader, the ability to demand higher of your subordinates will appear less hypocritical and genuine.  Take the example of a guy/girl that is always bad mouthing their leaders behind their backs.  When they become a leader, what precedent have they set as acceptable behavior?  You cannot expect someone to get your back when they know you are always stabbing people in the back yourself.

Here are some things you can do to facilitate building respect and loyalty with your peers and crew:

- Act with INTEGRITY, Speak with INTEGRITY, Listen with INTEGRITY!  INTEGRITY, INTEGRITY, INTEGRITY!!!

- Explain your intended goals and how you intend to get there.

- Immediately start to consider and correct the way you are treating people.

- Seek out classes and opportunities to better yourself to show you deserve the loyalty and respect.

- Do not partake in gossip!  You cannot expect loyalty if you are talking behind someone’s back.

- Maintain an “open book” personality, what you see is what you get, no hidden motives or agendas.

- Stand up for your crew and yourself!  If you make a mistake own it, if your crew makes a mistake, own it!

- Handle things at the lowest level possible, no one likes a tattle tale especially when the tattle tale is their leader.

- If someone tells you something you have to report, tell them you have to report it and give them the chance to report it with you rather than throwing them under the bus.

- Know who you can trust when discussing issues (hint: when in doubt you should be able to go to a higher rank).

- Become a stable person.  It is hard to back someone who is never in the same place emotionally, physically, or intellectually.

- Stick with it because it will take longer to build loyalty and respect after you have already lost it.

Like any other relationship, building the loyalty and respect needed to have a functional team will take time.  The process in never ending and even the best leaders can destroy years of work with a single mistake.  In my opinion, he best way to have the crew you always wanted is to be honest, keep an open line of communication, and avoid damaging the progress you have already made.  Integrity is key to every step and often begins with an internal look.  If you can be honest with yourself, it will make being honest with everyone else easier.  Beyond that just follow the golden rule “Treat others like you want to be treated!”

Just because you have the green light on your vehicle doesn’t mean you are in “Command”.

Posted by Jeff Armstrong on

Image  I love writing on here because I can be honest. And since I don’t write for a published magazine I don’t have to be PC.  Those of you who know me, know I am a “no nonsense – call it like I see” it type of person.

Being an incident commander takes an experienced, level headed thinker; someone who can stay ahead of the incident curve, someone who has a complete grasp of what is occurring, about to occur and may occur.   The Incident Commander (IC) shouldn’t be too proud to develop plan B or even C, step back and look at the big picture.  He or She should be able to effectively manage a scene through not only observations from the ICP (Incident Command Post) but also through reports from his/her resource leaders.   Taking command of scene operations and effectively managing resources takes more than the ability to click on the green strobe and use fancy terms such as sector or division.  Do you truly know what you are doing and why you are in Command?  Should you be in Command?  Captains and Lieutenants, when placed in this role will you have all the tools in your tool box to effectively operate?

I’d like to touch on a few things I have seen over the years in different parts of the country during my brief career.  This isn’t meant to criticize any group but rather to help correct some errors I see taking place and to help the next generation assume these roles without learning from poor examples.

1. If your department just recently (last 10 years) adopted a more formal Fire Ground Command system (FGC) after the 2004 Presidential Directive than there may be a few in your department that think you are on the cutting edge and setting a trend.  Don’t be fooled, the ICS model has been around for more than 30 years and been being effectively used in its present form for over 20.  For more information on this Google “FIRESCOPE” and “Why was ICS developed”

2.  Be an effective communicator.  If you can’t talk on the radio, maybe its time you gave it up or sought some training.  Nothing like instilling faith in your guys by having them hear the IC stutter and stammer for words and forget what a skylight is called.  Develop a professional radio voice and manner of speaking.  This not only sounds cleaner and more professional, but communicates more effectively.  We have all been on the scene where radio traffic is overwhelming and air time is at a prime.  If you can say it in 5 words, dont use 50.   Remember the duck- calm on the surface and paddling like hell below. And yes, this takes training and practice.

3.  Know your recourses.  Know what will be or what is coming to your alarm.  Know what they carry, their staffing and what they are good at.  Your $70,000 Tahoe with its LED’s, Laptops and Phone’s wont put out the fire or mitigate the incident.

