Thursday, May 31, 2018

IGNITE: Safety - The Foundation of a Strong Culture

Safety is not mere emotional weather but rather the foundation on which strong culture is built. - Daniel Coyle  [Photo credit: Mark Von Twillow, sundowner effect on Whittier fire, July 14, 2017]
[Photo credit: Mark Von Twillow, sundowner effect on Whittier fire, July 14, 2017]
Safety is not mere emotional weather but rather the foundation on which strong culture is built. - Daniel Coyle

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

America's Prepareathon! - Building Relationships with Community Partners

Prepare Your Organization for a Wildfire Playbook
(Credit: FEMA/Ready.gov)
As wildland fire leaders, we look beyond ourselves and to the greater good. Involvement in community wildfire preparedness is one way we can nurture our mission-driven culture. One way to build relationships within your community is to hold an America's PrepareAthon! Day of Action.

Monday, May 28, 2018

Happy Memorial Day 2018

“The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli ~  HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY and shoutout to all those supporting operations this holiday.  [Photo: Pioneer Peak IHC] (fire vehicle heading into the sunset; flag in the back)
[Photo: Pioneer Peak IHC]
“The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli ~

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! 

We send our gratitude to all those supporting operations this holiday.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

IGNITE: Your Behavior Speaks Volumes

“Culture is an emergent phenomenon produced by structures, practices, leadership behavior, incentives, symbols, rituals, and processes. All those levers have to be pulled to have any chance of success. However, one driver of culture change is more important than the others. Culture change fails when the most visible symbols of it fail to change. Those key symbols are almost always the top leader’s behavior, which speaks much louder than anything they might say.”  Paul Gibbons, “The Science of Successful Organizational Change”
Photo: Kari Greer/USFS
“Culture is an emergent phenomenon produced by structures, practices, leadership behavior, incentives, symbols, rituals, and processes. All those levers have to be pulled to have any chance of success. However, one driver of culture change is more important than the others. Culture change fails when the most visible symbols of it fail to change. Those key symbols are almost always the top leader’s behavior, which speaks much louder than anything they might say.” - Paul Gibbons, “The Science of Successful Organizational Change”

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Thank You - Thank You - Thank You

Thank you. Keep it up. Great job. (button)
(Photo credit: Mohamed Hassan/Pixabay)
A few weeks ago, I got to spend time with a co-worker who was in town for a meeting about leadership. One would expect that members meeting to talk about leadership would lead by example. This person embodies the values of duty, respect, and integrity. I am honored to call him "friend." (For the sake of this blog, I shall call him "John.")

Monday, May 21, 2018

IGNITE: The Power of "No"

A ‘No’ uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.” —Mahatma Gandhi (Stand of burned trees)
(Photo: Kari Greer/USFS)
A ‘No’ uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Thursday, May 17, 2018

IGNITE: Bringing Your Best

(Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC)
Self-awareness enables you to bring your best self to others. - Dan Rockwell

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Culture Clash

Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles

While searching for inspiration for this week's blog, I picked up my copy of Gilbert W. Fairholm's book Leadership and the Culture of Trust. The first three paragraphs of the book inspired post.
It is clear that much of current American culture works against internal unity and cohesion. Multiple competing cultures and subcultures with attendant different value systems are challenging our cultures from within and without. We are now in a situation in America where most organizations try to cope with multiple diverse value systems espoused by each of their stakeholder groups.

Monday, May 14, 2018

IGNITE: Connections

[Photo credit: La Grande IHC]
Group performance depends on behavior that communicates one powerful overarching idea: We are safe and connected. - Daniel Coyle

Sunday, May 13, 2018

IGNITE: Happy Mother's Day to All

Nurturing has the ability to transform people's lives.  ~ John C. Maxwell ~ (firefighter nurturing a bear cub)
Photo: Gannett Glacier Fire Crew

Nurturing has the ability to transform people's lives.
~ John C. Maxwell ~

Thursday, May 10, 2018

IGNITE: Lead by Example

A leader leads by example not by force. - Sun Tzu
(Photo: Josh Shroyer)
A leader leads by example not by force. - Sun Tzu

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Jolly and Bradshaw Receive 2017 LBE Awards


Matt Jolly and Larry Bradshaw
(Photo credit: Rob Chaney, Missoulian)
Matt Jolly and Larry Bradshaw
USFS Fire Sciences Laboratory
Honored for Initiative and Innovation

Matt and Larry have been selected as two of the recipients for the 2017 Paul Gleason Lead by Example award. Four individuals from across the wildland fire service have been chosen to receive this national award.

Henry Receives 2018 LBE Award for Mentoring and Teamwork

(L to R: Craig Cunningham, Wells FOS; Matt Murphy, Elko FMO; Chris Henry; Paul Petersen, NV SFMO; Jerry Drazinski, Ruby Mtn. IHC)
(L to R: Craig Cunningham, Wells FOS; Matt Murphy, Elko FMO; Chris Henry; Paul Petersen, NV SFMO; Jerry Drazinski, Ruby Mtn. IHC)
Chris Henry
Ruby Mountain IHC
Bureau of Land Management
Honored for Mentoring and Teamwork

Chris Henry has been selected as a recipient for the 2017 Paul Gleason Lead by Example award. Four individuals from across the wildland fire service have been chosen to receive this national award.

IGNITE: By Endurance We Conquer

“Fortitudine Vincimus” (by endurance we conquer) - Ernest Shackleton  [Photo: Gannett Glacier Fire Crew hiking up a hill]
[Photo: Gannett Glacier Fire Crew]
“Fortitudine Vincimus”
(by endurance we conquer) 
- Ernest Shackleton -


Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Madrid Receives 2017 LBE Award


(Aden Seidlitz, NM Acting State Director; Hector Madrid; Eric Walker, NM State AFMO)
Hector Madrid
State Fire Management Officer
Bureau of Land Management
Honored for Motivation and Vision

Hector Madrid has been selected as a recipient for the 2017 Paul Gleason Lead by Example award. Four individuals from across the wildland fire service have been chosen to receive this national award.