Tag Archives: Happiness

What’s your approach to supervision?

Posted by Jimmy Ghi on

As we are all awareShish-Kabob we are always learning.  Some times the learning experience happens quickly, such as realizing your should have used an oven mitt when taking the shish kabobs off the grill with your fingers, or is formal and well planned such as taking a college course.  My education in the fire service has never stopped, whether is was rapid, informal learning, or planned out.  One of the hardest things I had to learn was making the transition from a firefighter to a company officer.

You may be questioning why I am writing about supervision when this site is titled Fire Officer Mentor.  Mentoring cannot occur without supervision, and good supervision leads to good mentoring.  We have all learned about the many types of supervision, styles, theories, etc.  And we all have learned that not one style and theory fits all situations, but whether we like it or not we all operate from a base level.  Those base levels can be autocratic, democratic, or laissez-faire.  We have all worked under the company officer that wants hospital corners on your bunk, or the officer who does not have a daily structure, and then there are the ones in-between.

Based on my experiences I would like to share a couple of supervisory approaches.  I am not transposing these from any book or reference material.  I am putting my own labels on them.

The Fish Net Approach – With the fish net approach the supervisor snags the first person they see when an idea crosses their mind or they have a project that is close to the deadline and they have not started it yet.  The supervisor casts the net out, catching you then pulling you in. There you are, trapped and helpless, just as fish are in the fishing net. And just as in the fish net there are a variety of items, random things pulled up by the net.  The supervisor is looking for results.  They expect you to sift through the items and then make it work.  No real direction or instructions are provided, and the supervisor may not really even know what the catch is supposed to be.  The results may be a completed task, but it may not be the way the supervisor wants it and it may result in having to do the task again.

The Shot Gun Approach – The Shot Gun approach is similar to the Fish Net.  The difference is the supervisor knows what the results need to be they are just not sure who to pick for the task.  Maybe during a casual conversation with a small group the supervisor “blasts” out the idea or plan.  Some one in the group takes the “hit” (they volunteer to take on the task for recognition, peer pressure, etc.). The task may get completed properly or not.  That is the second part of the Shot Gun Approach.  Just as shooting a shotgun, you may or may not hit the target appropriately.  Again, the task may get completed but was the right person doing the task?  This may work out OK, unless the task had an emphasis on safety.

The Pile-On Approach – just like a bunch of NFL football players diving in and piling on to recover a fumble, the supervisor keeps piling on the tasks.  This may be good and bad. The supervisor may be piling on because they know they will get good results.  The bad part is other tasks suffer and priorities keep changing as more tasks get piled on.

Last One Picked for Gym Class Approach – I can remember when I was in school gym class it was well known I couldn’t even catch a cold, so I was always the one picked just so the teams would be even.  A supervisor may pick someone for a task because there is no one else to pick.  The results could end up being dismal.  Loss of productivity and a need to re-do the task by someone else.  The results for the employee are also dismal.  Their confidence has been shattered, making it even more difficult to properly develop the employee.

The Helicopter Pilot – This supervisor assigns a task then hops in their helicopter, hovering over your every move.  They are not micro managing because they are not spelling out how to get the task done.  They just hover, and hover, and hover, never really saying anything. It would be a blessing if they did micro manage. At least you would be getting some feedback.  They just land their helicopter when the task is done, tell you what went wrong then get back in their helicopter to hover over you again.  This approach causes anxiety in newer employees, and just flat out pisses off experienced employees.

