Can't see the forest for the trees...

(Photo: JPlenio/Pixabay)

Ponder the following phrase: "can't see the forest for the trees."

The Urban dictionary provides this meaning to the phrase:

When you are too close to a situation you need to step back and get a little perspective. When you do you will notice there was a whole forest you couldn't see before because you were too close, and focusing on the trees.

Simply that you have focused on the many details and have failed to see the overall view, impression or key point.

This phrase got me thinking about a situation that occurred this summer when the national preparedness level hit 5 (the maximum on the wildland fire scale). Fire was burning everywhere. Citizens were losing their property and their lives. There were no resources to spare.

One day an IMT member called his agency representative to question a National Multi-Agency Coordinating (NMAC) group's decision to move resources from his fire to another fire of higher priority. The move did not sit well with the team member who was losing the resources.

This was a clear example of the team member not being able to see the forest for the trees. He had a responsibility for this fire (the individual tree in the forest), but only within the context of the larger situation. The agency representative recommended the team member zoom out and reflect upon the bigger picture. His incident, as important as it was, did not remotely compare to the devastation that was happening on other fires across the nation.

This scenario is a blended paradox of the phrase and can can be adapted to many situations. Pick yours! As a leader, it is our duty to take care of the forest and focus our teams on the individual trees.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• As the west reflects on their fire season and other parts of the nation prepare for their upcoming season, take a moment to ensure that you as a leader are doing your job to take care of the forest (big picture). 
• How do we make decisions with the forest (big picture) in mind when the tree (our task) is our responsibility?
• Do Your Duty: Wildland fire leaders have a duty to define roles and responsibilities so all team members have a clear picture of what they are supposed to do (taking care of the tree) and how they fit into the bigger picture. 

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About the Author: Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The expressions are those of the author.