You Don't Have to Call Me Sir!

(Photo: Eric Pelletier)

Nod your head if you have worked for someone who demanded respect just because of a title. Were they good leaders or just taskmasters?

There was a time, not that long ago, when this mentality was taught as leadership 101. The louder and deeper the boss spoke, the more people were to respect, listen, and, most importantly, follow. Only it wasn't following as much as it was "do." For those Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials reading this, go ahead and chuckle as you think back to your childhood and first jobs, remembering being told, "When I say jump, don't ask how high. Just start jumping." or, "I don't have to explain myself to you; it's your job to do as you're told."

The 2022 Wildland Fire Leadership Development campaign is about the leaders who inspired their people with a generous heart and a servant's attitude. Leaders who embody an "in service of others" attitude and mentality. The type of leader Robert Greenleaf describes in his essay The Servant as Leader (1970). Greenleaf coined the term servant leadership and identified ten characteristics that embody this kind of leader. Those ten characteristics are: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community.

Do you know what the problem with having a list like that is? We can memorize it, recite it in the mirror every morning, and set out on our day believing we are now better leaders for knowing the list. We can even make inspirational posters and put them all over our work areas to remind us throughout the day and let everyone that comes in know what a good leader should be. But just knowing them is not enough. They're tools in a locked toolbox without actively demonstrating these characteristics, much like the 10 Standard Fire Orders drilled into us from the first day of S-130. Knowing what to do isn't going automatically translate into doing it.

In the next few months, I will highlight the ten characteristics of a servant leader and introduce replicable leaders. Some of these leaders will be familiar names, such as George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and Mother Teresa. Others will be people that may not be people you're familiar with but are more easily relatable.

Dr. Russell Cromwell said in Acres of Diamonds, "If you asked a pupil in school who sank the Merrimack, he will answer Hobson and will tell you 7/8th of a lie, for eight men sank the Merrimack at Santiago..." This quote embodies the mindset of a servant leader that understands their role. Being a leader isn't about the spotlight. Even if, sometimes, there are leaders that may want the fame and recognition that goes along with being good at their calling. Most leaders I know don't need or enjoy the kudos; they feel it puts the focus in the wrong spot. It's not an individual who accomplishes the team's objective but the team as a whole.

I want to stress that servant leadership is a technique and mindset. It may not be appropriate in every situation. There are several leadership styles, and genuinely successful leaders know when and how to use the various techniques. Whether you're in operations, planning, or logistics, remember 5 + 4 = 9, but so does 6 + 3. Leadership is about knowing your team and motivating the individuals to work as a single unit.

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e. L. Pelletier is a dispatcher for the Uintah Basin Interagency Fire Center and is the vice coordinator for the 2023 WFLDP campaign. Previously, Eric held career seasonal positions with FWS and BIA. The thoughts are those of the author.