Well, I have to be honest; I have been on both sides of these.  It took me a while to figure out just because someone is willing, does not mean they are able.  There are several keys to avoid being caught up in one of the above approaches:

  • How critical is the project? What level of authority or perceived authority is needed?  Pick the person that can carry the ball, who understands the critical nature of the task and has the backbone and knowledge to exert the appropriate authority.
  • Think about the results you want.  If the task is not completed properly, what is the impact on the shift and employee assigned?
  • Don’t always pick the same person to do the same thing. If you can, spell out the results but the details provided should depend on the task and experience level of the person assigned. Give them “Point B” and step back.  They may surprise you with how well they do. Tell the employee to get back to you 1) If they have questions or need resources 2) run into obstacles 3) The task is completed.  Check back occasionally to show support.
  • Use tasks to help develop the team early. Assign a team leader in the group and provide them the necessary management tools to see a task through.  Allow the team leader to suggest others that could help the project but be sure it is not the same few all of the time.
  • Don’t be afraid to take a chance on someone.  Just make sure they have the support to accomplish the task.  I’ll stand in front of a fire chief all day explaining what happened if it means I could help develop a future mentor.

Take your time when assigning tasks.  Use them to develop not just task related skills, but supervisory and management skills.  Show faith and confidence in those you work with helps set the tone for good mentoring.

Stay Safe!

 

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.”

 

Giving Thanks

Posted by Jason Moore on

fire department thanksgivingToday is the time of year where families get together, settle differences and remember the good rather than the bad.  While no family is perfect, it is the easiest time to put aside egos and make it a day of joy.  Seeing how we spend a massive amount of time with our brothers and sisters in the firehouse, today should have the same effect on our family away from home.  I might be considered slightly nostalgic however, I have always loved this time of the year at the firehouse.  Closing out old projects, preparing for the upcoming year, and seeing the spirit of brother/sister hood rise throughout the profession.  It is a reminder of how things could be if we all cared a little more or took the extra effort to get to know those around us.

This year is one in which I am especially thankful.  While we can look back at the bad economy, miscellaneous troubles, and perhaps slight chaos; I prefer to look at the positives.  In my case, the department is still here, no one lost their livelihood, we haven’t had a close call or LODD, and things are starting to look up.  Now comes the point of the article…. generally begins with “we as fire officers.”  This time I want to address every firefighter, not just the officers.

Today, whether spending time with your family, friends, department, or otherwise; take note of the things that you can be thankful for.  Look at the people you have helped and hold on to the attitude of family.  Every department has the potential to be great!  Typically, the major hold up on reaching greatness is forgetting what is important; losing sight of the things that really matter.  Imagine a world were everyone checked their ego, put the good of others before themselves, and lived everyday like it was Thanksgiving.  Just because we have become a progressive profession doesn’t mean we have to lose our sense of self and the traditions that make firefighting the best job in the world.  I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and look forward to remembering what I am thankful for.

 

 

Your Role in Employee Retention

Posted by Jason Moore on

 

Employee Worries

Many departments across the nation have been feeling the pain of tightened purse strings.  When government entities feel the need to cut sections from a budget, our career field is one of the few that look appealing since the better we do our jobs, the less it seems like we are needed.  With this fact in mind, there are certain retention factors (salary, benefits, promotions) that are out of our hands however, the biggest factor is greatly influenced by line supervisors.

What is this magical retention factor?  Job satisfaction.  While we are not here to sugar coat everything and  make people believe the problems don’t exist, there should be a certain amount of political foresight before we open our mouths.  A negative officer makes a negative house.  If you only focus on the negative, those under you will be influenced to do the same.

When considering the negativity we are often expected to break to the people under us (lack of salary increases, position/hiring freezes, or even layoffs) it is hard to find a positive spin.  The best thing you as an officer can do is begin to think like a chief.  It is easy to criticize a decision when you only look at the little picture however, understanding what was gained or what wasn’t lost by the decision allows for the positive to come out.  For instance, you are given the news that there will be no pay raises this year.  You can either grumble to the crew that we are all getting screwed or in some cases point out that by accepting the lack of a raise, no one is going to lose their job this year.  I guarantee the newest guy on the department will be relieved as will some of those getting close to retirement.  The point is that the way you handle the bad news will have an immense impact on the way everyone reacts.

Beyond playing the political game of putting a positive spin on things, there are many other factors that the officer has direct control over.  Mainly, the way you treat your crew.  Job dissatisfaction is the number one reason people search for other employment opportunities.  Obvious things you can do to help job satisfaction include:  treating your people with respect, fostering  the brotherhood mentality, providing training for advancement, and providing positive feedback.  Some of the less obvious things include:  listening to complaints, following up with concerns, being your crew’s advocate, and providing empowerment opportunities.

