Are You Leading at the Speed of Change?

"The one predictable factor of the leadership environment is that any or all of the elements will change." ~ Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 14

The "Did You Know" videos have been circulating around the web for years. Every few years a new version is produced. The reason for the speed are often attributed to advances in technology, longevity, and population increases as seen in the following video:



On his Serve to Lead blog, James Stock isn't so sure that the overall amount of change surpasses that of the generation born in the first decade of the 20th century. He does, however, lean towards such things as disruption of industries, the collaspe of authority, and the empowerment of the voiceless as contributors as accelerating dramatically. He warns the ways we live and lead must change as the magnitude of change occurs as the voiceless connect and gain their voice through technology.

"Are you leading at the speed of change?"

Digging Deeper

Our purpose in sharing this video with our audience is to promote discussion.

• Are members of the wildland fire service embracing change and preparing for a new generation firefighter? 
• What does that firefighter look like? 
• What will our organization look like 5, 10, 25 years from now? Watch the video with your team and take a moment to dream about the future of our organization and discuss your reaction to the data.
• How does the speed of technological change affect decision making? Are there pros? Cons?
• Is your agency prepared for the data generation to be the bulk of their workforce? Will they stay longer than the average? How will this affect recruitment and retention? What are the impacts on leadership development and safety?
• What opportunities exist for the wildland fire service? 
• How can Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program students of fire provide for the greater good?