21 st Century Leadership For the Fire Service

1. 21st Century Leadership For the Fire Service Dr. Harry R. Carter, CFO, FIFireE Dr. David Griffin

2. My Role In This Course • Speak of what a leader is, what they should do, and how they should act • Share some reasons with you as to why we need leaders in our organizations • Discuss some basic leadership styles and theories with you

3. My Role In This Course • Share some modern leadership principles • Share some thoughts with you on the care and maintenance of your personal moral compass • Offer some suggestions on how to be a better leader

4. My Role In This Course • Help you to become a better fire service leader • Help you train others to be better leaders

5. What Is Leadership? The ability to get something done by someone else, because they want to do it. Favreau - 1969

6. Why Do We Need Leaders? • Chaos usually exists in the absence of guidance or direction • Someone has to be in charge • Someone has to be responsible for accomplishing the mission

7. Why Do We Need Leaders? • There is a need for coordination within and among organizational elements • Left to their own devices people might not do anything

8. Let’s Take a Moment to Think About Leadership • Think about the best leader you ever worked for… • Why did you like them? • Why did you want to work for them?

9. Let’s Take a Moment to Think About Leadership • Think about the worst leader you ever worked for… • Why did you dislike them? • Why did you want to avoid having to work for them?

10. Citizen Leadership • Leaders evolve from within the system to assume leadership roles • Leader accepts role reluctantly • Elected/selected to exercise wisdom and restraint in their actions

11. Servant Leadership“The Golden Rule” • Enthusiastic • Vulnerable • Accepting of others • Present for others • Useful to others James Autry

12. The Rabble Hypothesis • People are basically animalistic in their hunt for the fruits of civilization. • There is a need for leaders to keep people in line, to allow them to work toward common goals.

13. Theory X and Theory Y • Theory X – You must constantly watch over people to be sure they are not avoiding work. • Theory Y – People want to work, but it is the guidance of a caring, concerned leader that allows them to work more efficiently. MacGregor

14. Leadership Styles • Autocratic • Laissez-faire • Paternalistic • Democratic

15. Autocratic • I am the boss! • You are not the boss! • You will do what I tell you, when I tell you!

16. Laissez-faire • You can do what you want to do • You can do it when you want to do it • I am really one of the gang • I know you will do a good job, so have at it

17. Paternalistic • I am your parent • I know what’s best for you • Trust me and I will take care of you

18. Democratic • Maximum group participation • Maximum delegation of authority • People will think more and better if you encourage them to • You gain their respect through your trust of their efforts

19. The New Leader • One day you are one of the gang • The next day you are the leader • We are not training our people for the leadership roles the are assuming in our fire departments

20. Where Might You Look For Help? • Local library • Fire academies • Community college • Read on your own • Departmental mentoring program

21. Leadership Principles • Be technically proficient • Know yourself • Seek self improvement

22. Leadership Principles • Know your people • Always look out for their welfare • Keep your folks informed

23. Leadership Principles • Set the example • Be sure to explain each task • Be sure that people understand what you have said

24. Leadership Principles • Provide just enough supervision • Do not smother your people • Do not let them run amuck • Support and guide the troops

25. Leadership Principles • Train as a team • Support the individual • Nurture the group • Come to know them as individual human beings

26. Leadership Principles • Make sound decisions • Make decisions at the proper time • Cultivate responsibility among your people

27. Leadership Principles • Know the capabilities of your individual team members • Operate within those levels of competency • Seek responsibility and take command

28. Leadership Traits • High level of self-confidence • A passion for what they do • They are effective public speakers

29. Leadership Traits • Effective writers • Good listeners • Wide range of knowledge • They have a vision • They actively share that vision

30. Your Personal Leadership Compass • Integrity • Courage • Honesty • Pride

31. Your Personal Leadership Compass • Faith • Determination • Forcefulness • Good Judgement

32. Your Personal Leadership Compass • Tact • Decisiveness • Persistence • Initiative

33. Your Personal Leadership Compass • High principles • Take responsibility • Good personal bearing

34. Your Personal Leadership Compass • Loyalty • Dependable • Reliable • Tenacity

35. Tenacity

36. Your Personal Leadership Compass • Unselfish • Self-disciplined • Thirst for knowledge • Servant of the troops

37. Special Skills of a Leader • Forward thinker • Good innovator • A constant flow of ideas

38. Victor Hugo “No army can withstand the strength of an idea whose time has come.”

39. “The time has come to make leadership a true priority in the fire service.” Harry Carter