"Leading in the Wildland Fire Service"- Preface

Leadership is the art of influencing people in order to achieve a result. The most essential element for success in the wildland fire service is good leadership. 

This book expresses the fundamental leadership concepts of the wildland fire service. It outlines the framework, values, and principles that guide wildland fire leaders in providing leadership across a broad range of missions. The concepts in this book are universal to every person in the wildland fire service—from first year employee to senior manager. 

This book serves interagency wildland fire service interests by:

• Defining leadership in the wildland fire service.
• Articulating a universal set of values and principles to guide the actions of leaders in the wildland fire service. 
• Providing a concise reference for the wildland fire leadership development curriculum for use by both instructors and students. 

Leaders often face difficult problems to which there are no simple, clear cut, by-the-book solutions. In these situations, leaders must use their knowledge, skill, experience, education, values, and judgment to make decisions and to take or direct action—in short, to provide leadership.

This book does not state policy. It cannot provide black-and-white answers to the unlimited volume and variety of situations a leader will face. Instead this book simply outlines the broad concepts of leadership in the wildland fire service—fundamental concepts by which expectations of leaders may be established and performance of leaders may be judged. It is intended to make better leaders of us all. 

For these reasons, this book is structured around our leadership values and principles as a means of communicating what right looks like and illustrating effective leadership in action.

IGNITE: The Only Limit

 

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. ♦ Franklin D. Roosevelt ♦ 

[Photo: Kari Greer]
#fireleadership

Challenge 51 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

 

Challenge 51: Effective leaders take time to reflect.

• Take a critical look at yourself/your leadership.
• Does your perception of you match that of those you lead?
• Are you a better leader now than you were 12 months ago?
• Develop a plan for continued improvement.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

Celebrating 20 Years

The National Wildland Coordinating Group's Leadership Committee is excited to announce the theme for the 2021 National Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign. The 2021 campaign titled "Sharpening Your Tools" will highlight the 20th anniversary of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program. 

IGNITE: What We Can Control

We don't control what happens, we only control how we respond. ♦ Stoic philosophy ♦

[Photo: Pioneer Peak IHC]
www.fireleadership.gov

 

IGNITE: The Ability to Persuade

 

“Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.” ♦ Ruth Bader Ginsburg ♦

[Photo: San Juan IHC]
#fireleadership

Challenge 50: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

 

Challenge 50: Effective leaders take care of themselves.

• Assess your self-compassion.
• Develop a self-compassion plan in your journal.
• Implement the plan.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

They Told Us So

(Credit: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC)

Wildland firefighters are as familiar as anyone can be when it comes to fire. They aren't afraid to run towards the fire when others run away. They aren't afraid to get their hands (face, hair, etc.) dirty. We are going to dig into the dirty stuff in this blog. I am going to dig into the dirty side of organizational learning.

IGNITE: Leadership is Not a License

 

“Leadership is not a license to do less. Leadership is a responsibility to do more. ♦ Simon Sinek ♦

[Photo: Lassen IHC]
#fireleadership

Challenge 49 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 49: Effective leaders set and respect boundaries.

• Assess your ability to set boundaries.
• Read “Boundaries – When to Say Yes When to Say No to Take Control of Your Life” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership