A Framework for Learning

Integrity is one of the wildland fire leadership values. One of its principles is “know yourself and seek improvement.”

There does not always need to be two people in traditional roles assigned as teacher and student for learning to occur.

Challenge #23 - 2022 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge #23: Good leaders create psychologically safe environments in which their team can share. 

• Watch Amy Edmondson’s “Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace” TedTalk.
• Take the “Is Your Team Psychologically Safe” quiz and consider implementing the exercises to build safe environments. 

IGNITE: Building Confidence and Competence

 

By building your confidence as well as your competence, you build executive presence. - Jody Michael

[Photo: Santa Fe Helitack]

Opportunities for Inquiry and Dialogue - "Is Yours a Learning Organization?"

In a March 2008 article in Harvard Business Review, professors ask, “Is Yours a Learning Organization?” The authors propose that an environment to support learning has four characteristics:

Week of Remembrance 2022 - Day 7

 

“We as firefighters can most honor them by recognizing and cherishing the lessons they have imparted to us at the greatest price.” - Paul Gleason

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]

IGNITE: A Willingness to Fail

 

We have to be willing to fail, to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned. - Angela Duckworth, Psychologist

[Photo: Tallac IHC]

Opportunities for Inquiry and Dialogue - Summary on Learning Organizations

All wildland firefighters need to undergo similar entry-level training and then career progression training and education designed and implemented as an acculturation process. This common lifelong learning experience provides all firefighters shared situational awareness, a proud heritage, a set of values, and a common bond of comradeship.

Basic individual skills are an essential foundation for fireline effectiveness and must receive heavy emphasis. All firefighters—regardless of their specialty—must be trained and educated in basic firefighting skills.

At the same time, organizational skills are extremely important.

Leaders must establish concrete learning processes and practices, and reinforce the value of a learning culture. The next section of this publication helps you to do just that by establishing a framework for learning.

These are not simply an accumulation of individual skills. To be sure, adequacy in individual skills does not automatically mean organizational skills are satisfactory.

Crews and teams must experience learning together so they can collectively improve their knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are in keeping with our leadership values and principles.

Challenge #22 - 2022 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge #22: Effective leaders cultivate learning organizations to pass on lessons.

• Subscribe to the LLC’s “What’s New” e-newsletter.
• Share lessons and reports with your team.

IGNITE: Treating Your People

 

Treat employees like they make a difference and they will. - Jim Goodnight

[Photo: Golden Eagles IHC]

Opportunities for Inquiry and Dialogue - Lesson Identification

 

The intentional passing on of lessons observed from past fires and all-hazards incidents to the next generation of firefighters is a characteristic of a learning organization.

All the rules of engagement currently used by wildland firefighters have evolved from hard won lessons on the fireground. Developing staff rides from previous incidents and operations for such lessons is a valuable method of inquiry.