In many of my human resource classes, there was a section that talked about motivation in the employment setting.  The number one thing most people put down in discussion boards as the best motivator was money.  The truth about money is that it is a temporary satisfier.  What I mean by that statement is when money is relied on as a motivator, you will never be able to pay enough.  Working overseas as a contract firefighter making six-figures a year seems like a dream.  Even with a six figure salary, the complaint about pay raises was present.  That in itself proves that you cannot rely on money to maintain your employee pool.  The officers below Fire Chief have to assume some responsibility for working within the confines of things they can change to make people want to stay.  Let’s face it, the job sells itself, it is up to us to sell the department as a place people want to be!

 

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!

 

 

Reflections of a Chief

Posted by Jason Moore on

Today another good man and chief received the full honors of a Fire Department procession.  He was loved by all, which was evident by the support of the local departments.  For me, it was more personal than professional.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed many horrible things.  From my time in Afghanistan to just working on the streets of Charleston, several visions will continue to haunt me in my sleep.  While most of these were put off until I had the ability to deal with them, I realized after my first encounter with Chief Winn, that they were not something I had to handle alone.

After holding the hand of a dying 16 year old in the back of an ambulance, I returned to my station to find Chief Winn and his associates waiting for me and my crew.  Years of experience had led me to the conclusion that they were the Critical Incident Stress Management team sent to see how we were doing after a tough call.  What I did not know at the time was that they had heard about the call through informal channels and volunteered to show up.  The smallest gesture of giving me someone to talk to has helped more than imaginable.

Many of the tough calls I have been on, including a 76 person mass casualty event in Afghanistan, still bother me from time to time. Even after the mandatory Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, I was bothered by the images of dead people.  The one difference between the 16 year old and all of the other bad calls is that I don’t remember the specific details or the kids face anymore.  While many people can argue as to why, I like to think it was Chief Winn’s intervention that allowed me to process everything and let it go.  In a career that exposes you to many gruesome and sometimes despicable things, eliminating one of the “ghosts” is a huge deal.  Knowing Chief Winn has made me a better and stronger person.  Prior to him touching my life, I always blew off the debriefings and defusing sessions as a necessary thing to be checked off.  The traditional concept of being the “big tough firefighter” stood in the way of seeking the help I needed.  Being a company officer, it is sometimes hard to see the long lasting effects of the decisions we make.  Turning down help for you or your crew is never the smart thing to do.  We are charged with the responsibility of sending our people home the same way or perhaps better than they arrived to work.  This includes mind and body.

For me, saying good bye to Chief Winn was more than a professional gesture that was deserved by his years of service; it was saying thank you for supporting me when I didn’t even know I needed it.  My story is one out of many that attests to the life of a hero and like other heroes, the stories told of someone’s deeds will make them live on in the hearts and minds of others forever!

Thank you for your service and for helping me!

Facing adversity

Posted by Jason Moore on

Today is definitely in the top ten of worst days in my life, a day that no firefighter wants to face.  For a breed of person that often finds themselves fighting the odds and yet are unwilling or unable to give up; leaving the line seems unbearable.

I recently found out that I have a condition that makes it extremely painful to walk which makes wearing fire boots seem like some ancient torture device.  Throughout the entire ordeal I have wrestled with the idea of having to leave something I love. Beyond just having an outlet for how I am feeling, I wanted to share this experience to make a point and maybe reassure myself that things will be ok.

Many of my coworkers didn’t know how to react to the news any better than I do now. This problem like all problems faced by fire officers is not beyond being overcome through tenacity and maintaining hope. This particular problem seems like the end of the world today but I know in a few years may be the beginning of something better.

The point that I am trying to make is that whether it’s a medical problem, financial issues, or some other life altering event; the need to take a structured approach is appropriate. Like any other curve-ball thrown at us on an emergency scene, life’s emergencies need to be evaluated, mitigated, and restored back to the best condition possible. The biggest benefit to being in the fire service is that at the end of the day you never have to face your problems alone.

