049. People Are Your Primary Resource

Effective leadership goes beyond titles and appearances. In this episode, we explore the essence of true leadership and how to foster a supportive culture within the fire service. 

We discuss key elements like building trust, setting clear expectations, and the importance of mentorship and work-life balance. Learn strategies to maintain team harmony, encourage open communication, and develop professional skills to ensure better service to the community. 

Join us as we explore how to embody humility, empathy, accountability, and technical proficiency in leadership roles.

00:00 Introduction to Effective Leadership

01:52 The Importance of Trust in Teams

02:20 Building and Maintaining Trust

04:18 Mentorship and Development

05:12 Work-Life Balance in the Fire Service

06:14 Leadership and Accountability

10:00 Implementing Effective Communication

11:09 Conclusion: The Essence of a Successful Team

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Transcript

TJ: there's one thing at the heart of every successful fire department. And that is people. In this podcast, we're going to talk about how to build relationships, how to maintain trust, and how they foster a supportive culture within your crews and your teams. So let's just jump right in. One of the most valuable aspects of being part of the fire service is the wealth of knowledge shared by those senior firefighters, those veteran firefighters. Who have been there and done that. And you might be talking about that. Cross the old engine driver who knows every single pothole in your district and the quickest ways to get there. Or that medic who's been around the block way too many times and can literally bring dead people back to life. These seasoned pros. Have a lifetime of experience and a ton of wisdom that can guide us in our careers. Like to this day, I still remember a bunch of conversations I had with my very first captain. And I was just amazed because the dude had so much to share. But also did it in such a way that it opened my eyes, that you could be a mentor. Without being that toxic asshole that we're all used to when we deal with some of these. More senior fireman.

And it's important to realize that toxicity is so bad for the harmony of the team. But it also undermines that foundation of trust. That very foundation of respect that we need within the fire service. And trust is that cornerstone of every successful team you look at. The military, we all love to. Look at the military and try to be like them. 

Look at any successful company. Those like fortune 500 companies that there's a ton of trust. Amongst everybody who was part of those teams. Because without trust, morale, declines, your productivity is going to go to hell. And the overall mission of the fire department is going to be completely compromised. So let's talk about a couple of this strategies that are important and essential for building and maintaining trust within your crew. Let's start with clear expectations. If I don't know, what's expected of me. How the fuck can I do it? So it's important to set those clear standards and define and communicate. Clear expectations for performance and for behavior, everybody should know what's expected of them and what they can expect from their leaders. Like I said, If I don't know, what's expected of me. 

You can't come after me and say, you didn't do it. Because, Hey, it wasn't communicated in the first place. So what's important to set those clear standards for everybody. It's also key to hold leaders to their highest standards. Because that's where they are. They must exemplify the standard, said they themselves set. And this sort of consistency is going to build credibility and trust. We've seen those lieutenants or captains or chiefs or whomever you fill in the blank because I'm sure you have these people in your mind. Those people who. Pretty much embody the saying rules for the, not for me.

All right, moving right along consistency and fairness. Treat everybody fairly. And I know you're going to roll your eyes because, oh my God. Kinder, gentler fire department. I don't mean that kind of stuff. I mean, be consistent fairness means consistency. Otherwise, if you treat certain people. A certain way and others differently, and they're all within your team. 

You're going to have to deal with a lot of resentment. And again, that undermining of trust. And I love this one that open-door policy. Every officer likes to say that, but live it. And curse at open communication so that people feel safe coming to you and voicing their concerns without fear of retaliation. If you're saying I have an open door policy, just because it's a buzzword, it just save it. 

We can all see it. If you really have that open door policy live it. It's going to suck. But it's going to do wonders for your team.

Next let's talk about mentorship and development. We love to eat our young, but it is so important to mentor that next generation and to develop those formal or informal mentoring programs to help new firefighters integrate into the crew, into the fire department and to grow professionally. It doesn't have to be some workbook. That you sit there and you check every box. Because we know how much we hate that it could be something as simple as, Hey, new guy, I'm pairing you with the guy who's got three years on because now both of them are getting experienced the guy with three years. Is going to have experience mentoring this new guy. 

And this new guy is going to have a lot clearer line of communication with somebody who understands what he's going through. Versus pairing him with somebody who's been around for 20, 30 years because that 20, 30 year veteran is not going to be able to relate as much.

And look. This next one, again, going to call some people to roll their eyes. But emphasize that work-life balance. I get it. We want to be all in. We want to be awesome at this. We want to love on the fire service and do everything. That's amazing.

But if there's nothing at home, If the firefighters go home from the firehouse to an absolute hell hole of a personal life. They're not going to be useful. And this one goes for those people who I remember coming in, they were like you, as the new guy must do trades with all the senior guys so that they can have holidays off. 