4. Know the incident.  If you are looking through the windshield and at anytime you don’t know what your looking at, call for help.  There is no shame in calling for resources or even another IC who has more experience, but there is shame if a lack of foresight has put any brothers or sisters in danger.  At any point I should be able to open that passenger door of your command vehicle sit with you and ask you 3 simple questions:  What do expect in 10 min, what will your actions be by then (actions of crews) and what if that benchmark isn’t reached? (Plan B)  If it doesn’t go your way are you going to just throw resources at it? Or reevaluate and asses current strategy and tactics.    I like the old military term: FART.  Fall back and reassess tactics.

5. Use effective division of labor.  The whole idea behind this thing is to create a chain of command and unity of command, so set up your incidents so that everyone reports to a supervisor.   If you have interior operations taking place, set up an interior division.   Let me touch on this a bit, as I see this as one not used enough.  I am not a big fan of divisions on the exterior of the structure.   Yes they can see smoke, but what about interior conditions?  The best resource for this is someone inside – hence: Interior Division. Charlie side is great for Safety and perhaps if you have an exposure or potential for extension I can see a division, however to be communicating with this guy (or gal) about interior conditions and making decisions based of his information alone isn’t correct.   This is a great source for keeping an eye on smoke, don’t get me wrong.  But do they know how to read it?

Ok, back to Interior Division- This generally would be your second due captain through the door.  Reason for this is, your first due captain is probably working.  He or she doesn’t have time to deal with managing resources.  In addition to that, in ICS, additional structure is only added when needed.  So if you are managing one resource there is no reason for additional structure; now you send 2 companies in plus 2 from your first due Ladder for search,  now you have the need for that line of communication inside.

This is huge and I can’t stress it enough.  If you don’t do this on the simplest of incidents, you won’t on the larger or your small incident will get large and you will already be behind.

6. Listen to your guys.   Yes you are the Chief, everyone knows it.  They can see your brilliant white shirt from across the incident, you have nothing to prove.  Yes, you have the final say.  But you also have experienced guys inside or on the Charlie side.  Listen to them and use them.  If you are on a HazMat scene and you’re a Chief who only has awareness level and your Captain is a tech- Guess who knows more! That’s not to challenge you as a commanding officer or a leader; but if you choose to ignore those resources, you better believe they will begin to doubt and challenge you.

7.. Understand tactics and strategies.  Keep up with the latest strategies and tactics used by resources.  Not just the ones defined in your SOG’s but alternative ones as well.  If a company told you they were on scene with a confirmed rescue and were going to VES on the Charlie / Delta corner, would you know what that was?

8. Don’t fall into the trap of following a script.  Many departments in an effort to work well together in a boundary drop or automatic aid agreement have developed SOG’s dealing with operations.  These are extremely helpful but can also be a trap and make the IC lazy and unable to deviate when needed.

9. Continue to learn and develop yourself as an IC.  I am trying really hard to stay away from leadership in this article and focus on operations; but the 2 are so close at times.  A good leader will have trust of his crew on and off scene.  A good and effective leader will know there is always room for improvement and will seek to better at his/her job.  Learning, studying, reading magazines, networking and lastly implementing changes on the scene or training ground.   If you don’t believe me with regard to interior division, try it on your next job.  You may be retiring soon and feel like “you cant teach old dogs new tricks” but you obviously feel its important enough to still come to work; why not continue to develop yourself into a better IC and Chief for your guys.  You never know who you could teach or influence and even more importantly, learn from.

FDIC Report finally completed

Posted by Jason Moore on

Fire Department Instructor Conference 2012

Here is the fruits of my labor.  Although it was written to my department, I hope that everyone takes the time to read it.  I presented the information with every attempt to leave personal bias out of the information.  With that being said, I need to say that I do not agree with all of the material being presented.  Hope you enjoy!

Complacency Kills

Posted by Jason Moore on

In most cases, complacency will result in the death of a business due to a lack of innovation and progression in a competitive market however, in the business of the fire service complacency can result in actual death.  This complacency does not have to occur on the fire-ground itself, in fact most of the complacent acts begin long before the bell goes off.  Consider yourself to be in the same line of work as a soldier in a war-zone since both have the same deadly consequences.  Do you think the soldier’s first time checking out his rifle occurs during a firefight?  I bet not!  Do you think the first time a soldier trains on strategies and tactics is as he is entering a building full of insurgents?  I bet not!

The truth is, that we are given ample opportunities to prevent death by complacency prior to the emergency tones going off.  The basics of our job is what kills people.  Firefighter doesn’t check out airpack, air pack fails, firefighter dies.  That is the direct line of complacency killing someone.  The less noticeable line occurs through years of “checking boxes” in regards to inspections, training and other mundane tasks.  This type of complacency becomes a tradition that is passed down through the generations of firefighters.  It may not kill you or your crew but a generation or two down the line, it will.