I often tell people when I teach the lesson concerning the wellness of first responders to know when to seek help. Often just sharing your problem with someone is enough to give you room to breathe and look at your options. Don’t put on the blinders and face any problem with tunnel vision. Anchor yourself to someone or something that can weather the coming storm and prepare to face adversity with open options. For many there is nothing stronger than the desire to succeed. Life wouldn’t be worth living if everything was handed to you on a silver platter. Embrace your adversity and above all, never give up!

I close this posting with a quote that has helped me when things looked the worst….

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
- Thomas Edison

Another life lesson

Posted by Jason Moore on

Today I was reminded that the most emotionally  complex sound is that of a bagpipe at a firefighter’s funeral.  Even the most hardened veteran will feel the swelling of tears.  In the midst of such an occasion it is preferable to focus on the positives.  The fun memories of that person, the good calls you went on, or the fact that so many different departments are there to pay tribute to the choices someone made for their life.  At the funeral today the preacher spoke of sacrifice.  This may not have been a directly related line of duty death but still the concept of sacrifice fit.  Getting up every duty day and putting on the uniform, spending time away from family in order to be there for strangers, giving up weekends and holidays so that others can be safe.  The list is endless when you consider the sacrifices anyone in our career field makes on any given day however, I never considered that service and sacrifice were identical.

By choosing service over self, that is the embodiment of sacrifice.  For any sacrifice to be beneficial, there should be something gained or something learned from it and this case was not lacking in either aspect.  Witnessing this man’s dedication, determination, and work ethic made it easy for anyone to appreciate the qualities that were demonstrated.  Seeing future generations of firefighters that have gained insight to their careers through his knowledge and are now able to project that knowledge to others made this sacrifice and service beneficial.

The portion of the service that rang home for me was how this man’s service had impacted so many around him.  His sons, those that he trained, and even those that he spent time with were all able to identify and pick up something positive from his life.  This made me wonder what people would say at my funeral.  Would I be a passing glimmer that was forgotten as soon as I left, or a bright shining star that made a positive impact on those around me that lasts forever?  With that thought in mind, I challenge everyone to step up and be that shining example.  It is easy to forget through our day-to-day struggles how short life can be and focus on the little things that make life miserable.  If people went to work with the brotherhood/sisterhood mentality that was present today, there would be more hugs and support rather than negativity and bickering that is normally present.  We don’t need the sound of bagpipes to make us better people willing to sacrifice ourselves in order to make the world a better place.

In memory of Chief Hill:  Thank You for your service and sacrifice!

Positive outlooks and attitude will carry you far

Posted by Jason Moore on

“In every person who comes near you, look for what is good and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.”. – John Ruskins

Through adversity and turmoil we are forged into the people who look back at us in the mirror.  Learning life lessons and imitating the good things of those around us can only improve who we are.  Drawing inspiration and motivation from others allows for a limitless supply of options.

It is true that even the best people, who are a driving force behind movements, have a bad day.  Surrounding yourself with good people isn’t always possible which leaves two options:  follow everyone else’s ups and downs or change your perception to focus on the good.

Like all advice blogs, this is sometimes easier to point out for others to do rather than do it yourself.  In the end, you have to strive to be a better person and even if you fall short, don’t give up or surrender.

I have often talked to people about controlling the things they can and for most situations the only thing that you have 100 percent control over is how you perceive the world.  This key concept will allow you to become a more balanced leader.

Daily thought series: 9

Posted by Jason Moore on

“Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land amongst the stars.” – Les Brow

The officer that accepts mediocrity is actually setting themselves up to receive less than the standard.  Expect high levels of performance, and in the event that those under you are human and fall short of the expectations, they should still be doing better than what is required.  This goes for everything we do. On the other side of this, you can’t expect perfection without being able to accept that they will make mistakes because no one can maintain perfection.  Like most of the things we do, it requires balance.