A Framework for Leadership
The wildland fire service's framework is built upon the following foundational concepts:
- The Authority to Lead versus the Decision to Lead
- The authority to lead is established by law.
- The ability to lead is something that cannot be legislated.
- A leader's journey is a perpetual cycle of acquiring, shaping, and honing the knowledge and skills of leadership.
- Leaders choose to sacrifice their own needs for those of their teams and organizations.
- Art of Leadership
- Committed leaders can inspire others and make an enormous difference in people's lives, on the results of the team, and in the progress of the organization.
- The art of leadership requires a constant interchange of theory and application.
- The art includes being able to view the larger picture.
- The art of leadership requires successfully balancing many factors in the real world, based on the situation at hand, to achieve a successful outcome.
- Wildland Fire - A High-Risk Environment
- We are asked to make tough decisions under a compressed time frame, given limited information, in a complex and high-risk environment.
- Fire leaders must have the ability to integrate varied resources into effective and responsive temporary teams.
- Leadership Environment
- The leadership environment is made up of four elements:
- The leader
- His/her people
- The situation
- The consequences (short- and long-term effects of the leader's actions)
- Command Philosophy
- Command Based on Intent
- Describing the task, purpose, and end state is the prerequisite for empowering out people to exercise individual initiative an take appropriate risks and actions as the situation requires.
- Unity of Effort
- Leaders must employee multiple leadership skills to influence decisions, forge effective relationships, facilitate cooperative efforts, and ensure that objectives are achieved.
- Command Climate
- Command Presence
- Character is the foundation of command presence.
- Effective leaders project an image that is calm, organized, and focused on success.
- Fire leaders take charge when in charge; we lead from the front and act decisively.
- Communication
- Communication is the primary tool for establishing an effective command climate.
- Communication is the foundation upon which we build trust and enable our teams to develop cohesion.
- Communication enables us to convey objectives and intent, break error chains, and improve situation awareness.
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