Accountability or Leadership?

(Courtesy of the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center)

You can hardly look around and not find someone bending or breaking a "rule." Whether it is someone running a stop sign or not wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE), the "offender" has an excuse.

I put some of the words in quotes purposely. Each person will align their values and judgment against those things we call rules. There are reasons for the rules we have. Our duty is to know and respect them.

As a member of a wildland fire service, there are some things that are non-negotiable. Wearing proper PPE is one of them. Now some of you may laugh at that statement, but we do have standards by which we fight fire. You may chose, for whatever excuse you deem justifiable, to not wear your PPE. The question becomes how the offense should be handled—through accountability or leadership.

Let's take accountability first. The person bending or breaking the rule can be held accountable for their actions. This places responsibility on the leader, creating a leadership environment by which the leader (or designee) is charged with looking for offenses and issuing consequences for violations. The leader (or designee) is taken away from what could be more important tasks to enforce the rules.

What if leadership were used instead. By creating a leadership environment by which all members of the team respect the rules and understand why the rules exists, the leader sets the example for others to follow. Team members hold themselves accountable, freeing up the lead to lead. There will be no accident investigation (or picture on social media) by which the team and its leader can be judged if the violation doesn't exist. 

This does not mean that accountability is not an option. As Jacko Willink and Leif Babin state in The Dichotomy of Leadership, "use accountability as a tool when needed, but don't rely on it as the sole means of enforcement. 

I used PPE in this example, but it can easily applied to any situation. Leadership is a powerful solution. As wildland fire leaders, we set the example by which others follow. We are ultimately responsible for all action and results. Will you choose to lead or pass your responsibility on to your followers? 

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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.

This blog was inspired by "Chapter 8: Hold People Accountable, but Don't Hold Their Hands" from The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jacko Willink and Leif Babin and "Gloveless Idiots" by Travis Dotson, Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center.