Now, man, if it's your Kelly Day, if you have leave that day, Fucking take it.

Fight me about it. It's important to support your team's wellbeing by promoting that. That balance between working life. Because burning out that kid with three months in just because he only has that little bit of time. Is going to do nothing for his career in the long run. Listen, we signed up for shift work. 

We know sometimes we're going to have to work shitty holiday schedule. Don't just offload it on the new guy, because he's new. That is the epitome of eating our young.

So when I let's talk about leadership and accountability, And we know that effective leadership goes beyond just managing tasks and beyond wearing that colored helmet or whatever helmet you wear, it could be red or what doesn't matter. It goes well beyond that, it shouldn't be about how you look or your title. 

It's about being that coach, that mentor, and a role model for your firefighters. But also you must demonstrate. A ton of humility and empathy. And accountability not to mention technical competency. Look. A leader has to be humble enough to know what his or her limitations are. Empathy to deal with the people that we have to deal with out in the field, but also with his or her people. Accountability. Ooh, that's a good one. That stands on its own, but the technical competency is the one that I really want to hit on. Because I remember working with a guy who. 

We all knew was incompetent. That's the best way of putting it. But he pretended not to be. And one day we got a door prop delivered to the firehouse. And instead of teaching us the basics and going through and hell, we all make mistakes. Instead of going through and making the mistakes. I remember he ran to the office. To watch the YouTube videos on how to force that particular prop.

Like, what's the point of knowing how to force a prop. 

Ultimately, you're going to have to force a real life door. So why not apply those basic techniques onto the prop? And oh, Work through it with a crew. And then at the end they realized, yes, this is not going to re like directly translate one-to-one in the field, but we learned a couple things. Seeing that and seeing that it was more about the optics of not appearing vulnerable in front of the crew that really left a better taste in my mouth. 

And it's been many, many years, and I still remember it.

So what are other things that.

How can that leader, how can you as a, both formal and informal leader? Embody. Humility empathy, accountability and technical proficiency. It coaching and feedback definitely come into play and.

It's as simple as regularly letting your people know. How they're doing. With honest and constructive feedback and also developing those leadership skills amongst. All your folks. Go back to what I said about pairing the new guy with a nutso new guy. That's something that my last captain did. Amazingly. 

Well, it wasn't just, Hey, senior guy gets the rookie. No, no, no, no. We're going to push both the rookie to learn. And the slightly seasoned firefighter to be able to teach, to start developing those skills. So how else can you embody these qualities of humility, empathy, and accountability, foster inclusion, and again, roll your eyes. 

Do whatever I don't care, but I'm sure that everybody feels like a valued part of the team. I remember we go into life and death situations with these folks. And you shouldn't be making them feel like an outsider or like a piece of shit. There was a guy that I work with who tried to get my entire shift to freeze me out and not talk to me in the hopes that I will transfer. Didn't work. And that was a shitty thing to do. And that's something that I swore I would never ever do. 

Even though we had some awful people that came through our doors for many, many years. But you give them the shot. You include them in everything and you let them dig their own grave. And regularly get feedback from the team to understand. What they're concerned about. It could be stuff at work. It could be stuff at home, but you're not going to know how to be that good leader. Again, formal or informal if you're not paying attention to what your people are saying. So how can we actually go through and implement these things? Communication that's key. 

We used to have monthly. I'm not monthly daily, like every morning, the shift sat down for transition and we talked about what's coming down the pipe, what we had going on in our lives or for the rest of the day. And we did some training. And it was a way to discuss those ongoing issues. Any sort of upcoming projects and to open the door for really unfiltered dialogue. Also another time to do it, the kitchen table at dinner, because we know nothing is sacred there and you can fix the world's problems at the kitchen table.

Also encourage your people to grow professionally. And that comes with training courses with providing them opportunities for continuous learning and professional development. Because that's going to keep them skilled and motivated, but also recognizing and rewarding them. Right. They go out of town to do training day. Took on a new project. 

They did something that's. Above and beyond recognize him. It's going to cost you nothing and it's going to make them feel amazing.

Look, the essence of a successful team within the fire department have a crew of a shift, whatever you want to call it. Lies and it's people. So by creating that culture of trust and respect and continuous development. You're going to make sure that your team.

Is doing well. And you're also ensuring that better service to the community. The skills that we require to fight fires and going EMS runs can be taught, but the ability to build and maintain a strong supportive. Team. Really is what sets great firefighters and great fire departments apart from all the other mediocre ones. So continuing with this journey in the fire service, keep all these principles in the forefront of your actions. And to echo what mark van happened from fully involved says, just remember the big four, do your job. Treat people right. Given all out effort. And have an all in attitude.