As an officer, there should be a generous portion of energy expended to combat the complacency that occurs when people are required to do the same thing over and over.  Getting involved, incorporating different aspects of training, and requiring your crew to maintain proficiency are all ways to combat this epidemic.  Ultimately, whether on an emergency scene or sitting at the breakfast table with your crew, complacency has the potential of death!

Are we developing the next generation of Leadership?

Posted by Jeff Armstrong on

Many Departments focus on succession planning training; offer classes and have programs designed to develop the next generations of Fire Ground commanders.  These programs are invaluable; however, with declining budgets and many fringe benefits being cut some agencies are seeing these go away.

What can we do in house or even at the company level to train and develop the next generation?  Two quotes that I have always held on to and tried to live are:

“Teach your job to the person below you and learn the job of the one above you.”

And:

“There is no success without a successor.”

Are we developing true leadership?  I am not referring to an individual who can command a fire scene or a company officer who is really good at being first due to the big one; I’m referring to Leadership qualities not associated with decision making on scene.  There are so many qualities of a good leader that I don’t have the time this morning or the space in this post to delve into it- But one of the most important qualities of a good leader is passing on those characteristics and qualities (good ones) to the next generation.  This is often overlooked, or leaders feel that setting a good example is enough.  Others feel knowledge is power and sharing will diminish their power.  ( I believe these individuals to not be true leaders at all, but that’s another subject) What about a proactive approach?  I challenge you to teach your leadership qualities to your subordinates and teach them why your leadership style has developed the way it has.  Do they know what leaderships truly is?  If you educate them on leadership I guarantee you that will challenge you to be even better.   Sit with them, share why you think some aspects are more important than others.  Share your strengths and your weaknesses.  Then they will begin to develop their own leadership style and hopefully will take your passion for leadership with them.  Sharing your weaknesses will not take away your clout; trust me, you don’t have them fooled.  They know your not perfect.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in “white board” training only, nor do I tend toward the “touchy feely” but I believe this process in leadership development is lacking.  Someday you will promote, and those below you will promote into a leadership role?  Have you done your job to prepare them?

Leadership Competencies

Posted by Jason Moore on

Some people look at leadership as something obtained through years of experience.  The truth is that just being around leaders or acting as a leader is not enough to make you a great leader.  One thing I see a huge problem with is most people don’t have a clear picture of the competencies that need to be fostered and built upon to become a good leader.  There are many models and lists however like many leadership subjects, the military has had centuries to perfect the type of leadership we use in the fire service.  With that in mind I compiled a list of leadership competencies that are required of military leaders in all of the branches of the military.

Exercising Sound Judgment

  • Developing and applying broad knowledge and expertise in a disciplined manner, when addressing complex issues
  • Identifying interrelationships among issues
  • Taking all critical information into account when making decisions

 

Adapting

  • Maintain composure in stressful situations
  • Work constructively and resourcefully under pressure
  • Demonstrate flexibility and resilience
  • Seek and accept constructive criticism
  • Balance change and continuity

Inspiring Trust

  • Establishing open, candid, and trusting relationships
  • Treat all individuals fairly and with respect
  • Maintain high standards of integrity
  • Place mission success over personal gain
  • Demonstrate loyalty to the unit, the mission, and the chain-of-command

Leading Courageously

  • Display both moral and physical courage
  • Maintain and project confidence in all situations
  • Project credibility and poise even when challenged
  • Show a willingness to take risks and act independently
  • Take personal responsibility and accountability for actions
  • Maintain focus, intensity and persistence, even under adversity

Demonstrating Tenacity

  • Take persistent, repeated action to overcome an obstacle
  • Keep with a difficult task even after meeting rejection
  • Be resilient

Leading by Example

  • Manage and publicly demonstrate personal and professional priorities that are consistent with Core Values and Competencies
  • Show subordinates that actions and words support one another
  • Embrace and demonstrate qualities of excellent followership

Assessing Self

  • Develop a personal leadership development plan that motivates me to pursue further improvement
  • Base this development on an increased awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses, values, performance, preferences, and styles
  • Understand how these impact my decisions and relationships with others
  • Continually learn

These competencies are a place to start focusing on and may require many different skills and traits to be able to become proficient in them.  The key to becoming a good leader revolves around being willing and able to constantly improve yourself to be someone that others want to emulate.